AIRBOURNE: NO GUTS. NO GLORY.

There’s something about the kind of potent rock and roll fury that Airbourne cranks out, all cylinders firing, that makes you want to chug a beer straight down your throat and punch the air, as though it’d touched your wife inappropriately. It sounds crude, we admit. But that’s the thing about these Aussie pub rock rebels. Their music, like new album No Guts No Glory, is a perfect soundtrack for drunken debauchery, and “that’s what we’re here for, mate,” says rowdy lead guitarist and vocalist Joel O’Keeffe.

Inspired by the likes of Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Angel City, Rose Tattoo, AC/DC, and Motorhead, Airbourne have been waving the rock and roll flag for Australia since 2003, and in the process, winning fans and awards (including Metal Hammer’s Best Debut Album and Classic Rock’s Best Newcomer). They hail from Warrnambool, a small drinking town on the southwestern coast of Victoria, and they’ve steadily gained an immense following among fans of infectious, high energy, whiskey-soaked, whiplash-inducing working man’s rock. The band’s new album, including first single ‘Get Busy Livin’, is a mandatory addition to any self-respecting jukebox’s library.

“Basically, we’ve never been about having a specific message; we don’t talk about politics or social injustices in our songs. There are other bands out there to take care of that,” says Joel O‘Keeffe, who, like brother and Airbourne drummer Ryan O’Keeffe, has been playing guitar since he could walk. “With us, it’s not like that. It’s just rock and roll. We want people to have a good time, no matter what. Have a drink, play it really loud, and kick back.”

Airbourne traveled to the Windy City to record No Guts. No Glory. with producer Johnny K, live and straight to analog tape. Like debut album Runnin’ Wild, No Guts. No Glory. continues that good time vibe, but ultimately, according to Ryan, the record is about “standing up and going for it, and being a man. There’s a tougher element to the album, so to speak.” Instead of sleeping every night in a comfortable hotel room bed on the label’s dime, the band actually slept in the studio, taking inspiration from Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band, who were known to live in the studio until an album was completed.

“We found out that they used to do that for the first bunch of records they did,” Joel explains, “so, the drums were set up in a big room with the guitars and [rhythm guitarist David Roads], he slept behind the amps; I slept behind a bunch of amps; Ryan slept behind his drum kit and [bassist Justin Street] slept behind this pool table, and we were all in the studio. It was really fun, because you’d just get up and go, ‘Fuck,’ and start recording. That’s how your day was. You just sort of woke up, had some food, and started recording. Maybe you’d have a shower; maybe not. Just sort of walk around in your shorts all day, just rocking away.”

The album’s a virtual rock and roll buffet, boasting tracks like “No Way But The Hard Way” and “Blonde, Bad, and Beautiful.”  When the band lived together for three years on welfare in a Melbourne suburb, surviving on a steady diet of booze and barbecue, things were tough, and the band nearly burned their home to the ground - literally.  “Nothing came easy, and we’d say to each other, ‘Ain’t no way but the hard way,’” recalls Ryan.

No Guts. No Glory. also features a song called “Steel Town,” which was inspired by the band’s time on the road - including the UK’s Sheffield - and some of the people they had encountered. “Every time we went through a town that was a steel town, there was something about the crowd themselves,” recalls Joel O’Keeffe. “They seemed to be a little bit wilder, and they’d always drink the pub dry, and we’d have to get more beer from other pubs. There was always a massive fight, always a crazy crowd. So we wanted to give them a song that gives them a chance to raise their flag and pump their fists in the air, and drink a beer to it. I guess it’s like throwing gasoline on the fire.”

Airbourne will spend 2010 on the road and for the O’Keeffe brothers, it’s the band’s live performance that brings folks coming back for more. “We want to become that band that, people hear the name, and they know that they’ll have a good time at the show,” Joel explains. “They know what they’re going to get. They‘re going to get rock and roll, and it’s going to be loud, and they’ll leave the concert with their ears ringing.”

Hot on the heels of the electrifying set at the Download Festival and supporting the mighty Aerosmith, Airbourne confirm they will return to the UK for headline shows in December. Not only that, they’ll be closing the Friday night at Prestatyn’s Hard Rock Hell Festival.

Tickets are on sale now for all dates from all good agents & venue box offices, as well as online at www.livenation.co.uk. Special guests are yet to be confirmed.

Thu 02 Dec - LONDON Brixton Academy (tickets £16.50 + fees)
Fri 03 Dec- PRESTATYN Hard Rock Hell Festival (www.hardrockhell.com)
Sat 04 Dec- GLASGOW Barrowlands (£16)
Sun 05 Dec- BELFAST Ultster Hall (£20)
Tue 07 Dec- DUBLIN Olympia (€20/22)
Thu 09 Dec- MANCHESTER Academy (£16.50)
Fri 10 Dec- BIRMINGHAM Academy (£16.50)

1st set of UK dates ran March 29 – April 14 and Shake Caught up with them in Liverpool…