Shihad are a band originally from Wellington, New Zealand, currently based in Melbourne, Australia. During Shihad’s recording career, they have produced three #1 studio albums and three top 10 singles in their home country of New Zealand.

History

Shihad was formed by vocalist/guitarist Jon Toogood and drummer Tom Larkin in 1988. The band’s musical style was originally indebted to San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal bands such as Metallica and Megadeth, although the band found wider popularity over the following decade playing a mixture of modern rock, post-grunge and pop-rock that gained the band opening slots with professional US rock acts, as well as favourable reviews. Now entering their 22nd year together, the band are still a major drawcard on the NZ and Australian live circuit, and continue to be offered top headline and support billing.

Shihad opened their Love Is the New Hate album tour with a free concert in Auckland‘s Aotea Square, and an extensive tour of Australia and New Zealand, including a spot on the main stage at Splendour In The Grass in front of an audience of approximately 20,000. The band has also toured with Cog, the Datsuns, and opened for Evanescence on part of their 2006/2007 world tour.

The band embarked in February and March 2008 on a headlining national tour entitled ‘One Will Hear The Tour’ playing for 300-400 capacity crowds along the East coast. They band played 28 dates in 6 weeks.

Shihad played at Big Day Out 2008 in Auckland, New Zealand on the blue stage with an hour slot from 7:00pm – 8:00pm. They also headlined the rock stage of Vodafone Homegrown on 26 April at the Wellington waterfront.

In the second half of 2008, Shihad toured New Zealand on the “Beautiful Machine Tour”, playing medium-size venues such as the Wellington Town Hall, with support from The Mint Chicks and Luger Boa. Shihad also toured with Gyroscope around Australia for Gyroscope’s “Australia Tour”.

The summer of 2008/2009 saw Shihad play new years eve in Gisbourne, as well as the Coroglen Tavern and the Lake Hawea Motor Inn over the summer holiday period.

Shihad proposed a series of seven shows in New Zealand in which they will be playing one of their seven studio albums in its entirety. The shows were said to be taking place in November 2009, however have been postponed until sometime in 2010. Jon Toogood suggested having a vote for which album fans would most like to hear, so whether or not these shows will take place is at this stage not confirmed.

Shihad will support AC/DC for the New Zealand leg of the AC/DC Black Ice World Tour in January/February 2010. ^[2]

In January 2010, a new track by Shihad titled ‘Cold Heart’ was added to the Homegrown festival website for free streaming.

The single “Sleepeater” was released on April 11, with an album to follow in June 2010.

Band members

Current

• Jon Toogood – vocals, guitars
• Phil Knight – guitars, synthesizer, backing vocals
• Karl Kippenberger – bass guitars, backing vocals
• Tom Larkin – drums, backing vocals, samplers

Former

• Hamish Laing – bass (left 1991)
• Geoff Duncan – bass (left 1989)
• Geoff Daniels– bass (left 1989)

‘Shihad’ Home Again: