Ophidian
07-02-2004, 04:16 PM
Kyuss - [Welcome to] Sky Valley
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f734/f73473zmoj4.jpg
Label: Elektra/Asylum Records
Original Release Date: June 28, 1994
Tracklisting:
1. Gardenia > Asteroid > Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop - 17:46
2. 100 (degrees) > Space Cadet > Demon Cleaner - 14:50
3. Odyssey > Conan Troutman > N.O. > Whitewater - 18:19
4. Lick Doo - 0:58
Lineup:
John Garcia - Vocals
Josh Homme - Guitars
Brant Bjork - Drums
Scott Reeder - Bass (picture of him under my name)
Background:
Four high school guys in Palm Desert, California, an arid town just outside of Los Angles formed Kyuss (pronounced Kai - uss) in 1990 after playing in various groups together. They recorded their first CD called Sons of Kyuss which was originally a self titled album, but they decided to shorten their name. Their influences include Danzig, The Melvins, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and Mario Lalli's old band Across the River. But they are all big fans of many old-style punk bands like The Cramps and Bad Brains. But they wanted to make music because they felt they could do somethin different with it. They honed their skills playing live, but the area was lacking of any kind of music scene. So they played what came to be known as "generator parties" in which they hauled all their instruments out to the surrounding desert and plugged into a portable generator. They became a local attraction and ended up declining an offer from MTV to record one of the events.
They were signed to the minor label Chameleon and released their first full-length album Wretch. Wretch failed to truly capture the monolithic sound of the band and it wasn't until 1992's landmark effort Blues for the Red Sun that it was harnessed and etched onto wax. With Chris Goss (Masters of Reality) behind the production board, the band cut a 50 minute 39 second slab of down-tuned, thick-riffing, punk-influenced, psychedelic-euphoria that, fortunately, went rather undetected by the masses. However, it managed to gain them many worthy fans, such as Dave Grohl (Nirvana) and James Hetfield (Metallica). The album is still considered by many to be the flagship album of the Stoner Rock scene, also referred to as Desert, Doom, Sludge, etc. in various sub-genres.
1994 saw the amicable departure of long-time bassist Nick Oliveri who was replaced by fellow desert rat, Scott Reeder (The Obsessed, Across the River), as well as the transition to a major label. Their third full-length release, [Welcome to] Sky Valley (It was intended to be a self-titled release, as it was the major-label debut, but fans stuck to using the road sign seen in the cover art) was their response to single oriented rock. They produced a four track, fifty two minute album that was really an 11 track album with the simple instructions printed in the linear notes: "listen without distraction". Again, with producer and friend Chris Goss, they birthed "the symphony of the desert" with layers upon layers of thunderous guitar and bass work, Brant's phenomenal drumming and John Garcia's rather signature touch.
Standout tracks include the misleadingly titled, powerful "Gardenia", the spacey "Demon Cleaner" which was eventually covered by Tool, and the jam-driven, heavy-as-hell "Whitewater". The album nearly seamlessly morphs from song to song, making the album a worthwile trip in full. Brant's songwriting really shines on tracks like "Gardenia", but sadly this was his final effort on the kit for Kyuss, he left shortly after completing his parts to persue his personal musical excusions. This album landed them a spot on tour with Metallica due to James Hetfield's like of the band, although they still remain rather unknown today.
Sounds Like: Soundgarden, Tool, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Fu Manchu, Blue Cheer and Black Flag all mixed together
MP3: Check out an instrumental cut from 'Blues for the Red Sun' called 'Apothecarie's Weight' here (http://http://www.stonerrock.com/store/info.asp?item_num=ATH-553)
Full Discography:
1990 - Sons of Kyuss (independent)
1991 - Wretch (Chameleon)
1992 - Blues for the Red Sun (Chameleon)
1994 - [Welcome to] Sky Valley (Elektra/Asylum)
1995 - ...And the Circus Leaves Town (Elektra/Asylum)
1997 - Split EP with Queens of the Stone Age (Man's Ruin)
2000 - Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss (Elektra/Asylum)
[really just a collection of b-sides and rarities]
And of course the many other bands they have been/are in:
Queens of the Stone Age
Mondo Generator
Unida
Hermano
Slo Burn
The Desert Sessions
Che
Fu Manchu
Nebula
The Dwarves
Tool
Bottom Line: This is the heaviest band I have heard - period. Even after being a devout metalhead for five years now, these guys are the epitome of heavy to me. Revolver Magazine agrees: Kyuss was voted Sixth in their list of the Fifty Heaviest Bands Ever. They prove that heavy is not just a sound but an attitude. I won't give it a number rating here because I feel it does not suffice. Just know that this album is by far one of my favorites and will continue to be so. Don't write them off if you're not a fan of QOSTA, it's like not liking The Beatles because you thought Paul McCartney's Wings sucked or that you don't like early Metallica because of 'Load'. Not to say QOTSA is bad...but just completely different.
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f734/f73473zmoj4.jpg
Label: Elektra/Asylum Records
Original Release Date: June 28, 1994
Tracklisting:
1. Gardenia > Asteroid > Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop - 17:46
2. 100 (degrees) > Space Cadet > Demon Cleaner - 14:50
3. Odyssey > Conan Troutman > N.O. > Whitewater - 18:19
4. Lick Doo - 0:58
Lineup:
John Garcia - Vocals
Josh Homme - Guitars
Brant Bjork - Drums
Scott Reeder - Bass (picture of him under my name)
Background:
Four high school guys in Palm Desert, California, an arid town just outside of Los Angles formed Kyuss (pronounced Kai - uss) in 1990 after playing in various groups together. They recorded their first CD called Sons of Kyuss which was originally a self titled album, but they decided to shorten their name. Their influences include Danzig, The Melvins, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and Mario Lalli's old band Across the River. But they are all big fans of many old-style punk bands like The Cramps and Bad Brains. But they wanted to make music because they felt they could do somethin different with it. They honed their skills playing live, but the area was lacking of any kind of music scene. So they played what came to be known as "generator parties" in which they hauled all their instruments out to the surrounding desert and plugged into a portable generator. They became a local attraction and ended up declining an offer from MTV to record one of the events.
They were signed to the minor label Chameleon and released their first full-length album Wretch. Wretch failed to truly capture the monolithic sound of the band and it wasn't until 1992's landmark effort Blues for the Red Sun that it was harnessed and etched onto wax. With Chris Goss (Masters of Reality) behind the production board, the band cut a 50 minute 39 second slab of down-tuned, thick-riffing, punk-influenced, psychedelic-euphoria that, fortunately, went rather undetected by the masses. However, it managed to gain them many worthy fans, such as Dave Grohl (Nirvana) and James Hetfield (Metallica). The album is still considered by many to be the flagship album of the Stoner Rock scene, also referred to as Desert, Doom, Sludge, etc. in various sub-genres.
1994 saw the amicable departure of long-time bassist Nick Oliveri who was replaced by fellow desert rat, Scott Reeder (The Obsessed, Across the River), as well as the transition to a major label. Their third full-length release, [Welcome to] Sky Valley (It was intended to be a self-titled release, as it was the major-label debut, but fans stuck to using the road sign seen in the cover art) was their response to single oriented rock. They produced a four track, fifty two minute album that was really an 11 track album with the simple instructions printed in the linear notes: "listen without distraction". Again, with producer and friend Chris Goss, they birthed "the symphony of the desert" with layers upon layers of thunderous guitar and bass work, Brant's phenomenal drumming and John Garcia's rather signature touch.
Standout tracks include the misleadingly titled, powerful "Gardenia", the spacey "Demon Cleaner" which was eventually covered by Tool, and the jam-driven, heavy-as-hell "Whitewater". The album nearly seamlessly morphs from song to song, making the album a worthwile trip in full. Brant's songwriting really shines on tracks like "Gardenia", but sadly this was his final effort on the kit for Kyuss, he left shortly after completing his parts to persue his personal musical excusions. This album landed them a spot on tour with Metallica due to James Hetfield's like of the band, although they still remain rather unknown today.
Sounds Like: Soundgarden, Tool, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Fu Manchu, Blue Cheer and Black Flag all mixed together
MP3: Check out an instrumental cut from 'Blues for the Red Sun' called 'Apothecarie's Weight' here (http://http://www.stonerrock.com/store/info.asp?item_num=ATH-553)
Full Discography:
1990 - Sons of Kyuss (independent)
1991 - Wretch (Chameleon)
1992 - Blues for the Red Sun (Chameleon)
1994 - [Welcome to] Sky Valley (Elektra/Asylum)
1995 - ...And the Circus Leaves Town (Elektra/Asylum)
1997 - Split EP with Queens of the Stone Age (Man's Ruin)
2000 - Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss (Elektra/Asylum)
[really just a collection of b-sides and rarities]
And of course the many other bands they have been/are in:
Queens of the Stone Age
Mondo Generator
Unida
Hermano
Slo Burn
The Desert Sessions
Che
Fu Manchu
Nebula
The Dwarves
Tool
Bottom Line: This is the heaviest band I have heard - period. Even after being a devout metalhead for five years now, these guys are the epitome of heavy to me. Revolver Magazine agrees: Kyuss was voted Sixth in their list of the Fifty Heaviest Bands Ever. They prove that heavy is not just a sound but an attitude. I won't give it a number rating here because I feel it does not suffice. Just know that this album is by far one of my favorites and will continue to be so. Don't write them off if you're not a fan of QOSTA, it's like not liking The Beatles because you thought Paul McCartney's Wings sucked or that you don't like early Metallica because of 'Load'. Not to say QOTSA is bad...but just completely different.