Airbourne Band: Discography, Biography & Top Songs & Albums
Airbourne, not to be confused with the popular jazz group, Airborne, from the 1970s, Airbourne is a hard rock band that hails from the country of Australia. Having formed back in 2003 in Warmambool, Airbourne has been able to grow its following to become one of the biggest hard rock bands in all of Australia, as well as other countries worldwide.
With the main members consisting of Ryan O’Keeffe playing the drums, Joel O’Keeffe doing vocals and playing lead guitar, bass guitarist and backup vocalist, Justin Street, would eventually join them. Also to join the group would be another backup vocalist, as well as rhythm guitar player, David Roads. Roads, however, would eventually end up leaving the group in April of 2017. While this was a great loss to the band, Harri Harrison would soon replace him.
Airbourne’s debut album, titled ‘Runnin’ Wild,’ was first released back in June of 2007. While the band was still unknown by most, their debut album ended up making the top 30 chart on the ARIA Albums Chart. It would eventually go on to make an appearance on the UK’s Albums Chart, as well as the US Billboard 200.
By August in the year 2013, their album would make its way to the Silver award by BPI. Not willing to let their momentum go to waste, they would release a second album in March of 2010, which would be named ‘No Guts, No Glory.’ This album would go on to reach the top 20, beating their previous album on the ARIA Chart, as well as reaching the top 40 on the UK charts. This album would also go on to achieve a Billboard 200 appearance, once again solidifying Airbourne’s fame across several different continents.
Moving forward, Airbourne would go on to release a much-anticipated third album, titled ‘Black Dog Barking’, which would drop in May of 2013. They would also release a fourth studio album, called ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’, which would drop in October of the year 2016.
Airbourne Band History
Forming as a hard rock band, Airbourne was created in the later part of 2013. Being from Victorian country of Australia, mainly Warmambool, Joel O’Keeffe decided that he and his younger brother, Ryan O’Keeffe, would go on to create the group that would be known as Airbourne. While Joel had originally started playing the guitar at the young age of just 11, Ryan had gotten his first drum set and had bee playing the drums since the age of 11 as well.
Later in his life, Joel would eventually meet up with David Roads, as the two both worked at a hotel in Warmambool. This would soon become fast friends and eventually bring their guitars to work so that they would be able to play together after their shifts. As their friendship grew, so did their ambition to create their fantasy of building a heavy metal rock band. In fact, Roads was eventually invited over to the O’Keeffe’s brother’s house so that they could all rehearse their music together.
By the end of 2003, the soon to be bass guitar player, Adam Jacobson, would be asked to join the group as well, and they would all start to play gigs at one of the local hotels together, the Criterion Hotel.
With a big break coming in March of 2014, the band, which was now named Airbourne, would go on to win a statewide band competition. This competition was kind of a big deal in Australia, and was called Push-On, which took place in Melbourne. They were able to win the competition by playing tunes that were inspired by their idols, some of which included Rose Tattoo, AC/DC, Billy Thorpe, and The Angels. Coasting off of their big competition win, they would soon after release an 8 track album that was self-funded, and called ‘Ready to Rock’. This was released in July of 2004 as an independent album.
While the band was doing great, there were some big changes that took place at the same time. Jacobson, who was the lead bass guitarist, would be replaced by Justin Street, who Ryan had met while trying to make it home one drunken night. Moving forwards, in 2005, the band would decide to relocate their home base to Melbourne, eventually signing a five album record deal in August of the same year with one of the biggest record labels of all time, Capitol Records.
Living the rock star lifestyle, it was later claimed that while they were having a party and were listening to the album, Krokus, when a blown fuse would eventually lead to the entire back part of their house burning down. Besides performing at numerous festivals and concerts, Airbourne has also helped support bands that are known on a global level, some of which include Motorhead, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, and Motley Crue.
Having launched over four studio albums that have been well received, Airbourne has rumored that they are in the works of releasing a fifth studio album as well. Appropriately titled ‘Album 5’, rumors have it that Airbourne is currently working on their album in Nashville, TN. With four extremely successful albums already released, it will be a tough job for the band to once again be able to break through and dominate the top charts.
Their previous albums, ‘Runnin’ Wild’, ‘No Guts, No Glory’, ‘Black Dog Barking’, and ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’, were definite chart toppers that helped the band to explode it’s popularity and build a cult-like following. Not afraid to ride their momentum, Airbourne is working on their fifth album right on the coat tails of the release of the very successful fourth album.
While there is no telling what direction Airbourne is going to take their music, it is safe to say that they have earned the right to build a huge loyal following of dedicated fans that will stop at nothing to support this up and coming group. It will be exciting to see where Airbourne is able to take their music in the upcoming years.
