Waking up yesterday to find out that Prime Minister Tony Abbott was outed as PM was the best possible news for many Australians, and particularly for Australian musicians, who’ve had more than a few stern words for Abbott ever since his federal budget announced significant arts funding cuts (and that whole thing about independent musicians making $300k).
Musicians from Remi to Peking Duk and The Smith Street Band took to social media to share their excitement, but perhaps no one was happier than punk band Until Abbott Gets Gone. They’re so happy, in fact, that they’ve broken up.
Until Abbott Gets Gone are a Sydney-based punk band who formed back in February as a ‘not-for-profit, zero-budget rock ‘n’ roll protest band’ who promised to keep releasing music until Abbott was out of office.
The band consisted of Gordon Wallace and Joe Gould, originally of The Crooked Fiddle Band. Their first single, Climate Septic, received worldwide coverage, with stories appearing in the UK’s Daily Mail and newspapers in the US and across Asia.
To celebrate, Until Abbott Gets Gone have dropped a new single titled Three Word Slogan; this will be their last release as they are making good on their promise to dissolve the band once Abbott gets gone.
The band’s commitment to disband was even established on their triple j unearthed page: “We’ll break up the minute he leaves office, and all proceeds will be donated to charity”, the page stated. “We’ve been dreaming of the day we’d disband ever since we formed,” said drummer and singer Joe Gould. “It’s a win-win: everyone who liked the band must have approved of our political agenda, and anyone who didn’t like the band must be pretty pleased we’ve broken up.”
Wallace and Gould recruited the help of a few friends to get the new track written and recorded: “It took 2 hours. As soon as we heard the spill was announced, we started thinking of ideas. We kept it loose, but hey – it’s a celebration, right?” said Gould.
Gould is also adamant that UAGG have no plans to reform, saying that this is not a hiatus (unless Abbott returns to leadership). However, they remain open to all possibilities, such as maybe “a protest folk band called ‘Turnback Turnbull’” should the need arise.