Noise Levels: Infringement

Saturday, February 21, 2026

Infringement

ORIGINS: Newtown, NSW

GENRE: Alternative, Punk

YEARS ACTIVE: 1996-2001

MEMBERS:

Anthony Dang - Vocals, Guitar
Dave Fine - Bass, Saxophone (1996-1999)
Morgan Jackson - Vocals, Drums (1996-1997)
Nathaniel D'ugo - Drums (1998)
Paul - Drums (1998)
Luke Yates - Guest Bass (1998-2001)
Ryan Lambert - Drums (1999-2001)
Troy Zarb - Guitar (2001)
Matt Brajkovic - Bass (2000-2001)
Andrew Blenkinsopp - Guest Trumpet (1998-2000)

RELEASES:

Cop This (1996)

1. I Want to Be American
2. Cop This
3. Stupid Principals
4. Reflection

Not Very Nice (1997) - Download Here.

1. I Want to Be American
2. Not a Chance
3. Not Very Nice
4. Song About You
5. Mr Brain
6. Alfred E.
7. Reflection
8. Clowns
9. Cop This

Compilation-only Tracks - Download Here.

'Mull Bowl' (1999) - on Move Along, Nothing to See Here compilation.
'Gonna Make It' (2025) - on Rare Cuts compilation, the Noise Levels compilation.

SUMMARY: Starting as a project by Newtown Performing Arts High School students, Infringement became a staple of the All Ages scene around the entrety of Sydney - playing to All Ages crowds everywhere from the Fitz Cafe in St Ives to Katoomba Civic Centre in the Upper Blue Mountains, and Campbelltown Civic Centre in Southwest Sydney to Melrose Hall in Emu Plains. The band did well in various youth-oriented band competitions in the mid to late '90s and released a couple of demo tapes. After several lineup changes and the recording of a largely unreleased EP, the band called it a day in 2001.

SHOWS:

Trashed '97, Concert Bowl, Huntingwood - 23rd February, 1997
Campbelltown Civic Centre, Campbelltown - 7th March, 1997
St Ives Youth Centre, St Ives - 29th August, 1997
Melrose Hall, Emu Plains - 19th September, 1997
Feedback, Newtown - 30th October, 1997
St Ives Youth Week, St Ives - 21st February, 1998
St Ives Youth Centre, St Ives - 24th April, 1998
Band Comp Heat, Fitz Cafe, St Ives - 16th May, 1998
Band Comp Final, Fitz Cafe, St Ives - 28th May, 1998
Manning Bar, Sydney University, Sydney - 9th June, 1998
Australia's Wonderland, Eastern Creek - July, 1998
Sandringham Hotel, Newtown - 14th July, 1998
St Ives Youth Centre, St Ives - 29th August, 1998
Harbour Cruise, Sydney - 13th September, 1998
Leichardt Marketplace, Leichardt - 20th September, 1998
Sefton Roller Rink, Sefton - 23rd October, 1998
Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, Newtown - 1st November, 1998
Bondi Pavilion, Bondi - 20th November, 1998
Burwood PCYC, Burwood - 29th November, 1998
Mundowi Music Festival, Berowra - 19th December, 1998
Bicentennial Park, West Pymble - 26th January, 1999
Iron Duke, Alexandria - 3rd March, 1999
St Ives Youth Week, St Ives - 2nd May, 1999
Artshocked, St Ives - 4th September, 1999
Wentworth Bar, Sydney - Unknown date, 2000
Northpoint Tavern, North Sydney - Unknown date, 2000
Northpoint Tavern, North Sydney - Unknown date, 2001

At Zen Studios, 1998

ORAL HISTORY:

ANTHONY: Dave, Morgan, and me met at show in 1995. Dave and Morgan were already attending Newtown Performing Arts High School at the time and I was due to start Year 11 in the new year. With youthful exuberance, we exclaimed that we should start a band when I got to the high school. Sure enough, in 1996 we ran into each other getting off the train to school. Infringement was born on the walk from Newtown train station to the high school.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Initial lineup - Morgan, Anthony Dang, Dave, 1996

BAND BIO: In 1995, Dang, Dave and Morgan ran into each other by mistake at a Quadbox gig at the Bondi Pavilion and befriended each other. Later, Dang watched aimlessly as Dave and Morgan were being thrashed in a game of basketball by homies who were twice their size. After the gig, they proceeded to make mischief at the train station while waiting for a train home... You know at Bondi Station, with that heaps high, long escalator? Yeah well, you know the rubber thing that you have to hold onto when you're using it? There's a one metre space between the one going up and the one going down. We were sliding down that gap. Fuck those bumps were vicious. Little did we know that in a year's time Dang would be joining the other two at Newtown High School of Performing Arts to complete his higher schooling. Within a week the band was formed.

Infringement, Infringement Website, 1999

ANTHONY: I don't recall how this happened but, for a time, the band was the official rock band ensemble at Newtown High School. We were given a music teacher to oversee and guide our rehearsals at lunchtime. While we were at school we were doing Red Hot Chili Peppers covers but at Dave's house, after school, we were jamming out on our own material. At some point the school decided to discontinue the rock band ensemble but of course Infringement kept going. I'm assuming that at the time our music was too heavy, haha.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Morgan on drums, 1996

ANTHONY: I think the name came from Morgan. As teenagers we were of course up to no good. And cops are the enemy of a good time when you're a teenager. Morgan and Dave were given infringement notices for sliding down elevators in the city. So that was the catalyst. I recall, back in the '90s, being hassled a few times by the police. One of our first songs was a song called 'Cop This'. We even had a T-shirt design of a cop chasing someone on a push-scooter - based on an actual altercation; undercover cops hassled me and my friend Kat when we were scooting around the city.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

BAND BIO: Members were fined for fare evasion and received a subsequent 'infringement' notice. We had 'child' tickets when we were supposed to have 'concession' tickets. Even though the tickets are exactly the same price, the train police busted us. The infringement was later voided due to the unlawful conduct of the state rail officer.

Infringement, Infringement Website, 1999

Playing underage at Feedback, 1996

ANTHONY: We were 15 and 16 year olds - so it was only All Ages shows for the band for the first couple of years. We somehow met the right people at shows - people who would organise All Ages shows of their own and would then ask us to play. We never sought out shows, to be honest. At one point we played Feedback and the Sando in Newtown when we were underage. No one asked for ID back then, haha.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

REVIEW: ...with a pop-punk style carefully crafted with catchy riffs, Infringement have quite a good sound.

Review, Aus Music Scrapbook, 1998

REVIEW: This band sounds a lot better than some of the polished-up old buggers that are still kicking around.

Review, Puk Magazine, 1998

Morgan, 1996

ANTHONY: Morgan left around 1998 - I don't think he played in any bands after that, which is a shame

because he was very talented. He wrote and sang a few of our songs while playing drums.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

NATHANIEL: Infringement were looking for a drummer and Brock Devlin put me in touch with Anthony. It was a lot of fun. I had only played in metal or hardcore bands before that so it was a fun change of pace.

Nathaniel D'ugo (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Nathaniel, 1998

ANTHONY: '98 and '99 were big years for us, we played lots of shows. We even supported Frenzal Rhomb at the Fitz Cafe. It was our second drummer Dugo's last show and Lindsay (Frenzal Rhomb) was meant to hit him in the face with a cream pie but instead decided to cream me. Well played.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

NATHANIEL: I left because I'd started another band called Stand Correct, plus I lived in Campbelltown - Infringement rehearsed at Anthony's house on the North Shore so it was a huge trek for rehearsal.

Nathaniel D'ugo (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

1998 - Anthony Dang, Luke Yates, Dave, Nathaniel

Late 1998 lineup - Dave, Anthony Dang, Paul

RYAN: I answered a 'drummer wanted' ad in the Drum Media classifieds section. I'd heard of Infringement before and knew they had been playing around Sydney but had never seen them live. I had to call Anthony's mobile from my home phone as it was 1999. He still has the same number now. We rehearsed at his parents' house in a spare bedroom, in Strathfield.

Ryan Lambert (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

MATT: In mid-2000, Infringement's original lineup had pretty much fallen apart. Ryan and I had been jamming with each other for a while and he had stepped in to play drums. I had been heavily into ska and hardcore so he asked me to come meet Dang and play a few songs on bass, see how it goes. I was a trainwreck at that point in my life, but it was fun and I played well enough to get a callback, haha.

Matt Brajkovic (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Ryan on drums, 1999

MATT: My first show with the band was this weird Christian music festival thing in the middle of the bush out Appin way, held on one of the church's private campsites. Not sure how that gig was secured as none of us were Christians but it was a fairly well setup event. They went nuts and so did we. After that, another highlight was the Green Square - which stands out only because I was completely off my chops before playing a single note, and I caused a ruckus. The crowd was average but who cares, haha. It was drug-fuelled teenage punk chaos. I was bleeding that night. Playing the Manning Bar also stands out because Dang told some of his infamous jokes, which got zero laughs and made the entire room uncomfortable!

Matt Brajkovic (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

RYAN: We recorded an EP at Tim Walter's place, which was cool and fun.

Ryan Lambert (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

MATT: The EP was done in Tim's studio at the rear of his house in Seven Hills, just up the road from the Seven Hills shopping centre. We recorded four tracks in one day.

Matt Brajkovic (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

TROY: I really enjoyed my time playing in Infringement, they were a great bunch of guys. The gigs that stood out the most for me were those played at the Northpoint Tavern in North Sydney. There was always a great vibe at the venue and the punters were there to mosh, which really made the gigs. When the crowd gets into the music it really pushes our performances, even now when I'm playing in Trojan Guns. I still look forward to sharing the stage with Anthony Dang when we play shows together in our respective bands.

Troy Zarb (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Northpoint Tavern, 2001 - Ryan on drums, Troy on guitar, Anthony Dang

MATT: I left the band as unfortunately at that time I suffered from depression and drug abuse. I fell apart and that was the end of my time. I couldn't be reliable. I walked away from everything for a couple of years to reset and get myself in order before playing in bands with people again.

Matt Brajkovic (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

RYAN: I only played about half a dozen gigs with Infringement. It was about '99 or 2000, and was before I bought Party Pig Studios so I wasn't really that connected within the scene at that time in terms of getting shows. We played at Northpoint Tavern in North Sydney, which was a pretty decent venue back in the day, and we also played in the Inner West, played Castle Hill Youth Day, and played Sydney Uni band comp at the Manning Bar. I think when I joined it was the tail end of the band's demise. The bassplayer Dave, he was a good bassplayer, but he was a snowboard instructor so he wasn't around during the winter.

Ryan Lambert (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

ANTHONY: By 2001 it wasn't the same band anymore. I was 21, no longer a teenager, and my teenage band had new grown-up members. We were playing well but it was time for the band to finish at that point.

Anthony Dang (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

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