Johnny Touch emerged from the graffiti-stained streets of downtown Melbourne, Australia. Comprising of various street-toughs from Stargazer, Cauldron Black Ram and Beyond Mortal Dreams, Johnny Touch is the heavy metal embrace for hooligans who, above all things, love heavy metal. If you like Riot, early-Ozzy, Judas Priest, Queensryche, Racer X and Dio, then chances are you are going to like Johnny Touch.

“Heavy Metal is important and defining in so many ways,” explains founder and drummer Denny. “Over 30 years of tradition, it is so important; the culture, the comradeship, the denim and the leather.”

Earlier this year and in the midst of recording the debut album, ‘Inner City Wolves’, bass player Inphiltraitor instigated an indefinite delay after finding himself under the wheels of a semi-trailer truck.

“This happened on the eve of recording his bass lines for the new album! He is currently undergoing rehab and will be home before the year’s end. We are currently putting together new songs and have whittled away at whatever we could for the album.”
This has not quashed future plans for the band, as they set their sights on rival gang territory New Zealand.
“Bigger stage shows, bigger hair, bigger crowds, bigger breasts. That’s it, and all.”

But what is it that separates this band from the other NWOBHM-esque bands already out there?
“I had some of our tunes written in the ‘90s, but did not even consider starting a traditional heavy metal band back then. We were there for the movements breaking out, even though we were very young ourselves. Johnny Touch is a lot less derivative of any one scene, than some of the newer and younger bands emerging.”

“It’s important we all preserve the molten spirit of metal in our own ways. The fact there is an injection of youth in heavy metal is a total blessing.”

WORDS BY EMILY STEINDL
Originally printed in Iron Fist #8