Eight years ago I attended a gig at a youth centre in the south of Adelaide. A guitarist with a face full of piercings named Jona was playing his last show with a band called Cur. I, like many people in the room that night, were none the wiser about where this Jona cat was headed. When I relay this to JJ Peters, drummer of I Killed The Prom Queen, he has a chuckle as he recalls.

“Cur was Jona [Weinhofen] and I, Leaton [Rose] who played with Prom Queen briefly and now with The Hot Lies, and a guy who later played with Mere Theory. Jona left to form The Fall of Troy with Michael Crafter and then onto Prom Queen.”

I remember having a flyer for an old Adelaide Community Centre (the former home of Adelaide Hardcore) show that featured a band called Child Left Burning. “Yes, that was us for about two shows, then we changed the name to I Killed The Prom Queen. We had some pretty dodgy names to begin with,” laughs Peters.

From those humble beginnings, I Killed The Prom Queen quickly became one of Australia’s premier hardcore/metal bands. In the coming weeks IKTPQ will embark on their farewell tour, “saying goodbye” to their loyal fans, and closing the chapter on a very important and defining era of Australian underground music. IKTPQ along with Day Of Contempt, changed the face of Australian hardcore, and paved the way for bands such as Parkway Drive. As well as the exposure of the music, a thriving economy surfaced, with tattoo artists, graphic designers, and clothing labels able to flourish from the rise of hardcore.

I ask Peters for his view on how the scene has changed over the past ten years.

“Ten years ago, we were lucky when an interstate band came to play in Adelaide. Touring international bands weren’t as regular as they are now. The local shows were a lot smaller. I mean these days a local band can pack out HQ, and guys get disappointed if less than a hundred people turn up to a show. There is a lot more involvement in the scene – once upon a time it was a lot more incestuous, with the same guys in three or four bands, sometimes in the same night. While there has been a shift from the more grassroots elements, the professional and commercial aspects haven’t killed off the sense of community, which has been an integral part of the scene.”

When asked about his feelings about the final tour, Peters is upbeat. “Of course it’s going to be a little sad, having been such a major part of our lives. The tour is going to be a party. We’ve got some wicked bands on the line-up; a lot of our friends are coming along.”

Michael Crafter will return for vocal duties for the farewell tour, assuring that the air is well and truly clear between Crafter and the rest of the band. As one of the founding IKTPQ members, Peters has seen the best of seven years dedicated to music. I ask him what the future holds.

“I started Deez Nutz around the time we broke up, to keep me active. I am stoked with the reception it has received, so I’ll see where that takes me. I’ll probably end up in the music industry in some capacity: be it managing, playing, or producing. Deez Nutz is having a full length recorded, which is a great excuse to get a heap of mates over to do vocals and party.”

Finally I ask Peters what the biggest highlight has been with I Killed The Prom Queen.

“Seven years of amazing experience…it’s hard to pinpoint which is the biggest. I suppose that each year the band progressed, something new and bigger came along. I mean at first playing a local show was cool, then the first interstate show, then international supports. But I would have to say that going overseas would be it. Playing in the US was a dream come true.”

The – œSay Goodbye’ tour starts in Adelaide on 22 May, and will cover major cities and regional centers. Numerous shows have already sold out, so don’t dawdle in picking up a ticket.

22 May, 06:30pm – HQ, Adelaide (All Ages) – SOLD OUT!
23 May, 7:00pm – 21 Arms, Ballarat (All Ages)
24 May, 12:00pm – Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne (under 18s) – SOLD OUT!
24 May, 07:00pm – Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne (18+) – SOLD OUT!
25 May, 12:00pm – Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne (second U-18s show) – SOLD OUT!
25 May, 7:00pm – Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne (second 18+ show)
27 May – UCU Refectory, Canberra (all ages)
28 May – Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong (all ages)
29 May – The Roundhouse, Sydney (All Ages, second show)
30 May – Berkeley Community Hall, Wollongong (all ages)
31 May, 06:30pm – The Roundhouse, Sydney (All Ages) – SOLD OUT!
1 June, 12:00pm – Fly By Night, Fremantle (U-18s) – SOLD OUT!
1 June, 7:00pm – Fly By Night, Fremantle (18+)
2 June – The Den, Castle Hill (all ages)
3 June – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide (all ages)
4 June – Coffs Harbour Exhibition Centre (all ages)
5 June – Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sunshine Coast (all ages)
6 June, 7:00pm, Ashmore PCYC, Gold Coast (All Ages) – SOLD OUT!
7 June, 12:00pm – Club 299, Brisbane (U-18s) – SOLD OUT!
7 June, 7:00pm – Club 299, Brisbane (18+) – SOLD OUT!
8 June, 12:00pm – Club 299, Brisbane (U-18s, second show)
8 June, 7:00pm – Club 299, Brisbane (18+, second show)