Bored (band)
| Company type | Punk band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Geelong , Australia |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, compilation albums, EPs |
Bored! (often stylised as Bored!) was a punk band originating from Geelong, Victoria, Australia, established in 1987. The founding members were Grant Gardner on bass, Adrian Hann handling keyboards, Justin Munday on drums, John Nolan playing guitar (formerly of Behind the Magnolia Curtain), and Dave Thomas covering guitar and vocals (previously with Bodies and Slaughter House). In 1989, Tim Hemensley, who had been part of Royal Flush and God, took over bass duties from Gardner. Both Hemensley and Nolan exited the band in 1991 to create Powder Monkeys. By 1993, Bored! had produced five studio albums before their dissolution. Post-breakup, Thomas briefly joined Magic Dirt and later spearheaded several Bored! reunions between 1998 and 2000.
1987–1993: Formation and Active Years
Bored! came together in Geelong in 1987 with the lineup of Gardner, Hann, Munday, Nolan, and Thomas. Prior to this, Thomas had experience performing with punk outfits Bodies and Slaughter House. The band's name was inspired by a 1978 track released by the Detroit punk group Destroy All Monsters.
Their initial release was the EP Bored!, which debuted in October 1988 under the independent label Grown Up Wrong. This EP featured a rendition of Lobby Loyde’s "Human Being" and highlighted their signature heavy guitar work alongside intense vocals. The following year saw the release of their first full album, Negative Waves. Subsequently, Hemensley replaced Gardner on bass. With Hemensley onboard, they launched Take It Out on You in 1990 and embarked on a European tour.
In 1991, after Hemensley and Nolan departed to form Powder Monkeys, Munday and Thomas continued the band with Russell Baricevic joining on bass. That December, they put out their third album Feed the Dog through Rattlesnake Records. Their fourth studio effort, Junk (1992), included production contributions from Kent Steedman of The Celibate Rifles and Peter Wells from Rose Tattoo. In March 1993, they released Scuzz, a collection of studio outtakes and live recordings from 1991 to 1992. By late 1993, Bored! had officially disbanded.
1993–present: Post-Band Activities
Following the breakup, Thomas (guitar/vocals), along with Randall (guitar), Baricevic (bass), and Stacey (drums), toured Europe in 1994. Between 1995 and 1997, Thomas managed Geelong’s Magic Dirt and also performed as their guitarist.
Hemensley (1972–2003) and Nolan were active with Powder Monkeys from 1991 until 2002. Starting in 1997, Baricevic, Munday, and Thomas periodically revived Bored!, joined by Matt Randall on rhythm guitar. In 1999, Thomas compiled the anthology Chunks 1988-'94, which Full Toss Records released in March 2000. That same year saw a brief European tour featuring Thomas, Munday on drums, and Ben Watkins on bass. A reunion performance occurred at Melbourne’s Esplanade Hotel in 2010 with Thomas, Nolan, Baricevic, and Munday.
Dave Thomas passed away due to cancer in 2020. John Nolan died in December 2021 at age fifty-five.
Members
- Grant Gardner – bass guitar (1987–1989)
- Adrian Hann – keyboards (1987)
- Justin 'Buzz' Munday – drums (1987–2022)
- John Nolan – guitar (1987–1991) (deceased 2021)
- Dave Thomas – guitar, vocals (1987–1993, 1997–2000, 2020) (deceased 2020)
- Tim Hemensley – bass guitar, vocals (1989–1991) (deceased 2003)
- Russell Baricevic – bass guitar, vocals (1991–2022)
- Tas Blizzard – guitar (1991) (deceased 2008)
- Mel Randall – rhythm guitar (1991, 1994, 1997–2022)
- Matt Daley – guitar (2008–2022)
- Mark Stacey – drums (1994) (deceased January 2017)
- Ben Watkins – bass guitar (2000)
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Negative Waves |
|
| Take It Out on You |
|
| Feed the Dog |
|
| Junk |
|
| Scuzz |
|
Live albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Get Off My Wah-Wah And Suck This - Live! |
|
Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Chunks 1988–'94 |
|
| Piggyback |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Bored! |
|