A 40+ year musical bond brings together a record that delivers!
Australian punk royalty (if that’s not too much of a contradiction) Hard-Ons have known Jerry A. Lang, the American lead singer of Portland legends Poison Idea, since they first toured together back in the late Eighties. Since then, the two bands have toured and interacted together, often wondering about working together and bringing their passions together. Having toured Europe together in 2025, then America with Napalm Death and The Melvins, the stars aligned and the result is a studio collaboration – ‘Hard-Ons/Jerry A’ (no need for any other title). A record that brings together the feeling of the music that inspired them both with their own innovative talents.
Of the collaboration, Blackie from the Hard-Ons tells us “We toured and collaborated a few times before and always talked about getting serious… well here’s the start of that. Hard-Ons with Jerry A!! It’s happening.”
The album opens with ‘Hang On’, a solid, thumping heavy assault on the ears. Thundering drums, pounding bass and chainsaw guitar. Jerry A’s vocal, sneering, guttural. This a slice of classic hardcore, there’s nothing fancy here, no frills, no fancy tricks, just a purity of sound and an unleashing of energy. A wonderfully short shot of adrenaline to get you underway.
There’s more complexity to the second track, ‘Old and Whys’, layered lead guitars intertwine and complement, again the throbbing bass and drums drive things. The introduction of a one note repeating piano (a device used by Iggy Pop and Buzzcocks to great effect) and the growl of Jerry A, vocal straining during the chorus, emotion emphasising his words. Musically, this is a slightly lighter song, though not abandoning the harder edges or the depth of the sound created by the rhythm section.
‘Won’t Shut Up’ sounds like a nod to early 80s punk rock, from the guitar to the vocal delivery, there’s an old school feel here. The lyrics convey a theme familiar from the 80s too, the relentless babble of right-wing media, the endless forcing of half considered ideals over the airwaves. The guitar solo matches the song perfectly, a complete package of a song full of anger and contempt.
There’s a good time fun feel to ‘Radio Blah’, a bouncy number with honey sweet backing vocals, contrasting perfectly with Jerry A’s growling and howling. A lyrically nostalgic lament to a time in our youth before money and exploitation started to dictate the creation and consumption of music. The music, a lively, upbeat, rocking track contrasts perfectly with the anger and loss in the vocal; “Burn it down, start again”. A cry for a time long past, but also a call to arms for the bands of today to seize the moment and take back control.
A chest rattling bass riff, chugging guitar and rolling drums open ‘Scalped’. Power, anger, and an understated feel to the music, but the bass is the standout here, underpinning the full two minutes with its relentless beat.
‘Dead End Turnaround’ begins with light, harmonic guitar before Jerry A gets to show off his baritone pipes, slow, slightly slurred and almost crooner-ish. Then they revert to type, the anger is back accompanied by some almost cartoonish backing vocals. It’s a song of contrasts, with a real mix of guitar styles running across it, the variety and changes work well binding the song together, contrasting and complementing.
There’s a long history of Punk bands taking a detour down the dusty backroads of Country music; ‘Stomping On The Roses’ gives Jerry A a chance to don his Stetson and adopt the persona of a very pissed off Johnny Cash! Opening with shuffling drums, this is country music with a caustic edge. A tale of instability and anger, resentment and revenge, all driven along by a rough-edged country groove. A most enjoyable musical detour.
Harder and heavier – a lot harder and heavier – is ‘That’s What I’m Saying?’. Mixing things up, changes of tempo, screeching guitar solos, that relentless rhythm section underpinning things, it’s a song that makes you want to reach for the volume control and push things louder. Once again, the rawness of the vocal adds another dimension to the song, pulling things together. This one flexes, it’s a study in controlled energy and aggression. A song that seems to require an almost physical reaction.
‘Against The Current’ is an entirely different beast. A clunking bass offers short bursts, a steady drum beat supports, bursts of angular guitar – at times light and gentle, at other times grating and savage. The lyrics delivered in a spoken word format, the refrain “Because of you” repeated, building a narrative as different phrases follow it. Leading to a plaintive, strained vocal sings “I don’t love you anymore” as the song fades. Another change of style, another change of pace, ‘Against The Current’ has a slightly sinister feel to it, and it works because of that.
The phrase “Go out with a bang” applies to a lot of situations, and it applies here. ‘My One Regret’ closes the album with a slice of epic rock magnificence. Everyone seems to get the chance to explore and expand, guitars soar and reel with layers of harmony and texture. Drums thunder; the bass seems to have even more depth and power. This track really shows off the collective talents of the band, and why they really should work with Jerry A again! There is a musical bond between them, they understand each other, play to their strengths and, most importantly, they deliver.
‘Hard-Ons/Jerry A‘, was released on Cheersquad Records & Tapes in Australia and NZ (and American Leather for the ROW) onAugust 14th. It available digitally and on CD, cassette (100 only), and a number of different limited edition vinyl pressings – get your copy HERE
Catch the Hard-Ons in Newcastle then Sydney this Friday /Saturday, then in South Korea:
- 28/08 – The Stag & Hunter Hotel, Newcastle
- 29/08 – Petersham Bowling Club, Sydney
- 12/09 – Block Party 2026, Seoul, Korea
- 18/09 – HQ, Busan, Korea
- 19/09 – Baby Doll, Seoul, Korea
* TICKETS *
Main Photo Credit: TIBONE
- Hang On
- Old and Whys
- Won’t Shut Up
- Radio Blah
- Scalped
- Dead End Turnaround
- Stomping On The Roses
- That’s What I’m Saying?
- Against The Current
- My One Regret
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