Interview by Kris Peters
Fifty years of servitude in any industry is a great achievement, but fifty years in the music industry is something special.
In an industry that rewards only when you have something of value to offer, bands are churned through the machine at a rapid rate of knots. Yesterday's heroes can quickly become tomorrow's nobodies with everything from changing fashions to styles to bad press being an avenue for failure.
Australian rockers Radio Birdman are one of the few bands to not only survive half a century in the music industry but somewhat thrive as well.
Radio Birdman were one of the first Australian bands to harness the punk rock attitude that swept through Britain, doing things their way no matter the consequences. They are one of those bands that as soon as you listen to their music you get the "ah, that's who sung it" feels, with an infectious and flippant brand of music showcasing all the hallmarks and foundations of great Aussie rock.
To celebrate the occasion, Radio Birdman will hit the road for the Birdman 5-0 Tour, starting June 21, with fellow Australian icons Hard-Ons along for the ride.
HEAVY caught up with founding member and guitarist Deniz Tek to take a trip down memory lane. We start by asking if Australia is ready for the finale.
"The venues that we're playing are essentially the same venues we played on the last tour," he began, "and the last couple of tours. The last time we went around Australia was just before the pandemic in 2019, and it's basically the same venues. We prefer to play two to three shows in a smaller club rather than one big show at the Enmore or the Palace or something like that. It's better for us to play in smaller places."
It's a bittersweet tour, celebrating 50 years of the band, but also serving as a swansong, so we ask Deniz how long the band has known they would be ticking both things off at the same time.
"Just since November," he replied. "We hadn't really talked about it until then, but I was back in Australia for my daughters wedding and the band got together socially, and we talked it over and thought it might be a good idea."
In the full interview we take a moment to reflect on what a great achievement 50 years is, the success of presale tickets, limiting the shows and why, what fans can expect, what the band expects from their crowds, the emotion that will surround the last ever show at the Manning Bar in Sydney on July 7, having Hard-Ons as support, Radio Birdman's legendary outsider status and how well it fits, being the underdog, what he has achieved personally and musically over his career, what's left for him to achieve, the band logo and some insights into its origin, his top three commandments of rock and more.