The Hard-Ons, one of Australia’s most enduring and gloriously chaotic punk bands, are about to spill a bit of themselves – literally – into history. The acclaimed 2024 documentary The Most Australian Band Ever! is getting a physical Blu-ray release, complete with a deluxe box set edition that includes a limited-edition vinyl pressing made with the actual blood of band members Raymond Ahn and Peter “Blackie” Black.
The release arrives just as the sequel film Harder And Harder is set to premiere in cinemas across Australia this November, continuing the wild, true-life story of the Sydney punk icons who began their journey in a Punchbowl high school more than forty years ago.
The Most Australian Band Ever! earned global praise throughout 2024, taking out the Best Film Award at the LA Punk Film Festival and drawing critical acclaim for its raw and affectionate portrait of the Hard-Ons’ early days. Directed by Jonathan J. Sequeira (Descent Into The Maelstrom: The Radio Birdman Story), the film dives into the unlikely rise of three kids from Sydney’s multicultural suburbs who tore down musical boundaries and helped shape the sound of Australian punk.
Formed in 1981 by schoolmates Keish De Silva, Peter Black and Ray Ahn, the Hard-Ons became known for blending hardcore punk with pop melodies and surf guitar energy. Their uncompromising DIY spirit saw them tour with international heavyweights like the Ramones and the Buzzcocks, while also paving the way for countless local punk acts.
Now, that history is captured in an extraordinary collector’s item.
Both the Regular Boxset and the Deluxe Boxset of The Most Australian Band Ever! are limited editions available exclusively through the film’s official online store.
Regular Boxset includes:
Blu-ray Digipack with 16-page booklet
The feature film (HD with 5.1 surround audio)
45 minutes of bonus content
CD soundtrack containing music and dialogue from the film
12-page box set booklet
A set of Most Australian Band Ever! trading cards (also sold separately)
Iron-on transfer
Sticker
Deluxe Boxset adds:
Extra pack of trading cards
Download code for one hour of exclusive video extras
Liquid Blood Vinyl soundtrack – pressed with the actual blood of Hard-Ons members Raymond Ahn and Peter “Blackie” Black.
The blood was extracted under medical supervision on 21 August 2025 and transported to the Pallas vinyl pressing plant in Germany, where it was carefully blended into the liquid compound used to make the record. It’s the first known record in the world made with the blood of its creators – a visceral tribute to the band’s lifetime of giving everything for their music.
The Most Australian Band Ever! Original Soundtrack – Tracklisting
Buddies
There Was A Time
Wog Food
I Heard Her Call My Name
Surfin’ On My Face
Girl In The Sweater
All Set To Go
Ache To Touch You
Just Being With You
Don’t Wanna See You Cry
Dull
Where Did She Come From?
Carry Me Down
Test
Suck And Swallow
The sequel Harder And Harder picks up the Hard-Ons’ story in 1997, when the band reformed after a three-year hiatus. This time, the underground scene they helped build had been transformed into a commercial machine run by tastemakers, and the Hard-Ons – once the raw heart of Australian punk – suddenly found themselves outsiders again.
Despite the obstacles, the band powered through new challenges: shifting line-ups, brutal on-road incidents, and the demands of adult life. Featuring appearances from Tim Rogers and C.J. Ramone, Harder And Harder is a sharp, funny, and emotional reflection on persistence, friendship, and the unkillable spirit of rock’n’roll.
Starring: Raymond Ahn, Peter “Blackie” Black, Keish De Silva, Pete Kostic, Murray Ruse, Tim Rogers, Angry Anderson, and more.
Director: Jonathan J. Sequeira
Writers: Jonathan J. Sequeira, Nalini Sequeira
Producers: Jonathan J. Sequeira, Nalini Sequeira
Executive Producer: Angus Vickery
Runtime: 1 hr 25 mins | Rating: MA15+ (Frequent coarse language)
Harder And Harder Screening Dates
Thursday 30 October – Official Launch / Red Carpet – Thornbury Picture House, Melbourne
Saturday 1 November – Showbiz Cinema, Ballarat – Q&A with director Jonathan J. Sequeira
Sunday 2 November – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – Q&A with director Jonathan J. Sequeira
Thursday 6 November – NFSA Arc Theatre, Canberra – Q&A with director Jonathan J. Sequeira
Friday 7 November – Marlin Hotel, Ulladulla – Q&A with director Jonathan J. Sequeira (TBC)
Saturday 15 November – HOTA, Gold Coast – Q&A with Blackie and Jonathan J. Sequeira
Tuesday 18 November – Thornbury Picture House, Melbourne (TBC)
Thursday 20 November – Star Court Theatre, Lismore
Sunday 23 November – Royal Salon Exchange, Newcastle (Double Feature)
Thursday 27 November – Avoca Beach Theatre, Avoca Beach – Acoustic performance from Blackie, Q&A with Ray and Blackie
Saturday 29 November – Gala Warrawong, Wollongong (Double Feature)
Friday 5 December – Jetty Theatre, Coffs Harbour
Sunday 7 December – Little Alberts, Bathurst
Wednesday 10 December – Piccadilly Theatre, Adelaide
Further screenings in Katoomba, Brisbane, Avalon and Elsternwick are confirmed for early 2026.
The Most Australian Band Ever! Blu-ray boxsets will hit Australian stores in December. Harder And Harder opens in cinemas nationwide from 1 November 2025.
And there are tour dates too:
4/10 – Avalon RSL, Avalon Beach
5/10 – West Best Bloc Fest, Newcastle
16/10 – La La La’s, Wollongong
17/10 – Sussex Inlet Tavern, Sussex Inlet
18/10 – Smokey Dan’s, Tomakin
22/10 – The Metro, Sydney
25/10 – 30 Years of Beatdisc, Parramatta
13/11 – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast
14/11 – The Brightside, Brisbane
21/11 – Barwon Club, Geelong
22/11 – Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne
12/12 – Altar, Hobart
Tickets from https://linktr.ee/thehardons
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