A Contained Explosion

Reading different reviews, blog posts and the like, it's clear that King Parrot, the new Melbourne leaders of blast, have made a serious mark on the domestic scene. Frontman Matt Young is grateful but doesn't seem surprised, and given the pedigree of the five members (Watchdog Discipline, Dreadnaught, Blood Duster) and the commitment which they are giving to their craft, we shouldn't be really, either.

“It's been good because we've all played in lots of bands before so we know lots of people [which has] given us a bit of a leg up, a bit of a stepping stone in a way to establishing ourselves,” he explains. “That being said, we've also been pretty dedicated to playing as much as we can, working hard and getting around the country, getting to as many different places as [possible]; regional places as well which is important as a lot of times they get forgotten, so we've tried to make [that a priority]. And we've got some good people working with us, good people in our corner that when you throw an idea at them it will bounce back to you and you'll end up with a good quality product.”

It was behind this attitude – doing things with the right crew, the right way – that the band recorded their debut album, the unsubtle Bite Your Head Off, and Young is more than happy with the outcome.

“We decided we'd stick with the people we know and stay with people that know what they're doing, studios we've been to, places where we could come up with good results. So we've been really stoked with how everything's going so far and we're just trying to ship it overseas and see how it goes over there, just dangling our feet in the water and hopefully someone will bite us.”

With this intense debut, a record that provides the same sort of impact as a brick to the mouth, the band have taken big steps towards making foreign success a reality, a fact attested by an upcoming Asian tour and an invitation to play the Obscene Extreme Festival in the Czech Republic. More developed and mature than The Stench Of Hardcore Pub Trash, their 2011 EP, the long-player marks considerable progress for the Melbourne band. However, Young isn't even close to resting on his laurels, still recognising that on the grand scale of things King Parrot have barely left the nest.

“With the EP we just really did it on the cheap at a mate's studio. They were the first songs we wrote as a band; we know it wasn't groundbreaking or anything like that. And even this first album – it is what it is and I think it's a good representation of where the band's at, but we're under no illusions that we've still got a long way to go. For what it is though we're really happy with it.”

When Time Off chats with Young, he and his cohorts are in their tour van racing north to play in Canberra as part of the Devil's Kitchen Festival. And on this night, like any other that the quintet have or will tackle, they will undoubtedly stand, deliver and destroy.

“We want to put on the best live show we possibly can,” he finishes. “Y'know, you can just stand there, but we want to get the crowd involved and make it a bit of an entertaining spectacle, and we feel the tunes have got that energy so we really like to purvey that in the show.”

QLD

Friday 18 January – Miami Shark Bar, Gold Coast
Saturday 19 January - The Beetle Bar, Brisbane