The Johnnys With Tokyo Beef

Take a trip back to the late 1980s and the heyday of Australian street-level rock and roll when The Johnnys hit Southport with Burleigh locals Tokyo Beef.

The Johnnys formed in Sydney in 1982 when bass guitarist Graham Hood tried out for the Hoodoo Gurus after quitting the Allniters. He met guitarist Roddy Ray'da and, with drummer Billy Pommer Jr, they formed a band to marry raucous outlaw country and western to the raw energy of punk rock.

The Johnnys played their first show at Palms Disco on Oxford Street in Sydney, then arguably Australia's epicentre of underground rock.

New Zealand-born Spencer P. Jones joined on guitar. The four-piece released their single "I Think You're Cute" in October 1982 on Regular Records. Ray'da left and the band signed with independent label Green Records before joining major imprint Mushroom.

Under the masterful production hand of Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool, Mondo Rock), they racked up eight singles and three albums, playing almost every pub and club the length and breadth of Australia, touring Europe and convening an instant party wherever they went.

It was after seven years, thousands of kilometres and innumerable demolished backstage riders that The Johnnys decided to put their guns in their holsters and move onto other things. By then, they were Australia’s indisputable, rough riding champions of cow-punk. No argument.

They dissolved but the band never really went away. The Johnnys played off-and-on. The untimely death of Spencer P Jones from cancer in 2018 was a major blow, but the surviving trio made a pact to carry on. Tours of Australia (most recently with The Beasts aka the Beasts of Bourbon) and New Zealand have followed.

The Johnnys are Graham Hood (bass and vocals), Slim Doherty (guitar) and Billy Pommer (drums). They’re coming to your neighbo and there’s gonna be a showdown.