Locals Lounge with All Regards

Each month we spotlight a local regional Victorian musician, songwriter or band killing it in our scene.

We head to Gippsland for our locals lounge with a full couch as Jez, Stefan, Mark, and Lachie of All Regards offer their best. The heavier outfit have been making waves with their stellar sounds and touring plans which all took off mid-pandemic.

Get to know All Regards!

Explore more incredible music makers from our Locals Lounge series here.

 

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Give us an overview of your outfit!

Jez – vocals/guitar, Stefan – vocals/guitar, Mark – bass/backing vocals, Lachie – drums. We are based out of Gippsland & Melbourne. We like to say that we are a melting pot of a lot of different genres, we mainly fall into the Pop Punk/Emo/Alternative worlds at this point in time. The four of us each have our own music niche that we like but the bands that we agree upon are blink-182, Slowly Slowly, Turnstile & Linkin Park.

How long have you been playing music?

We’ve been a band since 2020 however Jez & Mark had been playing together since 2016 when they met at Uni. Stefan and Lachie joined the band in 2023 and it’s been the absolute best since.

How did you discover your passion for music making and performing?

Jez – I’ve always been passionate about making music and performing since I was a kid. I started playing piano when I was 7 and have never looked back. When I was in high school, I was obsessed with the idea of being in a band so the fact that I’m able to do that now, would blow my 15 year old self’s mind.

Stefan – As a very young kid I used to write and record songs on some sketchy free program that nearly killed the family computer (shoutout limewire). They were super messy and lofi but I felt like there was something there and that I had something to say.  I kept at it, eventually got brave enough to share what I had written with some friends and before I knew it I was playing in a band in front of people.  Once I had experienced that feeling there was absolutely no looking back. 

Mark – I’ve always thought music was such an art that has no boundaries. I have played music and made up little jams since I was a kid and every time you think you find a limit something new comes along and shows you that not everything’s been done and there’s more to play with. I feel like the passion for performing came a lot later, late teens to early twenties, when I was able to perform properly with mates to create something together.

Lachie – I discovered my passion of music through my grandpa as he was a drummer back in the 60’s and 70’s. I started playing drums when I was 13, started playing in bands a couple of years after and realised very quickly that this what I wanted to do with my life. Playing guitar here and listening to the tony hawks video game soundtracks were also a massive influence on me.

 

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What have been the biggest milestones in your music career to date?

Anytime we get the opportunity to play our songs interstate is always such a privilege and an honour. We recently just got back from playing in Sydney for the first time and fell head over in heels in love with the vibe, we’d definitely love to go back! We’ve also had the privilege of playing in Adelaide, Tassie & Canberra.

Take us into your catalogue!

We released our debut EP ‘All Our Dreams Turn To Nightmares’ in late 2024 and have released a smattering of singles before and after the EP release including our two most recent singles released this year ‘discontent’ & ‘resist’.

What is the story behind your new material? 

‘discontent’ is about apathy in the face of annihilation. I think a lot of people (myself included at times) feel overwhelmed by the state of the world and the never ending cycle of conflict and disasters, both natural and man-made. There have been times in my life where I’ve felt that there is no hope for positive change and been resigned to just watching everything turn to shit. The problem with that is that it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – and that’s the message of the song, if you sit there waiting for the world to burn then that’s exactly what you’re going to get. So together with ‘resist’ (the next single) there’s a real call to action to get out and create positive change in whatever ways you can.

‘resist’ was written as a direct response to the lyrics Stefan wrote for ‘discontent’ in which he wrote about the state of the world from his perspective. It inspired me to do the same which is why both singles are so intrinsically linked together. ‘resist’ for the most part is an honest take on how frustrated one can become with external and internal factors within the world and that it may not be the picture perfect life planned out for one’s self. It’s also a call to arms that if there is something you want to change to better yourself and you have the power to do it, quit complaining and fight the good fight to turn things around.

 

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Who did you work with on your latest release?

We worked with Jack Newlyn who produced, mixed and mastered both our most recent singles. Jack also worked with us on our EP. That man is an absolute wizard who really helped to get the best performances out of each of us and helped to give these new songs as much energy as he could.

Give us a gear rundown.

Jez, Stefan & Mark run a Line 6 Helix each live. Normally for gigs, Jez plays a modded Fender Jaguar with humbuckers, Stefan plays a Gibson Les Paul Studio and Mark plays a Fender 5-string Jazz Bass.

In the studio we usually try out a bunch of different instruments to get the right tone and musicality, we could mention everything but the list would be so huge.

What does a typical day of creating music look like for you in the studio, in rehearsals and on the stage?

Normally our song ideas come from jamming together in the rehearsal room. One of us will come up with a bare bones idea that we’ve come up with and we’ll flesh it out together to give some form and structure for us to build on.

The songs get a bit more of the microscope treatment in the studio as can be expected to get things the best they can be and parts are taken out and put in where we need.

What is the gateway song for new fans to listen to to introduce your sound?

Our new single ‘discontent’ would be the best way to introduce our sound. It’s energetic with pop punk vibes, there’s some heavy elements in there, dual vocals and a really catchy chorus.

What has been the biggest challenge you face as an artist and how are you pushing through that barrier (if you can!)?

I think the main challenge we face is finding a way to have our music cut through all the noise. There is so much new music being released every single day and it can be really challenging for fans to keep up with the release of music from smaller upcoming bands like us when other bigger artists are also releasing very regularly. We are trying to push through that barrier by staying true to ourselves as people rather than being disingenuous in how we portray ourselves.

How would you characterise the music ecosystem in regional Victoria?

When we were coming up as teens and in our early 20’s, there were plenty of opportunities being presented for up and coming bands but these days those opportunities seem to be dwindling. We would love nothing more than to be able to have greater opportunities to play shows locally and all around regional Victoria, but it can feel like you’ve either got to be a covers band playing in a pub or somehow manage to get an opening slot for a much bigger bands’ regional tour that’s coming through your country town (which is slim pickings sometimes).

It would be really nice to see communities and local Shires get around young musicians and give them cool opportunities similar to what we got.

 

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How has being based in regional Victoria elevated your music practice? 

You can definitely be a bit louder without the fear of such close neighbours as you would get in Melbourne. There are also local music groups that really elevate the sense of community. Every Monday night, Jez accompanies a local non-audition choir called Baw Baw Singers. The choir mainly contains an older demographic but the repertoire covers a vast array of genres and decades. As well as being a non-audition choir, the choir also really focuses on the positive impacts of singing with a large group of people, particularly the improvement in mental health a person can gain from singing within a group.

What does 2026 look like for you?

We’ve released our two most favourite songs we’ve ever written at the start of this year – ‘discontent’ & ‘resist’. We put on our own headline show for those singles at the Workers Club in Melbourne at the end of March to great success. We have a number of exciting shows coming up over the next few months and some other cool stuff that’s yet to be announced. We are always writing new music and are currently working towards what our next EP will sound like.

Who is your biggest music crush of 2026?

Jez – I have been obsessed with this band called South Arcade from the UK. Their music and style is heavily influenced by the Y2K era of music and their songs are so so catchy.

Stefan – My biggest music crush at the moment is Blusher! Huge pop hooks with production that lives somewhere between synth-pop and dance music? Yes please.

Mark – This is a hard one to whittle down but I think it would be Ecca Vandal. Super cool/quick rock and not afraid to get weird, what’s not to love.

Lachie – Recently I’ve been going through the latest Bilmuri album; been following their journey for years now and can’t seem to turn their new album off.

Where can we find you?

We’re on all your streaming services to listen to our music, we are also on all social platforms so get in touch and get involved!

We’re so lucky to have made so many great friends and shared some unforgettable experiences as part of this scene. We’ve been able to share stages with people that we really respect and believe make the local scene a better place. 

In terms of music/shows/releases, we have a busy year ahead of us so keep your eyes and ears peeled.

Head here to listen to All Regards and keep up to date with their touring news.