In one of the most unlikely musical alliances formed since Showaddywaddy supported Einstürzende Neubauten in London in 1987, genre-hopping Australian psych rockers King Gizard & The Lizard Wizard have hooked up with one of the nation's most beloved stars, Jimmy Barnes, to release a charity single.
The pair head a stellar Aussie cast on a rerecording of KG&TWL's 2020 track If Not Now, a song that won Australia's inaugural Environmental Music Prize in 2022.
The release intends to raise awareness of Scott Reef, an untouched coral reef located 190 miles northwest of Cape Leveque in Western Australia that's currently the subject of controversial natural gas exploitation plans.
Fossil fuel corporation Woodside, who say their Browse project will create "long-term energy security" plus "thousands of jobs and considerable tax revenue", plan to drill up to 57 wells under and around the reef, which is a habitat for migrating pygmy blue whales, the green sea turtle and the dusky sea snake – the latter an endangered species.
"Why are we still digging up coal and gas?" asks King Gizzard's Stu McKenzie. "Why are we allowing this? Why is the Australian government so hell-bent on destroying our beautiful wild and untouched places?
"I’m proud that a King Gizz song was chosen to represent a growing movement of people who are asking these questions and applying pressure. Let’s shut it down and keep it beautiful."
"Scott Reef is one of the few pristine reefs left in the world, and it happens to be on our doorstep," adds Barnes. "We’re custodians of it – we’re supposed to be looking after it. It’s ridiculous. We must protect our country and look after what we value most, which is the nature and the beauty of this country."
Barnes, the singer of Cold Chisel and a solo star in his own right, is joined on the song by his daughter, Mahalia Barnes and granddaughter, Ruby Rodgers, who won the Environmental Music Prize this year with her song Hits The Heart. The recording also features First Language vocals from Fred Leone and Drifting Clouds’ frontman Terry Guyula.
If Not Now is available as a seven-inch single via p(doom) Records, with all proceeds donated to Greenpeace Australia Pacific and Green Music Australia.
For more information about the campaign to protect Scott Reef, visit the Greenpeace Australia website.
