Copperline
Copperline is a four-piece country rock band based between Sydney and the Blue Mountains. The group is made up of Brad Christmas (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Gareth Richards (drums, vocals) and brothers Paul (guitar, vocals) and Matt (bass, vocals) Handel.
The Copperline journey began back in 2018 when the band went into the studio with multiple ARIA and Golden Guitar winning producer, Shane Nicholson to produce their debut record. They emerged with a collection of songs that defined their raw, organic sound and authentic and honest brand of storytelling.
Rusty Fords and Weatherboards, the band’s debut release was warmly received, earning widespread radio play across the country and lead single Woman’s Touch picking up a raft of award nominations. Appearances at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and Blue Mountains Music Festival followed, and cemented the band’s reputation as a dynamic, uncompromising live act.
After a brief, COVID-induced hiatus, Copperline went back into the studio in 2022 again with Shane Nicholson to work on their sophomore record, Borrowed, Broken and Blue. The result was a record that took Copperline’s sound in unexpected and grittier directions. The album features the haunting ballad, Lucinda, a tribute to singer Brad Christmas’ much-loved daughter, who left the world too soon. The song put Copperline on the map, racking up over 180,000 Spotify plays and taking home an Australian Songwriters Association Award for Ballad of the Year.
Success and a growing fanbase gave Copperline the opportunity to step onto bigger stages like Toyota Park in Tamworth and a swag of other festivals around the country with acts like Andrew Swift, Darlinghurst and Bill Chambers.
Never happy resting on the laurels, soon after the release on Borrowed, Broken and Blue Copperline were back penning material for a third album. When the songs were ready, there was no doubt long-time collaborator Shane Nicholson was the right man to bring them to life. The band produced their third record, Sleepwalking, in a series of sessions between the Blue Mountains and Melbourne in early 2025. It’s a big, ambitious album that continues to push the band’s sounds in new directions while remaining true to the authentic sounds and storytelling that is Copperline’s DNA.
Copperline have released three singles from their upcoming third record, Sleepwalking in August 2025 and Method to My Madness in January 2026 and Lonesome Barstool Lady in May 2026.
Individually, Copperline’s members have been part of the fabric of the Australian music scene for decades. Brad has toured with the likes of disco legends Boney M as well as Steve Kilbey (the Church), Mark Williams (Dragon).
When not performing with Copperline, Brad and Gareth tour regularly with a tribute band celebrating artists as diverse as David Bowie, Neil Young, Tom Waits and Steve Earle. In these shows they have performed alongside the likes of Jeff Martin (The Tea Party), Steve Balbi (Noiseworks), Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets), Dave Graney and Peter Fenton (Crow).
Brad and Gareth are also part of indie-rock super-group, the Gin Palace, who have toured and performed alongside the Charlatans, the Inspiral Carpets and TISM. The band has co-written and recorded with Jim Moginie from Midnight Oil.