If I were to describe King Parrot, imagine a rickety old wagon heading down a steep hill with questionable wooden wheels ~ Matt Young
King Parrot vocalist Matt Young and I have caught up plenty over the last ten years, and one thing continues to ring true: King Parrot remains the hardest-working band in the game.
King Parrot is your blue-collar band with a reinvigorated sense of comradery. Savvy, magnetic and humble – Matt Young is the triple threat. He took his acumen for both music and business to the world stages with four of the rawest chaps about. The distinct sound the band unleashed from the backstreets of Melbourne in 2010 was the fury Australian metal heads were waiting for. It’s no surprise the fans are still moshing along – King Parrot laid down those foundations HARD.
The ethos remains true; the blood, sweat and tears still flow. And on the cusp of yet another mammoth tour for these workhorses, Matt reflects on what has defined their success.
“Commitment is one of the keys to the longevity of this band,” he states. “Maintaining relationships with labels and artists alike is also paramount.” King Parrot is in the final stages of releasing their brand new album, and 2025 already looks exciting. The band road-tested some of the new material at Knotfest this year, and to say it went well would be a fucking understatement.
“It was frightening how well these new tracks did with the crowds,” Matt exclaims. “We have one song called F*ck You and The Horse You Rode In On. It was the first time the audience had sung the words back to us. This was really cool, and it was decided right there and then: Yep, this song will definitely work.”
King Parrot at Knotfest 2024 via Youtube
And what else comprises a fourth release for The Parrot?
“We have an established sound,” Matt asserts. “And we’ve been fortunate enough to keep going long enough that we have honed it.
“We have rock ‘n’ roll, grind, we have thrash and death forming that established sound, and we can throw so many elements over it.
“It’s a great spot to be in as a musician,” Matt enthuses. “Most of our songs are not exactly rocket science, right? The simple structures are far removed from your technical death metal out there.
“It’s more about the songs – finding those hooks, especially as a vocalist, finding something interesting or fun or something that means something to me and delivering that along with your vision.”
As for their approach, King Parrot spent more time on the songwriting, laying down initial ideas, taking them away and jamming things out. Recording-wise, the band used a click track for the first time.
“The record is sharp and polished but has still captured that visceral angst and aggression fans have come to know,” Matt adds.
King Parrot has been going for 15 years now, and Matt Young still loves what he does. Rolling around in a stinky tour bus, punishing tour schedules, long nights in the studio… Youngy is having the time of his life, and you best believe he will never take it for granted.
“I have always wanted to do this,” he says. “I always aspired to do it, which I’m really proud of. We had no financial backers; we weren’t trust fund babies. We built this band from the ground up with uncompromising music; this is the reality of King Parrot.”
The diamond of this story is that even as a fledgling band in 2010, King Parrot’s vocalist was not disillusioned by the music industry, showing great fortitude and taking suitable risks. So we dive into Chapter Two of this opus, where Matt Young adopted his business acumen.
“It was right at the end of my drinking career,” Matt reflects. “I wanted to get sober and, with that, adopt a new lease on life and a new attitude.
“I had to take a different approach to life essentially. Instilling integrity, honesty and values, which I didn’t really have when I was drinking and drugging.
“I wanted to apply the things I learnt in recovery to the business,” Matt continues. “When the band started, it was evident that the level of commitment to the band’s business side was lacking – like, the guy in charge of sending out our t-shirts hadn’t sent out any apparel in over three months.
“So, I’m like, ‘give me the fucking t-shirts, I’m gonna do it myself!’ And from there, I took over management of the band.
“I made mistakes, made bad calls, and thrown money down the drain, sure, but I’ve learnt a lot and am very grateful for the opportunities to learn from people I consider my idols. People who have brought our band in and shown us how to do things.
“It’s been an interesting learning journey, and it continues today.”
King Parrot hits The Baso this Sunday, 10 November, with super special guests Weedeater, a boisterous crew hailing from North Carolina, USA, who need no introduction to any dabbler in the arts of stoner, sludge and doom metal. Add beloved locals Astrodeath and Choof and you have one helluva bill! Tickets are $49.90 via Oztix.
