Airbourne are a straightforward rock band in the Aussie pub rock tradition of AC/DC, the Angels, and Rose Tattoo: four guys with beers in hand who would rather die than be caught wearing a pink shirt. The brothers Joel and Ryan O’Keeffe grew up in the country town of Warrnambool, with a collection of classic Australian rock albums stolen from their uncle.
While everyone around them was listening to contemporary music, they were firmly entrenched in the music of the ’70s and ’80s they longed to re-create. Joel took on vocals and lead guitar and Ryan played drums while still in school, earning them the enmity of their neighbors, who sent the police around with noise complaints multiple times.
