Bass player Ray Ahn reveals the ups and downs of the quarter-century career of Australian's most successful independent band, Hard-Ons.
yourGigs (yG): What can you remember about the Hard-Ons' first proper gig 25 years ago?
Ray Ahn (RA): Super-excited - but funnily enough, none of us were nervous. We had all just turned 18 so we had played parties and school dances for two years before this debut "proper gig". Some of these were hostile because of the type of music we played (ie noisy underground garage punk). But this show was packed full of people like us - people into underground punk/garage sounds.
We were received very well. We supported United Underworld who changed their name to Trilobites and went into becoming a very successful live attraction. The gig was full of people who knew us from shows when we were in the crowd. So it was a very easy introduction to the world of the pub circuit.
yG: Did any of you think when you first formed that you would still be going 25 years later?
RA: We did not think of anything long term at all. We knew each other from primary school as well as high school, so we were very good friends. So unlike many other bands, we enjoyed each others' company and it felt more like a social group. Indeed, at the start, many of our friends joined the Hard-Ons and left later. We'd always have high school friends joining us as singers etc. There was never any deep thought about our career and we didn't really have anything other than short term goals to go on stage and make some noise. It's hard to believe how things have panned out really.
yG: What were your initial aims for the band - how have you gone attaining them, and are there still ambitions you still wish to achieve?
RA: The Hard-Ons have had a very good run. But any band serious about their music would like to better their previous album etc, so we always have ambitions musically. Also, we still have not played certain countries - Brazil, Korea, Taiwan - places that are supposedly amazing to play according to our friends that have toured there in their bands. We'd like to go there if possible.
In regards to our "initial aims", the aims developed step-by-step from first gig to first record, to first interstate tour to first LP to first overseas tour. We've achieved everything but musical ambition is a bottomless pit. That's why most people do not stop playing music. Even if they retire from playing on the stage.
yG: In terms of your planned Unforgettable Hard-Ons compilation album, what were the reasons for putting the track list to the fan vote? Do you think the band's favourite songs will match the fans ones and are there any songs lurking in your discography you particularly hope do or don't make it?
RA: This was due to the fact that on the Hard-Ons online forum, through www.hard-ons.net, at various times people have, unsolicited by us, submitted their all-time favourite songs, just to see how others would respond. So we thought we'd make a CD of that list, songs by consensus.
I have no doubt that there are songs that will be universally liked: such as 'The Girl in a Sweater' and 'All Set to Go'. A lot of our younger fans who were not even born when we started have told us that their favourite stuff is the recent stuff from the last few years, and this makes me very happy, it's nice bonus as a musician, that kind of feedback.
yG: What was the response like been for the band's international legs of the tour?
RA: We played some very old tunes. They still sounded cool. Good pop songs don't date at all, and I really believe that our songs are of decent quality. There are a lot of massively successful bands from the era we were from, that are now all but forgotten, so that fact that we can still play overseas and have people like us is excellent! I think it's because none of us really stopped playing music in those years and hopefully we still come across as fresh and enthusiastic. The response in Europe and Japan earlier in 2009 was fantastic.
yG: Have you been able to witness the influence of your band on others across your 25-year career and do you find it flattering or frustrating?
RA: I am involved in the band as bass player so it's not right of me to say what the Hard-Ons' influence has been, other than to say that we have some pretty famous fans. A guy from Powderfinger and the singer from Living End both told me the Hard-Ons were an inspiration when they were young. I was of course flattered.
We started playing a high-velocity hybrid of metal, punk and pop with no regard for fashion trends and it's been said that this influenced this band or that band, but to what extent, I'm not sure. I will say this though: we hated scenes, fashion, trends and hipsters with a passion, as only westie yobbos can. We've been told that our attitude in this regard rubbed off on a lot of bands that followed after us.
yG: What can we expect from your upcoming 25th anniversary Australian tour?
RA: An action-packed melodic and catchy, yet brutal and loud, on-stage presentations from middle-aged men with their shirts off.
yG: What lies ahead for the future of the Hard-Ons?
RA: We are recording a new album very, very soon and plan to go back to Japan early next year too.
Andy Ryan
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