Who Are Airbourne? Hard Rock From Warrnambool

Some bands play rock 'n' roll. Airbourne live it, at full volume, and they started out in a small city on the coast of Victoria, Australia. Here's a short guide to the band, for new fans and old ones.

Where did Airbourne start?

Airbourne formed in late 2001 in Warrnambool, Victoria. Brothers Joel O'Keeffe (lead vocals and lead guitar) and Ryan O'Keeffe (drums) have been there from day one. The band first called itself "Airborne" and added the "u" in early 2004, because bands in Scotland and New Zealand already had the name.

Who is in the band?

• Joel O'Keeffe: lead vocals and lead guitar, since 2001.
• Ryan O'Keeffe: drums, since 2001.
• Justin Street: bass and backing vocals, since 2004.
• Brett Tyrrell: rhythm guitar and backing vocals, since 2023.

David Roads played rhythm guitar from 2002 until 2017, followed by Matthew Harrison and then Jarrad Morrice.

Which albums should I know?

• Runnin' Wild (2007): the debut, with "Runnin' Wild" and "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast".
• No Guts. No Glory. (2010): "No Way But the Hard Way" and "Blonde, Bad and Beautiful".
• Black Dog Barking (2013): "Live It Up" and "No One Fits Me (Better Than You)".
• Breakin' Outta Hell (2016): a top-ten album in the UK.
• Boneshaker (2019): "Boneshaker", "Burnout the Nitro" and "Rock 'n' Roll for Life".
• Airbourne (2026): the self-titled sixth album, with "Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)".

What do they sound like?

Straight-up hard rock: big riffs, shouted choruses and plenty of volume. The band name AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, Motörhead and Thin Lizzy among their influences, and you can hear it. Four of their singles reached No. 1 on the Canadian rock chart.

Want to wear a piece of that story? Shop the Airbourne collection.