Joey Walker

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Joey Walker, born Joseph William Quinn Walker on October 11, 1988, is an Australian musician best known as the lead guitarist of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. He also performs solo as Bullant and has been part of the electronic duo Trumpdisco (now SUB-human) and the indie band Love Migrate.

Early life and beginnings
Walker grew up in Northern Australia, spending his youth in Darwin, Kununurra, and Alice Springs. He was drawn to Indigenous rock bands like Yothu Yindi and Warumpi Band, and even saw them perform at the Stompen Ground festival in 1992. As a teenager he discovered bands like Tool and Yes, which helped shape his interest in progressive rock. He later moved to Melbourne and, in high school, met Alex Braithwaite. The two started making electronic music together, inspired by UK drum and bass, and formed Trumpdisco. Their early track “Supermassive” (a Muse remix) brought them some international attention.

King Gizzard and other projects
Walker’s main musical focus shifted as King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard began to take off. While studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, he met Stu Mackenzie and Eric Moore. The three started an informal jam group in 2010 that grew into King Gizzard. The band released music on Flightless Records, including the Willoughby’s Beach EP in 2011 and the 12 Bar Bruise album in 2012.

Bullant and solo work
In 2014 Walker began releasing solo electronic work under the name Bullant, starting with material on SoundCloud. He teased a full Bullant album in 2019. In December 2019 he released the single “The Simpsons Suck Now” and followed with “XHamster Invoice” in January 2020. Bullant’s debut album, Tyson, Crying, came out January 31, 2020. The album showed Walker’s ability to explore electronic music beyond his guitar work.

More releases and recent activity
Walker continued to release music under PHC Films and Flightless, putting out EPs like German People (2020) and Sensitive Crap Opera, plus singles such as “Irukandji,” “High Rivals” (2021), and various remixes connected to projects like Butterfly 3001. In 2023 he released new Bullant material, including the singles “Rove” and “3AW,” and an EP titled U Wunda. He announced and released the Bullant album Late Life Circ in 2023, with multiple singles leading up to it, including “Perfect shelving technique,” “Clown From Two Towns Over,” and “Tiny Bad Boy,” all featuring artwork by Amy Taylor.

Personal life
Walker lives in Reservoir, Victoria, where many King Gizzard tracks were recorded. His sister Bella Walker performed with Love Migrate and contributed to King Gizzard’s track “Minimum Brain Size.” Bella also does color grading for some King Gizzard videos. Joey Walker is in a relationship with Edith Kenny-Smith, the sister of Ambrose Kenny-Smith, a fellow King Gizzard member.

Bands and projects
- King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard (lead guitarist)
- Trumpdisco (electronic duo; now SUB-human)
- Love Migrate (indie rock)
- Bullant (solo electronic project)