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| King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard | |
|---|---|
| Name | King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard |
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Psychedelic rock; garage rock; progressive rock; microtonal music; jazz fusion; heavy metal |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Labels | Flightless; ATO Records; Heavenly Recordings |
| Associated acts | The Murlocs; ORB; Crepes; Thee Flanders; Tropical F*** Storm |
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria in 2010. They gained international attention through prolific output, genre-spanning albums, and innovative concepts, achieving recognition from publications such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, NME, and The Guardian. The group's rotating live setlists and DIY ethos led to tours across Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan.
Formed following connections in the Melbourne live scene and venues like the Barwon Club and Cherry Bar, the band initially drew on influences from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Can, and The Velvet Underground while emerging alongside peers such as Thee Oh Sees, Tame Impala, and The Drones. Early releases on Flightless Records and performances at festivals including Beyond the Valley (festival), Splendour in the Grass, Glastonbury Festival, and SXSW accelerated their profile. A landmark moment came with the ambitious 2017 plan to release five studio albums, followed by the microtonal exploration of Flying Microtonal Banana and the ambitious 2020 releases, which coincided with tours interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborations with labels ATO Records and Heavenly Recordings facilitated international distribution and appearances at events like Coachella, Primavera Sound, and Roskilde Festival.
The band's output traverses psychedelic rock, garage rock, progressive rock, stoner rock, heavy metal, microtonal music, acid rock, folk rock, jazz fusion, and garage punk, often integrating techniques associated with klezmer and Turkish makam traditions. Influences cited include Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Sly and the Family Stone, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Brian Eno, and The Rolling Stones. They have referenced experimental practices from studios like Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and performance approaches similar to The Grateful Dead and Can. Production choices reflect admiration for engineers and producers such as Steve Albini, Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, and Tony Visconti.
Current lineup comprises multi-instrumentalists with connections to other Australian acts: members have collaborated with The Murlocs, Crepes, The Drones, ORB, Tropical F*** Storm, and Gizmo Varillas. Individual members have links to regional scenes in Geelong and Brighton, Victoria. Guest contributors on recordings and tours have included artists associated with Kurt Vile, Ty Segall, Mac DeMarco, St. Vincent, and The Flaming Lips.
Studio albums include landmark releases that span label partnerships and formats: early albums on Flightless Records led to international releases via ATO Records and Heavenly Recordings, with notable records distributed during campaigns tied to tours in North America, Europe, and Asia. Special projects involved cassette culture and limited-run vinyl through collectives like Run Out Groove and collaborations with independent distributors such as Rough Trade. Several albums charted on lists including ARIA Charts, UK Albums Chart, and Billboard 200.
Their live reputation developed through headlining shows and festival slots at venues and events like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Madison Square Garden, Royal Albert Hall, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Latitude Festival. The band became known for marathon sets, improvisational passages akin to Phish and The Grateful Dead, and thematic stagecraft reminiscent of Pink Floyd and The Who. Touring partners have included Tool, Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age, and Kendrick Lamar in festival lineups.
Critical reception from outlets like The New York Times, The Independent (UK), The Los Angeles Times, Consequence of Sound, and Spin has noted the band's prolific nature and stylistic audacity. Awards and nominations involved associations with institutions including the ARIA Music Awards, J Awards, and NME Awards. The band's influence is observed in contemporaries and successors across scenes in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and internationally, with fellow artists citing them alongside Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, ... as part of a broader Australian alternative renaissance.
Members maintain active side projects and collaborations spanning genres: projects involve The Murlocs, ORB, Crepes, The Drones, Gizzfest-adjacent acts, and work with producers and musicians associated with Joey Walker and Ambrose Kenny-Smith. Cross-pollination includes session work with artists from Australia and international figures such as Mac DeMarco, Ty Segall, Kurt Vile, St. Vincent, and producers linked to Rick Rubin and Mark Ronson.
Category:Australian rock music groups Category:Musical groups established in 2010