On episode 44 of our podcast 'Indie And A Show', we played Lizzie Jack and The Beanstalks for the first time. A fresh combination of Indie/Rock and Girl-pop from Australia, we were immediately hooked and fascinated to learn more. We sat down (albeit virtually) with them to find out more.

How did Lizzie Jack & The Beanstalks start?

Lizzie: We began in 2019 with a different lineup, the only original members are me (Lizzie) and Alex (who started on bass and now plays lead guitar). Alex and I had been friends for a year or so and he had been to a bunch of solo shows where I’d be playing acoustic covers. We got talking one night about starting a band, and recruited two more mates. Over the years, the lineup has changed a bit and just through playing gigs around Wollongong we met Jayke (bass) and Pauly (drums). Alex is adamant that he came up with our band name, but a facebook memory of mine from 2011 proves him WRONG. I originally wanted to be called Lizzie and the Jacks but thought that might be a little too self-indulgent.

Australian indie/pop bandLizzie Jack &The Beanstalks

Alex: I would record demos of what we came up with together and bring them back to the band to flesh out further. We’d then listen back to our own music and develop it further. I also maintain we got drunk at a party and were trying to emulate silly long band names like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and Eliza and the Delusionals.

How would you define your sound to somebody who hasn't heard it? (What makes your music unique? Who are your influences?)

Lizzie: We are a blend of folk-storytelling, garage, Australian pub rock and pop. Our songs are all based around visually-driven lyrics and anecdotal stories. We draw influences from heaps of different artists. Lyrically I draw a lot of inspiration from Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Molly Millington, Ruby Fields and Alex Lahey, whereas musically we draw inspo from a huge range - Foo Fighters, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Gang of Youths.

Besides the obvious IAAS Band of the Year award, what has been your highlight/favourite moment as a band?

Alex: We played our first music festival in 2023, Yours and Owls Festival in Wollongong. This is a huge festival in Wollongong that brings punters from all over Australia and acts from all over the world.

You're throwing the first ever "LJ-BEANFEST". Which three artists are headlining? (Any bands/artists in the world!)

Lizzie: Taylor Swift, Gang of Youths and Lana del Rey

Jayke: Cog, Karnivool and Rage Against the Machine.

Alex: System of a Down, Rise Against, Sleep Token

What do you believe to be the most important part of maintaining a successful band dynamic?

Don’t take yourself too seriously and remember why you started making music together in the first place. We can sometimes disagree and argue like siblings but at the end of the day, we all want the same thing which is to make catchy, fun and relatable music.

You're getting together to watch the latest episode of the Indie And A Show Podcast. What takeaway are you ordering, and what's the order?

Lizzie: pizza always - specifically this pesto vegetarian pizza from my local place.

Jayke: Probably some Indian food. Lamb Korma with Garlic and Cheese Naan. Otherwise a big ol’ bucket of KFC.

Alex: I’m with Lizzie, pizza is king.

What are your plans for 2024 as a band?

We have a few new songs in the works, so we are very keen to get back to the studio to record them ASAP. We’re also looking at playing a few more festivals and venturing outside our bubble of Wollongong and Sydney. Some airplay from Triple J would be amazing too (sort of like Australia’s BBC Radio 1).

If a reader is hearing about you for the first time and want to check out your music, where should they start?

Jump on Spotify (or your preferred streaming platform), Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Bandcamp! Everything is under Lizzie Jack and the Beanstalks. You can also find us on triple j unearthed (new Australian music) where you can rate and review our songs to hopefully Triple J radio ambitions!