Frenzal Rhomb is an Australian punk band that formed in 1991, based in the city of Sydney. The band's current lineup is Jason Whalley (vocals), Lindsay McDougall (guitar), Tom Crease (bass) and Gordy Foreman (drums). McDougall is also responsible for Rock Against Howard, a compilation by Australian musicians against John Howard's government.
In 1994 the band entered the University of Sydney band competition where it placed second.
They are named after Whalley's pet rat, who in turn was named after a light refracting box called the Fresnel Rhomb.
After touring as the support act while American punk bands The Offspring, Bad Religion and Blink-182 were in Australia, the group released their first album, 1995's Coughing Up a Storm. Retitled Once a Jolly Swagman Always a Jolly Swagman, the album was issued on America's Liberation label two years later. Fat Mike, owner of Fat Wreck Chords and member of NOFX, got his hands on a copy of this album when NOFX toured with Frenzal in 1996. Impressed with what he heard, he asked the band if they wanted to release something on his label. Frenzal accepted this invitation and soon became one of the biggest independent Australian bands with the release of their second album Not So Tough Now. After headlining the Australian leg of the 1998 Vans Warped Tour (and being recruited for the American edition as well), the group released their third album, Meet the Family.
The boys caused a stir in the world of Australian commercial radio in July 2004 when they were threatened to be "buried" by commercial station 2Day FM, after an incident involving the band and 2Day FM presenter Jackie O at a Darwin all day concert. Jackie O was booked to have a minor role in the event but was nine hours late due to problems with transportation. While she wanted to use some of Frenzal's set time to speak to the audience the band was less than enthusiastic about losing some of their time and played over top of her. In a thin skinned and ill-advised response, Jackie O and her co-presenter, Kyle Sandilands (owner of one of Australia's leading record labels) called Jay while on air to demand an apology. The generally accepted conclusion to the vitriolic exchange was that Jay was articulate and lucid while Kyle and Jackie O were shrill and precious. Indeed, Australia's Media Watch program covered the exchange and raised further issues about the conduct of the Kyle and Jackie O. Part of Jason's point was that the station has never played Frenzal Rhomb in the past, as they (and commercial radio in general) concentrate on artists from whom they can make fast, short-term profits (such as contestants of Popstars and Australian Idol).