No Way But The Hard Way

Album: No Guts. No Glory (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the first single from No Guts. No Glory, the second album by Australian pub rock band Airbourne.
  • Frontman Joel O'Keeffe wrote this song, which deals with the difficulties the band encountered before making the big time. Rhythm guitarist David Roads explained to the French metal webzine Auxportesdumetal.com: "Joel wrote this song, that's inspired by our experience when we went to Melbourne, before we had a manager. We were ready to give some show in pubs even if we didn't get paid for that because we were happy to be on the bill. We lived on welfare, that's what we call 'the doll'. 'No Way But A Hard Way' get used to it."
  • The song's music video features scenes of the band in the offices of Dinosaur Records smashing up the furniture and playing on the roof. Roads told Auxportesdumetal.com: "The original concept was to smash it up an hotel but no, that's too rock star. Let's might take a record label. I guess it's probably more in the vein of record labels in the ideas, labels are big powerful monsters. Thousands of bands who send their demos and they put it in a box. F--k you, let's smash it up & rock n' roll !"

Comments: 1

  • Mathijs from Houten, NetherlandsGreat song from a great album!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In Songs

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.

Martin Page

Martin PageSongwriter Interviews

With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.