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Australian Story: Oct 17

Parkway Drive is the biggest Australian band you’ve probably never heard of.

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Australian Story tonight profiles Aussie metal band, Parkway Drive.

Parkway Drive is the biggest Australian band you’ve probably never heard of.

The school and surfing mates started out in a garage in Parkway Drive, Byron Bay. 20 years later they are Australia’s biggest heavy metal act.

All their albums have gone Gold and the band has headlined the biggest metal festivals in the world, playing to crowds of 80 to 100 thousand fans.

Thoughtful, quietly spoken and remarkably open, Parkway Drive don’t fit the picture of a typical metal band.

Winston, Jeff, Luke, Ben and Jia get why they’re not a household name in Australia.

“I don’t know if most households want to be yelled at by this man!” laughs lead singer Winston McCall.

The band was built on fun and friendship but as Parkway Drive became more successful, and the work became more intense, creative differences, unequal workloads, and pay disputes began tearing them apart.

“It’s a tired old story, how money breaks up friendships and bands and stuff,” says bassist Jia O’Connor.

In April this year, after finishing the recording of their new album, the band was on the verge of breaking up. Instead, they cancelled their US tour and went into therapy, inviting Australian Story into one of their sessions.

“It doesn’t seem to go hand in hand, counselling and an aggressive metal show, but why can’t you be a sensitive, aware human that likes letting their energy out as well?” says manager and rhythm guitarist Luke Kilpatrick.

In therapy, the five band members finally confronted their longstanding resentments and insecurities, along with a toxic dynamic that was there from the start.

Can counselling save not only the band, but their friendship as well?

Producer: Amos Roberts.

8pm tonight on ABC.

5 Responses

  1. Being an old rocker and over the hill this side of 70 I have actually heard them, listen to and enjoy their heavy metal music. “Enter Sandman” by Metallica best riff ever, Killer, Iron Maiden, Slayer and other favourites. Music is the one of the best things you can have in your life, experiencing it in all forms is one of the best things you can do. As for gender who cares we all have feelings that get the better of us and need someone to talk to. It’s a brave thing to ask or offload and seek help. You guys have got this.

  3. Unfortunately the music industry, much like the tv industry, has a hierarchy of products they like to push. Here’s a huge Aussie band and extremely important musical export, but never played on commercial radio or (until now) even mentioned on tv (NRL finals use of their music on Foxtel was a nice surprise).

    When tv just puts on reality content, and then says nothing rates like reality so why commission or program anything else, then alternative entertainment gets sidelined. Hence the rise of the streamers and musical subs like Spotify. People are no longer interested in being force fed unpopular ‘popular’ entertainment and can pick and choose what to watch and listen to.

    I think it’s an important reminder that variety is the spice of life, so stop taking away choice!

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