The Distractions
The Distractions formed in 2015 when a bunch of mates sat around decrying the lack of good bands to go and see in the Sydney scene. Bands that played songs you knew, that you could rock along with and that the girls could get up and dance to. We wanted recreate the great nights out of the 80's when pub rock ruled.
So our gigs are as much about what you want to hear as what we want to play - check out some of our previous shows to see the type of stuff we play - from classic to brand new. We're based in the east of Sydney so our gigs are typically in the Bondi - Coogee area, and thankfully there are some great venues in these parts. We have a solid following so our gigs are great nights out - good crowds, great songs with a focus on everyone enjoying themselves.
Pete Browne - Lead Vocals & Rhythm
Pete joined the band in 2016 when Andrew mentioned over a glass of red wine that The Distractions were looking for a lead singer. Predominantly a guitarist prior to joining the band (with a great collection of guitars BTW!), Pete sings most songs, as well as playing keyboard, tambourine, maraca and harmonica.
A child of the 80s and 90s, Pete's singing influences include Barnesy, Bon, Angry, John Fogarty, Kelly Jones (Stereophonics) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden). Pete's appreciation of the rock greats, and love of experimenting with modern hits supports The Distractions in playing everything from rock classics through to modern day pop hits.
Tom Pizzey - Lead Guitar
Originally a crafty left handed tennis player with an outrageously hard to play kicking serve, Tom's hidden talent has always been for another wooden device, the electric guitar. When the idea of forming a band came up, Mark Tallis asked Tom to dust off his old stratocaster and join in for a jam.
Now, Tom (or 'Pizz') plays a beautiful lead guitar for The Distractions and is officially our technological leader for stage electronics alongside his three striking instruments, the sunburst Telecaster, the big red Gibson 335 and recently, the baby blue Dusenberg Mike Campbell Starplayer with racing stripes. Tom is, at heart, a rhythm and blues man, loving to solo from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and anything classic or new that rocks.
Mark Tallis - Rhythm Guitar
Back in 2011, when Mark or "Tal" was formulating a bucket list, the first seed for the band was planted. One of his life ambitions was to learn the guitar. Following his dream and in conversation with another kindergarten dad, he connected with legend professional guitarist and teacher, Jeff Lenham. He hasn't looked back since.
"Coming from the small country town, Dookie, in Victoria....I never thought I would be a rock'n roll mega star. But then it occurred to me you don't need to be Keith Richards or Anthony Kiedis to enjoy rock and roll!"
Tal loves to mix it up at gigs, running rhythm guitar and occasional solos across a mixture of classic rock and contemporary numbers.
Andrew Howard - Bass & Vocals
When Andrew grew up and started getting real jobs, he knew he needed something completely different to his daily working life. A lifelong fan of popular music, he turned to the bass guitar. Lessons turned into jamming, jamming turned into performing and performing meant becoming one of "The Distractions".
On stage, you will find Andrew either working hard in the rhythm section or occasionally walking forward to sing back up vocals or lead on the occasional song. He loves playing classic pop rock from any decade with a special love for the forgotten hits of the 80s and 90s....and anything with a great bass line! Nothing makes him smile more than the crowd going off at our gigs.
Mike Boyle - Drums, Multi-Instrumentalist & Vocals
Mike Boyle is the newest addition to band joining in August 2019. He grew up playing the drums and whilst at school formed the band ASAP with two schoolmates, later renaming themselves - Tellingbone. The three piece band stayed together for over five years writing and recording their own material gaining a loyal fan base.
Mike has continued to play music in different bands since then. Living and working overseas has given him an opportunity to play many events in all sorts of places. Now he's happy to be back in Sydney with his family and joining The Distractions. Mike's loves music from all genres so is looking forward to performing with the band in front of their fans.
Jeff Lenham - Musical Director, Guitar, Multi-Instrumentalist & Vocals
Jeff Lenham is one of Australia’s most experienced multi-instrumentalists and best teachers, having played more than 2,500 professional shows, from the smallest bars to the largest arenas.
In his youth, Jeff was part of many acts before recording with Wildland in 1989. They supported The Eurythmics, Cyndi Lauper and many others at all the Entertainment Centres and performed on music television including MTV.
These days he runs CEO Music, a vehicle for providing high-end music services to both private and corporate clients. He also has a business called NameTonz which uses an extensive library of personalised songs to digitally deliver special greetings.
When he's not rocking out with The Distractions, he can be found playing on Christine Anu’s new album, doing shows with Steve Balbi (Noiseworks), Rohan Cannon (Choirboys) and others. He also plays jazz guitar for The Fukers.