Masters of Reality, Deep in the Hole (2001)

Who could argue? Led by Chris Goss, founder of Masters of Reality, and producer of not only their own landmark output but also records by Kyuss, Fatso Jetson, Queens of the Stone Age, etc., 2001’s Deep in the Hole offered some of the catchiest, most immediately memorable fare ever to come from American heavy rock. Ever. Yes, I mean it. Ever. Goss‘ love of classic rock — need we mention that Ginger Baker played on 1993’s Sunrise on the Sufferbus? — and particularly The Beatles showed itself throughout the record in some of the poppy turns and its strong hooks, but tonally it was of the desert all the way through, and the list of guest reads like a Desert Sessions roster: Josh Homme, Dave Catching, Nick Oliveri, Roxy Saint, Troy Van Leeuwen, among others. Goss himself is the focal point, however, his vocals and guitar front and center throughout, guiding the record in classic form. Its blend of influences and stylistic pulse hit at just the right moment to capture an atmosphere of what post-Kyuss desert rock could be all grown up.

And I guess I’m breaking it out to close the week because it’s summer, or close enough to it. Deep in the Hole, with its bright guitar, sing-along choruses in “Third Man on the Moon,” “A Wish for a Fish,” “High Noon Amsterdam” and the title-track, among others, has always been a warmer-weather record in my mind, so with the sun out and the sky blue, it seems as fitting a time as any to break this one out. I hope you enjoy it.

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Kind of dragging ass owing to no caffeine, poor sleep, general stress, and so on, but before I get into any of that, I want to send extreme thanks to Diane Farris aka Diane Kamikaze for having me on her show yesterday at 91.1 WFMU in Jersey City, NJ, for a recap of this year’s Roadburn. If you didn’t get to hear it, please check it out here: http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/60608

It was great to be on FMU for the second time, and of course awesome to talk about music with Diane and to relive some choice Roadburn memories. I had Enslaved twice in the playlist. I professed my love for Anathema. It was a good time.

After that, en route to lunch with Slevin, whom I’d not actually seen in far too long, my car started to overheat four separate times, so I had to pull off to the side of the road and let the engine cool for a while. It kept doing it later, so my car’s in the shop and I’m waiting to hear from them, and I’m still in New Jersey when I was supposed to leave yesterday evening. Not sure when or how I’ll be getting out of here and heading back north, first to Connecticut, then to Massachusetts, but whatever. I’ll figure it out. After the Kings Destroy show Tuesday, family time Wednesday, FMU and vehicular drama yesterday and a full day today, I’m too exhausted to care. Any one of those things would’ve been enough for one week on its own. This week was like three weeks rolled into one. I feel like a grindcore snare drum.

This week coming is that other job interview. Not sure exactly when that will be, but somewhere in there. I’ve got new stuff coming from Plainride, Closet Disco Queen and maybe Hosoi Bros. if I can actually get two seconds to answer an email, and reviews of Cherry Choke, My Sleeping Karma, and if there’s time, Goatsnake. We’ll see if I get there.

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading. Please check out the forum and radio stream.

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