The Herd (Australian band)
| Company type | Collective |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 in Sydney, Australia |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Hip hop music |
The Herd is an Australian hip hop collective that originated in Sydney in 2001. The ensemble consists of MCs Ozi Batla, Urthboy, and Berzerkatron; producer Unkle Ho; multi-instrumentalist Traksewt; guitarists Sulo and Toe-Fu; bassist Rok Poshtya; and vocalist Jane Tyrrell. The group is recognized for its politically motivated lyrics, aligning with left-wing politics. Following a largely dormant period after 2013, they reunited for select shows and resumed activity around 2024.
2001–2004: The Herd & An Elefant Never Forgets
The Herd introduced themselves with the 2001 single "Scallops," which received airplay on the Australian radio station Triple J. This track combined elements of hip hop culture with themes centered on Australian "fast food."
Their sophomore album, An Elefant Never Forgets (2003), included the single "Burn Down the Parliament," released during the time of the Canberra bushfires of 2003. Another politically charged song, "77%," critiqued the Australian government's handling of the Tampa affair and referenced a poll stating "77% of Aussies are racist." This track reached number 46 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2003, while the album remained on Australia's alternative charts for over 80 weeks.
In a 2004 discussion with Dr Tony Mitchell (UTS), Ozi Batla spoke about the difficulties in broadening Australian hip hop's appeal beyond its existing fan base, stressing the necessity of maintaining authenticity and cultural respect within the genre.
2005–2007: The Sun Never Sets
Released in 2005, their third album The Sun Never Sets featured the single "We Can't Hear You." The album explored topics ranging from anti-war and anti-corporate sentiments to personal matters such as divorce and environmental decline in rural Australia.
In October 2005, The Herd performed an acoustic rendition of Redgum's 1983 classic "I Was Only Nineteen (A Walk in the Light Green)" on Triple J's 'Like a Version'. This cover received substantial airplay, securing #18 in the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100. A studio version was later included in the 2006 reissue of The Sun Never Sets, accompanied by a music video. The group also appeared at The Big Day Out festival in 2007. Member Simon Fellows (Bezerkatron) left the band towards the end of 2006.
In February 2008, The Herd contributed a track about recycled water to the ABC's program Sleek Geeks.
2008–2010: Summerland
May 2008 saw the release of The Herd's fourth studio album, Summerland. Its lead single, "The King Is Dead," celebrated Australia's political transition following Prime Minister John Howard's eleven-year tenure to Kevin Rudd.
Summerland debuted at number seven on the ARIA Albums Chart, marking the first complete album featuring Jane Tyrell as an official member. Tyrell had previously provided vocals on select tracks from The Sun Never Sets.
To commemorate a decade since their debut, The Herd staged their first live performances in two years during April 2011. On 21 March 2011, they released "The Sum of it All," the lead single from their fifth album, Future Shade, which was followed by the album's release in August. Subsequently, they issued the Better Live EP in March 2012 as a continuation of Future Shade.
In March 2013, The Herd performed at WOMADelaide and later appeared at the tenth anniversary celebration of the Australian hip hop festival Come Together in June. After participating in Elefant Traks' fifteenth anniversary concerts, they entered a hiatus. During this period, Tyrrell embarked on a solo career with her 2014 album Echoes in the Aviary, while Levinson continued touring and recording under his solo alias Urthboy, frequently collaborating with Tyrrell.
Toward the late 2010s, The Herd reunited for shows at Sydney's Enmore Theatre alongside Yothu Yindi and Baker Boy and played at Queenscliff Music Festival. They returned to 'Like a Version' to cover Wafia's "Bodies" and took part in Elefant Traks' twentieth anniversary festivities. In 2019, they appeared at the Woodford Folk Festival.
After nearly twelve years without new material, The Herd released "Soul of My Soul" in June 2024—a protest single addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict featuring Palestinian artists Sereen, Mo, and Big Rigs. Proceeds from this release were directed to Olive Kids, an Australian charity supporting Palestinian youth. In November 2025, they announced their first headlining tour in almost fifteen years for February 2026, coinciding with the twentieth anniversary of The Sun Never Sets.
Activism
In September 2009, The Herd encountered controversy due to their participation in Coal to Coast, a youth event held in Mackay, Queensland that was chiefly supported by the local coal sector. This sparked concerns among fans, triggering nationwide media attention and discussions on Hack broadcasted by Triple J. In response, Urthboy issued a statement apologizing while underscoring the critical nature of global warming, clarifying that both the band and the Mackay Regional Council were not fully briefed on the festival's affiliations. As part of their apology, The Herd contributed all earnings from their appearance to Greenpeace.
Nevertheless, less than two days before their scheduled performance, The Herd pulled out upon learning that the event was organized by Andrew Garratt, who serves as Community Relations Officer at Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal. Ozi Batla elaborated on the decision during a segment on 'Hack', which also featured opposing perspectives including those from the Queensland Young Liberals leader and the festival coordinator.
In late 2013 and early 2014, following proposals to deposit approximately 3 million cubic meters of dredged seabed material onto the Great Barrier Reef, a legal team was assembled by WWF-Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS). This initiative gained further traction with the April 2014 launch of "Sounds for the Reef," a digital fundraising compilation produced by Straightup. The album showcased The Herd alongside artists such as John Butler, Sietta, Missy Higgins, The Cat Empire, among others. Featuring 21 tracks, it was distributed via Bandcamp to support reef preservation efforts.
Side projects
Unkle Ho introduced his first solo album Roads to Roma in April 2005, blending an eclectic mix of global musical styles including tango, mariachi, dixieland, and blues rock. According to Elefant Traks, his work aims to bridge cultural divides through music as a vehicle for peace. Rolling Stone praised Roads to Roma as "captivatingly beautiful." His sophomore album, Circus Maximus, was released in May 2007.
Urthboy embarked on his solo journey in 2004 with Distant Sense of Random Menace, followed by several releases: The Signal (2007), Spitshine (2009), Smokey's Haunt (2012), the remix EP Smokey's Homies (2013), a live recording titled Live at the City Recital Hall Angel Place (2013), The Past Beats Inside Me Like a Second Heartbeat (2016), and most recently, Savour (2023).
Ozi Batla's solo debut came in 2010 with Wild Colonial, while Jane Tyrrell launched her first album, Echoes in the Aviary, towards the end of 2014.
Studio albums
| Title | Album information | Highest chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| The Herd |
|
- |
| An Elefant Never Forgets |
|
- |
| The Sun Never Sets |
|
69 |
| Summerland |
|
7 |
| Future Shade |
|
22 |
Live albums
| Album | Information |
|---|---|
| Better Alive |
|
Remix albums
| Album | Information |
|---|---|
| Trampled – The Elefant Traks Remix Album |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart position | Certifications | From album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||||
| "Scallops" | 2001 | — | The Herd | |
| "Burn Down the Parliament" | 2003 | — | An Elephant Never Forgets | |
| "77%" | — | |||
| "We Can't Hear You" | 2005 | — | The Sun Never Sets | |
| "I Was Only Nineteen (A Walk in the Light Green)" (feat. John Schumann) |
— |
| ||
| "Unpredictable" | 2006 | — | ||
| "The King is Dead" | 2008 | 58 |
|
Summerland |
| "2020" | — | |||
| "Signs of Life" | 2011 | — | Future Shade | |
| "Better Alive" | 2012 | — | ||
| "Soul of my Soul" (featuring Sereen, Mo and Big Rigs) |
2024 | — |
Awards and nominations
The track "A Thousand Lives" from the album Future Shade earned a finalist position in the International Songwriting Competition and was granted an honourable mention.
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards) celebrate and acknowledge outstanding achievements within Australia's independent music industry annually.
| 2006 | The Sun Never Sets | Best Performing Independent Album | Template:Nom |
| The Herd (themselves) | Independent Artist of the Year | Template:Nom | |
| 2008 | Summerland | Best Independent Urban/Hip Hop Album | Template:Won |
| The Herd (themselves) | Best Independent Artist | Template:Won | |
| 2012 | Future Shade | Best Independent Urban/Hip Hop Album | Template:Nom |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards annually commend excellence and creativity across various Australian music styles.
| 2008 | Summerland | Best Urban Album | Template:Nom |
| 2012 | Future Shade | Best Urban Album | Template:Nom |
J Award
Since its inception in 2005, the J Awards, organized by ABC's Triple J radio station, honor exceptional Australian musical works each year.
| 2005 | The Sun Never Sets | Australian Album of the Year | Template:Nom |
| 2008 | "2020" | Australian Video of the Year | Template:Won |