Notion

ORIGINS: Baulkham Hills, NSW

GENRE: Metal, Nu-Metal, Alt-Metal

YEARS ACTIVE: 2000-2004

 

MEMBERS:

• Liam Willoughby - Vocals
• Nick Gabriellan - Bass
• Mark Huntingford (2000-2003) - Guitar 
• David Bleus (2004) - Guitar
  
• Paul Hancock - Drums (2000)
• James Gatt - Guitar (2003-2004)
  
• Ned Jankovic (DJ Feeder) - DJ (2000-2001)
• Brendan Hately - Drums (2001-2004)
  

RELEASES: 

• Demo (2001) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Upscale
• 2. Don't Hang Up
   
• Demo (2002) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Two Fingered Whore
• 2. Upscale
• 3. Doctors Tattoo
• 4. The Burden of You
• 5. 572
• 6. Winter in the Mirror
  

• Six Weeks at Your Heart (2004) - Download Here.
• 1. Lawless
• 2. Red Lines
• 3. Winter in the Mirror
• 4. Sapphire Eyes
  

SUMMARY: Notion began as a nu-metal band with a DJ, playing regularly in the Hills District. Galvanised by a slot on the Grounded Festival in early 2001, the band demo'd a bunch of tracks and worked hard. After the departure of DJ Feeder in 2001, Notion reinforced their sound with an alt-metal edge and played predominantly in Sydney and the Riverina region. The band underwent a few lineup changes across the next few years, did a Queensland tour with Polystigma in 2002, and eventually broke up when vocalist Liam moved away from Sydney in 2004.

 

First guitarist Mark

 

SHOWS: 

• Baulkham Hills High School Band Comp, Baulkham Hills - 13th October, 2000
  
• Hype Festival, Castle Hill - 2nd September, 2000
• Crestwood Fair, Baulkham Hills - 3rd September, 2000
• Grounded Festival, Museum of Fire, Penrith - 17th March, 2001
  
• Forest Inn, Bexley - 30th March, 2001
• Sodens Hotel, Albury - 20th April, 2001
• Condemned Festival, PCYC, Parramatta - 22nd September, 2001 
• Great Western Bar, Penrith - 10th October, 2001
• Great Western Bar, Penrith - 25th October, 2001
  
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - 27th October, 2001
• Wastelands, Blacktown Masonic Hall, Blacktown - 24th November, 2001 
• Distorted '01, PCYC, Penrith - 2nd December, 2001
  
• The Excelsior, Surry Hills - 4th January, 2002
• Bat and Ball Hotel, Surry Hills - 18th January, 2002
  
• The Excelsior, Surry Hills - 23rd January, 2002
• Club 77, Sydney - 9th February, 2002
• Bat and Ball Hotel, Surry Hills - 18th February, 2002
  
• Maximum Dosage, Westmead - 23rd February, 2002
  
• Hay-Wire, Castle Hill - 15th March, 2002
  
• Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney - 23rd March, 2002 
• Grounded Festival, Museum of Fire, Penrith - 13th April, 2002
  
• Woden Youth Centre, Canberra - 28th June, 2002 (ACT)
  
• Frosti's Birthday, Werrington Youth Centre, Penrith - 5th July, 2002
  
• Bull and Bush, Baulkham Hills - 22nd August, 2002 
• Gravity, Parramatta Hotel, Parramatta - 14th September, 2002
• Hype Festival, Castle Hill - 15th September, 2002
  
• Rise for the Sick, The Kids Museum, Merrylands - 31st October, 2002
  
• Bega Day Out, Bega - 11th January, 2003
• Bull and Bush, Baulkham Hills - 27th February, 2003
• Bull and Bush, Baulkham Hills - 3rd May, 2003
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - 13th September, 2003
  
• Great Western Bar, Penrith - 25th October, 2003
  
• Bull and Bush, Baulkham Hills - 11th November, 2003
  
• Bull and Bush, Baulkham Hills - 15th January, 2004
  
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - 6th March, 2004
  
• The Roxy, Parramatta - 4th July, 2004

Artwork from website, 2004

ORAL HISTORY:

LIAM: I've been in bands since the age of 12. Grew up listening to and loving heaps of different styles of music, I was first into death metal from the age of 11 when I began singing in a borderline death metal band. From 14 to 15 I was in a Deftones cover band. Music to me is much more than a hobby, it's a way of life. 

Liam Willoughby (Vocals), Notion website, 2001 

 

NED: I was only a few years into playing guitar and was interested in joining a band. I think I looking in Drum Media and foudn their ad. I wasn't gelling well as a guitarist for them though. Linkin Park and Incubus were huge at the time, and the idea of going to the decks was flown about. So I just decided to give it a try. It was all self taught! I had absolutely nothing or no one to teach or guide me, but it was fun to experiment with sounds and beats. 

Ned Jankovic (DJ), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

 

NED: We were all on ICQ chat thinking of what to name the band and my friend told me to update his info - so I did and his nickname was 'Notion'. I suggested this to the guys as a band name and they loved it. Some people say we got it from the Coal Chamber song but we actually got it off our friend (who also didn't get it off the Coal Chamber song).

Ned Jankovic (DJ), Obzine Issue 18, February 2001

 

Pic from Excelsior show, Obzine Issue 25, 2002

LIAM: Some of the band's influences are softer bands like Weezer, Far, and Smashing Pumpkins, as well as heavy rocking bands like Tool, Sevendust, Rage Against the Machine. Our music is unpredictable, pulsating, ear-throbbing... there's a lot of experimentation to it.

Liam Willoughby (Vocals), Obzine Issue 18, February 2001

 

NED: Thankfully Notion at the time was more towards nu metal so as long as I had some solid beats and scratched at the right times I was okay, haha. 

 Ned Jankovic (DJ), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

 

PAUL: I'm a punk drummer, that's all I listen to, but the mad sounds Notion produce got me hooked on ensuring I was their drummer. Notion produce a unique sound which I have come to like and I love playing it!

Paul Hancock (Drums), Notion website, 2001

 

 

NED: We sent our demo to the Grounded Festival organisers and waited for a month - they heard our demo and loved it... We worked a lot on those songs - I'm fairly new to the decks, so it was difficult for me, but in the end we got a really cool demo which got us into the Grounded Festival.

Ned Jankovic (DJ), Obzine Issue 18, February 2001

 

NED: Our plan was to get to the Top 100 of the Channel V Leg Up competition so that more people would listen to the band. It worked as it helped us build a fanbase. I was a bit shocked because I didn't expect so many people commenting on our song and for them to like it so much. I'm really happy.

Ned Jankovic (DJ,) Obzine Issue 18, February 2001

 

Second guitarist James

 

NED: The Grounded Festival in Penrith will always stand out to me. It was my first festival and my first time playing to quite a big crowd. That show alone really got me hooked into music and pursuing it full time. After Grounded we did a few shows. I left after that.

 Ned Jankovic (DJ), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

 

REVIEW: The songs sounded fantastic tonight. Everything really clear. They had some new songs as well and they really sounded killer. The drummer's got some great stuff on his toms, really gives the band a great dynamic. I like these guys! Liam's funny on the mic too. 

Review of Excelsior show by Warren Mills, Obzine Issue 25, February 2002

 

LIAM: Gatt is, of course, our new guitarist and our sound has progressed as a result.

Liam Willoughby (Vocals), Notion Website, late 2003

 

JAMES: I was in Vanity Star and got the opportunity to play after Mark, their guitarist, decided to leave. I was already good mates with Liam, so that's how I got in - which honestly was awesome because they were my favourite band before I joined them. I was in Notion for about 18 months before I left. I wanted to do something else, pretty much.

James Gatt (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

Third guitarist David, 2004

DAVID: My band Self is a Seed (called Self at the time) played our first gig with Notion at the Bull and Bush. I became friends with Liam (along with the other guys) so we were always hanging out and when they needed a guitarist I guess I was an easy choice. I was very familiar with their music and close with the guys in the band. So I was their guitarist in their final moments. Liam moved to Albury to work in his family's pub - booking music, etc. - and the band gradually fell apart after this because he was the driving force behind it. So it kind of fizzled out. 

David Bleus (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

RELATED BANDS: Lee'Mon, Cassette Kids, Casa Del Disco, Vanity Star, Cherub Mafia, Subnation, Caulfield, Awaken I Am, Redhook, Self is a Seed, Superb Lyrebird, Commander Arkipov, Swampash, Quadzilla, Ezekiel Ox and the Evidence, Coverpalozza, Killing Flaw

James Gatt

James Gatt

BANDS:

• Cherub Mafia (2001) - Guitar
  
• Vanity Star (2001-2003) - Guitar
  
• Notion (2003-2004) - Guitar
• Casa Del Disco / Cassette Kids (2004-2007) - Guitar

REGION: Penrith, NSW

Vanity Star

ORIGINS: Penrith, NSW

GENRE: Alt-Metal, Metal

YEARS ACTIVE: 2001-2003

 

MEMBERS:

• Katrina Noorbergen - Vocals
• James Gatt - Guitar
• Aaron - Guitar
• Alan Dodd - Bass (2001)
  
• James O'Hanlan - Bass (2002-2003)
  
• Kurt Reichel - Drums
  

 

 

RELEASES: 

• Self-Titled (2002) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Drip
• 2. Caged
• 3. Buoyancy
• 4. New Hypocrite
  

SUMMARY: Forming out of the remnants of Penrith metal band Cherub Mafia, Vanity Star was a more alt-metal entity that played several shows in the Western Sydney area over the course of a couple of years. The band recorded a self-titled EP but did not release it officially and broke up in 2004 when band members decided to pursue other projects. 

Vocalist Katrina Noorbergen went on to sing in well-known indie band Cassette Kids and competed in Europe as a songwriter in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 (her song came second that year). 

 

SHOWS: 

• The Big Thing Youth Festival, Colbee Park, McGraths Hill - Saturday 6th April, 2002
• Woden Youth Centre, Canberra - 28th June, 2002 (ACT)

ORAL HISTORY:

JAMES G.: I met Aaron, our other guitarist, at a house party one night and we got talking about the Deftones album, Around the Fur. We decided to start jamming. Kurt was a mate of mine from playing in Cherub Mafia, and Katrina and Alan were friends of Aaron's from the Hawkesbury area. We just started writing songs and it all came together really nicely and easily. We rehearsed at Kurrajong as Katrina and Alan were out that way. The name 'Vanity Star' was from a Deftones lyric and a general idea of how everyone wanted to be cool.

James Gatt (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

KURT: I was asked by James to come jam in a garage with some mates. We eventually moved from James's garage to Alan's garage, then to Symphonic Sound Studios. We did a few small-time gigs around the Richmond area, a few birthday party gigs, but I wasn't driving back in those days so I didn't always pay attention to where the shows were. 

Kurt Reichel (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

JAMES O: There was another bass player before me, I don't know what happened to him but when he left the others asked me to join. I was high school friends with Katrina and Aaron. My first show with the band was a Penrith PCYC gig. It was a metal night. We later played other shows at the Bull and Bush in Castle Hill and Paddy Maguires in the city. 

James O'Hanlan (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

Vanity Star playing a song at Blaxland Tavern, 2002. Filmed by Wayne Bennett.

 

JAMES G.: We just played everywhere we could. Blaxland Tav shows stood out, we were young kids having a blast. We recorded an EP but we never named it. Didn't think that far ahead. The best thing about Vanity Star was writing shit without caring what people though, having fun with mates, and playing music all the time.  

James Gatt (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

KURT: The demo was recorded in the Doonside area - we recorded after the change of bassplayers. It was just the only 4 tracks we had - I don't think we had any other completed songs. The cover was a black and white photo of the band members standing around James's car. It was printed on printer paper. Very cheaply done!

Kurt Reichel (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

JAMES G.: The band finished when I got asked to join Notion, who I absolutely loved - I couldn't say no. They were a band I saw and fell in love with instantly. Vanity Star was a really good, carefree time in my life and I hope it was the same for the other guys. 

James Gatt (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

JAMES O: Katrina went on to be a successful singer-songwriter and performed onstage at Eurovision a few years back! Playing in Vanity Star was a lot of fun, we were really just kids bashing it out in the garage so we never really managed to make it a sustainable band, but it made for some good memories.

James O'Hanlan (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

RELATED BANDS: Cherub Mafia, Notion, Casa Del Disco, The Penny Record Project, Dyasphere, Laura Mosa, The Arbitrary Method, Cassette Kids

Cherub Mafia

ORIGINS: Cranebrook, NSW

GENRE: Nu-Metal, Metal

YEARS ACTIVE: 2000-2001

 

MEMBERS:

• Patrick Orriss (Vocals)
• Aaron Schliepper (Guitar)
• Scott Belshaw (Bass)
  
• Kurt Reichel (Drums)
• Ryan Marsden (Guitar) [2000-2001]
• James Gatt (Guitar) [2001]
  
• Chris McMahon (Backup Vocals)
  

SUMMARY: Cherub Mafia were a metal band that came out of Cranebrook High School. They began playing shows after transitioning from playing covers to their own original songs. Internal tensions within the band led to a new name, Hardkore Pawn (HKP for short), before things eventually fizzled out. They did not do any recordings.

 

SHOWS: 

• Skatefest, St Clair - November, 2000
• Monkeyfest, Lower Blue Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, Blaxland - 16th December, 2000
• Top Deck, Judge's Carpark, Penrith - 7th April, 2001
  
• Gearin Hotel, Katoomba - 14th July, 2001
  
• Youth Centre, Erskine Park - 8th September, 2001
• Kelts Bar, Blaxland - 18th October, 2001
• Battle of the Bands Grand Final, Great Western Bar, Penrith - 31st October, 2001
• Channel Cafe, Penrith - 17th November, 2001 (as Hardkore Pawn)
  

 

ORAL HISTORY:

KURT: Ryan, Aaron and myself went to the same high school and in our mid teens we started hanging out at the Backyard Cafe and socialising with the old Mondo crew. Scott and Patrick came around to my place one day where we were jamming in my garage. They were listening to us play and asked us if they could join and complete a five piece band. We were totally up for it, jamming together on Metallica, Slipknot, Korn, and Sepultura covers. One day we decided to write our own songs... we all had our input and then the songs were born.

Kurt Reichel (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

SCOTT: Pat, Kurt, myself, and Ryan used to hang out at the Backyard Cafe with everyone else. I think Pat and Ryan were keen to start a band... We just started fucking around and one night at Pablo's (Save Some For Daddy) joint we were all pretty soused and I pointed at a Christmas decoration his mum had in the house of all these little cherubs pointing violins downwards. I said, "It's a cherub mafia". 

Scott Belshaw, Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

KURT: My earliest memory of a show was a gig in Blaxland Community Hall. Small venue, only a crowd of maybe 30 people, and 3 bands - all local. A lot of hairspray went into my hair, to try and make it stand up straight like an '80s mohawk!

Kurt Reichel (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

REVIEW: Cherub Mafia was an assault. I found their influences a little too obvious, but no doubt with time these guys will have a lot more to say for themselves.

Review of Monkeyfest, Obzine Issue 18, February 2001

 

 

SCOTT: It was great times. I was like 16 and going to the Great Western Bar for the open mic night where we'd scam jugs and then win the case of beer and hammer it afterwards. 

Scott Belshaw, Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

KURT: Chris McMahon from Thy Art is Murder was a groupie and wanted so badly to be a part of the band. We didn't know where he would fit in, so we just had him as a stage performer doing whatever he wanted to get the crowd going, and he would help out Patrick with growling vocals. 

Kurt Reichel (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

REVIEW: Then there was the circus bonanza that was Cherub Mafia. It was somewhat strange that the most hyped and successful band of the day was only fourth in a lineup of seven bands. Sprinkling their set of brand spanking new originals with one or two covers (including a great version of Coal Chamber's 'Loco'), dressed in an assortment of bright colours and bizarre costumes, and throwing out free slices of cheese to the punters, they managed to pull an astoundingly huge crowd. One of their original songs, 'Serenity Suffering', really impressed me too.

Review of Judge's Carpark show, Obzine Issue 20, June 2001

KURT: It was just a bunch of fun hanging out with the best of mates all the time, having a reasonably large following, being recognised by people around town. We even put a colour theme together... I was Blue, Ryan was Red, Scott was Purple, Pat was Green, and Aaron was Orange. We wore those colours on stage and Ryan loved Slipknot so much that he wore a red jumpsuit on stage.

Kurt Reichel (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

RELATED BANDS: Thy Art is Murder, Vanity Star, Dyasphere, Tocata, The Black Arts Movement, Laura Mosa, Evolvar, The Arbitrary Method, Casa Del Disco, Notion