Scotch College

Fast, feverish fun as Skybombers take off for the big time

Success in the USA, TV appearances in Australia, and the release of their debut single and debut album – Skybombers are taking off in a big way.

Words: David Ashton

The band ‘Skybombers’ began when Scott McMurtrie (’03) was in Year 12. Scott got together with three mates from his year – Ravi Sharma, Hugh Gurney and Sam Bethune – and rehearsals took place mainly in the guest room at home, much to the delight (?) of Scott’s parents, Ian (’58) and Rhonda.

Three years of constant rehearsals led to Skybombers gaining the odd gig at local pubs, where they enjoyed huge support from their old schoolmates.

In 2007 the band took the next step when they signed Australian management, publishing and booking contracts. This culminated in them being invited to participate in the coveted ‘Musexpo’ in Los Angeles during April and May, a global rock showcase judged by the top people in the world music industry. In the US, their songs gained repeated airplay on dozens of radio stations, and they secured US management.

Back in Australia, the band was selected to front the ‘Rock the Schools’ roadshow, involving an 11-week tour of about 30 schools throughout Australia.

Fortunes have since skyrocketed for the Melbourne group. Their debut single ‘Always Complaining’ has been played on Triple J, Nova and Triple M, and it received huge exposure when the group appeared on ‘The Footy Show’ in Melbourne. In May they toured the US with punk rockers X, and did two shows with Foo Fighters.

In early June, Skybombers released their debut album, ‘Take Me to Town’, which was recorded in Los Angeles. Live entertainment website ‘Liveguide’ described the album as ‘12 songs of high energy, carefree rock and roll that borrows as much from sixties garage bands as it does point to the future. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s feverish …’

Skybombers headed off on a road trip around Australia in July before travelling to the USA and Japan in August–September. For more about Skybombers, visit skybombers.com.