Roy Mackonkey, Darwin - Northern Territory
ROY MACKONKEY are one of the longest-running, best-loved original groups in the Darwin scene - indeed, 2007 marks their 10th anniversary as a band. Their music is art, it's heavy, it's math, it's prog, it's confronting, it's hard, it's primal, it's big - it's rock and ROY MACKONKEY are incredibly good at it. From the emotionally-charged lyrics and imposing vocals of frontman John Coulehan, to the volcanic power of guitarist Darryl Barba, with the rolling thunder of Fletcher Bowman's dynamic drumming and Brian McLeod's articulate, multi-dimensional bass playing - there is no mistaking their sound.
Having just acquired new management with marketing consultant Sarah Price joining “Team Roy”, they are planning to head into the studio later in the year to record their second EP. It is an exciting new era for Roy Mackonkey as they head into their second decade and the universe is sure to hear great things in the very near future from these enigmatic players.
Roy Mackonkey came together in Darwin in 1997, at first purely as a heavy act. The quartet - then comprising John, Darryl, Brian, and drummer Steve Smith - swiftly made their mark on the local circuit with their mixture of alternative & progressive rock, notching up appearances at festivals, pubs, events, radio shows, support slots and even their own headlining shows, building a strong fan base with each show. In their first 12 months of existence they headlined the Australian Music Day concert, and gained national radio airplay on Triple J for their debut EP "The Quality Of Meat", recorded with legendary JJJ producer Chris Thompson, the first of a series of CD releases that have proved popular with the locals.
Roy soon became the support band of choice for interstate acts coming through Darwin. Some of the rockin' bands they've had the pleasure of sharing the stage with include Rollins Band, You Am I, the Living End, Bodyjar, Dallas Crane, the Dissociatives, Grinspoon, Painters & Dockers, the Superjesus, 28 Days, Screaming Jets and, on one very memorable occasion at a festival in 1998, the late great Slim Dusty.
In July 2000 Roy Mackonkey set off on an extensive tour of the Northern Territory with independent recording artist Shellie Morris. The "Beaten Track Tour" saw them unplugging the amps and reinventing their songs acoustically. Indeed, the acoustic alter ego of Roy Mackonkey is still an important part of the band's psyche, with John and Darryl often doing "unplugged" shows at cafes, bars and grills around the city, stripping the songs down and reconstructing them with a rich aural flavour that reaches out to a wider audience.
A support slot with Magic Dirt helped the band return to Alice Springs and
down to Adelaide to play a series of shows, swiftly followed by a visit to
Melbourne in 2001 that saw them break through to the finals of the Jim Beam
National Campus Band Comp, where they placed fourth and turned on many more
punters to their sound and mighty presence. Since then the lads have continued
to amass a loyal following both in Darwin and interstate through relentless
gigging, airplay on Triple J (most recently in January this year when a four-song
live set was played on Home 'n' Hosed), and the sheer power of their audacious,
ambitious heavy rock.