RAMSTONE

RAMSTONE was formed with the goal of helping reignite the live rock scene on the South Coast. Can you tell us about the band's origins and the vision that brought everyone together?

Brendan Cenacco and Campbell Hema first formed an acoustic duo in 2021 during the COVID lockdowns. With venue capacity restrictions in place, we had to learn how to livestream our bar shows, which was a huge learning curve.

The duo quickly became busy throughout the Shoalhaven, playing freestyle rock, psychedelic, blues, soul and Like A Version-style covers. We even featured in the local newspaper in an article about what it meant to be a successful musician during COVID-19.

By New Year's 2023, we still hadn't formed a full band and were almost ready to call it quits. Then in February I contacted local engineer and musician Laughlan "Log" Davey to see if he'd be interested in playing bass. As it turned out, he'd been planning to contact me too. We jammed together and he said, "I know the perfect drummer—Duff Riley."

Our first official show as a four-piece at Bottlerocket Bar in Nowra sold out. Duff and Log transformed our acoustic songs into huge, stadium-style hard rock anthems.

Just seven months later we flew to my hometown in Central Queensland to perform at Tieri's 40th Anniversary alongside Anna Farquhar, The Angels and Dragon.

When Log left in 2024 to focus on production, Brett Hoswell stepped in on bass—even though he'd never played bass guitar before. His first show was at his hometown pub, Ryan's Hotel in Thirroul, in front of family and friends, so you can imagine the nerves! Since then we've only continued to grow, building our fanbase while creating opportunities for both local and touring acts wherever we play.

Your sound draws inspiration from legendary acts such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Soundgarden while still feeling distinctly modern. How have those influences shaped your songwriting and approach as a band?

Those bands made us ask ourselves, "What made their biggest songs so timeless? So iconic? So f*cking good?"

Our theory is that every great song has one unforgettable moment—a riff, a chorus, a melody, a drum fill, a guitar tone or even a vocal ad-lib. So why not take inspiration from those different elements and combine them into something completely fresh?

That's why RAMSTONE sounds familiar while still being original. We carry the spirit of the greatest rock bands from the '70s onwards, but roll it all into something that's unmistakably RAMSTONE.

Cannonball arrives as another step forward in RAMSTONE's evolution. What can you tell us about the song's creation, themes and what it represents for the band creatively?

As RAMSTONE has evolved into writing bigger, heavier and more energetic music, Cannonball became the perfect representation of where we're heading.

The song is about recognising that ordinary people have the strength to unite against oppression, depression, war and control. It's about finding your own voice and choosing how you want to live your life in what's often described as a "free world."

That said, RAMSTONE isn't a political band. We simply wrote a song inspired by the issues and challenges people are seeing around the world today.

In a relatively short time, RAMSTONE has supported some of Australia's most respected rock acts and built a strong touring reputation. How have those experiences contributed to your growth and confidence as performers?

Every show we play makes us better. Every band we share a stage with teaches us something. Every venue helps us improve our communication and networking.

Every rehearsal is focused on making the next performance stronger than the last. We're now seeing our return shows getting bigger, which is a huge confidence boost and makes us think, "Maybe we really are a good band."

Over the past 12 months we've also pushed ourselves outside our comfort zones by adding more backing vocals to our live show, helping elevate the performance and making us feel even more like rock stars.

Live performance seems to be at the heart of everything RAMSTONE does. What is it about the live rock experience that continues to inspire and drive the band?

Honestly, we're addicted to the adrenaline. The energy from every band, the crowd on the dance floor, the stage lights, the amps roaring through our ears, the bass shaking the stage beneath our feet—it all comes together into something incredible.

Then there's meeting everyone afterwards, selling merch, taking photos and sharing those memories. That's real power, and it's what makes us feel truly alive.

You've already achieved several major milestones early in your career. Looking ahead, what are the long-term ambitions for RAMSTONE, and what would success look like for the band in the years to come?

We can't reveal too much just yet, but it looks like we'll be becoming an international touring act next year.

Beyond that, we're preparing to launch our own record label. We love creating opportunities for other artists and helping great venues thrive, and we've already got some incredible artists lined up. So keep your eye on RAMSTONE over the next few months—we're only just getting started.