In Partnership with Mentos
Every now and then, a band sneaks onto your playlist, turns up the volume, and wins you over by being completely, unapologetically themselves. Fool Nelson are that band. “We’re two brothers and a best mate trying to make the best, most authentic music we can,” Tom Broadbent tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “That’s always been the goal.”
It’s safe to say, they’re achieving that goal. Earlier in 2025, the Perth-based brothers Tom and Ned, plus childhood friend Darcy, were announced as winners of triple j’s One Night Stand competition. They also dropped their single “Bad Dreams” and played a sold-out debut national tour.
Now, the band feature in Mentos’ Fresh Sounds, a Rolling Stone AU/NZ spotlight on emerging artists bringing new energy to Australia’s music scene. For Fool Nelson, that energy comes in the form of gritty guitar, angsty choruses, and a sense of scrappy joy that’s hard not to get behind.
Their story starts the way a lot of good ones do: as kids with a guitar and a lot of free time. “We used to jam in primary school, then reconnected after high school and that’s how Fool Nelson came about,” says Tom.
Together, they quickly found their feet with a sound that finds a sweet spot between genres. “It’s garage indie rock with a hint of pop,” Tom explains, pointing to a mishmash of influences: American acts like Slow Pulp and Momma, plus homegrown rock bands like Jebediah and Silverchair.
But the references go beyond just music. “Aesthetic-wise, we pull a lot of inspiration from all sorts of things – movies, skate and surf culture.” Even their name, Fool Nelson, comes from an unexpected reference.
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“It’s a play on words with the wrestling move,” Tom says, explaining the ‘full nelson’ submission hold where a wrestler grabs and locks their opponent’s arms behind their back. “During the early days of the band, we bonded over the movie Nacho Libre and the whole wrestling aesthetic. We thought [the name] looked cool written out on a T-shirt, and it kinda just stuck.”
Credit: Andrew Briggs
Now, the trio are focused on creating the kind of music, and live performances, that sticks with fans too. “Freshness in music to us is when a song gives you goosebumps. That’s what we’re always chasing.
“When you listen to all sorts of different music, particularly stuff which sounds real different to your own stuff, it can subtly begin to show in your own songwriting, whether it’s certain chords, drum sounds or vocal styles.”
“That’s the cool thing about music today, you take inspiration from all sorts of different sounds and try to make something unique in its own right.”
Fool Nelson are currently on the road with Skegss for a national tour, releasing a new EP, playing a few festivals, and (if they can squeeze it in) maybe heading internationally. “Hopefully recording an album and overseas touring is on the cards too,” Tom says.
So yes, they’re three best mates with a surf-skate aesthetic and a soft spot for old movie references. But they’re also one of the most exciting bands to come out of Australia’s indie-rock scene in years.
Explore more fresh artists at the Mentos Fresh Sounds Hub.
