THE BAND
-
Andrew Thomas
Lead vocals/Guitar
Favourite Bands/Influences
Metallica, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pantera, Faith No More, The Cult, STP (the real version)
Gear
Live: Black 2003 Les Paul Custom
Studio: Red 1981 Ibanez Flying V
2009 Fender Strat guitar
1998 Ibanez Acoustic guitar
Marshall Triple Super Lead Amp
Marshall Quads
Jim Dunlop Crybaby WahHistory
Formed first band in high school called LSD, which was our adolescent way of having a go at authority. We told the teachers it stood for "Large Scale Deflection". I played drums and we certainly transformed the school socials from boring line dancing to rock 'n roll. Was very raw but our peers really dug it.After school was done I played in a couple of covers bands which is where I learnt to play guitar. I think I’d been playing for about 4 months when the covers gigs kicked off. In 1996 I joined a punk band called The Fabulous Rollies as their drummer and played all the local shitholes, but it was great fun.
In 1997 I went to see the USA for a year. Seven years later I returned to Australia after spending that time mainly in North America and Europe. Didn’t play a lot of live shows during this time but wrote a LOT of songs.
After returning to Oz and setting up a house and all that Against Them was formed in 2006 under the equivocal AT Band.
-
Barn Gickel
Bass
Favourite Bands/Influences
Chili Peppers, Foals, John Mayer, U2, Led Zepp, Nathan East (anyone he played for), Flea, Jamiroquai, Bloc Party, Eric Serra's song from The Fifth Element
Gear
American Fender jazz 5 string bass (just turned 10 in January)
Genz Benz 700W amp 6 x 10 speakers
AT beer stein (very essential)
History
Dad had an old bass in the house, and I started taking interest in it at about 13 (Smoke on the Water was the first riff I learnt on bass). Got a guitar after that and played for a year but it wasnt as cool as bass, so I went back to it.First time I ever thought about performing I was 14 and every day I would listen to 'My Lovely Man' by the Chilis (track 14 on Blood Sugar Sex Magic) and would close my eyes pretending there were thousands of people watching (I coudnt play the song to save my life though).
My first band was formed when I was 18 and called The King George Affair, a funk rock sort of band. Since then I've never wanted to stop performing and then went on to join Genshen in 2005 before recieving a phone call from Andy in 2006 and AT all began. The rest is fucking awesome rock history as they say.
-
Ben Vawdrey
Guitar/Vocals
Favourite Bands/Influences
Metallica, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Offspring, 12 Stones, Fuel, Stone Sour, Foo Fighters, Incubus, Sevendust
Gear
Maton MS2000 DLX SD
Gibson '79 (Reissue) Explorer
Maton ECW80
Marshall JCM2000 TSL
Electro Harmonix Small CloneHistory
Started with music at the age of 7 playing Trumpet all the way through school. Decided in my late teens to pick up guitar and practiced at home listening to CDs, playing along with them, much to the annoyance of everyone at home.Played in a few small garage bands until 2006, where I joined with AT Band.
-
Jim Explosion
Drums
Favourite Bands/Influences
Pantera, Red Hot Chili Peppers, NWA, Dream Theater, Rage Against the Machine, Soilwork, anything involving Peter Wildoer (Darkane, James LaBrie, Arch Enemy's Stigmata)
Gear
Live: Mapex Meridian Birch
Studio: Mapex Saturn IV Maple / Walnut
Meinl cymbals mostly
Tama Speed Cobra
Tama 1st ChairHistory
I originally started drumming when I was in grade 6 as an outlet for my childhood exuberance. It wasn't until high school that I started learning on a kit, and from my very first band, 'We've Never Heard of You, Either' I was hooked. Over the years, the bands may have changed, but the passion for music survived. Since joining Against Them I have been lucky to play the kind of music I really want to play, while at the same time experiencing a broadening of my musical horizons in the rock incubator that is the Vault.
