AJ Maddah: “Rancid Are Not Coming Back To Australia”

Soundwave Festival promoter AJ Maddah says California punk rock veterans Rancid are not returning to Australia. The promoter has long been vocal about his desire to book the band for Soundwave, reportedly attempting to secure them every year only to be consistently turned down.

After one of Maddah’s many Twitter followers asked point blank if the band would be making an appearance at the 2015 instalment of the promoter’s beloved hard rock and punk festival, Maddah replied definitively and without further explanation, “No. They’re not coming back to Australia.”

Rancid last toured Australia back in 1998 and Maddah has said that he’s been trying to book the punk rock favourites for 10 years running. After stating that he would try again this year, Maddah was asked in June whether he had “any luck with Rancid this year,” replying, “Have a guess :(”

During an interview with FasterLouder back in May 2009, bassist Matt Freeman and drummer Branden Steineckert reportedly wouldn’t give any definite answers as to whether the band would return for an Australian tour, with a report in 2010 alleging they “repeatedly deflected the question.”

In the meantime, Australian fans continue to pray for a Rancid tour of Down Under, even setting up Facebook accounts to rally fans together. The band themselves are currently gearing up to release their eighth studio album, Honor Is All We Know, which is expected to drop sometime this year.

UPDATE 08/07/14 9:47am: Drummer Branden Steineckert has since responded, saying he himself is disappointed that the band aren’t retuning to Australia this year and that he will “keep fighting for it as always”.

Despite saying he once cornered the band at Lowlands Festival in Holland and “literally begged them” to tour Australia, Maddah responded to Steineckert with a thank you, signalling that there is no bad blood between them.

Watch: Rancid – Last One To Die

Gallery: Soundwave 2015 Lineup Updates

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