SPEED - FROM THE COAST TO COACHELLA
Quick questions with SPEED’s frontman Jem Siow moments after the last show on their ‘Only One Mode’ 2025 Australia tour.
It was a quiet and drizzly night along the Gosford waterfront where SPEED played the final show for their 2025 Australian regional tour back in March. The Sydney based hardcore band were supported by Skorn, Discount Code and Downside - an extensive lineup of local bands that not only warmed up the crowd, but had them covered in sweat and bruises before SPEED jumped on stage to send the night off in fury.
Admittedly, this was my first Speed show. As soon as I saw they were coming to the Coast, I knew I had to get my hands on a ticket and capture the night with my camera! (full photo feature below). After enjoying their EP ‘A gang called speed’ I quickly started seeing their name pop up everywhere. From the sound to their merchandise, the bold and very aggressive ’SPEED’ logo plastered on tees and hats worn by everyone from celebrities to local guys doing their groceries at coles. It’s not hard to see that Speed are undeniably taste-makers and will continue to shape the next generation of the scene. The band’s passion, energy and love for the hardcore scene proves exactly why they’ve earned such a strong following across the globe.
Their performance not only bought a surge of energy to every single person in the room but there was also a sense of love and gratitude as Jem showed love to his band and everyone who showed up to see what they were all about. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first hardcore show or if you’re a seasoned pro - Speed provides a welcoming space for everyone.
Jem was kind enough to spare me a moment after the show where I nervously asked him some questions off the top of my head in an attempt at my very first interview with an artist. (Thank you for your time and advice).
How was the creative process for the album?
As a band - when we started, we never thought we’d do an LP. We were just thinking about the 7 inch and we did that already with a gang called speed. What happened after that just completely fucking swept us away. So we were pushed in this position where we were like fuck we think people kinda want an LP and we have enough steam behind us to do one. Such a hardcore album needs a lot of reference because it’s like your mantelpiece as a band, it’s your first one. So there was a lot of thought about what we were going to say to the world. Like what are we going to export in the lyrics? What’s our sound like? What are we going to fucking put out there? And it really just came back to what was most important in our lives. It’s our friends and our family, it’s about Sydney, it’s about the experiences that brought us here to where we are. The current in all of that has been about growing as hard as possible for the things that you believe in and I think the number one thing that I believe in is literally my friends and family. That’s what Only One Mode means. It’s investing in your friends and family and never looking back.
You’re about to tour America. What are your expectations?
I don’t know… probably a lot of influencers, a lot of normies, a lot of fucking different people but a lot of new experiences cause the next show we’re playing is Coachella. That’s the next tour so it’s like, I don’t know what to expect to be honest other than that but it will be an awesome experience for us. Something different.
What do you think of the Central Coast?
It’s fucking sick. This venue is insanely beautiful. I know there’s probably not many venues in the Central Coast so the fact that we can play a fuckin’ pub on the water with a wharf that overlooks out this beautiful scenery is kind of like we struck gold you know? Like there’s not many venues so they just pushed it to the pub and it just happens to be this one. Also, we grew up going to shows out here all through the mid 2000’s to the 2010’s up until about… I dunno, I feel like the last show I went to on the Central Coast was maybe 2016 or 2017. It was at like Ourimbah or Oasis or something you know? So the fact in 2025 we’ve come back and done a sold out show to 450 people here. Just straight up Australian, no other international acts. Just the people and the scene. That is just the biggest full circle thing. It’s fucking awesome.
Who’s an Australian artist that people should check out?
Mark Bawden - the singer of Break Even. He was a huge inspiration to me - one of my biggest heroes. He’s also like one of my brothers now but yeah, he would probably be the number one I would say.
If you’re looking to check out some Australian Hardcore, SPEED have jam packed this playlist for you!
And of course - here’s the full photo feature from the night. Enjoy!(Photos by Brayden Stairmand)
