Bad Dreems (stylised as Bad//Dreems) are an Australian rock band from
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. The band comprises Ben Marwe (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Alex Cameron (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alistair Wells (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Miles Wilson (drums). The band first formed in 2011, releasing their debut EP in 2013. Since then, they have released three studio albums to date, with all three reaching the top 40 on the
ARIA charts
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offic ...
and receiving widespread critical acclaim. The group have also performed alongside the likes of
Midnight Oil,
DMA'S
DMA'S (stylised in all caps) are an Australian three-piece rock band formed in 2012 in Sydney. The band is composed of Tommy O'Dell, Matt Mason, and Johnny Took. They gained popularity for their debut single " Delete" and for their self-titled ...
,
Scientists
A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences.
In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophica ...
and
The Chats
The Chats are an Australian punk rock band that formed in 2016 in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. They describe their sound as "shed rock". The current band lineup is composed of guitarist Josh Hardy, drummer Matt Boggis, and bassist and vocali ...
, and have toured internationally on numerous occasions.
History
2011–2013: Origins and ''Badlands''
Bad//Dreems was first formed in the middle of 2011, after guitarist Alex Cameron had moved back to Adelaide following a stint in Melbourne as a member of indie-rock band
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles (; tr, Çanakkale Boğazı, lit=Strait of Çanakkale, el, Δαρδανέλλια, translit=Dardanéllia), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli from the Gallipoli peninsula or from Classical Antiquity as the Hellespont (; ...
. While playing at a local football club, Cameron crossed paths with Ben Marwe, with whom he began writing songs. Soon, the pair were joined by drummer Miles Wilson and bassist James Bartold, who had both played with Marwe's brother Wolfgang in the now-defunct band
The Shiny Brights
The Shiny Brights are an indie rock band from Adelaide, Australia. The five members have varied tastes in music that all influence their songs; a mix of post-punk, Brit pop and garage rock, held together by lead singer Wolfgang's distinctive vo ...
.
Originally adopting the name Young'n, the group officially solidified their original lineup in August 2011, playing a small handful of shows around their native Adelaide and honing their skills in a warehouse next to the
West End Brewery. Influenced by an array of Australian artists from the '70s and '80s, including
The Saints,
Paul Kelly, and
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only constant members throughout ...
, as well New Zealand artists from the
Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records is a New Zealand independent record label formed in Christchurch in 1981 by music store manager Roger Shepherd. Described by ''The Guardian'' as "one of the world's great independent labels", Flying Nun is notable for bringin ...
label, and similarly-styled groups from the US, including the
Wipers and
The Replacements, Bad//Dreems' musical style was initially dubbed "outsider rock" by the press, though the group have since distanced themselves from this classification.
Working with Johnny Mackay of
Children Collide, Bad//Dreems recorded their first songs towards the end of 2011, releasing debut single "Chills" (paired with B-side, "Close2God") on January 3, 2012.
In July 2012, Bad//Dreems released their next single, "Too Old". The following month, the group embarked on their first large-scale tour of the country, performing across Australia with
Dune Rats
Dune Rats are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, Queensland. Originally, the band formed as a duo, with Danny Beus on guitar and lead vocals and BC Michael Marks on drums and backing vocals. The band later became a three-piece, with Brett J ...
as the main support acts for Children Collide during their ''
Monument
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
'' album tour.
Throughout the end of 2012 and the start of 2013, Bad//Dreems began working with Paul "Woody" Annison (Children Collide,
Red Riders
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...
, Dardanelles,
Black Cab
A hackney or hackney carriage (also called a cab, black cab, hack or London taxi) is a carriage or car for hire. A hackney of a more expensive or high class was called a remise. A symbol of London and Britain, the black taxi is a common s ...
) to record their debut EP, ''Badlands''. Released in July 2013
[Bad//Dreems To Drop 'Badlands' EP](_blank)
Staff Writer, ''The Music'', 27 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013. via independent label Mirador Records, Badlands featured a re-recorded version of debut single "Chills", along with a handful of other singles, including "Tomorrow Mountain" and "Caroline", which were issued as singles.
[NEW MUSIC: Bad Dreems , Caroline](_blank)
''Doubtful Sounds'', 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
In December 2013, Bad//Dreems were named as part of
triple j
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...
Unearthed's annual Next Crop list, appearing alongside the likes of
The Bennies,
Cosmo's Midnight
Cosmo's Midnight are an Australian electronic music duo formed in 2012 in Sydney, New South Wales. The duo consists of twin brothers, Cosmo and Patrick Liney. Their debut studio album, '' What Comes Next'' (2018), peaked at number 36 on the AR ...
, and
Gang Of Youths
Gang of Youths are an Australian alternative rock group from Sydney based in London. The band consists of principal songwriter David Le'aupepe (lead vocals, guitar), Max Dunn (bass guitar), Jung Kim (lead guitar, keyboards), Donnie Borzestowski ...
.
2014–2015: ''Dogs At Bay''
Across the next year, Bad//Dreems would play dozens of live shows, performing alongside names such as
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, formed in late 1993 by Quan Yeomans on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards; Ben Ely on bass guitar, keyboards and vocals; and Martin Lee on drums. Their debut studio album, '' ...
,
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are an Australian rock band formed in 2010 in Melbourne, Victoria. The band's current lineup consists of Stu Mackenzie, Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood and Michael Cavanagh. They a ...
,
Violent Soho
Violent Soho were an Australian alternative rock band that was formed in 2004 in the Brisbane suburb of Mansfield, Queensland originally under the name of "showroom". For the majority of the band's existence, the line-up was composed of Luke Bo ...
, the Scientists and
Cosmic Psychos
Cosmic Psychos are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1982 as Spring Plains. Founding members included Ross Knight on bass guitar and vocals; Robbie Addington on guitar and vocals; and Steve Morrow on vocals. Australian rock music hi ...
. In March 2014, the group performed one of their largest shows to date, appearing at the
Clipsal 500
The Adelaide 500 (also known as the VALO Adelaide 500 for sponsorship reasons) is an annual motor racing event for Supercars held on the streets of the east end of Adelaide, South Australia between 1999 to 2020 and again from 2022. It is someti ...
concert series on the same bill as
Empire Of The Sun
''Empire of the Sun'' is a 1984 novel by English writer J. G. Ballard; it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Like Ballard's earlier short story "The Dead Time" (published in the anthology ...
and
Kimbra
Kimbra Lee Johnson (born 27 March 1990), known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Known for mixing pop with R&B, jazz and rock musical elements, her accolades include four ARIA Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and s ...
.
The following month, the band announced the release of new single "Dumb Ideas" and their subsequent signing to
Ivy League Records
Ivy League Records is a record label based in Sydney, Australia.
History
Ivy League Records is an Australian-based record label established in 1997 by three ex-musician friends: Pete Lusty (John Reed Club) (RIP), Andy Cassell (Youth Group) an ...
.
[EXCLUSIVE: Bad//Dreems Sign With Ivy League, Release New Song](_blank)
Scott Fitzsimons, ''The Music'', 07 April 2014. Retrieved 07 April 2014. The single was recorded in Melbourne with producer
Mark Opitz
Mark Opitz (born 1952) is an Australian record producer and audio engineer. He started his career with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 1971. He has produced AC/DC, the Angels, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Divinyls and INXS. He ...
, best known for his work with Australian acts such as
INXS,
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes (at the ...
, and
The Angels, and was issued as a double A-side 7" single with "My Only Friend" in August 2014.
[Bad//Dreems Drop New Tour Dates, Share New Single ‘My Only Friend’](_blank)
Tom Williams, ''Music Feeds'', 04 August 2014. Retrieved 04 August 2014.
In October 2014, Bad//Dreems embarked on their first US tour, performing eight shows between Los Angeles and New York City, and playing alongside bands such as
Tkay Maidza
Takudzwa Victoria Rosa "Tkay" Maidza ( ; born 17 December 1995) is a Zimbabwean-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper.
Biography
Maidza was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. Her parents are metallurgists. In 2001, her family moved to Australi ...
, Dune Rats and
Cloud Nothings
Cloud Nothings is an American indie rock band from Cleveland, Ohio, United States, founded by singer-songwriter Dylan Baldi. It currently consists of lead singer and guitarist Dylan Baldi, drummer Jayson Gerycz, bassist Noah Depew, and guitarist ...
. For these US shows, guitarist Ali Wells played in Alex Cameron's stead due to his commitments as a surgeon. Wells would later repeat this in May 2015 during the group's debut UK tour, and would later occasionally step in at live shows for several years to play rhythm guitar – in turn, freeing up Marwe to focus solely on vocals.
In August 2015, the group released their debut album, ''Dogs At Bay''. The record, recorded with both Opitz and Colin Wynne, debuted at #33 on the ARIA charts, and in 2021, was named in the "Honourable Mentions" section of ''
Rolling Stone Australia's'' list of the 'Greatest Australian Albums of All Time'.
In September 2015, the group played a headline show at Adelaide venue
Fowler's Live which was recorded and released by local record label Rad Jams Exchange. The following month, the group made their debut as part of triple j's
Like a Version series, performing a cover of
The Weeknd's "
Can't Feel My Face
"Can't Feel My Face" is a song performed by Canadian singer the Weeknd from his second studio album ''Beauty Behind the Madness'' (2015). The song was released on June 8, 2015, as the third single from the album. It was written by Max Martin, Pe ...
" with guest vocals from
Isabella Manfredi from Sydney outfit
The Preatures
The Preatures were an Australian indie rock band from Sydney, New South Wales, who formed in 2010. The band consisted of lead vocalist and keyboardist Isabella "Izzi" Manfredi, guitarist and vocalist Jack Moffitt, bassist Thomas Champion, a ...
.
In November 2015, The Go-Betweens'
Robert Forster
Robert Wallace Forster Jr. (July 13, 1941 – October 11, 2019) was an American actor, known for his roles as John Cassellis in '' Medium Cool'' (1969), Captain Dan Holland in ''The Black Hole'' (1979), Abdul Rafai in '' The Delta Force'' (1986 ...
guest-programmed an episode of Australian music programme ''
Rage'', broadcasting Bad//Dreems' "My Only Friend" and describing the track as "a masterpiece of Australian rock". Two years later, Forster would join the band during their performance at the
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass (commonly referred to as Splendour) is an annual Australian music festival held at the North Byron Parklands in Yelgun, New South Wales. Since its inauguration, the festival has also been held in various locations near ...
festival, playing the song with the band, along with a version of The Go-Betweens'
"Spring Rain".
2016–2017: ''Gutful''
In 2016, Bad//Dreems returned to the studio with Opitz and Wynne to record their second album, Gutful. The band gave fans their first taste of the new album in October 2016, sharing lead single "Mob Rule". The track was critical of racist attitudes throughout Australia, and was described as "painting a disturbing picture of dystopic Australia with pure pub rock perfection".
[Bad//Dreems are tired of your racist bullsh*t on new single, Mob Rule](_blank)
Troy Mutton, ''Pilerats'', 12 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
In February 2017, the band shared their next single, "Feeling Remains". The single was also accompanied by a video which saw Bad//Dreems joined by former ''
Recovery
Recovery or Recover may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Books
* ''Recovery'' (novel), a Star Wars e-book
* Recovery Version, a translation of the Bible with footnotes published by Living Stream Ministry
Film and television
* ''Recovery'' (fil ...
'' host
Dylan Lewis
Dylan Thomas Lewis (also known as DiRK ViLE) is an Australian television and radio host.
Biography Early life
Lewis was educated at Caulfield Grammar School and graduated in 1990; he then studied a Bachelor of Education in Drama and Music deg ...
as they performed a set in the style of the long-defunct programme.
Bad//Dreems released ''Gutful'' in April 2017, with the record debuting at #23 on the ARIA charts. In an interview released alongside the record, guitarist Alex Cameron explained that ''Gutful'' saw the band trying to push towards more of '70s-influenced post-punk sound, with the focus being that of capturing the group in their live element with little additional production.
Later in 2017, Bad//Dreems were chosen as one of the support acts for the Adelaide leg of Midnight Oil's ''Great Circle'' tour, with the band opening Midnight Oil's first South Australian performance in 15 years alongside
Spiderbait. Also in 2017, Wells was inducted as a full-time member of Bad//Dreems, expanding the line-up officially to a five-piece.
2018–2019: ''Doomsday Ballet''
2018 served as an uncharacteristically quiet year for Bad//Dreems, with the group performing less than ten public shows throughout the year. Towards the end of the year, the group entered Adelaide's Twin Earth Recording with
Burke Reid
Burke Reid is an Australian–Canadian record producer/musician.
Career
After migrating from Canada to Australia in 1994 at the age of 14 years, Reid became one third of the band Gerling in 1997. Following the announcement of a hiatus by Gerli ...
and
Jack Ladder to begin the recording of their third album.
In May 2019, the group were announced as the latest signing to Wollongong label Farmer And The Owl ahead of the release of their new album, with lead single "Double Dreaming" released just weeks later. The release of the single coincided with the band's second UK tour, which also featured two support performances for Midnight Oil during the band's appearances at the
O2 Apollo in Manchester and the
O2 Academy in Brixton.
In October 2019, the group released their third album, ''
Doomsday Ballet'', with the record hitting #38 on the ARIA charts, and becoming their third consecutive release to chart within the top 40. In an interview conducted in support of the album, guitarist Alex Cameron explained that the record had emerged from roughly 100 different demos. Meanwhile, a separate interview saw drummer Miles Wilson allude to a stylistic shift within the record's sound, explaining that the band's motto within the studio had been "less pub, more art", indicating a concerted effort to avoid being pigeonholed within the pub rock genre.
In November 2019, Bad//Dreems again appeared as part of triple j's Like A Version series, this time covering the
Warumpi Band
Warumpi Band () were an Australian country and Aboriginal rock group which formed in the outback settlement of Papunya, Northern Territory, in 1980. The original line-up was George Burarrwanga on vocals and didgeridoo, Gordon Butcher Tjapanang ...
's "
Blackfella/Whitefella
"Blackfella/Whitefella" is an Australian rock song written by Neil Murray and George Rrurrambu, recorded by their Aboriginal rock group, Warumpi Band, and released as the second single from their 1985 album, ''Big Name, No Blankets'' on Paro ...
" alongside guests
Peter Garrett
Peter Robert Garrett (born 16 April 1953) is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and former politician.
In 1973, Garrett became the lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil. As a performer he is known for his signa ...
,
Emily Wurramara
Emily Wurramara is an Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter.
In 2018, Wurramara was nominated for Best Blues and Roots Album at the ARIA Awards.
Early life
Wurramara is a Warnindhilyagwa woman from Groote Eylandt, off the Northern Te ...
and Mambali.
[Peter Garrett Joined Bad//Dreems For A Moving And Pointed ‘Like A Version’](_blank)
Jared Richards, ''Junkee'', 15 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019. The same month saw the group return to the UK for a 15-date tour supporting
The Chats
The Chats are an Australian punk rock band that formed in 2016 in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. They describe their sound as "shed rock". The current band lineup is composed of guitarist Josh Hardy, drummer Matt Boggis, and bassist and vocali ...
.
In late December, the group's touring prospects were halted as a result of the
2019–20 Australian bushfire season
The 201920 Australian bushfire season (Black Summer), was a period of bushfires in many parts of Australia, which, due to its unusual intensity, size, duration, and uncontrollable dimension, is considered a megafire. The Australian National ...
. After the band's appearance at the Lorne edition of
Falls Festival
Falls Music & Arts Festival (commonly known as Falls) is a multi-day music festival held annually in Lorne ( Victoria), Marion Bay (Tasmania), Byron Bay (New South Wales) and Fremantle (Western Australia), Australia over the New Year's Eve an ...
was cancelled, the band took part in a fundraising concert alongside These New South Whales,
Totally Unicorn, and Eaglemont. In February 2020, the group hosted their own Fire Aid benefit concert, featuring appearances from
Pond
A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing their ecology from ...
, Children Collide,
The Mark of Cain and
West Thebarton
West Thebarton, previously known as West Thebarton Brothel Party, is an Australian rock band from Adelaide.
History
West Thebarton cut their teeth practising in a studio in West Thebarton Road, in the western Adelaide suburb of Thebarton, henc ...
. The concert would eventually raise more than $200,000 for the likes o
BlazeAid the CFS, an
SAVEM
2020–2021: Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic
In early 2020, Bad//Dreems were one of the many artists affected by the sudden onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In March 2020, the group were in the midst of another UK tour when the pandemic's impact necessitated a cancellation of all remaining dates and a return to Australia. Frontman Ben Marwe later released a satirical song titled "I Wanna Self-Isolate With You", jokingly dubbing it "lyrically the best work we've done".
In May, the group shared new single "Desert Television".
[Bad//Dreems Return with Furious New Single, ‘Desert Television’](_blank)
Tyler Jenke, ''Rolling Stone Australia'', 22 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020. The track had been recorded with
Rory Attwell
Rory Attwell is an English musician, best known for his part in UK punk trio Test Icicles, who formed in 2004 and played a handful of concerts before disbanding on 22 April 2006, after their sold out final show at the Astoria in London. During th ...
during their time in London, and was released in the aftermath of being forced to cancel a number of regional tour dates due to restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic.
Bad//Dreems were forced to cancel a total of 22 tour dates throughout 2020, including numerous festival appearances and a full regional tour. The group took part in a number of livestreams during this time, including the Isol-Aid Festival, while Marwe also launched a semi-regular "Sunday Morning Songbook" series. The group made their return to the live stage in November 2020 before embarking on the Small Town Big Sound tour in April 2021.
In September 2021, Marwe announced the launch of his solo project, Wedding Motel. His debut EP, ''Childhood Beach'', was released in November, with the title track also featuring lyrics by Alex Cameron.
2022–present: Upcoming fourth studio album
In January 2022, Bad//Dreems revealed that they were in the process of writing and recording their fourth studio album, working with producer
Dan Luscombe at Melbourne's Soundpark Studios In August 2022, the band released the first single from their new album, with "Mansfield 6.0" receiving its debut airing on triple j's Home & Hosed on August 3.
[BAD//DREEMS Release New Single ‘Mansfield 6.0’ + Announce NT Tour](_blank)
''GC Live'', 05 August 2022. Retrieved 05 August 2022. That same month saw the band tour through the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
as part of the regional touring initiative Guts. A second single, "Jack", followed in October ahead of a national tour in support of the band's two newly-released tracks.
In December 2022, bassist James Bartold announced that he was leaving the band in order to spend more time with his family.
Music style and influences
The band have cited a number of Australian and North American rock and punk bands of the 1970s and 1980s as their influences, with the likes of post-punk outfits the Wipers,
Devo,
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.
Sumner and Hook formed the band after atte ...
,
Wire
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
, and
Television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
specifically informing their own self-described "rough and tumble brand of jangling rock and roll".
[Bad//Dreems - Bio](_blank)
Australian Musician, ''Australian Musician'', 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019. Likewise, their music itself has seen the band explore ideas of Australian dystopia and isolation, suburban ennui, and male identity, while their earlier work was said by guitarist Alex Cameron to have been inspired by the bizarre and darker side of Adelaide history such as the
Beaumont children disappearance
Jane Nartare Beaumont (born 10 September 1956), Arnna Kathleen Beaumont (born 11 November 1958) and Grant Ellis Beaumont (born 12 July 1961), collectively known as the Beaumont children, were three Australian siblings who disappeared from Gle ...
,
The Family Murders
The Family Murders is the name given to a series of five murders speculated to have been committed by a loosely connected group of individuals who came to be known as "The Family". This group was believed to be involved in the kidnapping and se ...
, and the Adelaide Bikie Wars.
As the group have continued, their musical influences and lyrical focuses have also expanded. A review for second album ''Gutful'' specifically noted that the band "can go from sounding like
AC/DC to
Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
and even
Billy Joel", while also pointing out that the record saw the group "transcend" their earlier post-punk influences.
In an interview surrounding the release of ''
Doomsday Ballet'', Cameron cited the likes of
Brexit
Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC ...
, the resurgence of
Pauline Hanson, and the
Presidency
A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...
of
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
as having influenced the political focuses on their third album, though he similarly denied the notion that Bad//Dreems had become a "political band".
Meanwhile, a contemporary review of the album saw the band's sound described as "new wave-cum-rock ‘n’ roll".
The group have also been somewhat vocal against the idea of their music being pigeonholed under the all-encompassing genre of pub-rock. In 2017, Cameron explained to ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'' that it "certainly isn't a term
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
ever felt comfortable with", while also stating the belief that "if people are going to judge you by an all-encompassing genre term then they can piss off". In 2020, frontman Ben Marwe echoed Cameron's statement, explaining that ''Doomsday Ballet'' was composed with the idea of sounding "less pub, more sort of avant-garde art rock".
Doomsday Ballet' Sees Bad//Dreems Leaving The Pub
Lauren Baxter, ''The Music'', 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
Members
Current members
* Alex Cameron – lead guitar, backing vocals
* Ben Marwe – lead vocals, occasional acoustic guitar , rhythm guitar
* Miles Wilson – drums
* Ali Wells – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Former members
* James Bartold – bass, backing vocals
Discography
Studio albums
EPs
Live albums
Singles
Music videos
Awards
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
History
The inaugural 2006 awards were held at ...
) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
, -
, AIR Awards of 2015
The AIR Awards of 2015 (or Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards of 2015) is the tenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at The Meat Market, North Me ...
, "Cuffed and Collared"
, Best Independent Single/EP
,
, -
, AIR Awards of 2018
The AIR Awards of 2018 is the twelfth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at Queen's Theatre Adelaide, Australia on Thursday 26 July 2017.
In 2018, ...
, ''Gutful''
, Best Independent Hard Rock or Punk Album
,
, -
, AIR Awards of 2020
The 2020 AIR Awards was the fourteenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards ceremony (generally known as the AIR Awards). It took place on 1 October 2020 in Adelaide.
The nominations were revealed on 7 July 20 ...
, ''Doomsday Ballet''
, Best Independent Rock Album or EP
,
, -
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of the Australian live scene – recognising the best vocal talents and musicians alongside ...
(NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
, -
, National Live Music Awards of 2016
The National Live Music Awards of 2016 are the inaugural National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of ...
, Themselves
, South Australian Live Act of the Year
,
, -
, National Live Music Awards of 2020
The National Live Music Awards of 2020 are the upcoming 5th annual National Live Music Awards.
The nominees will be revealed on 7 September 2020, which is when general public voting commences. The event is scheduled for 20 October 2020.
The 2 ...
, Themselves
, South Australian Live Act of the Year
,
, -
South Australian Music Awards
The South Australian Music Awards (previously known as the Fowler's Live Music Awards) are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry. They commenced in 2012.
, -
, 2013
, Bad//Dreems
, Best Indie Artist
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , 2014
, rowspan="2" , Bad//Dreems
, Best Indie Artist
,
, -
, SA Songwriters(s) of the Year
,
, -
, 2015
, Bad//Dreems
, Best Live Act
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , 2016
, rowspan="2" , Bad//Dreems
, Best Release
,
, -
, Best Group
,
, -
, 2017
, Bad//Dreems
, Most Popular Rock Artist
,
, -
References
{{Authority control
Australian rock music groups
2011 establishments in Australia