Photo: Marie Beaufils Durand
France-based, prog-rock power trio LIZZARD are about to play London in support of their latest album, Mesh.
Having first met in 2006, Katy Elwell (UK/Drums), Mat Ricou (FR/Guitar & Vocals) and Will Knox (UK/Bass) quickly realised they shared not only similar creative influences but also a distinct musical vision.
Capturing the energetic, lighting-in-a-bottle optimism of the late 90s post-punk/art-rock scene and reigniting it with simmering potential, new album Mesh sees LIZZARD out out to reclaim the creative, collaborative energy that has fuelled them for over a decade.
We thought it about time we found out what makes the band tick, so we asked them to share three records that have been hugely influential on their sound and their five studio albums.
Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero
Mat Ricou writes:
This album is like an old time friend.
To me, every track is an explosion of pure true emotional content. From the compositions, arrangements, production, vocal performances, the efficiency of the lyrics and their themes…Down to the whole album artwork.
I love the way everything sounds simple and yet, so well thought out. The way every note sounds obvious yet very mysterious. The way the songs are very different from each other yet so coherent put together. Each sound is used to create from the most beautiful landscape ever imagined to the most disgusting politician on earth.
This album was very futuristic at the time but is very current, to the point where it feels like a premonition. This is probably one of Trent Reznor’s best crafted albums yet the least popular.
This album is a paradox. This album is genius.
TOOL – Aenima
Katy Elwell writes:
This album was life changing for me. I was going through quite a dark moment of my life when I first heard it, and it was a revelation! Although it took me to other dark worlds, it also inspired hope and bought about a new perspective.
Danny Carey, the drummer, was and still is of course a huge source of inspiration. His power and energy and his musical vision are astounding to me. His poly-rhythmic ideas and melodic use of the drums are unique and truly resonate with my approach to drumming, so of course TOOL have always been inspiring to the music of LizZard!
Radiohead – OK Computer
William Knox writes:
I think this is the album I’ve played the most in my lifetime. It was one of the first albums I bought on CD and for the first couple of years following the release, it seemed to be on repeat at all my friends houses as well. It’s one of those 10/10 masterpieces where every song is brilliant, and the sound and production are ground-breaking.
The guitar tones are probably what gave it such a futuristic sound, and as a whole it hasn’t aged at all. The bass lines are very original and manage to glue the guitars to the drums in a way I’ve often tried to do when composing.
