Lizard

Matt Charnley and Jason Dowse played in bands together from the early 90’s. They decided around 1998 was time to put their music into other band line ups after venturing down their own musical paths and the closure of old band, “Slightly Seedy”. Still a band with no name, close friend, Steve Edmonds, asked them to support and threw the name Garden Lizards out there for fun, thus Lizard was born.

Charnley and Dowse were greatly influenced by legends such as Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughan, yet have a musical passion from very early blues right to the diversity of Rage Against the Machine and Hed PE. After many years of gigs, recordings and writings their original musical tastes and writings were woven in to their album ‘iforbuttadideye’. After the launch at the Metro Sydney in 2008, this original Lizard music has been aired on Pauly Fenech’s SBS shows such as ‘Swift and Shift Couriers’ and ‘Fat Pizza’. Most recently, Lizard had the 2017 Airlie Beach Blues Festival rocking to their tunes and their support for Jeff Martin and Lepers and Crooks at the Hawkesbury Hotel for New Years Eve 2017 is an anticipated highlight to their musical careers!

Hawkesbury based Lizard, has had some talented musicians share the Lizard experience over the past 20+ years. Lizard core is Matt Charnley on Vocals, Guitar & anything in between and Jason Dowse delivering some of the meanest funky bass lines you’ll see. Brendan Maguire is drummer extraordinaire who seals the Lizard Experience!

Matt Charnley is a bit of local legend, well known for his musical diversity and work or appearances with various musicians and bands including Mojo Bluesmen, Blues Exile and Mr Breeze then he can slip into Djembe mode with the Wild Honey Ladies or be a solo support act for bands such as the awesome Transvaal Diamond Syndicate. His musical adventures have taken him to Blues Fests far and wide and achievements include writing and recording music with the Mojo Bluesmen for movies Houso’s v’s Authority; Houso’s v’s Fat Pizza and Dumb Criminals, as well as making musical creations with the amazingly talented, Roshani (Dumb Criminals & X Factor).

Lizard performs their own super energetic Texan style blues with influences including ZZ Top, Doyle Bramhall, Eric Gales and Johnny Winter with the fattest bass lines to beef up your experience!