6 Aussie Artists Keeping The Rockstar Spirit Alive

As part of our partnership with ibis Play we’ve put together 6 Aussie musicians who are true blue, bloody rockstars.

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons once claimed that “Rock is dead”, a statement that’s been echoed by a variety of old dudes deploring the current state of music and generally having a whinge, as is the want of old dudes, really.

Despite sound logic alone proving otherwise, all one needs to do is have a look around the current Australian music scene to see that kick-ass, wild, no-fucks-given musicians are still thriving and re-energising the decades old notion of rock and roll mentality in a more evolved, contemporary setting.

With the help of our mates at ibis Hotel’s brand new home for great music ibisPlay.com, we’ve got the lowdown on six shredding Aussie rockstars for a new generation, who are thrashing the music scene today.

Izzi Manfredi – The Preatures

With rock ‘n’ roll music legends PJ Harvey and Chrissy Amphlett as noted influences, The Preatures front-woman Isabella Manfredi is a 100% rockstar for the current generation. Known for her emphatic, wild on-stage presence and with a pair of vocal chords that pack one hell of a punch, Izzi and her bandmates have been tearing up stages for a couple of years, and are a highly-sought after festival headliner.

Often using her political beliefs to shake things up, in true rockstar fashion, Manfredi doesn’t shy away from getting her message across, such as the time she made controversy by wearing this political slogan whilst accepting a songwriting competition award. Rock on Izzi!

Gallery: The Preatures @ Sydney Opera House, 2015 / Pics Maria Boyadgis

Violent Soho

Theses Brissie lads go harder then anyone else out there and are known for their energetic, thrash rock live show where literally anything can and does go down. Their rockstar cred has even been verified by the likes of Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus, who recently tweeted his admiration to the no-doubt stoked lads.

Like Izzi, the boys are known for not holding back their opinions, with guitarist James Tidswell having his own fashion controversy, nearly kicked off a flight for donning this NSFW slogan. Not that you need any further evidence, but for more proof, check out their video for the epic Covered in Chrome, which is as pretty rock ‘n’ freakin’ roll as they come.

Watch: Violent Soho – Covered in Chrome

Kevin Parker – Tame Impala

Harkening back to the rockstar image of the 60’s and 70’s, Kevin Parker and his band Tame Impala blend woozy psychedelic sounds from the past with crunchy guitar riffs from the present, creating an all together new style of rock, that Aussies, and the world at large, cannot get enough of.

Kev’s rockstar status is confirmed by the pure amount of bands he’s played in, such as POND, Melody’s Echo Chamber and not to mention the numerous collabs with the likes of international superstar producer Mark Ronson. Oh, and there’s this one thing he said in a recent AMA which is a rockstar move if I’ve ever heard one: “Mac is a great guy. He and his cronies are loose units. I left Coachella in their van and they were waving a HUGE dildo out the window at passersby. Then we ended up in his jacuzzi somehow.”

Watch: Tame Impala – Let It Happen Live on Conan

Daniel Johns

If there’s one dude who’s maintained his status as Australian rock royalty for a long, long time, it’s former Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns. Earning the rockstar tick of approval at the ripe old age of 15 when his then high school band made the big time, Johns has shredded in a variety of forms since.

Whilst Silverchair’s youthful brand of soaring rock music is still cherished by ’90s kids and the like to this day, Daniel is also known for his pop-rock stylings with Paul Mac in The Dissociatives and more recently with his first ever solo release, which although has mostly discarded with the electric guitar, further cements his position as a sexy AF rock god.



Watch: Silverchair – Freak


Tkay Maidza

This Aussie hip-hop superstar on the rise from Adelaide proves rappers rock as hard as any guitar shredder, and as anyone who’s seen her live can attest to, Tkay owns the stage like few of her contemporaries.

Embodying the rockstar attitude down to a T(Kay), the MC makes up for her short-stature with a whole lot of vibe, such as in her video for Uh-Huh (below) which is brimming with her vivacious, rockstar character. It’s not just us Aussies who are diggin on Tkay either, with her recently getting a shout out from none other then Killer Mike.

Watch: Tkay Maidza – Uh-Huh

The Findlay Sisters – Stonefield

Purveyors of some truly vintage rock ‘n’ roll guitar licks and soaring, anthemic vocals, the quartet of sisters who make up Stonefield are arguably Australia’s modern-day answer to The Runaways. Bursting onto the scene in 2013, the Victorian family band proved age nor gender are any limits to making crunchy, electrifying rock music.

Returning this year with latest single Golden Dream, the girls have teamed up with Aussie rock legend Kram, of Spiderbait fame, to record their new material and look set to be tearing up the scene for some time to come. Check out their epic debut single Through The Clover to see what we mean.

Watch: Stonefield – Through The Clover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPTVbWvW240

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