28DAYS

Performers

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  28 Days

  28 Days held the potentially dubious title of being Australia's premier rap-metal band, which they nevertheless parlayed into a lucrative ten-year career that included two gold albums, one of which entered the charts at number one. The band was formed in Frankston in 1997 by a group of skaters who met at the local skate park. Vocalist Jay Dunne and guitarist Simon Hepburn had worked together both on graffiti and several punk and hardcore bands including Self Reliance; bassist Damian Gardiner and drummer Adam Bomber were members of the same Melbourne skate-punk scene. When they formed 28 Days, Dunne's worship of the Beastie Boys came to the fore and he began rapping most of his vocals on their self-titled debut album, released independently in 1998 on the Stubble imprint. Within a year they'd been chosen by Festival Mushroom to be representatives of their new label for up-and-comers, Sputnik. The band replaced Bomber with new drummer Scott Murray and added turntablist Jay Howard aka DJ Jedi Master Jay for even more of a hip-hop sound. Their Limp Bizkit-esque single "Rip It Up" and its video showing the band playing to a moshing festival crowd became fixtures on radio and television; by the time their second album, Upstyle Down, was released their popularity was already peaking and it immediately entered at the top of the album charts. In November of 2001 drummer Scott Murray was run over and killed while walking home after band practice. The band carried on, temporarily replacing Murray with Vinnie Jukic for their 2002 album Stealing Chairs, dedicated to one of Murray's favorite activities. Afterwards, 28 Days found themselves in national newspapers for all the wrong reasons when they and their fans were accused of causing $4,500 worth of damage at a concert by rival Sydney band the Drugs. The lead singer of the Drugs, Ian Baddley, had previously written an open letter to Jay Dunne of 28 Days accusing him of making homophobic and misogynistic comments to the audience at the Big Day Out festival, which they had shared billing at. He also accused Dunne of ignorantly referring to German band Rammstein as "Nazis." Desperately needing to revamp their image, 28 Days cycled through new drummers before settling on Adrian Griffin and recording Extremist Makeover in 2004. Rap-metal's day had passed, however, and the album was not a success. They left Sputnik soon after and attempted a comeback with their 2006 EP Bring Em Back, released on their own label. It turned out to be their last hurrah, however, and after a farewell tour and greatest-hits compilation (Ten Years of Cheap Fame) in 2007 the band broke up. ~ Jody Macgregor, Rovi
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  28DAYS

  28 Days are a seminal Australian punk rock band formed in Frankston, Australia during 1997. At their career peak, they had a #1 album (Upstyledown) on the Australian ARIAnet Albums Chart and also a #12 single ("Rip It Up") on the ARIAnet Singles Chart.

  The current members as of 2007 are Jay Dunne (vocals), Simon Hepburn aka 'Hep' (guitar), Damian Gardiner (bass) and Adrian Griffin (drums). Original drummer Adam was replaced by Scott Murray in 2000. Tragically, on 18 November 2001, Murray was killed in a hit-and-run accident in the Melbourne suburb of Kew. Vinnie Jukic then briefly filled in the drum role until Adrian Griffin joined. For the album Extremist Makeover, the drums were laid down by Matt Bray.

  Musically, the band doesn't fit into any single category. Over time, 28 Days' punk rock style has incorporated elements of punk-pop, metal, and (especially) hip-hop after the addition of DJ Jedi Master Jay in 2000. The band's success during the early 2000's could largely be attributed to the popularity of similar rock-rap fusion bands of the time, such as Limp Bizkit. Furthermore, their one-off collaboration with Apollo Four Forty, the 2001 single "Say What?", has even seen them dabble in electronica.

  After debuting with a one-sided 7" single "Ball Of Hate" and the Sand CD single, 28 Days released their self-titled album in 1998 through the independent Stubble imprint. A year later they were picked up by Festival Mushroom's newly launched development label Sputnik, releasing the Kid Indestructible EP. The EP consolidated a following around Australia as a result of Triple J's constant rotation of the tracks "Kool" and "La Tune".

  With the introduction of Jay Howard (aka DJ Jedi Master Jay) on turntables and samples, the more harder-edged, rap-influenced singles of 2000, "Here We Go/Sucker" and "Rip It Up", boosted 28 Days' audience. The latter peaked at #12 on the ARIAnet Singles Chart, and the former featured in some editions of the soundtrack to Mission: Impossible II. When released later that June, their second album Upstyledown entered the ARIAnet album chart at #1, and would go gold. The year was rounded out with two further charting singles - the more reflective "Goodbye" and "Song For Jasmine", written for Simon Hepburn's young daughter.

  28 Days' first home video When Dickheads Snap came out in 2001, featuring tour shots, and behind-the-scenes footage. The only other material to come out that year was the Apollo Four Forty collaboration, "Say What?", which charted in the ARIA Top 30. The rest of the year involved more touring and preparation for a new album, until the death of Scott Murray briefly halted their progress. With new drummer Vinnie Jukic, third album Stealing Chairs saw 28 Days into 2002, with its most popular single being the summery "What's The Deal?". Stealing Chairs charted in the ARIA Top 10 for a short period, but didn't capitalise on the success brought by Upstyledown.

  The band received some negative publicity in February 2003 after members descended upon a gig by satirical Sydney-based band The Drugs at Melbourne's Duke of Windsor Hotel late that month. 28 Days allegedly caused an estimated $4500 in damage to The Drugs' equipment, which included beer being poured over a laptop computer and amplifier, and The Drugs' hired van having three of its tyres slashed. Fans of 28 Days at the show were also believed to have graffitied The Drugs' merchandise stand and the venue's chalkboard. The motive for the attack was in regards to an open letter The Drugs' lead singer Ian Baddley posted on his band's website, accusing Jay Dunne of being homophobic and misogynistic at 28 Days' 2003 Big Day Out appearances.

  Following another quiet period, they released a new single "Like I Do" to little fanfare in 2004. It would be a taster for the band's fourth album Extremist Makeover. The album could only manage to scrape into the Top 40, whilst two further singles also charted poorly. Due to this slump in popularity, 28 Days left Festival Mushroom in November 2004, amid much controversy. It was suggested by many that they were dropped, but Damian Gardiner insisted on the band's official message board it was 28 Days' decision alone to leave the label.

  Their latest EP Bring 'Em Back was released on March 6 2006 on their own Rebel Scum label (through Sony/BMG); a new DVD When Dickheads Snap 3 was then sold at later 28 Days shows.

  Following the release of a best-of album, 10 Years Of Cheap Fame, 28 Days will tour for the last time in 2007. After a series of mishaps and a continued slump in popularity, DJ Jedi Master Jay left the band - a catalyst that led to their breakup. 28 Days will play the tour as the original 4 piece band they were when they began, and then officially disband.