Astroturf as a product was invented in 1965. As stated on the manufacturer’s website, it was the result of the US Army noting a gap in health between urban and rural soldiers, which they attributed to a lack of green spaces in American cities. Their answer was to fund the company Monsanto to create synthetic grass that would be better than concrete. A year after its creation, the Houston Astrodome installed the product (then known as ChemGrass) onto their field, where it gained its recognizable name. Since then, the product has gained a particular reputation. The term “astroturfing” became a way to call out non-grassroots movements, pushing their artificial nature into the spotlight. The tactics used to astroturf range from sockpuppet accounts to funding groups and pundits to manufacture a movement out of nothing. Since 1965, the product and the concept have changed our society — but on Changes King Gizzard takes a different approach.
On the appropriately named “Astroturf,” with a funky instrumental, the band details humanity’s attempts to get rid of the natural world and to change those spaces to artificial ones. On top of the destruction of land, the lyrics also depict our adoption of single-use plastics for “better business”, and our resentment for non-human beings through lines about plugging wormholes and walking on lawns with the knowledge that no animal would ever be there. The choruses focus on the thoughts of a butterfly unable to complete its life cycle due to the lack of a natural environment. Haunting theremin-like synths, a groovy bassline, an infectious drum beat, a long solo section on the back end of the track, and chord changes heavily adapted from “Change” make “Astroturf” a standout moment on Changes.

In the documentary Sleeping Monster, we get to hear a demo of “Astroturf” with a noticeably different groove reminiscent of a reggaeton beat. It also features a unique lead melody on keys, although it keeps the unique three-note breakdown. This demo also appeared in promotional material for Sleeping Monster. The first mention of the song in the public eye was all the way back on August 28th, 2021 while promoting the video for “Ya Love.” A post showcasing screenshots of the video was captioned “6 butterflies fluttered by; looked horrified” — the first line of the chorus. The song was performed by Stu (bass/vocals/Mellotron/organ/Wurlitzer/synthesizer/keyboards/flute), Cavs (drums), Ambrose (keyboards/saxophone/vocals/percussion) and Joey (synthesizer/guitar).
“Astroturf” was released as the third track on Changes on October 28th, 2022.