| Project Mayhem | |
|---|---|
| [[File:|300x200px|alt=|Project Mayhem in 2011: L-R Grech, Fitzgerald, Mayhem]] Project Mayhem in 2011: L-R Grech, Fitzgerald, Mayhem |
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Years active | 2001 - present |
| Labels | Blazing Strumpet (2004-2005) |
| Associated acts | Standard Deviants, zxspecky, Mickey Flash, Cal Peck & The Tramps, The Kids |
| Website | Official website 2012 |
| Members | |
| Benny Mayhem Jes Fitzgerald Jozef Grech |
|
| Past members | |
| Andrew Bardwell Pete Bardwell Lance Cockman Lee Hollis Mick Napier Nathan Reeves James "Bangers" McKay |
|
Project Mayhem is an Australian punk rock band formed in Perth in 2001. The current lineup includes Benny Mayhem (vox), Jes Fitzgerald (bass) and Jozef Grech (guitar).
In 2008 they were announced as winners of the state-wide Next Big Thing band competition, and won the WAMi for Best Punk/Hardcore Band in 2010.
This followed industry nominations for Best Punk/Hardcore Band at the West Australian Music Industry Association awards 2008, and for the WAM Song of the Year (Rock Category) in 2007 for the lead track off their No Rest For The Wicked EP, entitled "Fuck Yeah!".
In 2009 Project Mayhem were again nominated for Best Punk/Hardcore Band, and were asked to perform at the award ceremony at Metropolis Nightclub.
In 2010 they won Best Punk/Hardcore Band award. In 2011 their song Rock Up Fucked was nominated for WAM Song of the Year.
Contents |
The band can trace their early history back to 2001. Early lineups featured current singer Benny Mayhem on rhythm guitar, with a revolving lineup that had settled to Andrew Bardwell (lead guitar), Lance Cockman (bass), and Nathan Reeves (drums) by the time of their first pub gig on 9 May 2002 at the Grosvenor Frontroom. The lineup continued to evolve through early gigging experiences, often centred around the notorious Western Australian underground punk venue, the Hyde Park Hotel.
By 2003 the lineup had incorporated Standard Deviants bass player Jes Fitzgerald into the band, and Benny Mayhem had settled as the group's frontman/vocalist with Andrew Bardwell handling sole guitar duties and his brother Peter Bardwell on drums. The band toured the South West of the state (including Margaret River and Bunbury). Upon their return Andrew left the band and was replaced by Standard Deviants guitarist Jozef Grech on a temporary basis.
Project Mayhem released their cassette Pop Tunes From Hell in February 2004 on Blazing Strumpet Records.[1] The band continued through the first half of the year until Grech was replaced again by Andrew Bardwell. This reunion was unsuccessful, and Andrew was fired on-stage by Mayhem & Fitzgerald, on stage at a gig at Headquarters Youth Facility.
Re-hiring Grech, and recruiting James McKay from the recently-disbanded Mickey Flash on drums, Project Mayhem re-formed in mid-2005 to release the Pass The Coopers / Pass The Goon split EP with zxspecky, again on Blazing Strumpet Records.[2]
Although the reformation was intended to be temporary, the band gigged sporadically and by mid-2006 were again a regular feature on the local pub circuit, culminating in their support for The Mexicans and an appearance on the Devil's Kitchen stoner punk rock festival.[3]
The end result of these tempestuous beginnings was the release in May 2007 of No Rest For The Wicked, which was regarded by the band at the time as their debut.[4][5] In October the lead track "Fuck Yeah!" was nominated for WAM Rock Song of the Year by the prestigious West Australian Music Industry Association.[6]
In February the band were nominated for Best Punk Band 2008 by the same organisation.[7]
Project Mayhem had entered the Next Big Thing originally in 2006 but were beaten in the first round, which was won by Streetlight. Trying again in 2008[8], the band were successful and took out the award[9].
On 6 September 2008, the band hired an authentic 19th century Paddle Steamer and launched their new CD ...Go Gonzo on the waters of Western Australia's iconic Swan River.[10]
Since then the band has performed at HyperFest[11], the Big Day Out, RTRFM's In The Pines festival, and the WAMI Festival[12]; as well as making return appearance at the Devil's Kitchen festival.
April 2009 saw the release of the Next Big Thing compilation CD, which contained an exclusive track called Ronald Andrew Taylor (24) in both audio and video formats. The video clip has received national airplay on ABC TV's Rage prgramme [13]. In May 2009 the band received a grant from the Western Australian government to record their debut album, due in October 2009.
In July 2009 the band used their final Next Big Thing prize to create a compilation called WA Gold, which featured an exclusive track from the band as well as contributions from such bands as the Novocaines, The Devil Rides Out, Will Stoker & The Embers, Tomas Ford, and more. The compilation was described by one local media pundit as "the best West Australian music compilation in living memory".
Project Mayhem's debut self-titled album was released on 31 October 2009 on vinyl and CD, and is nationally distributed through Firestarter Distribution.
The band has since toured nationally through Australia. In April 2010 they undertook the Party At Your House tour which took in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Fremantle, totaling over 9000 kilometres by road.
In 2011 the band released Rock Up Fucked as an online single through iTunes. The Rollin' Rock Up Fucked national tours took in Melbourne, Sydney, and various Western Australian locations throughout the remainder of that year.
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Pop Tunes From Hell (cassette) | Blazing Strumpet Records |
| 2005 | Pass The Coopers / Pass The Goon (split EP with zxspecky) | Blazing Strumpet Records |
| 2007 | No Rest For The Wicked (EP) | Independent |
| 2008 | ...Go Gonzo! (EP) | Independent |
| 2009 | Next Big Thing WA 2008: Volume 12 (compilation) | Next Big Thing |
| 2009 | WA Gold (compilation) | Independent |
| 2009 | Project Mayhem (LP) | Independent |
| 2011 | Rock Up Fucked (single) | Independent |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Ronald Andrew Taylor (24) |
| 2011 | Rock Up Fucked |