Parkway Drive

Biography :

Parkway Drive is an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay, New South Wales, formed in 2003. As of 2010, Parkway Drive has released three full-length albums, Killing with a Smile, Horizons, and Deep Blue, a DVD, an EP, entitled Don't Close Your Eyes and two split albums.


History :

Early history and debut album (2002—2006)

Parkway Drive was founded in the end of 2002. The origin of the band's name is from the band's hometown in Byron Bay, Australia. The band would practice in a house garage, aptly named the "Parkway House", on the street named "Parkway Dr.". Not long after the band had formed, they released a split EP with metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen from Adelaide, entitled I Killed The Prom Queen / Parkway Drive: Split CD in 2003. Parkway Drive also made an appearance on the Byron Bay Hardcore compilation What We've Built, preceded by their EP, Don't Close Your Eyes.

In May 2005, they headed to the USA to record their debut album with renowned metal producer, Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz whose production credits include Unearth and Underoath. Since the release of Don't Close Your Eyes, Parkway Drive have rapidly accumulated a fanbase Australia-wide, courtesy of support slots for international acts including Hatebreed, In Flames, Chimaira, Shadows Fall, As I Lay Dying, Bleeding Through, Alexisonfire, and performances at Metal for the Brain 2005 and Australia's Hardcore 2005. The band's debut album, Killing with a Smile was released in August 2005 and has since sold in excess of 30,000 copies in Australia. They toured strongly behind the album, playing dozens of headlining shows, as well as an appearance at the Gold Coast leg of the Big Day Out festival in January 2006. In June 2006, the band was signed to Epitaph Records, which released their debut album Killing with a Smile in the United States during August of that year.

In late May 2006, bass player Shaun Cash left the band for personal reasons with full support from the rest of the members. The band soon found a replacement in their "merch guy" and long-time friend, Jia "Pie" O'Connor. Now a permanent part of the line-up, he played with them for the rest of their first international tour in the United Kingdom and Europe, and later dates in the United States. In October 2006, they were billed as the Australian contingent on the Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour, playing alongside Anti-Flag, Underoath, Thursday, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday and Saosin. During November and December 2006, they appeared at the Homebake Festival, Sound Fest, Resist Records' tour, Soundwave Festival and Gravity G Festival before returning to the UK and Europe.

Horizons (2007—2009)

Parkway Drive performing at 2007's Warped Tour.

On 3 March 2007, a new song was previewed to a crowd at Underworld entitled "The Sirens' Song". The song would later feature on Horizons. They were placed on the bill for the U.S. Vans Warped Tour 2007 as the only Australian band on the tour. On 15 August, Winston McCall appeared in an interview on the short.fast.loud show on Australia's Triple J Radio station in which he previewed a track off Horizons entitled "Boneyards." Horizons was released on 6 October 2007. The album was generally acclaimed by critics and fans alike; especially Blunt Magazine, 'simply slays from the get go' and awarded it 10/10, and planet-loud.com, which suggested that it would 'set the benchmark for metal albums to come'. It debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Charts. After the release of Horizons, the band toured through the US, Australia and Europe with such bands as Killswitch Engage, Bury Your Dead, Darkest Hour and others.

In February/March 2008, Parkway teamed up with Byron Bay bands/friends 50 Lions (fronted by Oscar McCall, Winston's brother) and Word Up!, to complete the Surf Rats Tour of east coast Australia. This tour (travelling to towns not listed on the standard touring circuit) was based around surfing big surf spots on the way. In December 2008, Parkway Drive toured Australia nationally on the "Sweatfest" Tour. In support of Parkway Drive was; A Day To Remember, Suicide Silence, The Acacia Strain, and Confession.

On 12 December 2008 while performing at UNSW Roundhouse, Parkway Drive announced that they were filming a DVD of the show, which would include footage of the performance and a few songs from other bands featured in the Sweat Fest Tour. On 18 January 2009, Parkway Drive announced their headlining US tour with Stick to Your Guns and Mychildren Mybride. On 28 January to 1 February 2009, Parkway Drive went on a tour in Japan with Shai Hulud and Crystal Lake. Parkway Drive played at the 2009 Bamboozle Lineup at the Giant's Stadium parking lots; as well as being confirmed at 2009's Download Festival.

In May 2009, Parkway Drive announced that they would be releasing a live DVD and an Australian tour was also announced with August Burns Red and Architects in support of it. Supporting them on their sold out Sydney leg of the tour will be local Sydney band Hand of Mercy, on their Newcastle leg will be Safe Hands, hometown Byron Bay show will be Sink Or Swim, their Melbourne leg will be local Melbourne band House Vs. Hurricane and In Trenches, on their Canberra leg, Dead Kings, on the Brisbane leg, Wish for Wings, and on their Adelaide leg, Abandon All Hope. Horizons is to date their best selling release, with the album reaching multi-platinum status in Europe.

Deep Blue (2010—present)

Parkway Drive have been confirmed on the 2010 Warped Tour lineup for all dates.

On March 23, Parkway Drive entered the studio to begin recording their forthcoming album, Deep Blue, with producer Joe Barresi. According to frontman Winston McCall, this will be their rawest, and heaviest record to date. According to a blog posted on Myspace on April 1st, 2010, they have finished tracking the drums for the album. According to a blog posted on April 8th, 2010, Parkway Drive were half finished with rhythm guitars, bass and vocals for the upcoming untitled album. On April 17th, 2010, Parkway Drive officially announced that they finished recording the forthcoming album, and added a studio diary video to their Myspace. On April 26th, vocalist Winston McCall revealed in a video-interview two new song-titles: "Home Is For The Heartless" (feat. Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion) and "Hollow" (feat. Marshall Lichtenwaldt of The Warriors). Winston also stated in the interview that the European tour they're on now is the last tour they will be on until the release of the new album, indicating that the album should be out in stores sometime before the Vans Warped Tour begins.

During their 2009 tour in the UK and Europe, Parkway Drive revealed and played a new song titled "Unrest", which would be on their new album. On May 3rd, Parkway Drive uploaded a new studio update including a video of their time recording with Joe Barresi. Later in May, album art and tracklisting of their new album was released on the All Music website, revealing that the album was to be titled "Deep Blue" and would be released June 25th in Australia, June 28th in Europe and UK, and June 29th in USA. On May 13th, Parkway drive uploaded a video, previewing some song parts from Deep Blue. On May 14th Parkway Drive updated their MySpace profile to reflect the upcoming release of Deep Blue. Parkway Drive unveiled their first track off of Deep Blue, titled "Sleepwalker" through their Myspace on May 18th, 2010. On the same day Parkway Drive posted a video to promote the Never Say Die! European tour that they are headlining (along with Comeback Kid, Bleeding Through, Emmure, War from a Harlots Mouth, Your Demise and We Came As Romans). The studio version of the song "Unrest" can be heard in the background of the video.

At 3:00am AEST on June 25th, Parkway Drive's Deep Blue was released onto the Australian iTunes Store. After four hours since the point of the album being released, "Deep Blue" reached the Top Second position on the iTunes Album Charts in Australia, (7:00AM AEST) with Eminem's Recovery album seizing first position.

Deep Blue was released in the United States and Canada on June 29th, now making it available worldwide.

After Warped Tour, Parkway Drive will begin their Australian headlining tour with The Devil Wears Prada, The Ghost Inside and 50 Lions.

The band has since been nominated for an ARIA award for their latest album Deep Blue as Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album along with fellow Australian hardcore act The Amity Affliction.


Band Members :

Current members :

* Winston McCall - Vocals (2002–present)
* Jeff Ling - Guitar (2002–present)
* Luke Kilpatrick - Guitar (2002–present)
* Jia O'Connor - Bass (2006–present)
* Ben Gordon - Drums (2002–present)

Former Members :

* Brett Versteeg - Bass (2002)
* Shaun Cash - Bass (2002–2006)


Discography :

Studio Albums :

* Parkway Drive - Killing with a Smile (2005, Epitaph)
* Parkway Drive - Horizons (2007, Epitaph)
* Parkway Drive - Deep Blue (2010, Epitaph)

EPs :

* Parkway Drive - Don't Close Your Eyes (2004, Resist)

DVDs :

* Parkway Drive - The DVD (2009)