Set to release their first-ever live album Quality Meats on their newly formed label, Bad//Dreems are entering an exciting new stage of their career.
It’s been over a decade since Bad//Dreems first formed in a white goods warehouse in Adelaide. In the time since, the band have risen to be one of Australia’s most respected guitar acts. Known for their brash yet insightful rock anthems, the Australian four-piece’s songs pull back the curtain behind the banality of suburbia and expose its raw truths.
In May 2023, the band released their fourth album, Hoo Ha!, marking a new peak in their storied career. The album debuted in the top ten, earned an ARIA nomination, and landed the #2 spot on Double J’s Album of the Year list. But rather than rest on their laurels, Bad//Dreems are doing something different. On 13 December, they’ll release their first-ever live album, Quality Meats. The album captures two performances: one from Melbourne’s iconic Corner Hotel and another from Adelaide’s Nice Day to Go to the Club festival, bookending their Hoo Ha! tour with the raw energy fans expect from their live shows.
Ahead of the release, guitarist Alex Cameron sounded genuinely excited about the album and what it meant in the band’s career. “It’s a ten-track album, and we chose the staples from the set,” he explains. “Some of the songs sound quite different live compared to the recorded versions, and people are used to the live takes, so it might be a bit of a surprise.”
The album’s title, Cameron notes, comes from a lyric in one of the band’s songs—one of their signature “lyrical rants.” It also marks a milestone for the band: Quality Meats is the first release on their own label, Gutto Records. The decision to go independent came out of a desire for total creative control. As Cameron puts it, “It was a mix of people not wanting to work with us and us not wanting to work with anyone else. We’ve had labels and managers in the past, but now we just want to do things our way. The best way to do that is to do it ourselves.”
With Quality Meats, Bad//Dreems reaffirm their reputation as a powerhouse live act. The duelling guitars of Cameron and Ali Wells, backed by the driving rhythm section of Miles Wilson and Deon Slaverio, create a sonic force. At the front, frontman Ben Marwe commands the stage with electric intensity, embodying the characters in his songs with an unpredictable mix of absurdity and mirth. Whether performing the swaggering Mansfield 6.0 or the fiery Cuffed & Collared, Marwe fully immerses the audience in the band’s world.
The live album also underscores the band’s commitment to social commentary. Tracks like Southern Heat and Naden offer a dystopian view of the Australian underbelly, while Jack takes a powerful stance on Indigenous justice. This spirit of truth-telling extends beyond their music; the band’s recent appearance in an ABC Four Corners episode investigating Live Nation highlighted their ongoing dedication to social change.
On their involvement in the show, Cameron explains, “We had a lot of discussions before agreeing to be on it. It made us reflect on what we were doing—there were aspects of the industry that were pulling us away from that spirit.” The band has even faced online backlash from industry figures for their participation. But Cameron remains unfazed: “The truth is, we’ve got other jobs, and music doesn’t define our financial stability. We got involved because we wanted to help those who don’t have that luxury.”
With a new label and a bold new release, Bad//Dreems are entering an exciting new phase of their career. Quality Meats proves they’re not just a rock band—they’re a genuine force in Australian music.
Quality Meats is now available for pre-order, and tracks like Mansfield 6.0 and Cuffed & Collared are available to stream NOW.
