Presenting the debut single from Melbourne’s most exciting young hard-rock band, Willie J’s 6v6s!!
A 6V6 is a beam-power tetrode vacuum tube. A family of tubes that was first introduced in 1936, it is used in electric guitar amplifiers and, as tubes do, serves to increase the amplitude of the signal.
Willie J’s 6V6s are a beam-power tetrode vacuum tube high-energy hard rock’n’roll band. The latest and greatest in a succession of bands for young Willie, the 6V6s came together in Melbourne in 2023 and serve to boost the power output of one of hard rock’s finest young singer/guitarists.
Melbourne’s Willie J Maxwell first received attention in pre-pandemic days as a member of grungers Loser – alongside his brother Tim Maxwell of Apart From This and members of the Smith Street Band and the Bennies – before forming Willie J & the Bad Books in 2022. Combining hard bluesy rock with soul, the Bad Books quickly became a draw on the local Melbourne scene as well as festival faves, with rowdily received appearances at Boogie, Queenscliff and elsewhere. With a number of singles to their credit and some good Rage play for their videos, the band seemed to be on a steep ascent until Willie pulled the plug in early ’24.
Already indulging his love of certain highly electric Australian hard rock combo with the incredible Riff Raff, Willie was soon playing other favourites by the likes of Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Rose Tattoo and the Coloured Balls as well as Humble Pie and Ted Nugent with a new power trio the 6v6s. With the Bad Books no more, Willie needed another outlet to make his unique vision for an original hard rock band a reality, and so Willie J’s 6v6s – featuring Willie on vocals and guitar, Seb Robertson on bass and Cal Leavey on drums – have become the main event.
Already powering along with regular shows at venues like Cherry and Lulie Tavern (and having played Cherryfest), Willie J’s 6V6s entered Willie’s brother Tim’s studio to record their first single in October 2024. “Love on the Loose” is an absolute barnburner that has Willie shifting from Paul Rogers-like sly sweetness to a Bon-like howl as he moves from verse to chorus. The riff is jagged and sort of funky, and when the instrumental break comes in the energy levels go through the roof, so much so that the band thunders right through to the end like an express train, and even when they come back for one more chorus before finishing it sounds like they won’t be able to stop.
With “Love On The Loose” rushed released in time to be the soundtrack to your summer and rock your Xmas and New Years parties, Willie J’s 6v6s will celebrate the single properly with a launch and their first interstate shows early in the new year.
Willie J’s 6V6s are set to play their first ticketed headliner Friday Dec 20 at the Old Bar with special guests Scarnon. Tickets are available now.
Other upcoming shows include a guest appearance at Ronnie Simmons & The Redback Spiders’ single launch at Cherry this Saturday Nov 30, a show with Aardvark & Grim Rhythm Saturday Dec 28 at Shotkickers and a show at the 2025 St Kilda Blues Fest, which takes place Fri Feb 28-Sun Mar 2
