Brisbane punk rock lifers Dune Rats have officially released their highly anticipated new album OLD MATES, anchored by the re-release of fan favourite Ratbags! (Re-recorded). The 12-track record celebrates the band’s formative years, blending the raw, scrappy energy that made Dune Rats an Australian punk institution with the polish and confidence of a band at the peak of their powers. Ratbags! stands as the album’s focus track, capturing the nostalgia, chaos, and carefree spirit that has defined the trio’s music and live shows for over a decade.
At its core, Ratbags! is a snapshot of the band before the accolades, before the charts, and before the industry expectations, capturing the freedom of backing yourself purely because it feels right. Reimagined with fresh energy while retaining its scrappy charm, the track bridges past and present, embodying the loose, loud, and unapologetically fun ethos that continues to fuel Dune Rats on stage and in the studio.
“We wrote Ratbags! in this worn down rehearsal room one night right before heading into the valley for a night of mayhem. We’d always meet there to jam and drink before hand so the lyrics spewed out quickly, much like the literal spew at nights end. Realising it probably wasn’t always gonna be this way we wanted some nostalgia vibes to it. We love how bands like The Shins can get that across but our hearts have always sunk into thrashier surf punk bands so thought it’d be cool to make those worlds collide.”
