Melbourne-based '70s rock-inspired punk four-piece Amyl & the Sniffers emerged in the late 2010s as part of a new wave of punk from Australia's East Coast. Sporting a diverse range of mullets and a lawless attitude, the band soon created a buzz around the unruly energy of their live shows. The combined release of their first two EPs further ensured the group were one of the most hotly tipped antipodean acts of 2018.
The band's origins lie in the bedroom recording sessions of housemates Amy Taylor (vocals), Bryce Wilson (drums), Dec Martens (guitar), and Gus Romer (bass). Taking their cue from an unlikely set of influences AC/DC, Cosmic Psychos, Dolly Parton, and Die Antwoord they huddled together in Taylor's room to write, record, mix, and release their debut EP Giddy Up in 12 hours. That 2016 debut EP was followed up in 2017 with the self-released Big Attraction EP which featured "I'm Not a Loser." The track was illustrative of the band's instinct for a killer hook and demonstrated their low-rent charm and snotty sense of humor.
While steadily gathering an infamous live reputation, Amyl & the Sniffers began to secure slots at festivals like Bigsound in Brisbane, Meredith, and CherryRock17. Following such successes in their native Australia, word began to spread leading to interest from British and American labels. In the States, Burger Records put out Big Attraction on cassette, and the in the U.K., Damaged Goods combined their first two EPs for release on 12" vinyl in 2018. That same year the band embarked on their first headline U.K. tour and hit the road in support of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard across America before signing to Rough Trade.