It’s not for has-beens, it’s not for wannabes, it’s for the never-weres.

Exhumed is a competition for unsigned, unrecorded, unheard and until now unwanted bands – and it’s back on in Sydney.

Created by 702 ABC Sydney’s Afternoons presenter, James Valentine two years ago, Exhumed is for bands that play for their friends, at fundraisers, at street fairs and school fetes.

“Across Australia, there are thousands of people who take their music seriously. It’s their thing. It’s their passion. They’ve been playing their whole life. During the day they’re chemists, teachers, truck drivers, accountants, business people, plumbers. But at night they learn songs by the Rolling Stones, The Stooges or Radiohead.

“This is not for young hot things on the way up. No professionals, no music teachers, no wedding bands, no reformed 80’s chartstoppers. This is about recognising that there’s a lot of great, passionate, inspired music making going on purely for the love of it”, says Valentine.

Entries open for Exhumed 2014 on Monday 28 July. Band members must be over 30-years-old, in a band of two or more people, and can play any music genre, but they must be amateur.

Finalist bands will receive airplay on 702 ABC Sydney and perform at the Exhumed gig at Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL Club on Thursday 28 August.

The overall winner of Exhumed 2014, judged by an esteemed panel of judges live at the Exhumed gig, will also receive a band photo shoot and score a support gig with a well-known Australian band.