King Parrot (band)

History

King Parrot formed in Melbourne in 2010 with Matt Young (vocals), Ed Lacey and Ari White (guitar), Slatts Everday (bass) and Matt Rizzo (drums). White, Rizzo and Lacey came from Watchdog Discipline; Slatts Everday had been in Cockfight Shootout; Lacey had also played with The Berzerker and Rizzo with Blood Duster. After the 2011 EP The Stench of Hardcore Pub Trash, Lacey left and was replaced by Andrew Livingstone-Squires. The debut album Bite Your Head Off was independently released in 2012 and picked up by Candlelight Records in 2013.

Rizzo was then replaced by Matt "Skitz" Sanders, though overseas dates saw Rob Brens filling in. The band's music video "Shit on the Liver" became a finalist in the 2013 Australian Music Video Awards. After touring Australia with Obituary, Carcass and Thy Art Is Murder, King Parrot played the 2013 Hammersonic Jakarta International Metal Festival, Soundwave Festival and the 2014 SXSW as part of a 45-date North American tour. They signed with Extreme Management Group, and Phil Anselmo interviewed them on his Housecore Records YouTube channel.

In June 2014 Todd Hansen took over from Sanders. Dead Set was recorded at Anselmo's studio in Louisiana and released in May 2015, peaking at #21 on the Australian albums chart. The band toured Australia with Psycroptic and Revocation in early 2017, then recorded Ugly Produce in Melbourne, released on 22 September and reaching #21 on the ARIA chart. In October they toured the US with Superjoint and DevilDriver.

Awards and nominations

King Parrot received two ARIA Award nominations for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album: Dead Set in 2015 and Ugly Produce in 2018. They were also nominated for Best New Band in 2015. At the Music Victoria Awards, Bite Your Head Off won Best Heavy Album in 2013, King Parrot won Best Live Band in 2014 and 2016, and Dead Set won Best Heavy Album in 2015.