Harrison, Lachie, Benny and Aiden of Lazy Dingo swing by Happy for an insightful yarn about their inception and approach to making music.
It’s been a busy month for Melbourne band Lazy Dingo. The four-piece’s debut EP I’ll Do It Tomorrow arrived in late-January, and they’ve no-doubt been coasting on its success ever since.
Spanning surfy fuzz grooves and shimmering indie-rock, the six-track project burst onto the scene like an “explosion of harmonic sound waves and eargasmic frequencies,” Lazy Dingo told Happy Mag.
Below, we caught up with Harrison, Lachie/Rossy, Benny and Aiden/Chenny of Lazy Dingo for a deep-dive into I’ll Do It Tomorrow, their favourite tracks, and “fostering a supportive and inclusive environment and by being such a tight knit group of mates.”
Catch the full interview below, and scroll down to listen to Lazy Dingo’s debut EP.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
CHENNY: Playing pool, drinking draught and getting ready for the gig tonight!
HAPPY: How did Lazy Dingo come to be?
HARRISON: Lazy Dingo started towards the end of our year 12 year. I bought an audio interface and started making really bad tracks with auto drummers, but that’s when I found my love for music.
After Schoolies we bumped into Caleb Harper (Spacey Jane Frontman) at Gold Coast airport and asked him for some advice on starting a band. He said “you just have to start, and enjoy the journey.”
Benny and I would go onto jam for hours and hours every single day over that summer. We decided to expand with more diverse instruments and see where the band can take us.
We reached out to Rossy, former schoolmate, who I’d dream about the idea of playing in a band to every art class throughout year 12.
We released a demo of ‘Younger’ and realised that something was missing… another former schoolmate, the shredster himself, Chenny. After 1 rehearsal with the full band we instantly had amazing chemistry and knew it was game on!
HAPPY: Is there a certain level of pressure that comes with releasing a debut project? Or are you more keen to just get the music out?
CHENNY: Keen to get the music out, no pressure at all, idk what else to say.
HAPPY: You’ve said that one of EP’s themes is procrastination. What are some things you often find yourself putting off till tomorrow?
BENNY: In my everyday life, I frequently procrastinate on tasks like exercising regularly, organizing and cleaning my room, and keeping up with other household chores. Additionally, I often delay making important phone calls or completing important tasks.
It is a constant struggle to prioritise and overcome the temptation to put these tasks off until a later time, as it is way easier to say to yourself ‘I’ll Do It Tomorrow’ rather than doing it right now.
HAPPY: You’ve listed Spacey Jane and Powderfinger as influences. How do these bands inform your music?
HARRISON: Naturally, when writing songs you are subconsciously inspired by artists you listen to. For me, Spacey Jane was a massive reason why I got into music.
I’ve always loved the indie rock sound but they specifically have a way of making a dreamy rock song with great lyrics that you can dance to, a goal for me when writing songs.
Over the past year or two I have been consumed by ‘old-school’ rock. Bands like Oasis, Stone Roses and particularly Powderfinger have been MASSIVE inspirations for us as a band with regards to their sound and songwriting.
The ultimate goal for me is to bring back this style of music to global charts as it’s sadly been drowned out.
HAPPY: It might be like choosing a favourite child, but are there any tracks on the EP that you particularly love?
ROSSY: I think she loves to dance is my favourite track to listen to. I have vivid memories of being played the demo of just guitar and e-drums and being emotionally invested straight away.
The song brings out the best of the band – music skills, production, and meaningful lyrics. The layering of guitars, bass, drums, keys, and synths blend with Benny’s beautiful vocals – something that I remember loving straight away, and have loved ever since.
HAPPY: How do you ensure each of your strengths and ideas are incorporated into your music?
BENNY: To ensure that each member’s strengths and ideas are incorporated into our music, we prioritize open communication and collaboration within the band.
We regularly hold ‘jams’ where everyone has the opportunity to share their ideas, whether it’s musical arrangements, lyrical ideas, or overall concepts for our songs.
When we are working on a song, we each come up with our own part, which in itself is playing to each other’s strengths.
By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment and by being such a tight knit group of mates, we’re able to harness the collective creativity of the group and incorporate diverse perspectives into our music-making process.
HAPPY: Anything exciting on the horizon that you can tease for us?
ROSSY: Lazy Dingo are looking to get back into the studio in the next month, hopefully resulting in a couple of singles this winter.
These may or may not be the initial DNA of an album we are hoping to cook up right in time for it to be the perfect summer album.
In the meantime there will be gigs aplenty and many opportunities to see Lazy Dingo live. Watch the socials for all updates on where and when!
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HAPPY: What makes you happy?
CHENNY: Making and playing music, hanging out with mates, watching movies and just living man.
