As the name suggests, skate-punk is a genre of punk music usually associated with skateboarding culture. While punk music had already been well-established, a faster, somewhat more melodic style of punk gained notoriety through its frequent use in skateboarding videos of the ’80s and ’90s. The genre really kicked off in the US, but like all genres, it found its way down to Australia where we were quick to adapt to it as well.
One of the most prominent Aussie bands in the genre at the moment is Byron Bay’s Skegss. Not content to just let their music speak for itself, Skegss have recently announced a new tour in support of their new single ‘Got On My Skateboard’ and new EP Holiday Food, which will see them hit up stops in the UK and Europe, before coming back home for a run of local shows. To celebrate the band’s new tour, which sees them hitting up almost every capital city in the country, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the best Aussie skate-punk anthems
Skegss – ‘Got On My Skateboard’
Skegss first appeared on our radar a couple of years back when they were announced as the first signing to Dune Rats’ Ratbag Records label. In the ensuing two years, the lads from Byron Bay have gone from strength to strength, knocking our socks off with every track they release.
Their recent Holiday Food EP has spawned a couple of singles so far, including the infectious ‘Spring Has Sprung’, but the group’s newest track, ‘Got On My Skateboard’, is seeing their levels of fame rise exponentially. Irreverent, full of fun, yet a bit melancholic, ‘Got On My Skateboard’ is one of those songs that has the words ‘summer anthem’ written all over it.
Bodyjar – ‘Not The Same’
Let’s face it, if you were to think about Aussie punk groups, chances are you probably gave Bodyjar at least a passing thought. After releasing a handful of punk classics during the ‘90s, the group welcomed the new millennium by releasing How It Works. Featuring a string of hits, such as ‘Fall To The Ground’ and ‘Not The Same’, the album cemented the group’s place in the genre, and is now considered a classic by Aussie music fans all over.
‘Not The Same’ managed to escape being confined to just the Aussie market and saw itself featured on a couple of video games, including MX Superfly and the third instalment of a little-known game franchise called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. After being featured on one of the biggest video games going around at the time, it would be an absolute crime not to consider ‘Not The Same’ as a skate-punk anthem, so let’s relive those fond memories of choosing your skater’s deck design, clothes, and stats, with a replay of this classic track.
28 Days – ‘Rip It Up’
28 Days burst onto the music scene in the late ‘90s and quickly became a force to be reckoned with within punk circles. Of course, their use of turntables and rap-rock influences drew criticism from a lot of naysayers, but the Melbourne five-piece managed to bring the goods with every track they released.
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Their biggest hit, ‘Rip It Up’, saw them at their most successful, with the track even reaching the eleventh spot on the Hottest 100 countdown for 2000. To this day, it remains one of the group’s best known songs, and still serves as a useful reminder of all those summer days spent down at the local half pipe.
The Decline – ‘Showertime In The Slammer’
Perth’s The Decline have been on the scene for over a decade now, and with a vast array of legendary punk influences including Lagwagon, Descendents, Propagandhi, and most notably, NOFX, the band are certainly one of the biggest skate-punk bands that Australia has to offer. Having supported a huge number of big-name acts over the years, The Decline have managed to help put Aussie punk back on the international radar again.
With the release of their second record, Are You Gonna Eat That?, came the track ‘Showertime In The Slammer’, a quick-fire punk classic which features some dialogue from the film American History X, just in case the band’s sound didn’t give you enough of a ’90s fix. While the band saw a little bit of a lineup change after this release, the group’s heart and soul still remains, leaving ‘Showertime In The Slammer’ as one of The Decline’s most beloved songs, and rightfully earning its place as a true Aussie skate-punk anthem.
One Dollar Short – ‘Perfect Day’
One Dollar Short’s fame was sadly relatively short-lived, but during their brief years in the spotlight, they managed to release two albums of veritable punk-bangers. Their debut record, 2002’s Eight Days Away, saw the group receive a huge amount of attention with tracks like ‘Satellite’, ’Ten Years’, and ‘Board Game’, even scoring them a slot on the 2002 Warped Tour alongside punk legends The Vandals and Pennywise.
However, if you want to see one of the greatest tracks the group ever recorded, and frankly, one of the greatest songs ever released in the skate-punk genre, we’ll need to take a look at one of the group’s B-sides. No, we’re not talking about their cover of Kasey Chambers’ ‘Not Pretty Enough’, we’re talking about ‘Perfect Day’, released on the Board Game EP. In just three short minutes, One Dollar Short managed to find a way to capture the feeling of those days you never want to end. A song that really should have been a single in its own right, ‘Perfect Day’ remains one of the most positive, upbeat punk songs ever released.
Clowns – ‘You’ve Got The Curse ’
Clowns have been on the cutting edge of Aussie punk for a few years now. As one one of the biggest names signed to Melbourne’s Poison City Records, Clowns have been giving their all to bring about a perfect mix of punk, thrash, and hardcore in a way that is both invigorating and refreshing for everyone who gives their record a spin.
When the group released their first record I’m Not Right, in 2013, fans from all over checked out the record and fell in love with the music these Victorian legends were making. With a dozen belters making up the album, ‘You’ve Got The Curse’ became one of the most popular songs on the release, and understandably so. Just listen to the track and try your hardest not to imagine it soundtracking footage of ollies, kick flips, and manuals.
The Skategoats – ‘There’s Something About Mary Jane’
When triple j Unearthed made their own Australian Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater playlist last year, Mount Gambier’s The Skategoats were one of the highlights, and let’s face it, they have the word ‘skate’ in their name, so you know they’re definitely qualified. Having been around since 2015, The Skategoats are a quirky four-piece who enjoy nothing more than having fun by playing music and singing about all the best punk topics.
Currently in the process of recording their debut EP, The Skategoats have been making a name for themselves everywhere they play with their casual and fun-loving, yet dedicated style of playing. However, its the group’s debut track ‘There’s Something About Mary Jane’ that has been capturing the attention of fans. With airplay on both triple j and triple j Unearthed, ‘There’s Something About Mary Jane’ has seen the group show off some pretty clear Blink-182 vibes as they get their foot in the door of the Aussie music scene.
Skegss’ Hospital Food EP Tour
Wednesday, 7th June
Howler, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Moshtix
Thursday, 8th June
Howler, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Moshtix
Friday, 9th June
Howler, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Moshtix
Saturday, 10th June
Jive, Adelaide, SA
Tickets: Moshtix
Thursday, 15th June
Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Moshtix
Friday, 16th June
Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Moshtix
Friday, 23rd June
The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets: Oztix
Saturday, 24th June
The Waratah, Hobart, TAS
Tickets: Oztix
Sunday, 25th June
Club 54, Launceston, TAS
Tickets: Oztix
Friday, 30th June
Capitol, Perth, WA
Tickets: Oztix
