Jacko, Benny, Brad and Lewy from the Beddy Rays met in Grade 1 at their Redland Bay primary school. They’ve “been best friends ever since”. After high school, they cut their teeth as a band by slogging gear between Brissy house parties, before landing their first gig in the Valley. Today, their live show is bursting with energy, a bit of banter and “a few bung notes”.
‘Lost Found Beat Around’, the band’s 2017 debut EP, was inspired by the boys “bonding over Dookie-era Green Day”. Punchy melodies, bendy riffs and catchy hooks are the secret ingredients for their brand of surfy punk rock, but there’s an important message behind many of their lyrics, too.
“We write lots of songs about mental health, and try to help people get through rough times.” It’s important for them “to spread the message that things always get better, and [that] there's always a bright, shining light at the end of the tunnel.”
They’ve been especially impressed by the support they’ve witnessed through the scene during the pandemic. “It’s… been beautiful to see the love and support people have been sharing through these hard times and we’d love to see that continue post COVID.”
The band is inspired by their own experiences, spending time with mates and catching sets at festivals together. They hope that one day, they’ll be able to take the same stages as their musical heroes - after all, who doesn’t want to watch people sing their lyrics back to them from the Amphitheatre stage at Splendour? After three BIGSOUND applications, the band are stoked to join #TheBIGSOUND50 in 2020. “Being a part of it is one of our dreams coming true. We just want to get our music out to reach as many people as possible, especially in our local music scene... Doing an international tour wouldn't be too shabby either!”
