Bio. Kathleen Turner Overdrive is a drum smashing, axe grinding, bass thumping, femme-fronted punk rocking band hailing from Toowoomba, Queensland. Making their debut in 1992 as a three-piece, KTO retains two original members Lizzard and Kong, and prove Joe Strummer’s words true, that punk rock isn’t something you grow out of. Punk rock is an attitude, and the essence of that attitude is ‘give us some truth’. Dipping in and out of band life over the decades, Lizzard and Kong got together with local bass legend Adzilla in 2015 & drum bashing sleaze rocker Danny Sharkz in January 2020. Former Toxic Garden Gnome and failed B grade actor, John Bhong tripped the light taptastic until mid-2024, and Cheap Trick drummer Bun E Carlos doppleganger Ollie Norton now rounds out the job of skinsman. With their EP, ‘Autosomal’ released to positive reviews in March 2022, a video for the single ‘Unseen’ hitting screens in May, then the release of their 5 track EP ‘Ctrl Alt Delete’ in June 2023, KTO has been busy. In 2022 the band played more than ever before, including a show at Whole Lotta Love in Melbourne, catching the eye of iconic Australian band, Lime Spiders, who invited them to play three shows in 2023. KTO’s songs ‘Mary Winchester Blue’ (Autosomal) and I'm Not Changing (Ctrl+Alt+Delete) gained slots 33 and 11 spot on the coveted 4ZZZ 2022and 2023 Hot 100 respectively. In August/September 2023 KTO toured Canada, Costa Rica and the east coast of Australia, as part of the Pirates and Punks Festival tour, with Canadian skanksters Master Nate and The Reprobates and post-grunge outfit Days of Thieves, as well as a slew of Costa Rican and Oz punk bands. 2024 has seen the band record 5 new tracks, including new single ‘I Want to Believe’’ towards the planned 2025 long-player ‘A Safe Place for Cryptids’. The only place is up!
Interview
Patrick: Thanks for doing this guys I really appreciate it.
Lizzie: It's our pleasure. thank you for the invitation!
Mark: Thanks for taking the time to interview us.
Patrick: Ok so how did Kathleen Turner Overdrive come together what’s the story behind the band’s formation.
Lizzie: Mark I can answer this. Mark and I met at uni. we formed a band in 1990 which went for about 18 months but disbanded when a member graduated. the 3 remaining members, Mark me and Mel (on drums) decided to create a trio doing jangly covers and so the name KTO was born. the band played for about 4 years then disbanded cos of careers and kids etc BUT once they were off our hands...ta da we were back in about 2016. We changed our direction to originals only in 2019.
Patrick: Sweet are you named after the actress, or does it come from somewhere else?
Lizzie: Yeah, she was big at the time. BTO were a parent's band, so over some beers mark made up that hilarious name.
Patrick: Sweet an idea over beers is always the best one.
Mark: Yeah, it's a play on Kathleen Turner and the 70s band Bachmann Turner Overdrive.
Patrick: Ah ok I’ll have to check them out after this.
Lizzie: Jack black used it in High Fidelity in 2000, so there’s a few out there now booo. Cool, they had a hit with 'You out Ain't Seen Nothing Yet'
Mark: They sang ‘ You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’
Patrick: I think I know that song.
Mark: Yeah, it's a popular drive time FM radio tune.
Patrick: How would you describe your music to someone whose never heard it?
Lizzie: Melodic punk. think the likes of Blondie, The Pretenders, A little x-ray Spex.
Mark: Punk.in attitude and delivery, eclectic across our repertoire.
Patrick: Yeah, definitely some punk elements, I think I listened to one of your tracks called Fuck you?
Lizzie: I'm Not Changing - everyone calls it Fuck You lol.
Patrick: Yeah, I assumed it was called ‘Fuck You’ It was cool.
Mark: And both irreverent and socially oriented but also with nods to other subject’s line pop culture.
Lizzie: It was voted 11th on the 2023 4zzz Hot 100. That's our very Ramones inspired song.
Patrick: Congratz on that!
Mark: Thank you we love playing it live.
Lizzie: yay! thanks. Yeah, it was a cool thing to happen.
Patrick: Yeah, your music seems to have an energetic vibe with a sense of humour I love that, after all that’s what it’s all about having fun yeah?
Lizzie: Yep, that's at the heart of it. Thanks, and yeah it doesn't take itself too seriously but does when it has too.
Mark: Lizzie, Adz and new bass player Ry are super energetic.
Patrick: What does the songwriting process look like to all the band members contribute?
Lizzie: Our latest song is about cryptids, using a disco theme. I Want to Believe. It's a nod to all the urban legends we loved as kids and the tv shows that taught us good about mysteries.
Patrick: Thats creative cryptids with a disco theme.
Mark: Lizzie writes most of the songs lyrically and the vocal melodies and we work chords and keys out around them.
Lizzie: For many of the songs I have written the lyrics and have created the melodies for the verses and chorus. I then take that to mark and... over to you mark
Mark: Yeah, it's cool but it's also a nod to people who are different, feared or ridiculed.
Patrick: Are some of the tracks drawn from personal experiences or do the ideas come from elsewhere?
Mark: Yeah definitely. Unseen is about my experiences with a friend with mental illness and the hope of recovery.
Lizzie: Personal experience a lot of the time OR opinions via observation e.g. on social justice issues.
Mark: Gurlzilla is an anti-patriarchy anthem.
Patrick: Yeah, I listened to that last night that’s a punchy song checked it out on Spotify. Yeah, cool your band has a reputation of high energy live shows how do you maintain that energy?
Mark: I'm the stone giant of the band so Lizzie can answer that one.
Lizzie: love playing, stay fit, don't drink before a show lol.
Patrick: I heard you guys are getting radio play how did you make that happen what was the process?
Mark: Lizzie is our networking guru and makes connections all over the world but also in our home state good relationships and mutual support of our pals at 4ZZZ. We are getting good airplay across a number of supportive programs.
Lizzie: I've been trawling socials for leads for over 6 years, searching the internet, reaching out to whatever station i can find, sending our songs in whatever format each station requests. we now have our own little networking corner of the world which keeps us encouraged. there are so many awesome internet stations our there supporting indie bands...On The Air Tonight 24/7, Punk Rocks the World, 99.9 Punk World Radion FM, Radio Marlab, The Rock Hard Radio Show with Kim Rennie, Banks Radio, 4zzz, Local Sounds Radio, Atomic, to name a few.
Patrick: Yeah, thanks Lizzie for posting that I think that’s one of the hurdles and its the reason why I do this, people just don’t know how to network or where to network to get their stuff listened to. Yeah, it’s all about networking as much as possible, so I reckon you guys would have had some pretty wild live shows what’s one of the most unusual or memorable things that has happened?
Lizzie: We played an awesome show at a brewery in Costa Rica last year. And a tiny little venue in Canada - Petersburg I think - so cool and great folks.
Patrick: I think I came across one of your videos from Petersburg.
Mark: It's very much unsung but people like you are vital in the digital music industry, and we are always very grateful for the interest and support. Touring was an eye-opener.
Patrick: Yeah, I’m doing my best, I have done a few of these interviews now I enjoy them and get to learn some stuff for myself also, if we all help each other we all win.
Mark: Very true that!!
Patrick: Where did your tour take you?
Lizzie: That's it. many of the connections we have made are founded in mutual support. mark you can answer this q
Mark: Canada, Costa Rica and then back up the east coast from Melbourne to Brisbane.
Patrick: Thats killer any favourite venues?
Lizzie: I think we played 8 shows in Canada, 2 in costa and 6 up the east coast.
Mark: In Canada The Bovine Sex Club.
Patrick: Bovine sex club lulz wtf?
Mark: Yep, it was a hoot! The fabulous brewery in Costa Rica.
Lizzie: In Australia i love banshees bar and ArtSpace in Ipswich and PFR Lounge in Brisbane Fortitude Valley. Like GG Allin's retail shop.
Patrick: Brewery’s sex clubs’ you guys definitely know how to pick a venue!!
Mark: And in our hometown of Toowoomba a brewery called Mouseproof Brewery.
Lizzie: BSC had every inch of the place covered in artwork or baby dolls with axes through the head, computer screens with taxidermal animals emerging etc.
Patrick: That sounds awesome.
Lizzie: We made a few good mates on that tour. just peeps who came to see us play. we played at a bikies club house in Canada, they fed everybody who came and gave me their last ever bandana. I love that thing!! White Knucklerz.
Patrick: Ah that’s awesome, bikers get a bad rep but the ones I’ve met have all been great guys.
Lizzie: They were the best. their mission is to raise money for children dying of illness. like starlight foundation. they fulfil wishes.
Patrick: Wow big shout out to them, lesson here is never judge a book by its cover.
Mark: Hey speaking of pictures and earlier if videos our children have been front and centre in almost all the artwork for the band. thanks so much for the opportunity and we look forward to following your work. Phones going to die so I'll. Leave you with the capable Lizzie! Cheers and thanks for supporting original bands in our country!)
Patrick: Thats cool Mark no problem cheers for doing this you have a good night!
Patrick: Thats a sweet pic!! big shout out to the White Knucklerz Canadian Bikers on a mission!!
Lizzie: Tee-hee this one and yes!
Patrick: They give you the skull with it?
Lizzie: No. that's mine. I love sci fi. and horror.
Patrick: Yeah same, what’s the dynamic like in the band how do you go with creative differences? I get the feeling you’re the boss Lizzie.
Lizzie: ha-ha sadly I have to be. creative differences have only been an issue with one departed band member. He had a very controlling nature. myself and Aidan are very non-confrontational so he got away with it for a bit.
Patrick: Yeah, at the end of the day its gotta be fun if there’s clashing heads something has to give.
Lizzie: Our confidence has grown as we have found our place in the scene. we have no aspirations of making it, we just want to play music to folks who want to dance to it and have fun. no dramas. no drunks. no egos.
Patrick: Has there been any big shifts in your creative direction or in your sound over the years?
Lizzie: I love old-school punk. my secret mission is directing us that way with each song...sometimes I win....sometimes not lol, don’t tell the boys. i just think we are getting better the more we do it. not like big headed - just practice makes better. I love The Clash, Pistols, Dead Kennedys, X-Ray Spex, Buzzcocks...that old school hard, fast.
Patrick: What’s some of the old school punk you like? The Saints? I think the Saints were from your area. I love their song, Stranded.
Lizzie: I love The Clash, Pistols, Dead Kennedys, X-Ray Spex, Buzzcocks...that old school hard, fast. Adz our long-time bass player is a metal head. (Soon to join Mark on guitar). His influence is clearly there. we recently adopted a new drummer - Ollie. this is his first band and he played his first gig with us recently at the Mansfield tavern. Ry is returning to us on bass so Adz can fulfil his guitar dream. Adz loves Maiden, Zepplin, Metallica and lots of Nordic metal. Juxtaposed is his love of Chili Peppers, they influence him and subsequently KTO a lot - particularly backing harmonies...another thing that is growing with our confidence. Love Black Flag and The Saints - our video for Unseen paid homage to the Saints. it was made shortly after the death of chris baiey. We have been invited to play a gig in October 2025 called Punk in the Corn supporting Dead Kennedys and Black Flag along with an international crew of indie bands.
Patrick: Congratz on that.
Lizzie: Thank you. it's all due to networking, admiring other band's work and genuinely supporting them. Stranded is one of the soundtrack numbers to my life lol.
Patrick: Stranded is addictive, it gets stuck in my head for days after I listen to it. , how do you see the music industry now days particularly for bands like yours? what are some of the biggest challenges you guys have faced?
Lizzie: Hmmmm. Well if you're in it for the money, you will be disappointed. Bands like us just play for the love of it. To get mainstream promotion you have to pay for it. Pay for articles. Pay for reviews. Pay for high-profile playlist placement. When you regularly play for free or for whatever the takings are at the door, there's not much left to pay for recording or merch, let alone the things I mentioned above...which get you a broader audience. Playing live gigs is the best part of it (meeting punters & venue owners/staff) - a challenge is not clashing with other events so that folks come support the little guys. If only a few people come then venues have little incentive to support indie bands.
Patrick: Exactly some bands / artists are struggled to even get a listen, people are just ignoring them that’s pretty much why I'm doing this, to give bands / artists an avenue to get their stories told and talk about how we can try and make the music scenes in Australia a better place!
Lizzie: Would u like me to send you some photos of the band?
Patrick: Yeah, sure.
Lizzie: Its peeps like you that give indies a little boost and thrill so thanks!
Patrick: No problem and cheers for that, I make music myself and noticed how hard it is to even get your stuff out there. If Kathleen Turner Overdrive could collaborate with any artist Live or dead past or present, who would it be and why?
Lizzie: Joe Strummer. He was a great man. Ethical. Talented. A genuinely caring human. He was also a spunk, train in vain is my favourite song of all time.
Patrick: Nice one, I think we could wrap it up now unless there is anything else you want to say, I’ve never done one of these with 2 people before I was getting confused at the start, but it will edit out ok.
Lizzie: Sounds good. lovely chatting with you Pat! thank you so much!
Patrick: Thanks, you're a champion!
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Email: KTO.kathleenturneroverdrive@gmail.com Web: https://linktr.ee/kto.kathleenturneroverdrive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicalrelics?mibextid=ZbWKwL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kto.kathleenturneroverdrive/ Spotify:
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@ktokathleenturneroverdrive5664 Bandcamp:
https://kathleenturneroverdrive.bandcamp.com/
SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/SBKZD Phone: Mark 0432060292.
Regards
Patrick. M
This is the first time I’ve listened to this band, and they remind me of all the punk bands from the 1970s. It’s nice to revisit that era. When Lizzie mentioned Pat Benatar and Blondie…I was sold! Great interview Patrick, as always. 🔥