Speed (Australian band)

Speed
OriginSydney, Australia
Genres
Years active2019–present
Labels
  • Last Ride
  • Flatspot
Members
  • Jem Siow
  • Aaron Siow
  • Josh Clayton
  • Dennis Vichidvongsa
  • Kane Vardon

Speed are an Australian hardcore punk band from Sydney.[3] Formed in 2019, the band consists of lead vocalist Jem Siow, guitarists Aaron Joshua Clayton and Dennis Vichidvongsa, bassist Aaron Siow, and drummer Kane Vardon.

History[edit]

In the late 2000s, Jem Siow formed Your Ghost Is a Gift with vocalist Joel Martorana.[4] The band changed its name to Endless Heights in 2009,[4] releasing two studio albums and five extended plays (EPs) before breaking up in 2019.[5] That same year, Siow recruited his brother Aaron Siow, Josh Clayton, Dennis Vichidvongsa, and Kane Vardon to form Speed.[6] In October 2019, Speed released a demo EP on Last Ride Records.[3] The following April, the group was signed by Flatspot Records.[7] In June 2020, the band released the single "A Dumb Dog Gets Flogged", which Jem Siow said "was born in reaction to the failed leadership of our government during the 2019–2020 Australian bushfires. Empathy and compassion should always be the premise for meaningful action."[8] the two-track single 2020 Flex,[2] Later that month, they released the two-song EP 2020 Flex, consisting of "A Dumb Dog Gets Flogged" and "Devil U Know".[9]

In June 2021, the band released "We See U" as part of the hardcore punk compilation, This Is Australia Vol 2.[10] In May 2022, the band announced the release of Gang Called Speed as their official debut EP, alongside its lead single "Not That Nice" which addresses Asian hate crimes.[11] They said, "Even though this is our first EP, [we're] sort of approaching it almost like a debut album. That's why it's called Gang Called Speed – this is the identity of the band. This is what we're all about. This is Australian hardcore."[2] Gang Called Speed was released on 24 June 2022 and debuted at number 5 on the ARIA Charts.[12] "Not That Nice" appears in the wrestling video game WWE 2K24.[13]

In April 2024, Speed announced their debut studio album, Only One Mode, which was released on 12 July.[14]

Band members[edit]

  • Aaron Siow – bass guitar
  • Jem Siow – lead vocals, flute
  • Joshua Clayton – guitar
  • Dennis Vichidvongsa – guitar
  • Kane Vardon – drums

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

List of albums, with release date and label showm
Title Details
Only One Mode

EPs[edit]

List of extended plays, with release date, label, and Australian chart positions shown
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[12]
2020 Flex —
Gang Called Speed
  • Released: 24 June 2022[2]
  • Label: Last Ride Records (LRR41), Flatspot Records (FSR61)
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 5

Demo albums[edit]

List of demo albums, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Demo 19
  • Released: 9 October 2019
  • Label: Last Ride Records (LRR22)
  • Formats: Digital download, Cassette

Singles[edit]

List of singles, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Album
"A Dumb Dog Gets Flogged"[8] 2020 2020 Flex
"We See U"[10] 2021 This Is Australia Vol 2 (compilation)
"Not That Nice"[11] 2022 Gang Called Speed
"Move"[15]
"One Blood We Bleed"[16] The Extermination Vol. 4 (compilation)
"Real Life Love"[17] 2024 Only One Mode
"The First Test"[18]
"Don't Need"[19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Spacey Jane debut at #1". ARIA Charts. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Young, David James (22 June 2022). "Speed: Sydney's bright spark in the flame of Australian hardcore". NME. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b "SPEED: This is Sydney Hardcore". Rolling Stone Australia. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Endless Heights on finding more than just 'Viscous Pleasure'". Beat Magazine. Retrieved 12 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Young, David James (8 February 2022). "Endless Heights' Joel Martorana returns as Colletto Bianco, shares debut single 'Choke'". NME. Retrieved 12 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Hughes, Mia (26 December 2023). "How Speed Became Australia's Biggest, Fiercest Hardcore Band". Revolver. Retrieved 12 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Speed Unify Hardcore On An Global Level With 'Only One Mode'". Knotfest. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ a b c Vapour, DJ (2 June 2020). "NEWS: Speed drop "A Dumb Dog Gets Flogged"". Metal Noise. Retrieved 5 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Kamiński, Karol (22 June 2020). "Speed Comment on New Crushing Music on Flatspot Records, Anti-Racist Protests, COVID-19, Australian Hardcore and More!". Idioteq. Retrieved 12 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ a b Hohen, Mike (21 June 2021). "Sydney's SPEED share tough AF new track,"We See U"". Blunt Magazine. Retrieved 6 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ a b Rose, Anna (19 May 2022). "Speed address Asian hate crimes on single "Not That Nice", announce new EP". NME. Retrieved 5 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ a b "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Langell, Amanda (5 March 2024). "WWE 2K24 Soundtrack: Full List of Artists and Tracks". Game Sided. Minute Media. Retrieved 5 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ a b Varvaris, Mary (25 April 2024). "SPEED Announce Long Awaited Debut Album Only One Mode". The Music. Retrieved 26 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Vapour, DJ (June 2022). "NEWS: Speed unleash second single "Move"". Metal Noise. Retrieved 5 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Whines, Emma (18 November 2022). "Fousheé, Jack River, Adrian Dzvuke & More: This Week's Best New Music". The Music. Retrieved 19 November 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Adams, Gregory (1 May 2024). "Hear Australian Hardcore Crew Speed's new Ripper Real Life Love". Revolver. Retrieved 4 June 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ Breihan, Tom (30 May 2024). "Speed "The First Test"". Stereogum. Retrieved 4 June 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Hear Speed's New Hardcore Bruiser "Don't Need"". Revolver. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Speed_(Australian_band)&oldid=1234249572"