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The 9th annual 2010 Australian & New Zealand Air Guitar Champion is...

'Tommy Thundah'!!  (pic left)

2nd place went to 'Dale Redemption Kerrigan' (NSW)

3rd place went to 'Clay Bangers' (VIC)

Tommy went onto compete in the 2010 World Champs where he placed a respectable 8th overall from the 23 strong international field.  Sylvain Guimene "Günther Love" from France won the 2010 World Champs.

View the TV interview with 'Tommy Thundah' as seen on CH9 ‘Today Show’

View the '60 Minutes' story fea 'Clay Bangers' @ the 2009 World Champs

 

2010 Australia & New Zealand Grand Finalists profiles & photo gallery below:

2010 New Zealand (NZ) Champ: 'Ben Greaney' aka ‘The HellmuTT Experience'.

Age: 24 / eternal.  Occupation: unemployed / free spirit.  Preferred playing hand: Right.

Free Round song: 'Power To Love' by 'Jimi Hendrix'.

Air Guitar Style: face melting watchamacallit

Musical influences: Psycodelic rock blues

Rock quote: 'Even though you can't experience and enjoy the pleasure of being hellmuTT, you can still enjoy the pleasure of the hellmuTT experience.'

Form:  A very experienced performer with NZ regional and National titles under his belt.  Comes into grand final focused and determined.  A definite threat.

2010 Northern Territory (NT) Champ: 'Lily Freriechs' aka 'Lily Rock N Roll'. 

 Age: 25.  Occupation: Being a piece of alcoholic trailer trash.  Preferred playing hand: Both, but mainly left.

 Free round song: Not sure yet, probably Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod.   Air Guitar style: Slutty, geeky, vile.

 Musical influences: Rock, metal, air.   Rock quote: 'Sex and drugs come and go, but rock n roll is always there'.

Form: A new comer to tour.  Soul chick rocker in grand final.  Big expectations from rookie backed up by results being winner of 2010 Alice Springs qualifier & NT grand final.

 2010 Queensland (QLD) Champ:  'Cameron Bunney' aka 'Tommy Thundah'. 

Age:  24.  Occupation: Electrician.  Preferred playing hand: Right.

Free round song: 'Eyes of a panther' - 'Steel Panther'.

 Air Guitar style: Face melting, jeans creaming awesomeness!

 Musical influences: Alcohol and Rock and Roll.   Rock quote: 'Rock and Roll aint noise pollution'.

Form:  On tour for last 3 years finally finding the deserved spot light.  Big energy and big hair to match.  Has what it takes to take the title.

2010 New South Wales (NSW) Champ:  'Dale Brown' aka Dale 'Redemption' Kerrigan. 

Age: 22.  Occupation:  Minister.  Preferred playing hand: Right.

Free round song:  'This War is Ours' - 'Escape the Fate'.   Air Guitar style:  Intense.

Musical influences:  Anberlin, Dan Ford and the Goods.   Rock quote: "I am not insane most excellent Festus" - Paul.

Form: Many years experience.  Cracked win at NSW grand final after knocking on the door for years.  Now set to knock down another door on the way to taking the title.

ACT / AUST Qualifier Heat 1 Winner: Ben Murphy aka "Egg and Tar".

Age: 28.  Occupation: Tech teacher / Electrical contractor.  Preferred playing hand: Right.

Free round song: ‘Know your enemy’ – ‘Rage Against the Machine’.   Air Guitar style: Pimped heavy mosh.

Musical influences: Alternative metal, nu metal, industrial metal, melodic death metal, reggaeton, dance and folk.

Rock quote: If an air-guitar is strummed in the forest and no one is there to see it, does it make a sound?”.

Form:  Another grand final air guitar rookie.  Unknown quantity.  Dominated heat and will put forward solid showing in final.

ACT / AUST Qualifier Heat 2 Winner:  Shane Stark aka "Rocks with Wolves".  

Age: 38.  Occupation:  Wolf whisperer.  Preferred playing hand:  Right.
 
Free round song:  Hot For Teacher - Van Halen (E Davies edit).   Air Guitar style:  As hot and tight as my pants!
 
Musical influences:  Def Leppard, Van Halen, Whitesnake, and the howling of my wolfmother (I was raised by wolves until the age of 9).

Rock quote:  'Tapping groupies is like tapping guitars....only the licks last longer... ;-)'

Form:  2009 grand finalist.  Solid performance in 2009.  Back in final with experience under belt.  High energy performer.  A definite dark horse.

ACT / AUST Qualifier Heat 3 Winner:  Russ 'Lord Gore' Adams (NSW).

Age: 25.  Occupation: new wave Bank Johnny.  Right hander.

Free Round Song: Guillotene Part 2 - Escape the Fate

Musical influences:  on the heavy side...

Form:  competed on circuit for many years securing NSW State title and top 3 in Nationals.  Gore has entered the building!

ACT / AUST super tax wildcard:  Alex Schulz aka 'Smily'. 

2010 Victorian (VIC) Champ: 'Clay Connolly' aka 'Clay Bangers'. 

Age: 32.  Occupation: Courier by night, daddy by day...  Preferred playing hand: Right.

Free round song: TBA.   Air Guitar style: sweaty balls, head bangin crazy shit.

Musical influences: All head banging, blood pumpin rock and roll, ACDC, Rage Against the Machine, Gunners, Metallica etc.

Rock quote: Always where a condom'.

Form:  Bangers is back...actually, he never left!  Multiple state and 3 times national champion.  Vast experience.  One to watch. 

2010 South Australian (SA) Champ: 'Mick Tighe' aka 'Mick 'The Lick Tighe'.

Age: 38.  Occupation: Fire fighter.  Preferred playing hand: Right.

Free round song:  Nancy Sinartra 'Bang Bang'/ Rammstein 'Feuer Frei'.

Air Guitar style:  Surreal, minimalist, nihilistic melange of anarchic resonance.

Musical influences:  my sub conscious, jimi, jon spencer, iggle piggle and fisher price.   Rock quote: "I fucking love cheese".

Form: Another performer securing the SA title after years of blood, sweat and beers.  Experience under his belt.  Not here for a haircut, obviously.     

2010 Western Australian (WA) Champ:  'William J Denton' aka Billy 'the purple headed warrior' Damage.

Age:  31.  Occupation:  Professional nipple tweaker.  Preferred playing hand:  Air-e-dextrous. 

 Free round song:  The gods are yet to speak.   Air Guitar style:  Thunderous slabs of shred and rock, tightly wrapped in multi layer spandex.

 Musical influences:  Malmsteen, Herman Li, Eddie VH, C.C., and the bloke from Whitesnake.

 Rock quote:  'Why yes, sonic onslaughts of biblical proportions are in fact my speciality!'

Form:  On circuit for many years and now righteous back to back WA champ.  Solid performer with experience.  Another one to watch.

Subject to Change. 

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