Posted in Whathaveyou on July 3rd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
I guess someone on social media was giving Unida crap for touring without John Garcia? That seems like a pretty shitty thing to do, although I do think they need to do a record with the current lineup, or even an EP, maybe make a couple videos or some such to let people know what they’re about as they move to what they’re calling ‘Unida 2.0.’ But the band’s heart has long been guitarist Arthur Seay and drummer Miguel Cancino (see also House of Broken Promises), and after having their career short-circuited as it barely began, losing their frontman, reuniting a decade later, then kinda splitting again, that they’d want to move forward one way or the other at long last and be a real band is nothing to talk shit about.
So Unida, which is Seay, Cancino, bassist Collyn McCoy (Circle of Sighs, etc.) and vocalist Mark Sunshine (RiotGod), will tour Europe this Fall with support from Roadkillsoda, who are from Bucharest and will host Roadkill Fest on Oct. 24. A few days later, Unida will also hit Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Berlin and Dresden, as you can see below. Don’t talk shit on the internet. That’s not who you wanna be.
Dates:
This Fall Unida 2.0 (meaning the line-up from 2022+) joins forces with Roadkill Soda, hitting up Greece, the Balkans, Heavy Psych Sounds Fest, and more. This will see Unida presenting classic material, songs from the unreleased Great Divide (For the Working Man ) LP as well as road testing all new music slated for release in the not so distant future!!
Here we are and we are setting up the tour for 2023. We weren’t sure how frequently people would pop off references to John Garcia, Unida’s founding member and iconic vocalist, regarding his continuing absence. In 2022 we had to handle all manner of comments regarding the situation. Respectfully, our current scenario is one of a band having endured several dormant years and that simply wasn’t tolerable anymore. Any comments rehashing John Garcia’s absence will — for our desire to remain focused on the present — only be engaged by private message but will NOT be allowed to bloom into some back and forth hell-thread. We appreciate YOUR devotion, please respect OUR priorities.
EASTERN EUROPEAN TOUR – OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023 13.10 – KYTTARO LIVE, ATHENS [GR] * 14.10 – LAB ART, VOLOS [GR]* 15.10 – EIGHTBALL CLUB, THESSALONIKI [GR] * 16.10 – DOWNLOAD BAR, PLOVDIV [BG] 17.10 – SINGLES BAR, SOFIA [BG) 18.10 – ZAPPA BAZA, BEOGRAD (SRB] 19.10 – SKCNS FABRIKA, NOVI SAD [SRB] 20.10 – MOCVARA, ZAGREB [HR] 21.10 – CHANNEL ZERO, LJUBLJANA [SI] 22.10 – GODOR, BUDAPEST [HU] 24.10 – ROADKILL FEST, BUCHAREST [RO] 25.10 – FLYING CIRCUS, CLUJ NAPOCA [RO] 26.10 – PINK WHALE, BRATISLAVA [SK] 27.10 – HEAVY PSYCH FEST, BERLIN [DE] * 28.10 – HEAVY PSYCH FEST, DRESDEN [DE) * 29.10 – HYDROZAGADKA, WARSAW [PL] 30.10 – TBC, [PL] 01.11 – VIPER ROOM, VIENNA [AT] 02.11 – TBC, [DE] 03.11 – VORTEX, SIEGEN [DE] 04.11 – RARE GUITAR, MUNSTER [DE] * WITHOUT ROADKILL SODA
Posted in Reviews on September 8th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Pardon me if I bask in the convenience of this for a second. My entire adult life, and before that, even, I’ve traveled for shows. To New York, mostly, but also central and southern New Jersey, to Boston, to Connecticut, Wisconsin, California, Texas, to foreign countries, etc. I’ve never rolled out of the house and had a venue down the road.
Factory Records, which through a miracle of association was hosting Stöner and Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers for an intimate, limited-to-50-tickets show — even more incredibly, one that started at 8PM — is 17 minutes from my house by car. I can’t think of anything I’ve ever been to that’s been closer than that. Certainly not a show I was as interested in as this one. Even when I saw Brant Bjork almost exactly three years ago in Jersey (review here), that was further away.
And for context and my own future reference, this show was one night after watching Germany’s Rammstein alight Metlife Stadium in a spectacle largely incomparable in scale to other concerts. Surely, hopefully, there would be less fireworks in the Factory Records lounge.
It was my first time seeing Stöner, with the aforementioned Bjork on guitar and vocals, Nick Oliveri on bass/vocals and Ryan Güt on drums, which felt a little late, even considering. They’d been through with Clutch, toured into New York, etc., but I hadn’t made it. And realistically, I might’ve missed this one too were it not comparatively on my doorstep. In any case, after Stöner‘s two studio albums, 2021’s Stoners Rule (review here), earlier 2022’s Totally… (review here), and the 2021 livestream/live record, ‘Live in the Mojave Desert’ (review here) and Live in the Mojave Desert Vol. 4 (review here), that served as their introduction to audiences, I felt pretty secure in my expectation for what was coming, not the least because I’d also checked out a stream of the Chicago show on this tour.
That stream was my first exposure to Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers, who have been doing honors as the support act since this tour began in Brooklyn on Aug. 25. And even after watching that stream, somehow the potentiality for righteousness of having Mario Lalli — as legit as “desert rock legends” get, truly — on one flank of the stage and Brant Bjork — see previous aside — on the other had eluded me. But hot damn those were some jams. A quick iPad-as-keyboard intro, and off. I don’t know that it would work on a studio album, but with Sean Wheeler out front reminding the room that if you can’t hang with weirdo druggie poets you should get your ass out of the desert immediately, reading, semi-singing, gradually removing clothes, regularly crossing in front of the monitors that delineated where the crowd ended and the band began, it was a show for sure. Güt on drums like don’t even worry about it, Oliveri — who I last saw leaving blisters with Mondo Generator at Freak Valley Festival (review here) — doing some vocals but mostly just hanging out as a part of the thing, it was a jam vibe even if they clearly knew at least in part where they were headed, Lalli calling out the occasional change.
And moreover, it was suited to the room. Some hanging lights, pieces of fabric adorned the ceiling, oriental rugs on the floor — nobody fell that I saw — and records decorative on the wall to reinforce the notion of many more outside the lounge room waiting to be purchased, couches lining the walls and merch in back, the vibe fit. This show? It was BYOB. I felt like I could genuinely hang out in that room. Like, for an evening. At a show. I felt welcome and comfortable. I consider that a premium these days.
The power blew at one point during the Rubber Snake Charmers set, but it was a quick recovery and Wheeler held it down in the meantime. They played for about 40 minutes and amorphous groove, and were nothing less than a pleasure to behold. And one assumes that having all three members of Stöner on stage playing as part of the opener made the changeover that much easier as well. There was still a bit of a break, which seemed fair enough, but Oliveri introduced them quick — a formality; everyone there knew who they were — and they hit into “Rad Stays Rad” before unfurling all of Stoners Rule, not necessarily in order, but in full nonetheless. “The Older Kids,” “Own Yer Blues,” “Evel Never Dies,” “Stand Down,” “Nothin’,” and even “Tribe/Fly Girl” for a mellow comedown late in the set.
From Totally… there was “Party March,” “Strawberry Creek (Dirty Feet),” and “A Million Beers,” the last of which was made all the more driving thanks to Güt‘s work on drums, ghost notes on the snare, loose-looking swing, holding the bottom of the sticks and able to roll or punker-blast, whatever the song calls for. I’ve been lucky enough now to see Güt play a few times between Brant Bjork‘s solo band and now Stöner, and he’s one of those drummers you could watch all day. In the mellow rollout of “Tribe/Fly Girl” or in the Ramones cover “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.” — which I didn’t see coming but probably should have — it was the drums holding it all together and as locked in as one might expect Bjork and Oliveri to be for having been in bands together over the course of the last 30-plus years, Stöner wouldn’t be Stöner without Güt behind the kit anymore than they would without Oliveri‘s shouts or Bjork‘s ultra-Phil Lynott-style vocal patterning.
There was a new song — I didn’t catch the name and didn’t remember to ask Bjork after the show; it was called “No Brainer,” apparently (thanks Ian from The Heavy Co.) — or maybe two, and in addition to the Ramones, the three-piece took on two Kyuss tracks to close out, starting with “Gardenia,” Oliveri‘s bass fills there worth the price of admission for the entire night and whatever you wanted to spend on merch after, and ending with “Green Machine,” which hell fucking yes I was singing along to. See also “Rad Stays Rad,” “The Older Kids,” “A Million Beers,” and so on.
Because that’s kind of the point of Stöner as I understand it: to find that place where rock and punk are the same and to capture that moment when the songs seem to really become a part of you. They’re right in that it’s the provenance of teenagers — they’re not a full-on nostalgia trip, but their sound is stripped far enough down to be considered a return to roots — but eventually you keep going and someone’s gonna tell you to go ask the older kids. Maybe even the older kids themselves. They’re right up there on stage, swapping vocal lines in an almost conversational style, killing it as they’ve done for the last three decades.
For real, what a show. Even the dude in the Rammstein shirt — not me; mine went in the wash — seemed to be enjoying himself. My big takeaways, aside from the holy-shit-it’s-right-here nature of the night, were that Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers were awesome, that I’m glad Stöner are already moving forward with new material, and golly I hope Factory Records keeps doing shows. Even with that blink in the power, the place was very, very cool. I’ve already started thinking of bands I’d want to see play there. Could be good living. Legal weed in Jersey. Spot on the touring circuit between New York and Philadelphia.
Plus you could do like Güt and go snag some Blue Öyster Cult vinyl between sets. Intimate show, laid back crowd but clearly into it, and better sound than you’re probably thinking there was because it’s a record store. Charge more at the door, but hell, think of BYOB as the return on your investment if the concert itself isn’t. It was killer, and that spot, if they play it right, could really, really work as a destination for bands. Here’s hoping.
And I’m glad I waited to see Stöner, because this felt like a special gig in no small part because of the venue, but now that I’ve got the first one out of the way, next chance, I won’t hesitate.
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 8th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Stöner have divided listeners since their inception, from their name to their records, but there’s no question they’re out there working. From the moment it was remotely advisable to tour (and really before that too), the trio of Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri and Ryan Güt have been at it and the thread continues here. They’re in Europe now, will be back in the US for East Coast dates and now announce a first trip to Australia and New Zealand for October and November.
It’d never happen, but I have actual body parts I’d give up to go on this tour. Maybe not an arm, but at least three toes and the top half of an ear. Aus/NZ is the ultimate pipedream, as far as I’m concerned, and Stöner go even as Bjork has a new solo album coming and Oliveri has announced acoustic shows, so yes, getting out, making it work, doing the thing, hopefully pulling in some cash for practicalities like food and recording equipment and so on. Even better, going along are The Rubber Snake Charmers, which as per the poster includes Mario Lalli as well as desert-weirdo-poet Sean Wheeler in the lineup. Should be a party, which if you’re gonna do it is how it’s to be done.
Special heads up, too. They’ll stream their Sept. 1 gig from Reggies in Chicago like a good old pandemic-times wish-you-were-here treat for those unable to show up in person. I’ll take that happily, thank you.
From socials:
STÖNER – AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND !!!
STÖNER with The Rubber Snake Charmers featuring Sean Wheeler
Sat 29th October – Do The Pop Festival VIC Link: www.dothepop.com.au Sun 30th October – The Gasometer Hotel Melbourne Link: https://gasometer.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/6a3ea32e-8f95-4427-83d0-0dace0560346 Tues 01st November – Stoner Fest at Singing Bird Studios Frankston VIC Link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/stonerfest-w-stonerusa-mario-lalli-and-the-rubber-snake-charmers-more-tickets-391323447967 Wed 02nd November – Crown and Anchor Adelaide SA Link: https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/stoner-usa-/142125 Thurs 03rd November – La la las Wollongong NSW https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/stoner-usa-w-mario-lalli-and-the-rubber-snake-charmers-usa-full-tone-generator/142107 Fri 4th November – Crowbar Sydney NSW https://bit.ly/STONERSYD Sat 05th November – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse Gold Coast QLD Link: https://www.mosdesertclubhouse.com/events/aftermath-ii-gc Sun 06th November – Woolly Mammoth Brisbane QLD Link: https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/stoner-usa-/142363?previewId=2B474DC0-08A6-11ED-A7FD-AFAB7C127A4A Mon 07th November – The Basement Canberra ACT Link: https://thebasementcanberra.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/1b5aabb4-6f7f-47ed-9ef3-c847341cf9a0?preview=4a02289b-7262-41be-a817-20b3429be644 Wed 09th November – San Fran, Wellington NZ – ticket link https://bit.ly/StonerWgtn-Chch Thurs 10th November – 12 Bar – Christchurch NZ – ticket link https://bit.ly/StonerWgtn-Chch Fri 11th November- Tuning Fork – Auckland NZ – ticket link https://bit.ly/StonerAuckland canberra.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/1b5aabb4-6f7f-47ed-9ef3-c847341cf9a0?preview=4a02289b-7262-41be-a817-20b3429be644 Wed 09th November – San Fran, Wellington NZ – ticket link https://bit.ly/StonerWgtn-Chch Thurs 10th November – 12 Bar – Christchurch NZ – ticket link https://bit.ly/StonerWgtn-Chch Fri 11th November- Tuning Fork – Auckland NZ – ticket link https://bit.ly/StonerAuckland
ART BY : Stevie Gee!!!
STÖNER with special guest Mario Lalli & the Rubber Snake Charmers feat Sean Wheeler have announced a Global Livestream Sept,1 2022 at Reggies in Chicago! The concert will take place Sept 1, 2022 and will be avail on re-watch for 24 hours. Get tickets at https://www.zuma.live/event/50
STÖNER current European tour: 08.08.22 Treviso | Altroquando 10.08.22 Bruson | Palp Festival 11.08.22 Praia da Duna dos Caldeirões | Sonic Blast Moledo Festival 12.08.22 Kortrijk | Alcatraz Festival 13.08.22 Marienthal | Hoflärm Fest 14.08.22 Eindhoven | Effenaar-.-
STÖNER is: Brant Bjork – Guitars/Vocals Nick Oliveri – Bass Ryan Güt – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 26th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Stöner‘s end-of-summer schedule would seem to be taking shape, as they do a full round of festivals in Europe next month before returning to the US to hit the East Coast and Southwest. Neither tour is the longest the band has done, but fair enough as both are wrapped around festival appearances, with Muddy Roots in Tennessee and Monolith on the Mesa in New Mexico anchoring the lists of dates. The three-piece of Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri and Ryan Güt were among the multitudes this past weekend at RippleFest Texas 2022 as well, and they’ll continue to tour even as Bjork‘s new solo album, Bougainvillea Suite is set to arrive in October on Heavy Psych Sounds (info here). Busy busy busy. If you’re going to do a thing, do it.
I think I’d like to got to the Connecticut show. I put it in the calendar, and that’s the weekend after Psycho Las Vegas, but I haven’t caught Stöner yet, so if my drag-ass ass has yet recovered, I’ll give it a shot.
From social media:
STÖNER – Aug. & Sept. Tour
EAST COAST SOUTH WEST GO VAN GO VAN GO VAN GO!!!!
Thu 8/25 – Brooklyn, NY – Sovereign Fri 8/26 – Boston, MA – The Middle East (Sonia) Sat 8/27 – Jewett City, CT – Prost Bier and Music Hall Mon 8/29 – Philadelphia PA – King Fu Necktie Tue 8/30 – Youngstown, OH – Westside Bowl Wed 8/31 – Ferndale, MI – Magic Mag Thu 9/1 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Fri 9/2 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups Sat 9/3 – Indianapolis, IN – Melody Inn Sun 9/4 – Muddy Roots Festival Tues 9/6 – Virginia Beach – the Bunker
Wed 9/14 – Las Vegas – Soulbelly BBQ Thu 9/15 – Grand Junction – Mesa Theater Fri 9/16 – Denver – HQ Sat 9/17 – Taos NM – Taos Monolith on the Mesa Mon 9/19 Scottsdale AZ with Eyehategod Tue 9/20 – San Diego – Brick By Brick
Previously announced European tour: AUGUST (+ support TBA) 02.08.22 (ITA) Cagliari | CuevaRock Live 04.08.22 (GER) Stuttgart | Universum 05.08.22 (AUT) Innsbruck | p.m.k 06.08.22 (ITA) Monguelfo | Burning Park Festival 07.08.22 (ITA) Bologna | Freakout Club Festival 08.08.22 (ITA) Treviso | ALTROQUANDO 10.08.22 (CHE) Bruson | PALP festival 11.08.22 (POR) Moledo | SonicBlast Fest 12.08.22 (BEL) Kortrijk | ALCATRAZ MUSIC Festival 13.08.22 (GER) Marienthal | Hoflärm 2022 Festival 14.08.22 (NLD) Eindhoven | Effenaar
STÖNER is: Brant Bjork – Guitars/Vocals Nick Oliveri – Bass Ryan Güt – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 20th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Desert rock magnates Stöner are currently embroiled in a European tour as they make their way toward Desertfest Berlin in support of their newly-issued second album, Totally… (review here). And from the pics I’ve seen on social media, they’ve got Mario Lalli along selling merch/tour managing/being Mario Lalli, which is also awesome. Word comes down that they’ll continue to spend much of Summer 2022 abroad, doing a week of shows following their appearance at Hellfest in June before returning in August for SonicBlast in Portugal and a slew of others.
Seems like a lot of back and forth, but you can’t say they’re not out there hitting it for the record. They’ve already been on the road in the US alongside Clutch — twice, I think — and I wouldn’t be surprised if they came back in the Fall and did another American stint, which would likely include the East Coast since they did the West earlier in the year. Get yourself stöked. They’re doing the thing like punk rockers.
As seen on the internet:
STÖNER EUROPE SUMMER 2022
Hey friends,
the Stöner & Slomosa tour is still going strong and what a RAD ride it is. They got 11 more shows to rock, so go grab your tickets and see them absolutely killing it live!
For those of you who can’t get enough of Stöner (like we do…), we got something for ya!
What about a STÖNER FOLLOW UP SUMMER TOUR
The trio consisting of Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri and Ryan Gut in Stöner clearly don’t need an introduction anymore and you surely will read many familiar names when looking up their June toursupport’s line-up in Mario Lalli & the Rubber Snake Charmers:
Desert rock pioneer and curator of this project, Mario Lalli, and his likeminded friends Sean Wheeler, Brant Bjork, Dino Lalli and Ryan Güt will take you on a totally improvised sonic ride – heavy mediation on rhythms, drones and riffs – all anchored by Lalli’s grooving and morphing bass lines. They will take you on a shamans journey through sunbaked brains of these desert artists… a pure form of rock expression… DIG IT!
Sound of Liberation proudly presents: STÖNER + support – Europe 2022 tour
JUNE (+ support Mario Lalli & the Rubber Snake Charmers* ) 24.06.22 (FRA) Clisson | Hellfest Open Air Festival 26.06.22 (GER) Bremen | Zollkantine* 28.06.22 (SWE) Stockholm | Hus 7* 29.06.22 (SWE) Göteborg | Valand Nattklubb* 30.06.22 (SWE) Malmö | Plan B – malmö* 01.07.22 (NOR) Oslo | Rockefeller Oslo*
AUGUST (+ support TBA) 02.08.22 (ITA) Cagliari | CuevaRock Live 04.08.22 (GER) Stuttgart | Universum 05.08.22 (AUT) Innsbruck | p.m.k 06.08.22 (ITA) Monguelfo | Burning Park Festival 07.08.22 (ITA) Bologna | Freakout Club Festival 08.08.22 (ITA) Treviso | ALTROQUANDO 10.08.22 (CHE) Bruson | PALP festival 11.08.22 (POR) Moledo | SonicBlast Fest 12.08.22 (BEL) Kortrijk | ALCATRAZ MUSIC Festival 13.08.22 (GER) Marienthal | Hoflärm 2022 Festival 14.08.22 (NLD) Eindhoven | Effenaar
STÖNER is: Brant Bjork – Guitars/Vocals Nick Oliveri – Bass Ryan Güt – Drums
At some point between then and now, Stöner decided they were a real band. The Cali desert-dwelling three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Brant Bjork, bassist/vocalist Nick Oliveri and drummer Ryan Güt made their debut with the early-2021 livestream ‘Live in the Mojave Desert’ (review here), the audio for which was released that Spring as Live in the Mojave Desert Vol. 4 (review here) and followed by that Summer’s Stoners Rule (review here), on Heavy Psych Sounds. And if Stoners Rule was the trio testing the waters of their songwriting, renewing the decades-long, on-off collaboration between Bjork and Oliveri — whose pedigree probably doesn’t need to be recounted but between them includes Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator, solo work of various stripes and more besides — then they’re doing so was like an act of teenage graffiti sloppily spraypainting the words of its title on the outside wall of the local high school.
The second Stöner full-length, Totally…, also arrives through Heavy Psych Sounds and is the equivalent of the same ne’er-do-wells, perhaps while smoking out by the loading dock of the very same high school, asking if you want to go to a party. The pepperoni pizza on the cover — definitively cut as though the listener, perhaps if properly stöned, might reach in and grab a slice — is a flag bearing the hallmark of both generation and ethos. Oliveri and Bjork may or may not actually have been those kids, I don’t know, but they’re not at all trying to hide where they’re coming from as Totally… opens with “Party March,” which is essentially the two of them talking about different kinds of parties for a verse over a suitably marching riff and echoing chorus of “Party! Party!” before Oliveri, in a bit of honesty, mentions the voices in his head saying “march! march! march! march!”
It is the first of eight tracks on the 37-minute album, and it’s about three-quarters of a song. That sounds like I’m ragging on it, but I’m not, because it speaks to the entire philosophy of what Stöner does in stripping away all the parts of what Bjork and Oliveri do as songwriters — and I won’t minimize Güt‘s contributions here just because the dude wasn’t in Kyuss; he killed it on the first record and he holds these riffs together as only a classic swing drummer can — and rediscovering the feeling of writing songs about nothing more than partying, as on that opener and the subsequent “A Million Beers,” and whatever the heck is going on in “Space Dude & The Burn” or “Driving Miss Lazy.” There’s no pretense otherwise.
At a time when bands throughout the heavy underground are giving in on impulses to comment either about politics, the environment, a genuine plague, etc., Stöner instead find their comfort not through presenting their hot takes on social media or in their songs, but in a kind of hazy nostalgia. That’s not to say that “Stöner Theme” doesn’t have its confrontation with stigma — one is reminded of “Hey, Monkey Boy” from Bjork‘s 2003 album, Keep Your Cool, at least in the song’s construction — but even that’s relatively low stakes.
This was refreshing on Stoners Rule and it is here as well, and Totally… adds to the band’s dynamic in a way that skirts the issue of stagnation; certainly an underlying threat for a band trying to keep it simple across multiple releases. “A Million Beers” is a rager, but “Strawberry Creek (Dirty Feet)” is a mid-paced nodder that, like “Party March,” features vocals intertwining from both Oliveri and Bjork, and where the latter fronted most of the songs last time around, on Totally… that line is blurred somewhat, and so is the line of apparent sourcing in terms of who wrote what. Stöner, to repeat, have become a real band.
“Space Dude & The Burn” tops eight minutes and is the longest track on the album, stopping at two minutes in to riff out en route to Oliveri‘s declaration “We don’t really care what you think…” and the eventual beginning of the jam that will comprise the song’s middle third before they lock in one more groove to cap. It finds something of a mirror in album-closer “Great American Sage” as Bjork intones the hook that could also serve as a mission statement for the band, “Tell all the world/Every boy and girl/If it ain’t got soul/Then it ain’t no rock and roll.” An old sentiment, yeah, but that’s the point, and better said than Bob Seger.
Just two and a half minutes, “Stöner Theme” also provides an intro to side B similarly to “Party March” leading into “A Million Beers,” as its languid, purposefully sloppy unfolding gives over to the chug at the start of “Turn it Around Now,” an even-fuzzier, single-worthy mellow hook with Bjork out front and Oliveri backing in the chorus — less stage-ready-raucous and a bit longer at five minutes than even “Strawberry Creek (Dirty Feet)” let alone “A Million Beers,” but a good time in its own right — and the subsequent “Driving Miss Lazy” goes back to ground in giving both mic time over a riff that’s thick enough to make even a discerning listener blush. They’ll share duties one more time on “Great American Sage,” Güt complementing with cowbell here and there as they roll into the finale, which sounds improvised at least to some degree and becomes an appropriate mess of noise before it finally falls apart and leaves Oliveri to deliver the title-line in bluesy style. Soul, then, abounds.
The response to Stoners Rule was divided, at least from what I saw, and while some of this material feels like it was written specifically with touring in mind — i.e., written to be played live — I don’t think Totally… is trying to change anyone’s mind so much as brazenly, unrepentantly doing its own thing. If so inclined, one can read progression in the increase in shared vocals between Bjork and Oliveri, the fluidity of the changes throughout “Space Dude & The Burn” or “Turn it Around Now” or even “Great American Sage,” but doing so feels a bit like missing the point, and with a band so intentionally casual there’s no guarantee that any path one might come out of Totally… feeling like the band are on is going to hold over to the next LP.
So maybe, if you can (and if you can’t, that’s okay) shove all that shit to one side for half an hour or so and enjoy Stöner for what they are and what they represent. Grab a slice, stick your phone in your pocket for a bit, and hang out. If that is a vision of escapism from the various horrors of our day, you could do far, far worse. Party on.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 8th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
They’ve released a single today, and a butt-load of merch, but I can’t find the song streaming as I write this, so I’ll update when it shows up [EDIT: It’s there now.]. The track is “A Million Beers” and I found a live version of it to put at the bottom of the post from Stöner‘s stint alongside Clutch on that band’s holiday tour in December. “A Million Beers” starts at about six and a half minutes into that video and is a good match for “Stand Down” from the first album in terms of pace, with Nick Oliveri backing Brant Bjork‘s lead vocals. Keep it simple, keep it straightforward, keep it going. I admire this band’s ability so far to not take itself too seriously.
To wit, the pepperoni pizza album art of their new record, Totally…. Tells you a lot about what you’re getting here, I think, and I don’t know how you’d see that and say anything other than “right on” in response. It’s been a long time since I last tasted Californian pizza, but it looks about right.
I know people were divided on last year’s Stoners Rule (review here), and I get that. High expectations as Oliveri and Bjork collaborate on a new project along with drummer Ryan Güt, and they purposefully stripped down their sound to its barest elements. It should be interesting to see responses to this second album, especially without a live record like earlier 2021’s Live in the Mojave Desert Vol. 4 (review here) giving an early introduction of their new songs.
Info and preorder link from the PR wire; many tour dates included and probably more to come as the band was also just confirmed for Ripplefest Texas in July:
STÖNER – totally… – sophomore album of the desert rock super band
Today we are stoked to start the presale of the STONER sophomore new album TOTALLY…!!! The release will see the light May 6th on Heavy Psych Sounds !!!
RELEASED IN 25 ULTRA LTD TEST PRESS VINYL 100 ULTRA LTD SIDE A/SIDE B WHITE-BLACK-PINK VINYL 150 ULTRA LTD HALF/HALF SPLATTER TRANSPARENT YELLOW-TRANSPARENT ORANGE-RED SPLATTER VINYL 150 ULTRA LTD 3 COLOR STRIPED VINYL 250 ULTRA LTD COLOR IN COLOR SPLATTER VINYL LTD ORANGE VINYL BLACK VINYL DIGIPAK DIGITAL
RELEASE DATE: MAY 6th
TRACKLIST Party March A Million Beers Strawberry Creek (Dirty Feet) Spacedude & The Burn Stöner Theme Turn It Around Now Driving Miss Lazy Great American Sage
This is Epic! Half of the original members of Kyuss: the Lord of Coolness Brant Bjork himself, and the mighty Rex Everything AKA Nick Oliveri former of Queens of The Stone Age are ready to deliver you the album of the year 2022 !!!
The Dukes of the Desert are back with an incredible sophomore album: STÖNER – totally … is the perfect mix of Desert Swing, Stoner Rock, Desert Rock, and Low Punk all at once!
8 brand new tracks which will blow your mind, recorded by Yosef Sunborn who followed Brant in the last decade for his solo recordings. Mellow guitars, funky stoner rhythms, blousy atmospheres, typical Nick’s punky sounds.. the album flies away in one single listen and makes you want to play it again immediately. Cover art is Hilarious, as this band wants to be. Nothing too serious, they wanna play and have fun, that’s the recipe the Dukes are bringing us after 30 years of experience !!
Produced, recorded and mixed by Yoseph Sanborn and Stöner. Released by Heavy Psych Sounds Records. Guest appearances on guitar by Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks) and Mario Lalli (Yawning Man). Grab a slice, crank it, and catch the band on tour in ’22 in the US, Canada, UK and Europe.
STÖNER – WEST NORTH WEST TOUR 2022: 02.23 Costa Mesa CA The Wayfarer* 02.24 Santa Cruz CA Urbani’s Cellar* 02.25 Albany CA The Ivy Room* 02.26 Eugene OR The Big Dirty Live* 02.27 Portland OR Star Theater* 03.01 Seattle WA El Corazon* 03.02 Vancouver BC Rickshaw* 03.03 TBC BC* 03.04 Edmonton AB Starlite Room* 03.05 Calgary AB Palomino* 03.06 Missoula MT Badlander 03.08 Boise ID Neurolux 03.09 Salt Lake City UT Aces High 03.10 Las Vegas NV Soulbelly BBQ 03.11 Tempe AZ Pub Rock 03.12 Oceanside CA Pour House
STÖNER – APRIL & MAY 2022 UK & IRELAND TOUR : Fri 22 Apr : Monroes Live, Galway, Ire Sat 23 Apr : Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick, Ire Sun 24 Apr : Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ire Mon 25 Apr : Limelight 2, Belfast, UK Tue 26 Apr : Opium, Dublin, Ire Thu 28 Apr : The Garage, Glasgow, UK Fri 29 Apr : The Warehouse, Leeds, UK Mon 02 May : Academy 3, Manchester, UK Tue 03 May : The Mill, Birmingham, UK Wed 04 May : Thekla, Bristol, UK
STÖNER + support SLOMOSA Europe 2022 06.05.22 – TBA 07.05.22 – TBA 08.05.22 – Aachen / Musikbunker Aachen 09.05.22 – Hamburg / Knust Hamburg 10.05.22 – Luxemburg / Kulturfabrik Esch-sur-Alzette 11.05.22 – Belfort / La Poudrière – Belfort 12.05.22 – Paris / Nouveau Casino 13.05.22 – Toulouse / Connexion Live 14.05.22 – TBA 15.05.22 – Barcelona / Wolf Barcelona 17.05.22 – Duedingen / Bad Bonn 18.05.22 – Winterthur / Gaswerk 19.05.22 – Wien / ARENA WIEN 20.05.22 – Graz / p.p.c. 21.05.22 – Salzburg / Rockhouse Salzburg 22.05.22 – Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal Aschaffenburg 23.05.22 – Munich / Feierwerk 24.05.22 – Erlangen / Kulturzentrum E-Werk 25.05.22 – Dortmund / Musiktheater Piano 26.05.22 – Marburg / Kulturzentrum KFZ Marburg 27.05.22 – Dresden / Beatpol 29.05.22 – Berlin / Desertfest Berlin
STÖNER is: Brant Bjork – Guitars/Vocals Nick Oliveri – Bass Ryan Güt – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 31st, 2022 by JJ Koczan
This was foreseeable, but confirmation is welcome, and in keeping with the established pattern of Heavy Psych Sounds teasing announcements with announcements — you do what you gotta do, and if you want to question their methods, well, fine, but they’re arguably the most important heavy rock label in the world right now, so whatever they’re doing it’s clearly working for them — the PR wire sends word that Stöner, with Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri and drummer/secret weapon Ryan Güt, have re-signed to the imprint for the follow-up to their 2021 debut, Stoners Rule (review here).
When I interviewed Brant Bjork last year, he noted the goal was to turn around another release before the end of 2022, and with a slew of tour dates lined up on the West Coast and in Europe, it seems reasonable to think that a three-month promo push ahead of the outing will put the eventual release date sometime in April. Their Euro/UK run starts on April 22, which is a Friday. Galway sounds like a cool spot for a release show to me, but of course that’s just speculation at this point.
We’ll find out more next week when the preorders start and the album details and first single are unveiled.
Until then:
HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS signed the desert rock legends for the sophomore album – presale + first track premiere February 8th!!!
We are so stoked to announce that the desert legends STÖNER feat. Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri has signed a worldwide deal with Heavy Psych Sounds for their sophomore album !!!
PRESALE + first track premiere: FEBRUARY 8th
Rad stays rad. A few ideas are timeless. Stöner is Brant Bjork (guitar/vocals), Nick Oliveri (bass/vocals) and Ryan Güt (drums), and from flowing jams to all-out punker blasts, they know what they’re doing. It ain’t anybody’s first time at the dance, and you don’t call your band Stöner if you’ve never heard the word before. Stöner, however straight-ahead their moniker, encompass varied styles and the songwriting of Bjork and Oliveri – both founders of Kyuss, also Mondo Generator, Ché, Fu Manchu, Bloodcot, and more between them. Atop the classic-style swing and flow from Güt (also of Bjork’s solo band), Stöner keep it casual and wear the name as only those who helped create the sound could.
After the debut album Stoners Rule out in 2021, the band will release the sophomore album in 2022 via Heavy Psych Sounds !!!
STÖNER – WEST NORTH WEST TOUR 2022: 02.23 Costa Mesa CA The Wayfarer* 02.24 Santa Cruz CA Urbani’s Cellar* 02.25 Albany CA The Ivy Room* 02.26 Eugene OR The Big Dirty Live* 02.27 Portland OR Star Theater* 03.01 Seattle WA El Corazon* 03.02 Vancouver BC Rickshaw* 03.03 TBC BC* 03.04 Edmonton AB Starlite Room* 03.05 Calgary AB Palomino* 03.06 Missoula MT Badlander 03.08 Boise ID Neurolux 03.09 Salt Lake City UT Aces High 03.10 Las Vegas NV Soulbelly BBQ 03.11 Tempe AZ Pub Rock 03.12 Oceanside CA Pour House
STÖNER – APRIL & MAY 2022 UK & IRELAND TOUR : Fri 22 Apr : Monroes Live, Galway, Ire Sat 23 Apr : Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick, Ire Sun 24 Apr : Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ire Mon 25 Apr : Limelight 2, Belfast, UK Tue 26 Apr : Opium, Dublin, Ire Thu 28 Apr : The Garage, Glasgow, UK Fri 29 Apr : The Warehouse, Leeds, UK Mon 02 May : Academy 3, Manchester, UK Tue 03 May : The Mill, Birmingham, UK Wed 04 May : Thekla, Bristol, UK
STÖNER + support SLOMOSA Europe 2022 06.05.22 – TBA 07.05.22 – TBA 08.05.22 – Aachen / Musikbunker Aachen 09.05.22 – Hamburg / Knust Hamburg 10.05.22 – Luxemburg / Kulturfabrik Esch-sur-Alzette 11.05.22 – Belfort / La Poudrière – Belfort 12.05.22 – Paris / Nouveau Casino 13.05.22 – Toulouse / Connexion Live 14.05.22 – TBA 15.05.22 – Barcelona / Wolf Barcelona 17.05.22 – Duedingen / Bad Bonn 18.05.22 – Winterthur / Gaswerk 19.05.22 – Wien / ARENA WIEN 20.05.22 – Graz / p.p.c. 21.05.22 – Salzburg / Rockhouse Salzburg 22.05.22 – Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal Aschaffenburg 23.05.22 – Munich / Feierwerk 24.05.22 – Erlangen / Kulturzentrum E-Werk 25.05.22 – Dortmund / Musiktheater Piano 26.05.22 – Marburg / Kulturzentrum KFZ Marburg 27.05.22 – Dresden / Beatpol 29.05.22 – Berlin / Desertfest Berlin
STÖNER is: Brant Bjork – Guitars/Vocals Nick Oliveri – Bass Ryan Güt – Drums
