Because the world is terrible and people are awful, it seems as if getting your equipment stolen has become an unofficial rite of passage for Australian bands.
Only last week we saw Cash Savage And The Last Drinks’ guitarist lose his prized Fender, and then there was The Smith Street Band’s infamous #ampgate shenanigans where their gear was stolen and then returned thanks to an online witch-hunt.
This time, though, the thieves managed to hit two bands with one steal.
Melburnian garage rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and The Murlocs have revealed that both of their latest albums were heavily delayed after their producer Stu McKenzie’s laptop was stolen and never handed in.
“We lost like all of the Murlocs album and half of the Oddments album.” – Stu McKenzieThe laptop, which contained hefty portions of King Gizzard’s Oddments and even more of The Murlocs’ debut album Loopholes, was taken from McKenzie’s car in Carlton, the producer told Triple J.
Speaking to the station’s Richard Kingsmill, McKenzie described how much of a headache the stolen computer caused for him and the two Melbourne-based bands.
“We lost entire recordings we were doing [for the Murlocs album] because of it,” he said. “We lost some of Oddments too. ‘Space Cadet’ was the only track that really got saved. It was really awful.
“We lost like all of the Murlocs album and half of the Oddments album that we had to re-do and salvage from weird half-finished recordings and some other bits and pieces.”
Luckily for us listeners, though, the bands were able to recover from the robbery hurdle.
King Gizzard released their fuzzy fourth effort Oddments last month to glowing praise from fans and critics alike. Our Tone Deaf reviewer called it “hands down their best record yet… A brilliantly uninhibited creative romp that defies categorisation.”
Meanwhile, fans of The Murlocs only have to wait a little bit longer until 19th April to hear their much-awaited debut full-length record, Loopholes, which has now been a gruelling three years in the making.
Having finally wrapped things up in the studio, both bands are now turning their attention to the open road.
The Lizard Wizards are in the middle of a mammoth 17-date national tour that will wrap up in April, while The Murlocs are celebrating the grand release of Loopholes with three special dates across major cities. Check below for more information along with Kingsmill’s Triple J interview.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Australian Tour 2014
Oddments National Tour – TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Thu 27 Mar | TOTE Melbourne
Doors 8pm. plus GUM plus mystery DJ
www.oztix.com.au www.thetotehotel.com
Fri 28 Mar | BONEY Melbourne
Doors 8.00-11.30pm plus GUM plus mystery DJ
www.boney.net.au www.oztix.com.au
Sat 29 Mar | TOFF IN TOWN Melbourne
8-11pm plus GUM plus mystery DJ
www.thetoffintown.com www.oztix.com.au
Sun 30 Mar | CHERRY BAR Melbourne
Doors 7pm plus GUM plus mystery DJ
www.cherrybar.com.au
Fri 04 April | BRIDGE HOTEL Castlemaine
9-11pm plus CHRIS RUSSELLS CHICKEN WALK
www.oztix.com.au
Sat 05 April | KAROVA LOUNGE Ballarat
Doors 8.30pm plus CHRIS RUSSELLS CHICKEN WALK
www.karovalounge.com
Sun 06 April | BARWON CLUB Geelong
4-8pm plus CHRIS RUSSELLS CHICKEN WALK and more.
www.oztix.com.au
Wed 09 April | SMALL BALLROOM Newcastle
9pm Happy Club
plus special guests
Free entry www.thesmallballroom.com.au
Thu 10 April | ROLLER DEN Sydney
8pm door plus special guests
www.therollerden.com.au
Fri 11 April | GUMBALL FESTIVAL Sydney
www.thegumball.com.au
Sat 12 April | FBi SOCIAL Sydney
plus special guests
http://fbisocial.fatsoma.com/
Sun 13 April | FARMER & THE OWL LANEWAY PARTY Wollongong
www.yoursandowls.com.au
The Murlocs Australian Tour 2014
THURSDAY APRIL 17 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane QLD
w/ Babe Rainbow & Junkyard Diamonds
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
SATURDAY APRIL 19 – Factory Floor, Sydney NSW
w/ Spirit Valley & The Friendsters
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
FRIDAY APRIL 25 – Howler, Melbourne VIC
w/ Teeth & Tongue, The Frowning Clouds + More
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
