#1 Dads are an Australian alternative rock band devised by Tom Iansek, who is also lead vocalist-guitarist of Big Scary. He formed the group, initially named Dads in late 2010,^[1] as a side project during down time and plays music which is "more acoustic than electronic in construction" compared with the parent band.^[2] According to Sputnikmusic's reviewer Iansek "began a particularly fertile period of writing and recording. Holed up in his house, the prolific Melbourne songwriter laid down a full album."^[1]

Dads issued their first album, Man of Leisure, on 1 May 2011. Sputnikmusic's reviewer felt the group were "experimenting with a fuller, more layered approach, adding flourishes of bass and piano and vocal harmonies and mandolins and glockenspiels to his intricate guitar work, making for a rich, diverse and rewarding listen."^[1] Oscar Coleman of FasterLouder described it as "much more intricate and full though the use of varied instrumentation and layering, letting this project pique the interest of followers of his main band and lovers of acoustic ambiance alike."^[3] It provided the single, "Life, Oh Life" (July 2012), which Coleman felt was the "album's strongest and most memorable track... due to its creative brilliance, starting with the calming sound of raindrops and building to an acoustic climax, with the subtle flute melody complementing the scratching guitar and relaxing piano."^[3]

#1 Dads second album, About Face (August 2014), debuted at No. 80 on the ARIA Albums Chart;^[4] by mid-September of the following year it had spent 34 non-continuous weeks on the related ARIA Hitseekers Albums top 20 chart.^[5] For the 2015 promotion of About Face a live backing band with Gus Rigby on saxophone, Tom Snowdon (of Lowlakes) and Ainslie Wills were used.^[6] At the ARIA Music Awards of that year #1 Dads were nominated for Best Male Artist for the single, "Nominal".^[7]