Dirtbag Republic released their 4th album Bad Decisions, September 27th, 2024. The band teamed up again with engineer Tim Neuhaus to mix the album with Hazard/Wood producing. The new album was Mastered by Justin Perkins (Replacements, Jellyfish) at Mystery Room Mastering based in Wisconsin. They have partnered with Sioux Records (USA) to release the album on LP in June of 2025. The band has self-released the CD version on their own Dirtbag Records.
Hazard/Wood have been working on the album for the past 3 years tweaking the 11 songs included on the album. Hazard also co-wrote a song with Dirtbag guitarist Mike Federici called Cocaine Heart, that was a late addition to the record. Bad Decisions is easily the most diverse record the band has done in it’s 10-year existence and really shows how they have grown as songwriters.
The group released 5 performance music videos for Bad Decisions, racking up 137 thousand views on YouTube in total. At years end, Bad Decisions was The Rockpit (AUS) #11 album of the year. It was also popular podcast Rock and Roll Geek Show’s top 10 albums of the year.
Bad Decisions Review Quotes:
The Rockpit (AUS)– “I just feel like I’m being thrown headlong into a Rock and Roll party that is already in full swing”
Classic Rock Magazine (UK)– “Like a road trip in an amped up Delorean, Bad Decisions is less a collection of songs, more a route map through the finest back alleys and dives in rock’n’roll”
PowerPlay Magazine (UK) “This is high octane, balls to the wall rock, there is definitely a punk attitude with these guys that makes for addictive listening.”
Steve Smiths Rambling Reviews (UK) – “This is sleazy, nasty, cheap cider-fuelled rock with not so much a Pushy Motörhead nastiness but more of a Hanoi Rocks story to tell bandana-bedecked feel. They’re sexy, sassy and rather sensational…”
Uber Rock (UK) – “a thrill ride that delivers on every level of expectation”
Sleaze Roxx (CAN) – “If, like me, you like your guitars low slung and your sleaze with bags of attitude alongside memorably seedy songs, then this is definitely a must have for your collection.”
Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog – “a new collection of raw, rowdy, unrepentant rock ‘n roll songs pandering to fans of cleverly-phrased, energetic, filthy-catchy anthems. Bad Decisions is yet another instant-classic record from Dirtbag Republic”
Album Details
Produced By Hazard/Wood
Mixed By Tim Neuhaus
Mastered By Justin Perkins
Sioux Records/Dirtbag Records
- I Don’t Care
- Wait A Minute
- Bipolar Rollercoaster
- I Fought Them All
- Here I Am
- Bad Decisions
- Streetlight Parasite
- Hard In The City
- Smotherin Me
- Cocaine Heart
- Light Your Fuse
Dirtbag Republic is:
Sandy Hazard – Vocals
Mick Wood – Guitar
Mike Federici – Guitar
Dave Worden – Bass
Ed Nijjer – Drums
2022 saw the band release their Wannabees Maxi Single EP on vinyl via Record Store Day through Shock/VMG with distro by Sony Music Entertainment. The EP contained the Wannabees single from Tear Down Your Idols and songs from their first two albums, as well as the digital only released Pandemic Blues. Dirtbag launched the EP with an instore performance at RedRum Records on Record Store Day in British Columbia.
2022 also the band play their first show at The Roxy Cabaret in Vancouver to a packed enthusiastic house and a few other shows throughout the year.
Dirtbag Republic has done all this independently which shows the work ethic on craft and marketing.
2020 saw DIRTBAG REPUBLIC sign with Indie label Shock Records/Vanity Music Group, with distribution by Sony Music Entertainment America.
Their 3rd album “Tear Down Your Idols” was released worldwide November 26th, 2021 on CD/LP/Digital. It was produced by Hazard/Wood, mixed By Tim Neuhaus, and mastered by Harry Hess (Monster Truck, Billy Talent) The album received an 8/10 in Classic Rock Magazine (UK), 8/10 in Powerplay Magazine (UK), 9/10 The Rockpit (Austraila), and was The Rockpit’s #7 album of the year. The album also landed on the popular podcast Rock N Roll Geek Show’s top 10 albums of the year.
In 2021, the band released two videos for the songs Wannabees and Days are Gone racking up 12K views between the two.
2017 saw the release of ‘Downtown Eastside,’ Mixed by Stu Mckillop (Unleash The Archers) and Mastered by Svante Forsback (Michael Monroe/Backyard Babies) which also sold out quickly, requiring a second pressing.
Sound wise the band gets compared to Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe, Aerosmith, DGeneration.
Both albums not only found great favor with fans but with critics as well, receiving strong reviews from the likes of Classic Rock, The Georgia Straight, Powerplay, Vive Le Rock, Decibel Geek, Sleaze Roxx and Australia’s Rock Pit, where ‘Downtown Eastside’ wound up on the website’s “Best of 2017” year-end list in the #8 spot.
DIRTBAG REPUBLIC’s debut album was recorded and released in 2015 by Sandy Hazard and Mick Wood. The album sold out in a month and received rave reviews in Classic Rock 8/10, Sleaze Roxx, Powerplay UK 8/10, Vive Le Rock 8/10, and The Rockpit 8/10, describing the debut as a “minor masterpiece”, The bands song Socialize went to #1 on TBFM UK Radio, September 24th 2015. PowerplayUK saying “This is as good as the recent Michael Monroe releases and Sleazegrinder from Classic Rock saying “This band is fucking stellar”
Pressed on 180g white vinyl with a silk screened cover. Limited to 300 copies.
