Badanga

ORIGINS: Lower Blue Mountains, NSW

GENRE: Melodic hardcore punk

YEARS ACTIVE: 2000-2003

 

MEMBERS:

• Ben Brady (Vocals, Drums)
• Aaron Baker (Guitar, Vocals) [2000-2002]
  
• Dean Connell (Guitar)
  
• Adam Check (Bass) [2000]
• Joel Attenborough (Bass) [2001-2003]
• Adam Kenny (Guitar) [2003]
  

RELEASES:

• Demo (2002)
• 1. Medio-core
  

• Drinking from the Cup of Champions (2003) - Download here.
  
• 1. Medio-core
• 2. Bad Blood
• 3. Viva La Arsehole
• 4. Shuffle Through
• 5. Vindaloo Doom
• 6. Inbuilt Obsolete
  

 

SUMMARY: Badanga was a Western Sydney punk 'supergroup' that featured members from a variety of well-known late '90s punk bands (The Hassle Brigade, Detox Unit, Offset, Ballpark). Initially consisting of Ben Brady, Aaron Baker, Dean Connell, and Adam Check, the band enlisted a new bassist (Joel Attenborough) after Check joined One Dollar Short. The band went on tour with Gazoonga Attack in Brisbane and to play a series of support slots for some international touring acts in Sydney. In 2003, Aaron left to do some travelling and move up north, and was replaced by Adam Kenny. The band's only recording Drinking from the Cup of Champions was recorded around this time by Shaun Boucher in Winston Hills but was never officially released as the band broke up shortly after this.

 

SHOWS: 

• Richmond Royal, Richmond - Friday 28th September, 2001
• Blacktown Masonic Hall, Blacktown - Saturday 24th November, 2001
• Prankfest, Springwood Civic Centre, Springwood - Saturday 16th February, 2002
  
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - Saturday 16th February, 2002
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - Thursday 16th May, 2002 
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - Friday 6th December, 2002
• Green Square, Zetland - Saturday 14th December, 2002
  

With Gazoonga Attack in Brisbane

 

ORAL HISTORY:

JOEL: The recording of Drinking from the Cup... was pretty hassle free. The dude who recorded us doubled as a drug dealer and offered us some plum pudding with acid. I turned it down, but I heard that it was a blast.

Joel Attenborough, Duderocket, 2012 

 

JOEL: I joined late... Checky was the original bass player but when he joined One Dollar Short - he was too busy. He knew that I wasn't in a band and that I'd be a perfect fit with Ben, Aaron and Dean... I guess they were going for a Satanic Surfers and Choke (Canadian ban) vibe, mixed with Iron Maiden and Bad News (post-Young Ones comedy band).

Joel Attenborough, Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

JOEL: We were stuck in a weird limbo between too ugly for pop punk fans and too melodic for hardcore fans. We were a band's band - people in bands loved us, but we didn't have many 'fans'.

Joel Attenborough, Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

JOEL: We recorded, and then the wheels fell off... honestly can't remember the actual reason why we stopped, but I was pretty bummed because that EP is the first thing I'd show anyone in bands I've been in... as in, it was exactly my wheel house musically. Not to say everything else I've done isn't - but fast melodic hardcore punk is my lane.

Joel Attenborough, Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

AARON: It's a shame we never actually released the EP... But it was certainly one of the happiest times in my life. And I'm sure everyone involved will agree... Best thing was all the cool bands we had the privilege to play with. Such a great time and I reckon we were all pretty lucky to have that scene back then.

Aaron Baker, Noise Levels discussion, 2024

RELATED BANDS: Spasm, The Hassle Brigade, Fuznut/Offset, Detox Unit, Ballpark, One Dollar Short, Columbia's Pain, Strength Within, Scratch Habbit, Taking Sides, Jungle Fever, Irrelevant, Punk Rock Hill Billy, Old Music for Old People, Through Being Cool, Padre, Toe to Toe, Huntsman, Easy Company, Thrush, Toe to Toe, Struck 70, Carnage Flail, Insult to Injury, Horrible Men, Baby Fist, Little More Than You, Moneypenny, The Rumjacks, Running Thin