Why Do We Love King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

I’m really sleepy right now, which is to be expected when I’m a night owl and my body clock wakes up earlier than necessary. Working all week, when the previous weekend didn’t go long enough, and now here I am again Sunday afternoon, with no clue why the days are going so quickly right now, or why Australia still hasn’t embraced four-day work weeks (C’mon executives! Do a thing.).

I took my child to the markets for their favorite foodie treats, grabbed some groceries, went home, messed about in the kitchen for bit, and I’m beat. Comatose on my bed ready to go to sleep, but I can’t. I have to be up at sparrow tomorrow for work, and take my child to school.

So I bluetooth my Bose headphones, and tap play on the song that’s in my YouTube feed – Satan Speeds Up, by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. This is an old one, for sure, and YouTube have turned it into a playlist of Gizz songs I’ve been eternally looping, however it also played Slow Jam 1 – one of the most chill songs I’ve ever heard that “Slows” “..my mind down low.” as crones Stu Mackenzie in the first verse.

So why are King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (KGLW.) so good? Like spirituality for some, I listen to them religiously, piously, repeatedly. Playing it loud at work that workmates referred to them as, “The Gizzies,” with one mentioning they release like 5 albums every year, cos he used to work at JB Hi-Fi (Luv ya Johnno*.), seeing them all come through the store.

Genre-hopping hooligans, their music speaks to me poetically, auditory, psychedelically, and heavily, correlating all that I am, presented with sweet melodies, repetitive tones and relatable lyrics. From the classic Rattlesnake, rattlesnake, rattlesnake, that will be sure to clear the area of unwanted yahoo’s in your life, to the automation of opening doors of the Nonagon Infinity Robot Stop (One of my favs.), to the mind melding The Dripping Tap and Magenta Mountain. These Australian lads fill me up deep inside on every level and being that I am.

It wasn’t always like that, though. It took me years before I decided to start listening to them, as previously I would not, due to all the hype. I was getting psychedelic fixes with Kevin Parker, when I listened to Rattlesnake, then bam, I was gone. Pretty much like this guy here. But I’m going to leave it for today, and dive deep deep into societies’ psyche to find out why it’s not just me that loves them.

How much do you listen to KGLW? Or, how many times per day are you listening to them? What about when Amby sings? What’s your favorite song or album, and music video? Do you also love Jason Galea’s artwork? Let me know.

Happy listening ❤