FOUR years ago they were six unknown Ballarat teenage boys who made a lot of noise in a backyard bungalow.

But now the members of the punk rock group Howl have shot to fame after being voted Australia's best high school band, beating a field of 700.

The win this month, in the Triple J Unearthed High competition, has seen the national ABC youth radio station host a lunchtime gig at their school, Ballarat High.

UNEARTHING YOUNG TALENT

  • Triple J's Unearthed High competition, which is in its second year, had 700 entries.
  • Howl, from Ballarat High, was one of six finalists.
  • The aim of the competition is to nourish Australia's musical talent by finding unsigned high school bands.
  • Last year's winner, Tom Ugly, has gone on to tour nationally and release an EP.

Howl also recorded their single, Blackout, in Sydney, described by Triple J as "two days of hard work and solid musicianship, which led to 2 minutes and 33 seconds of ripping rock n roll".

As you'd expect, the six - who are all studying VCE this year - are "pretty stoked".

"The kids really got into it (the lunchtime gig) and so we had a couple of hundred students jumping up and down on the gym floor," says drummer Daniel Marie.

"We ended up breaking the floor - there was a giant dint in it."

Breaking things is starting to be a trademark style for Howl, who has been described by Triple J as having "combustible energy ... you're almost waiting for them to bring down the drumkit or break a string".

The group first got together as friends in year eight, in 2005, at the suggestion of vocalist/guitarist Michael Belsar, practising in a backyard bungalow at Daniel's home.

Keyboard and vocalist Galen Strachan says while they all shared a love of music, they weren't even sure if they could perform well.

"Michael is a really good song writer and so it was just a matter of trial and error and a lot of practise," Galen says.

They moved from Daniel's house - after his parents became fed up with the amount of food and drink consumed - to Michael's and most recently Galen's house where "we've already put a few holes in the floorboards".

Howl's first public appearance was in front of the school when they performed a cover of The Clash's London Calling.

But their "first proper" event was at a Ballarat under-age nightclub in November 2006.

Since then they have practised about once a week and performed 32 gigs in 18 months, across Ballarat, Melbourne and even Sydney.

"We've earnt money but it all goes back to the band for recording or new equipment, depending how crazy we get," Daniel says.

"Once the guitarist smashed a guitar on stage and another time one of my (drum) symbols was cracked because the singer jumped on them.

"We've had a few mishaps.

"We pride ourselves on our energetic stage presence. If we don't get in to it the crowd won't get into it."

The say their musical influences are diverse - each member has varied tastes - but if they had to choose one band it would be The Black Keys, from the US.

As for their band name, Galen says Howl was a poem written by Allen Ginsberg in the 1950s and was one of the most popular of the Beat Generation: "it's just a nice poem".

Galen says they entered Triple J's Unearthed competition but "didn't think we'd have a chance. We just wanted to give it a go and so posted our song (on the web) and everyone started listening to it".

The win has given them added determination to forge a career after school with the band.

And while Daniel admits to a cheeky interest in female fans - who have posted some equally cheeky pictures on the band's website - he says Howl members are determined to be focused.

"It's not about the fame, it's about the music. We just love our music," he says.

Details: Howl's MySpace page or go to the Triple J Unearthed High website.