Their EP and first two albums, Willoughby's Beach (2011), 12 Bar Bruise (2012) and Eyes Like the Sky (2013), primarily blended surf music and garage rock, and were released on the band's independent record label, Flightless, founded by Moore in 2012. Their third to eighth albums—Float Along – Fill Your Lungs (2013), Oddments, I'm in Your Mind Fuzz (2014), Quarters!, Paper Mâché Dream Balloon (2015) and Nonagon Infinity (2016)—expanded their sound, including elements of film music, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, folk, jazz, soul and heavy metal.
In 2017, the band fulfilled a promise to release five studio albums within the year: Flying Microtonal Banana in February; Murder of the Universe in June; Sketches of Brunswick East, a collaboration with Mild High Club, in August; Polygondwanaland, which was released into the public domain, in November; and Gumboot Soup in December. The band released its fourteenth album, Fishing for Fishies, on 26 April 2019, followed by a fifteenth album, Infest the Rats' Nest, released on 16 August that year.
On the 19th of April they released their first feature-length film, concert movie "Chunky Shrapnel". Named after a lyric from the band’s 2017 song Murder Of The Universe, The film combines concert footage from the band’s 2019 European tour with documentary style-filmmaking of King Gizzard behind the scenes. While Chunky Shrapnel does also document the band offstage, the film’s director, Josh Angus Stewart, said that it prioritizes music over personalities.
Chunky Shrapnel was originally set to premiere at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre, before the Australian government closed cinemas nationwide to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The film was eventually released and finally available for 24 hours only on vimeo.
In all, throughout 2020, the band released several live albums, a concert film, a double compilation of demos, K.G. , their 16th studio album and a compilation of early singles and all the tracks on the Anglesea EP called Teenage Gizzard . In August, Eric Moore (the band's second drummer and manager) left the band to focus on running his record label, Flightless. In February 2021, the band released L.W., their third microtonal album, which was followed by the synth-based dream pop album Butterfly 3000 in June. These albums were released independently rather than on Flightless. The band's twentieth studio album, Omnium Gatherum, was released on 22 April 2022.
On 24 January 2023, the band released the official live bootleg Live at Red Rocks '22. The 86-track, eight-hour release documents the band's three-night run at the titular Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Several independent labels have created physical releases of the bootleg, including a 12-vinyl boxset and a CD/cassette run.
On 4 March of the same year, the band debuted a new song "Gila Monster" during a live performance in Tilburg in the Netherlands. Following that, on 7 May, the band announced their upcoming 24th studio album, PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation via Instagram. According to bassist Lucas Harwood, PetroDragonic Apocalypse will be one of two upcoming albums that will have a "Yin and Yang" concept, stating that they are "going to be very different sounding to each other, but we're going to try to make them complement each other". The album's first single, "Gila Monster", was released alongside a music video an hour before the album pre-order opened on May 16 and the second single "Dragon" was released on June 6 with its music video. The band then went on tour throughout the United States to promote the album before its release by playing songs from the album other than the singles. One such performance on 3 June was at the Caverns in Tennessee where the band dressed in drag to celebrate Pride Night after a judge turned down a law that intended to ruled drag unlawful. Joey Walker told the crowd, "This ain't no protest, baby. This is a celebration!" PetroDragonic Apocalypse was released on 16 June.
Their 25th album, The Silver Cord, was released on the 27th of October 2023.
Their 26th and latest album, Flight b741, was released on the 9th of August, 2024 - it is their first album released on their new record label, p(doom) Records.
The band members all grew up and went to school in the Deniliquin, Melbourne and Geelong areas. The band started off as a group of friends jamming together, before a mutual friend asked them to play at a show. The band's name was created "last minute". Mackenzie wanted to name the band "Gizzard Gizzard" while another band member wanted Jim Morrison's nickname "Lizard King". They eventually compromised with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. The artist Jason Galea has created all of the band's album art, and a majority of their music videos.
Astroturf
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Covered with plastic
Everything's fluoro
Evergreen matter
Gotta stop grass growin'
Cover that wormhole
Gotta stop birds from
Shitting on my lawn
When it don't matter
Everything's better
Throw-away plates are
Better for business
Everything's easy
Better for the earth is AstroTurf
Six butterflies fluttered by
Looked horrified
"I just hatched from chrysalis
I've only hours, thirty-six
I need a mate to do my biz
And this is where I will die
Heartbreaking way to end
I will cry on AstroTurf"
Suitable texture, suitable color
Miniature forest, better than nature
Make me feel better knowing I won't go
Out on my lawn and see an animal
Everything's sterile, even infertile
Proud of my monster, never been straighter
Dog-shit heaven, it's better than the earth it's AstroTurf
Six butterflies fluttered by
Looked horrified
"I just hatched from chrysalis
I've only hours, thirty-six
I need a mate to do my biz
And this is where I will die
Heartbreaking way to end
I will cry on AstroTurf"
AstroTurfing, AstroTurfing
AstroTurfing, AstroTurf
AstroTurfing, AstroTurfing
AstroTurfing, AstroTurf
AstroTurfing, AstroTurfing
AstroTurfing, AstroTurf
AstroTurfing
Better than the earth it's AstroTurf
Six butterflies fluttered by
Looked horrified
"I just hatched from chrysalis
I've only hours, thirty-six
I need a mate to do my biz
And this is where I will die
Heartbreaking way to end
I will cry on AstroTurf"
The lyrics of "Astroturf" by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard lament the artificiality and sterilization of modern life. The song portrays a world where everything is dead, covered in plastic, and artificial. The mention of fluoro and evergreen matter signifies the unnaturalness of the environment. The singer expresses a desire to control and manipulate nature, as seen in the lines "Gotta stop grass growin'" and "Gotta stop birds from shitting on my lawn." This reflects a common human tendency to exert control over the natural world, replacing it with synthetic and controlled landscapes.
The chorus emphasizes the belief that everything is better and easier in this artificial world. Throw-away plates, AstroTurf, and a sterile environment are depicted as better for business and the earth. The use of AstroTurf, an artificial grass, symbolizes the substitution of a fake, lifeless imitation for the real thing. It represents a disconnection from nature and a preference for a clean, controlled, and uniform environment.
The song also reflects on the tragic consequences of this artificiality. The six butterflies that pass by are horrified by their surroundings, realizing that they only have a short time to find a mate and fulfill their purpose. The line "Heartbreaking way to end, I will cry on AstroTurf" portrays the sadness of a life ending in an artificial and sterile environment instead of a natural habitat.
Overall, "Astroturf" critiques the obsession with control and the artificiality of modern society, highlighting the consequences of disconnecting from nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything's dead here
The environment is devoid of life and vitality
Covered with plastic
Artificial materials are hiding the natural elements
Everything's fluoro
Everything is brightly colored, but artificially so
Evergreen matter
Artificial, permanent materials that don't decay
Gotta stop grass growin'
The desire to prevent natural growth and change
Cover that wormhole
Hiding the natural cycles and processes
Gotta stop birds from
Shitting on my lawn
The need to control and manipulate nature to maintain a perfect facade
When it don't matter
When natural processes and consequences are disregarded
Everything's better
The belief that artificial solutions are superior
Throw-away plates are
Disposable items are
Better for business
More profitable and efficient
Everything's easy
Simplifying and controlling nature for convenience
Better for the earth is AstroTurf
The synthetic turf is considered better for the environment
Six butterflies fluttered by
Looked horrified
The butterflies are alarmed and saddened by their surroundings
"I just hatched from chrysalis
I've only hours, thirty-six
I need a mate to do my biz
And this is where I will die
Heartbreaking way to end
I will cry on AstroTurf"
The short lifespan of a butterfly and the tragic realization of its inability to fulfill its purpose in an artificial environment
Suitable texture, suitable color
The fake grass has an appearance that fits the desired aesthetic
Miniature forest, better than nature
The controlled and manipulated synthetic environment is considered superior to natural ecosystems
Make me feel better knowing I won't go
Out on my lawn and see an animal
The absence of wildlife on the lawn brings a sense of comfort and control
Everything's sterile, even infertile
The complete lack of life and reproductive capabilities in the artificial environment
Proud of my monster, never been straighter
Taking pride in the unnatural and distorted creation
Dog-shit heaven, it's better than the earth it's AstroTurf
The artificial environment, despite its flaws, is considered superior to the imperfect natural world
AstroTurfing, AstroTurfing
Promoting and advertising the benefits of AstroTurf
Better than the earth it's AstroTurf
Extolling the superior qualities of AstroTurf compared to natural earth
Six butterflies fluttered by
Looked horrified
"I just hatched from chrysalis
I've only hours, thirty-six
I need a mate to do my biz
And this is where I will die
Heartbreaking way to end
I will cry on AstroTurf"
Reiterating the tragic fate of the butterflies in an artificial environment
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Michael Cavanagh, Stuart Mackenzie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SaumBodhi
You know it just occurred to me why they pump out so many albums so quickly. Almost every member is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. Plus they're all certifiably insane.
@trevorburton3290
How else do they afford to have two drummers???
@TheDanification
Just getting into this band. Their volume of work is incomparable. How do they do it? Lol
@michaelwakefield1838
I think Cavs is the only non multi instrumentalist..
@ECHtoplasm
It must be a rule in KG that if you have an idea, you have to share it 😅
@dankboinkripper
@@michaelwakefield1838 even then, he absolutely annihilates percussion to the point where he doesn't need to do much of else
@HITMANxsv
When the guitarist has a synth rig and a goddamn Vibraslap infront of him you know youre in for a treat.
@chrishasty1444
I saw these guys at the Hollywood Bowl last week and I left there realizing they may be the most talented and culturally significant rock band of a generation.
@Smygar
For sure, this band will be remembered as one of the greats, most people haven't caught on yet.
@beastieboy762
They most certainly are.