Airbourne have unwrapped a loud and cheerfully indecent present for fans with their new Christmas single Christmas Bonus, a raucous blast of holiday mischief delivered with the band’s trademark volume. Produced by Brian Howes, recorded by Karl Dicaire, mixed by Zakk Cervini and mastered by Ted Jensen, the track arrives with a high-energy animated video created by director and animator Ryan Ortgiesen.
The single delivers a classic Airbourne mix of relentless pace and tongue-in-cheek humour. Joel O’Keeffe fires through lines like “You’re so damn good you make Santa come twice,” locking the track into an irreverent space where sleigh bells meet sweat-drenched guitars. Elsewhere, the band gleefully sings “I get a Christmas Bonus every day, you’re the lady boss, I think it’s safe to say,” pushing the double-entendre dial well past eleven.
Christmas Bonus builds on Airbourne’s long tradition of turning simple themes into fist-pumping anthems. The lyrics race through shots of Yuletide chaos, with “the boys are drinkin’ and the girls are singin’,” and the snow “fallin’ all around” as the party grows louder.
There is even a late-track throwback to classic action cinema, with O’Keeffe signing off with “Yippee-Ki-Yah! motherfucker, Merry Christmas, everybody!” The band make no attempt to hide their grin. Airbourne have always been allergic to subtlety, and Christmas Bonus celebrates that proudly.
The four-piece core of Joel O’Keeffe, Ryan O’Keeffe, Justin Street and Brett Tyrrell tracked the single with a clear objective, to create a Christmas song that could only come from Airbourne. The production team emphasised tight rhythm work, big choruses and a raw edge. Those elements give Christmas Bonus the momentum of a pub packed on Christmas Eve, with guitars cutting through the mix and vocals pushed forward for maximum bite.
Airbourne’s rise began in the early 2000s, when Joel and Ryan O’Keeffe started jamming in their family home in Warrnambool. Joel had already been gigging with relatives at the age of 17, and by the time Ryan joined him behind the drum kit, the foundation of Airbourne was set.
Initially performing as Airborne, the brothers recruited bassist Luke McKenzie, then rhythm guitarist David Roads, who met Joel while the two worked together at the Hotel Warrnambool. They rehearsed relentlessly, often in the O’Keeffe household, and their early sound reflected a deep admiration for AC/DC, The Angels, Billy Thorpe and Rose Tattoo. These influences helped shape a band built for loud pubs, long nights and heavy riffs.
Their first significant exposure came in 2002 when two early tracks were included on the Hard Wired: Youth Compilation Album, issued by Warrnambool City Council and Arts Victoria. Through 2003 the group, then with Adam Jacobson on bass, played regular shows at the Criterion Hotel and won the statewide Push-On competition in Melbourne, a key step in building industry interest.
By 2004 the band had renamed themselves Airbourne and released their independent EP Ready To Rock. A young and hungry outfit, they sold the EP at gigs while building momentum in Melbourne. The band’s classic line-up settled when Justin Street joined on bass after meeting Ryan late one night on a walk home.
In 2005 they signed a major five-album deal with Capitol Records and EMI Music Australia, a turning point that pushed them beyond the pub circuit. The band lived frugally, played limited shows and focused on writing, slowly expanding their reputation until they were invited to support Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe and even The Rolling Stones. Their music became a staple of rock festivals and international circuits, establishing Airbourne as one of Australia’s most successful hard-rock exports of the past two decades.
With Christmas Bonus, Airbourne add a rowdy entry to the long list of holiday rock releases, but they do it with a uniquely Australian sense of humour and the no-nonsense sound that has powered their career. The song is built for late nights, raised glasses and those who prefer their festive music loud enough to rattle the tinsel.
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