The Hitmen

The Hitmen began in Sydney in the late 1970s around vocalist Johnny Kannis and guitarist Chris Masuak, drawing energy from the same high-voltage underground that produced Radio Birdman and other Australian punk-era rock bands. Originally appearing as Johnny and the Hitmen, the group quickly became a vehicle for tough, Detroit-influenced rock, punk momentum, and sharp-edged guitar work. Their self-titled 1981 album and the follow-up It Is What It Is captured a band that could be raw and direct without losing melodic bite, mixing swaggering originals with a sense of rock-and-roll lineage. After the first era wound down, Kannis and Masuak revived the spirit under the Hitmen DTK name, leaning further into hard rock attack and live intensity. Later reunions kept the catalogue active and connected the band to newer audiences interested in Australian underground rock history. The Hitmen's appeal is rooted in brash guitars, forceful vocals, and a streetwise bridge between punk urgency and hard rock confidence.