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Where to Start: The Desert Scene

What a question. Understand, I’m not talking about a grouping based on sound. I mean bands from the desert in California. It’s a limited bunch of musicians, centered around a few interconnected acts that have had a tremendous impact on stoner rock the world over. Although I think they’ve made some of the most important contributions to the genre, I’m including no outside bands here. It’s all about location.

Five bands  you need to know, and which album to get. Here goes:

1. Yawning Man: Most often credited as originators of the desert scene, an instrumental trio with Gary Arce, Mario Lalli (also Fatso Jetson) and Alfredo Hernandez (also Kyuss). Their new album, Nomadic Pursuits (review here), is fantastic and a great display of the influence they’ve had on those who’ve followed them, but recommendations for 2005’s Rock Formations are valid.

2. Kyuss: They’re the hallmark act of stoner rock, with import not just limited to the bands former members have launched (Queens of the Stone Age, Unida, Slo Burn, Brant Bjork, Mondo Generator, etc.). Welcome to Sky Valley is an all-time classic. As necessary as oxygen.

3. Fatso Jetson: Mario Lalli (also Yawning Man) started this band with cousin Larry Lalli and drummer Tony Tornay to express a love of early ’80s hardcore, and have kept that as a root to this day. Start with their first album, Stinky Little Gods on Greg Ginn‘s SST label.

4. Brant Bjork: The former Kyuss and Fu Manchu drummer is a key player in desert rock. His first album, Jalamanta (1999) is probably the single best interpretation of the genre, and intimate records like Local Angel and the acoustic Tres Dias have more personality in one song than most bands do in a career.

5. Masters of Reality: Chris Goss, in addition to being the producer of Kyuss‘ finest work and numerous other bands, is a songwriting genius. 2001’s Deep in the Hole is a masterpiece that blends pop bliss and heavy tonality. Some will recommend their earliest albums and be wrong for doing so.

That should get your exploration going. I could just as easily recommend Brant Bjork‘s ChĂ© project, or Unida‘s unreleased album, but I think these are easy to come by, the obvious picks, and the way to go if you’re just getting acquainted with the music. Goatsnake has some elements of this sound, and vocalist Pete Stahl‘s involvement with Fred Drake‘s earthlings? and the mellowness of Orquesta del Desierto make him a figure in the scene, but neither act is a great place to start.

If you find you’ve heard this stuff already and you’re craving more, there’s the first Queens of the Stone Age album, Fred Drake‘s solo material, the several Desert Sessions releases, Yawning Sons and Gary Arce‘s numerous other projects and collaborations to be had, and of course, the thousands of bands from elsewhere in the world influenced by these acts.

If you’re reading this and you have any suggestions, hit up the comments. I’d love to know about any lost gems or contrary opinions.

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6 Responses to “Where to Start: The Desert Scene”

  1. Gaia says:

    Man I am loving these where to start features. Have only heard of Masters of Reality so may have to get on it!

  2. PostmanDan says:

    Not the most influencial album, but often overlooked, Gossamer by the band Solarfeast has definite ties to the Palm Desert area. Tony Tornay on drums and produced by Brant Bjork. Released on Camino Records 1995. Also, Earthlings? featuring Dave Catching, Fred Drake , and Pete Stahl are another notable mention based out of Joshua Tree, California.

  3. UKGuy says:

    Thanks for the heads-up about Yawning Man. Downloaded the new one and had it on 10 times this morning already. Marvellous, thanks again!

    Saw Brant Bjork live (for first time) in local venue last week – also marvellous!

  4. Gaia says:

    Oh, any chance of you doing a Wino where to start one? I only have about several tracks of his which I really dig but I’m not too sure which album to begin with. Cheers!

  5. UKGuy says:

    Gaia, for what it is worth here’s my top 5 recommendations re Wino:

    > “The Last Embrace” Spirit Caravan. Their two albums (1999, 2001) + extras. No nonsense doomed stoner. Wino does most vocals and all guitar, I think. I could listen to Black Flower all fucking day. Hell, gonna put it on right now.

    > “The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote” 2007) The Hidden Hand. Psychadelic doom I suppose. Really intense. Vocals either Wino or Bruce Kaulinburg (bass). If you want an even more intense psychadelic experience, “Mother Teacher Destroyer” (2004) is fabulous also. MTD is also great to shag to!

    > “Punctuated Equilibrium” Wino (2009). The guitar on this blows me away. More doom but with variation in vibe, some more stoner, some more Motorhead-esque, some slooooow doom. A couple of neat instrumentals too. Great showcase for Wino’s guitar wizardry.

    > “Shrinebuilder” Shrinebuilder (2009). Wino + Al (Sleep) + Scott (Neuorsis) + Dale (Melvins). Great to hear Wino’s guitar and vocals stretched by the other killer musicians. Very trippy and meditative, in a doomed way.

    > “Live” Saint Vitus (1989). Perfect place to start with this classic no-frills doom and Wino’s gravely vocals. I had it on this morning over and over and over! Wino only does vocals on this from what I can tell, so if you want specifically Wino guitar wizardry, probably pass on this (and Saint Vitus albums generally).

    If you’re more into thumping doom, perhaps the Place of Skulls – I like it but prefer to hear Wino’s guitar in a more trippy context. To my shame, I’m not so familiar with The Obsessed, and I can’t find “The Church Within” for even a vaguely sensible price (or, dare I say it, download [legal]) anywhere.

    I’m crap with descriptions but hope it is helpful nonetheless. If you picked a Wino-related album randomly from the last 25 years, you probably won’t be disappeared although those from the 00s have been particularly awesome.

  6. Gaia says:

    UKGuy hey man thanks a bunch! That’s some excellent recommendations, and I’ll hopefully get on them soon enough! In fact and I know about shrinebuilder well, I actually posted about Shrinebuilder on the blog I write for, it is what kinda made me feel guilty in that I don’t know much on Wino. Anyway Cheers!

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