When Madchester legends the Happy Mondays wrapped up their world tour in Perth early in 2001, drummer Gaz Whelan and friend Pete Carroll, with whom he’d set up label LittleBIGMAN were kicking back at the pub when they noticed The Panics. Stories of what happened next are a little sketchy, but Whelan and Carroll were impressed and offered to take them on.

A year later, Jae Laffer (vocals), Paul Otway (bass), Julian Douglas (guitar, keys), guitarist Drew Wootton and younger brother Myles Wootton (drums) had their first EP, a self-titled effort featuring the track Give Me Some Good Luck. The songs revolved around Laffer’s smooth vocals, Wootton’s intricate guitar hooks and some well-thought harmonies and started to turn heads both at home and in Manchester. They returned later that year with a second self-titled EP that featured the tracks This Day Last Year and How’s it Feel?, both of which would appear on their debut album the following year.

With two successful EPs under their collective belt, Laffer, Douglas, Otway and the Wootton brothers were invited to Manchester’s In the City, the showcase festival organised by Happy Mondays manager and 24 Hour Party Person Tony Wilson. While in England, the band went into the studio to work on material for their debut album. They returned early in 2003 with Kid You’re a Dreamer, the lead-off single for the album and a taste of what was to come. In August 2003, The Panics released debut album A House On a Street in a Town I’m From, which drew critical acclaim in Australia and the mother country for its fresh take on the band’s influences – namely Manchester bands The Smiths and The Stone Roses.

Impressive follow-up album Sleeps Like a Curse came midway through 2005 and, while there was no major change to the band’s trademark sound, the album was a more well-rounded and mature effort than their debut.

More recently, the band signed with Dew Process in the lead-up to album number three, title Cruel Guards. The album features Triple J hit Don’t Fight it and showcases a broader scope when compared to earlier releases, demonstrating a more mature and polished sound.