Posted in Whathaveyou on June 25th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
I’d love to sit here and opine at some length about the career path of Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and even at this point Ryan Güt — who’s been with Bjork through solo stuff, the Stöner trio with Nick Oliveri and is now part of Brant Bjork Trio; no slouch on contribution through this stretch even if he’s the dude in the band without the middle-name “desert legend,” is what I’m saying — but fact is I’m also in the desert, in Arizona, headed to the Grand Canyon. It ain’t California sands, Palm Springs, generator parties, but hell, it’s closer than New Jersey, where I’ll fly back to the day after tomorrow.
So, light on time, especially as The Patient Mrs. is giving me the wrap-it-up sign and I await the kick-in of the gummy that’s going to let me live aneurysm-free through this morning dealing with our daughter — who has outdone even her own high standards of pain in the ass on this trip — but happy to post word of Brant Bjork Trio‘s Once Upon a Time in the Desert, out Sept. 20 through Duna Records (Bjork‘s label; his bringing it back in-house follows years on Heavy Psych Sounds and Napalm Records going back the last decade-plus) and the first single “Backin’ the Daze,” which is both as catchy as you’d expect and, if I’m hearing it right, not quite family-friendly. So it goes.
The PR wire takes it from here. Tour dates are ported over from this post; there may be changes. Single’s at the bottom:
BRANT BJORK TRIO to release new studio album “Once Upon A Time In The Desert” on September 20th via Duna Records; first single streaming!
BRANT BJORK TRIO announce the release of their new studio album “Once Upon A Time In The Desert” on September 20th, marking the return of Brant Bjork’s beloved desert rock label Duna Records (distributed worldwide by Cobraside Distribution). The trio also releases their new single “Backin’ the Daze” and announce 2024 European and Japan tours.
Brant Bjork has spent over a quarter-century at the epicenter of Californian desert rock. From cutting his teeth drumming and composing on the legendary Kyuss’ landmark early albums, to propelling the seminal fuzz of Fu Manchu from 1994-2001 while producing other bands, putting together offshoot projects, and over the last 20 years embarking on his solo career as a singer, guitarist and bandleader, founding his own record label and more, his history is a winding narrative of relentless, unflinching creativity. Brant Bjork is considered a founding pioneer of the stoner rock and desert rock music scenes.
In 2024, the Brant Bjork Trio featuring old friend and influential desert rock pioneer Mario Lalli (Yawning Man, Fatso Jetson, Desert Sessions) on bass guitar and Brant Bjork band alumni Ryan Güt on drums will release a breakout full-length LP on Bjork’s newly relaunched Duna Records, distributed worldwide by Cobraside Distribution. “Once Upon a Time in the Desert” is the result of a long collaborative friendship between Bjork, Lalli and Güt. The power trio recorded the tracks at Donner & Blitzen studios in Southern California with another long-time collaborator Mathias Shneeberger, who has recorded and engineered many classic desert rock albums over the years.
The music the Brant Bjork Trio creates together is a heavy, fluid groove, organic desert rock & roll — a genre created by these veteran independent musicians — and their new record “Once Upon a Time in the Desert” expresses the principles of those styles born in the So Cal desert. Pure, heavy and grooving. So Cal desert blues that only these desert originals can deliver.
BRANT BJORK TRIO “Once Upon A Time in the Desert” Out September 20th on Duna Records Preorders coming soon!
TRACKLIST: 1. U.R. Free 2. Backin’ The Daze 3. Higher Lows 4. Down the Mountain 5. Magic Surfer Magazine 6. Sunshine Is Making Love To Your Mind 7. Rock And Roll In The Dirt 8. Astrological Blues (Southern California Girl) 9. Do You Got Some Fire?
Brant Bjork shares some insight into the new album and relaunch of Duna Records:
“Things come and go and sometimes they come back again. With that said, It’s an exciting time for me to be officially re-launching Duna Records. Duna was a vision I had in the mid-’90s and it finally became a reality in 2002 until its hiatus in 2006. Duna Records was and will continue to be my personal record label that is a home for all things creative amongst myself and others that are close to me. The timing couldn’t be better for Duna to begin a new life.
To celebrate this new beginning, I have recorded a new record with the Brant Bjork Trio and it will be Duna’s first official returning release. As you might know by now, due to extensive touring in the U.S., South America, Australia, Europe and Japan, the Brant Bjork Trio consists of my longtime drummer Ryan Güt and my longtime desert brother Mario Lalli on bass. Mario and I share a very unique and very special musical history that began when I was 13 years old! I always knew we would be playing together in my band and my patience paid off. To have Mario and Ryan as the rhythm section in a trio… so rad! Together, Mario and I produced the new record, appropriately titled ‘Once Upon a Time in the Desert’; and we are beyond excited to get this music out and into the hands and ears of all the fans new and old.
I’m very lucky to be able to sustain a life as the musician that I am. I certainly wouldn’t be able to do so without all of the musicians, music industry partners and of course the fans that have supported me for 25 years. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my musical journey and show my appreciation than to re-launch Duna Records and release new and old music directly to my fans, the way it was always meant to be. Thank you and stay tuned for more desert rock.”
After completing successful tours of Europe and Australia earlier this year, the Brant Bjork Trio will be kicking off the second leg of their European tour later in July, followed by a tour of Japan in October to promote the release and relaunch of Duna Records. In 2025, the band will tour the UK, selected European regions, USA East Coast, New Zealand and more.
BRANT BJORK TRIO – SUMMER EUROPEAN TOUR 2024 24.7.24 RARE GUITAR, MÜNSTER (DE) 25.7.24 HERZBERG FESTIVAL, BREITENBACH (DE) 26.7.24 ROCK IM WALD, MICHELAU (DE) 27.7.24 BLUE MOON FESTIVAL, COTTBUS (DE) 28.7.24 STADTWERKSTATT, LINZ (AT) 29.7.24 A38, BUDAPEST (HU) 30.7.24 MOCVARA, ZAGREB (HR) 31.7.24 VIPER ROOM, VIENNA (AT) 2.8.24 POOLBAR FESTIVAL, FELDKIRCH (AT) 3.8.24 PALP FESTIVAL, BAGNES (CH) 4.8.24 BLAH BLAH, TORINO (IT) 5.8.24 ALTROQUANDO, ZEROBRANCO (IT) 6.8.24 FORTEZZA NUOVA, LIVORNO (IT) 8.8.24 HOFLÄRM FESTIVAL, MARIENTHAL (DE) 9.824 ALCATRAZ FESTIVAL, KORTRIJK (BE) 10,8.24 SONIC BLAST FESTIVAL, MOLEDO (PT)
Brant Bjork Trio Japan Tour 2024 10/23(Wed) Osaka Sengoku Daitoryo 10/24(Thu) Kanazawa REDSUN 10/25(Fri) Nagoya Tokuzou 10/26(Sat) Tokyo Ryogoku Sunrise 10/27(Sun) Nishi-Yokohama El Puente 10/28(Mon) Tokyo Shindaita FEVER
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 29th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
As we speak, the Brant Bjork Trio — that’s Bjork himself on vocals and guitar, Mario Lalli on bass, Ryan Güt on drums — are wrapping up a Desertfest-heavy Spring run of Europe and the UK that was billed as “pt. 1” of the broader continental plans. The next installment is coming up quickly already in about two months, as Sound of Liberation posted the other day, and there’s once again no shortage of fest appearances slated, between Herzberg, Rock im Wald, Blue Moon Festival, Poolbar Festival, Palp Festival, Hoflärm, Alcatraz Festival and SonicBlast Fest as the tour moves through the end of July and into August, taking ass and kicking names all the while. Something like that, anyhow.
Cool cool. I don’t know about you, but I’m waiting for news about the album for which Brant Bjork Trio were in the studio back in February, and with the roughly-concurrent announcement of a Fall run through Japan, it seems more likely to be this year rather than next. Could even be in time for July, depending on when the record was/is actually finished, but who the hell knows anything actually. Not me, I guess is what I’m saying.
Still, this is a lot of moving around if you’re not lugging a long-player along for the merch table. Sound of Liberation posted the first part of this and I grabbed the Japanese dates from Brant Bjork‘s socials. To wit:
Sound of Liberation proudly presents – BRANT BJORK TRIO – SUMMER EUROPEAN TOUR 2024
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 1st, 2024 by JJ Koczan
In the interest of framing a discussion, we’ll call it the debut album from Brant Bjork Trio being recorded this week by the three-piece in California. But really, it’s not the first record Brant Bjork and Mario Lalli have made together, and it’s not the first record that Brant Bjork and Ryan Güt have made together — it’s just the first time the three of them are together under this configuration. Güt, on tour with Bjork and Nick Oliveri as part of Stöner, I’m pretty sure drums on the upcoming Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers release, and there was no shortage of crossover jamming on that tour between Stöner and Lalli‘s emergent project, spearheaded aside from his tenure with Yawning Man or Fatso Jetson.
So familiar-enough dudes, but with new songs. I guess they need to get it all done as soon as possible because in March it’s back on the road. First they’re in South America, then Australia, then Europe this Spring for three Desertfests and Sonic Whip in the Netherlands and more besides, including club shows with Ruff Majik (who also have new stuff in the works) and Monkey3 (who have a new record on Napalm out in March). A summer or September album release doesn’t seem unreasonable to anticipate, all the more since Brant Bjork Trio have already been confirmed for Rock im Wald (end of July) and Hoflärm in Germany and SonicBlast Fest in Portugal this August, which speaks of more European touring to be announced for later in the year.
Here are all the tour dates I could find. Note they were also at Planet Desert Rock Weekend in Las Vegas this past weekend. I assume the eventual LP will be on Heavy Psych Sounds, but you never know until you get the ‘X-person who’s signed to Heavy Psych Sounds signs to Heavy Psych Sounds’ news announcement. Always fun, those. Anyhoo:
Heading into the studio this week to capture these tres hombres grooving a righteous batch of new tunes !
In March we head out to rock in South America and Australia ✌🏽🎵🙏 good times roll on ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Brant Bjork Trio SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR 2024 !! 06/03 Casa de Salud Concepcion Chile 07/03 Metronomo Santiago Chile 08/03 Casa Aurea Sao Paulo Brazil 09/03 Uniclub Buenos Aires Argentina 10/03 Plaza Mateo Montevideo Argentina
Brant Bjork Trio w/ Full Tone Generator Get DOWNunder ! 28/03 – Barwon Club Geelong 29/03 – Frankston Singing Bird Studio 30/03 – Gasometer Hotel Melbourne 31/03 – Crown & Anchor Hotel Adelaide 03/04 – The Basement Canberra 04/04 – Dicey Rileys Wollongong 05/04 – Marrickville Bowlo Sydney 06/04 – Mos Desert Clubhouse Gold Coast 07/04 – Panthers Port Macquarie NSW
Sound of Liberation proudly presents: BRANT BJORK TRIO – EURO 2024 TOUR 10.05.24 (NO) Oslo, Desertfest 11.05.24 (NL) Nijmegen, Sonic Whip 12.05.24 (DE) Cologne, Club Volta * w/ monkey3 14.05.24 (DE) Hamburg, Bahnhof Pauli 15.05.24 (DE) Bielefeld, Forum 16.05.24 (BE) Sint-Niklaas, De Casino * w/ monkey3 17.05.24 (UK) London, Desertfest 18.05.24 (FR) Wasquehal, The Black Lab 19.05.24 (FR) Nantes, Le Ferrailleur 20.05.24 (FR) Paris, Backstage By The Mill 22.05.24 (DE) Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal * w/ Siena Root 23.05.24 (CH) Aarau, Kiff * w/ Ruff Majik 24.05.24 (DE) Munich, Feierwerk * w/ Ruff Majik 25.05.24 (DE) Erfurt, VEB Kultur * w/ Ruff Majik 25.05.24 (DE) Berlin, Desertfest 28.05.24 (NL) Amsterdam, Melkweg
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 18th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Previously confirmed for Desertfest Oslo, Desertfest London and Desertfest Berlin, the Brant Bjork Trio have now tied those slots together as part of a European tour set for Spring. This tour is coupled by stints set for South America in March and Australia later in March and early April.
That will just about bring the three-piece of Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and Ryan Güt to here, which is the start of May at Desertfest Oslo and the launch of this tour. You’ll note that the run — which is put together by Sound of Liberation — is billed as ‘Pt. 1.’ It makes sense to think that ‘Pt. 2’ might happen in July or August, when they’re already confirmed for Hoflärm and SonicBlast Fest, which will either precede or not a slot at Ripplefest Texas, I can’t even remember. Gonna say, “probably?”
Before anything else, though, they’ll be at Planet Desert Rock Weekend in Las Vegas the weekend of Jan. 25, which is next week. I was hoping to make the trip, but well, hope don’t pay flights and a room for a couple nights and I don’t have a job, so yeah.
Note shows here with Ruff Majik and Monkey3. Both are slated to have new records out this year, maybe even in the first half of the year. And for what it’s worth, Siena Root are there too and they had a record in 2023, and Brant Bjork Trio have new songs as well. These kinds of things can make a run like this all the more special.
Go go go:
Sound of Liberation proudly presents: BRANT BJORK TRIO – EURO 2024 TOUR
10.05.24 (NO) Oslo, Desertfest 11.05.24 (NL) Nijmegen, Sonic Whip 12.05.24 (DE) Cologne, Club Volta * w/ monkey3 14.05.24 (DE) Hamburg, Bahnhof Pauli 15.05.24 (DE) Bielefeld, Forum 16.05.24 (BE) Sint-Niklaas, De Casino * w/ monkey3 17.05.24 (UK) London, Desertfest 18.05.24 (FR) Wasquehal, The Black Lab 19.05.24 (FR) Nantes, Le Ferrailleur 20.05.24 (FR) Paris, Backstage By The Mill 22.05.24 (DE) Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal * w/ Siena Root 23.05.24 (CH) Aarau, Kiff * w/ Ruff Majik 24.05.24 (DE) Munich, Feierwerk * w/ Ruff Majik 25.05.24 (DE) Erfurt, VEB Kultur * w/ Ruff Majik 25.05.24 (DE) Berlin, Desertfest 28.05.24 (NL) Amsterdam, Melkweg
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Anybody notice Brant Bjork hitting the road pretty hard these last couple years? Since I guess later 2021/2022, if it hasn’t been solo, it’s been the trio Stöner, and of late he’s been keeping company with that band’s drummer Ryan Güt and longtime collaborator and bassist Mario Lalli, also of Fatso Jetson, Yawning Man, more recently the jammy The Rubber Snake Charmers, and like Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu, etc.), is a founding principal of Californian desert rock. I was fortunate enough to see this band, the Brant Bjork Trio, at Desertfest New York (review here), and their chemistry, presence, groove all live up to reputation. Playing tunes from Bjork‘s solo catalog and even apparently composing new material perhaps with an eye toward an LP, they’ve obviously been hither and yon in the US already, and in 2024 they’ll look to expand on that in busy fashion.
After Planet Desert Rock Weekend in January — which I want to go to; anyone got a flight and hotel room I could borrow? — the three-piece head to South America in March for a run of shows in Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. That’s not an insignificant amount of travel. Later the same month, they’ll one-up themselves by undertaking the journey to Australia for shows there with support from Full Tone Generator, with whom Bjork has both played and produced previously. That stint ends early in April, and is the newest announcement, hence the headline above. Still to come, however, are the full dates for the European tour that will go at least three full weeks as it’s already confirmed to take Brant Bjork Trio from Desertfest Oslo (May 10-11) through Desertfest London (May 17-19) to Desertfest Berlin (May 24-26).
I seriously doubt that will be the end of their year, either, especially if they might be eyeing a Fall LP release with so much touring before. Or maybe they’ll hit the studio this Winter and put out a record in Spring. Or maybe a fucking asteroid will smash into the planet and none of these shows will happen, for all I know, but the point here is that despite having absolutely nothing, zero, nulla, to prove to anyone, they’re out doing so anyway. If you be there to see them on stage — they seem to be making it easier by going everywhere — I can only recommend doing so as something you will not regret.
Dates follow, as per social media:
One of my favorite places to play !
Stoked to announce the Brant Bjork Trio is coming over to Australia, we will be playing with our buddy’s Full Tone Generator on all the dates !
Brant Bjork Trio featuring Ryan Güt & Mario Lalli.
US DATES Dec 21st Venice West Planet Desert Rock Weekend IV – January 25-26-27, 2024, Las Vegas
SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR Concepcion Chile 3/6/2024 Santiago Chile 3/7/2024 São Paulo Brazil 3/8/2024 March 9th Uniclub Buenos Aries Argentina MAR 10 SUN Montevideo, Uruguay Plaza Mateo
AUSTRALIAN TOUR 28/03 – Barwon Club Geelong (VIC) AUS 29/03 – Singing Bird Studio Frankston AUS 30/03 – Gasometer Hotel Melbourne (VIC) AUS 31/03 – Crown & Anchor Hotel Adelaide (SA) AUS 03/04 – The Basement Canberra (ACT) AUS 04/04 – Dicey Rileys Wollongong (NSW) AUS 05/04 – Marrickville Bowlo Sydney (NSW) AUS 06/04 – Mos Clubhouse Gold coast (QLD) AUS
EUROPE 2024 Desertfest Oslo: 10th – 11th May 2024 Desertfest – Berlin Desertfest London
The Brant Bjork Trio: Brant Bjork – guitar/vocals Mario Lalli – bass Ryan Güt – drums
Posted in Features, Reviews on September 17th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
09.16.23 – Saturday – Knockdown Center – Before show
First thing, got kicked out of the parking lot. “Who are you with?” Alone in the car, clearly I’m by myself. Whatever. That’s New York. “You can’t be here.” Is it okay if I exist anywhere else?
Yesterday was great, front to back. Knockdown Center has apparently gotten a new sound system since last year and I’ll confirm with my ringing ears that it is fully functional. But even aside from that, saw cool people I don’t often get to see, met some I’d never met, dared to enjoy myself amid the back and forth.
Got to bed at about 2AM, was up a bit after seven. Charged the camera batteries, phone, etc. Traffic was light on the way in, which felt like a gift, and I did find parking on the street nearby, so yeah.
What does the day hold? An intimidating amount of music. Today opens the third stage — called ‘The Ruins’ though actually it looks pretty nice — outside in back where the food trucks were last year. Brant Bjork Trio out there will be cool, as well as Clouds Taste Satanic and Mick’s Jaguar early. And both inside stages are packed, so it’s right back to it. It is my sincere hope that adrenaline will carry me through. Guess we’ll find out.
Conan loading in. Clouds Taste Satanic checking on the outside stage, where by the grace of Geezer Butler’s bass tone on Master of Reality there is a photo pit. Thank you Desertfest for that specifically. Maybe I’ll just hang out outside all afternoon. Crazy ideas you get.
Here’s the day:
—
Clouds Taste Satanic
Did not turn out to be a photo pit, just a barricade — Geezer’s bass giveth and taketh away; it’s okay though because Tomoko went in and I’m going to do the same next time — but though I went up and laid out on a picnic table before New York’s own instrumentalists Clouds Taste Satanic went on, here supporting this year’s Majestic Mountain-issued 2LP, Tales of Demonic Possession (discussed here) as they are after a first European stint this Spring, they bore the naked riffing and groove that tells you how little you need anything else when you do it right. I grabbed some photos and put myself in a shady spot. It’s a long day ahead, and especially as I’m outside in the sun, gotta hydrate. Clouds Taste Satanic, with their LSD name and raw sound, were a wakeup for me — almost literally — but there’s no arguing with their approach, they drew a good early crowd and more came as they played, and a broken kick pedal only cost about a minute before they were back at it. I’d never seen them though and I’m glad to have rectified that. Imagine sans-vocal toe-tappers, but like 15 minutes long.
—
Mick’s Jaguar
A check-in with New York-based attitude rockers Mick’s Jaguar is appreciated after the late-2022 release of their Salvation (review here) album, and their catchy, ultra-NYC take on heavy revels in a lineage that goes back actual generations, not just musical ones that are like four years or whatever. They’re the middle installment in a NYC triad opening the ourdoor stage, and their party vibe and brash swing and crash were suited to that spot, with some flow held over from Clouds Taste Satanic, but brought to a different context. There’s a narrative there, Clouds Taste Satanic into Mick’s Jaguar into White Hills, Desertfest celebrating the local sphere and its aural diversity. Other than to fill my water bottle — 16 oz. per band; I am a firm believer in radical hydration — I haven’t been inside yet, and I suppose that’s not really saying anything since there haven’t been any bands on in there yet, but the sunshine, gently autumnal breeze and buzz in the crowd were suitable accommodation for an energetic take and people were into it. I’ll say it was different being outside as opposed to when I saw them at Desertfest NY 2019 (review here), when they played the small room at The Well, which has only become smaller in my mind in the years since. Almost the opposite, really, but the fact that they owned both spaces is a unifying factor.
—
Mantar
I didn’t go in the photo pit, because jesus there’s gotta be a break somewhere and I could not envision a scenario in which somebody said to themselves “oh man he didn’t shoot Mantar — fucking poseur,” and I was all set to remain on the picnic bench where I’d been writing and hanging out, but the ultra-aggressive German two-piece drew me inside for a bit. Nasty, gnashing, pummeling and biting as they are, Mantar still groove. If that’s the crossover appeal that lets them play a fest like this, fair enough. They’ll always be an outlier, but you need that for something like this. Yesterday I called Windhand the sore thumb, and they were. That’s Mantar today, if less so with the always devastating Conan on the bill. Godflesh are mean, but it’s not the same intensity. Even punk as they are, Mantar cross that line between heavy and metal, and when you’re on one side there, it’s easy to recognize the other. They’re not really my thing most of the time, but I like that they wreck up the place, sonically speaking.
White Hills
White Hills are weirder than you, weirder than me, weirder than the fact that an electron doesn’t technically exist until something is used to measure it. The list goes on. But the stalwart NYC outfit — third of three in the noted triumvirate — seem perfectly content to inhabit their own spacial plane. Comprised of drummer/vocalist Ego Sensation and guitarist/vocalist Dave W., their persistently exploratory psychedelia — here droning, there rolling, somehow freaking out ALL THE TIME like they’re me with any kind of social obligation — is wholly immersive. Even in the great out-of-doors. Their sound bounced off the concrete wall up by where the trains go (I don’t think it’s an actual station, but could be wrong; it’d be an odd spot for one but these are odd times) and seemed to come from behind as well as in front while standing near the stage, and the effect was hypnotic. A roll you can just go with, a drift set adrift, jams for the universe. Spirals of water down a drain casting hurricane echoes and a scale at which even galaxies rotate. The sun’s out. Everything is great. Let’s be friends in real life.
—
Conan
I went outside for a bit during Conan’s set to let some air back in my lungs after they had squeezed it all out. They’re was about three entire seconds of my earplugs not being in, and I suspect that’ll be enough for me to hear their low distortion in my head when I try to go to sleep tonight. Fine. I don’t know how many superlatives are left to say it — also don’t care — but there’s no mistaking Conan as one of the heaviest bands on the planet. When I was done with pictures, I stood over by the sound desk for optimal fidelity. All hail “Volt Thrower.” Jon Davis, Chris Fielding, Johnny King — guitar, bass, drums — and if you put it on paper it’s nothing so special, but when these dudes hit it, you know damn well to whom you are listening. And if you do go see them, which you should, wear earplugs. The whole time. Sad to say, however, my foamies aren’t holding up to Conan’s volume assault — “Thronehammer” laying waste, as it will — which is probably to be expected. But against all common sense and every piece of advice one might receive from a medical professional, I stayed there and let that volume and tone just kill me. And sure enough, I was obliterated. 9 got another bottle of water though and felt better after that.
—
Dorthia Cottrell
You could hear Mondo Generator playing outside before Dorthia Cottrell — vocalist for Windhand, who played last night — started her set, playing as a three-piece with guitar and violin accompaniment. As to the metric by which I ended up inside instead of out, the math is easy. Last time I saw Mondo Generator was a month ago. saw Cottrell play solo was 2015, and Also last June. Both have new records. From hers, which is called Death Folk Country (review here), Cottrell eased quickly into the sad blues and dark folk — you might say she’s influenced by, death, folk, and country — with the breathy melody of her voice bolstered by the textures of the additional guitar (it was Leanne Martz, formerly of Heavy Temple) and fiddle. To their credit, once they started, I didn’t even know anymore whether you could still hear the noise from outside. Got lost in the mood and the ambience and and somehow it no longer mattered.
—
Godflesh
The Main Stage heft streak continues, and it turns out that what I’ve needed all day was to be churned into so much human goo by industrial metal pioneers and still-ahead-of-their-time crushbringers Godflesh. They have a new record out, Purge. I didn’t see it on the merch table earlier, but will check again to be sure. They played at least initially mostly in the dark and fog, and fair enough, but the onslaught of their beats and distortion, of guitarist Justin K. Broadrick’s gruff, barking shout and the filthy tone of G.C. Green’s bass, was consuming regardless of how visible they might or might not have been. I’ve been destroyed. Bludgeoned. Godflesh were a culmination of the progression on the main stage today that drew through Mantar and Conan; another triad. A decidedly angrier one, and if you want to hear what it feels like when your brain is running a thousand miles an hour and you don’t want it to and your entire body feels overwhelmed to the point of physical collapse — if you want to hear something that will remind you of being an insecure kid — Godflesh are here for it. I’d heard a bunch of good things about them on their current tour — mostly from Boston — and I was not misinformed. Now, about that album. Not on the table. Oh, if only someone would invent the internet so I can buy a Godflesh CD. Oh wait, sold out online too. You’ve betrayed me, circumstance! JK Flesh, one of Broadrick’s many other projects, plays NYC tomorrow. Good for him, making the most of the trip. Also, Godflesh rule. Thanks.
—
The Brant Bjork Trio
Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and Ryan Güt are The Brant Bjork Trio, and they played songs from Bjork’s solo catalog. I don’t have any insight into the narrative of how they got together this time around, but I know that Bjork and Lalli have known each other for decades and worked together periodically over that time. Lalli played on Bjork’s 1999 solo debut, Jalamanta, so that’s about all the way back at least as far as this thing goes. And Mario Lalli and The Rubber Snake Charmers supported Bjork’s Stõner three-piece last year. On and on. Güt is a part of Stöner as well with Nick Oliveri on bass/vocals, and I kind of assumed that when Nick was ready to go back to Mondo Generator, keeping a trio configuration made sense. And crap, if there’s a chance to go on tour in a band with Lalli on bass, of course you’re gonna do that. Together, Bjork and Lalli are sculptors of desert rock, Lalli having actively participated in the forming of the style in Yawning Man and brought weird to the desert in Fatso Jetson, Bjork having played drums and contributed to the songwriting of Kyuss before joining Fu Manchu and embarking on the solo thing in various formats over the last 24 years, the latter I’d argue as his most crucial work. I could go on about this — blah blah generator parties; the horrible truth is I think the timeline is fun — but what I’m trying to say is these guys are real deal lifers, and in addition to having influenced two-plus generations of bands in a global underground that exists in part because of them, they also rock. “Cleaning Out the Ashtray” was a nice touch, and “Let the Truth Be Known.” There was a longer-maybe new song with a classic, sleek groove called “Sunshine” that broke after a couple verses into an even more languid flow, and if there’s new material, maybe this band will put out an LP. That’d be just ducky, thanks. Maybe I’d even get to tell the same story about how these guys are legends all over again! Perhaps with slight variations in the phrasing! Sweet!
—
Boris
Volume and thrust, lumber and noise. Shove. GO. Boris make it all exciting, and are somehow frenetic in their energy no matter what they’re actually playing. They drew the biggest crowd of the festival. Significant, statistically. Brant Bjork Trio finished and Djunah — of whom I saw a few minutes; knew nothing about them beforehand, turned out they were cool; a note-to-self moment — and I guess everybody who was at another stage congregated in front of Boris only to be blown back by a bulldozer of volume. Whoosh. It’s been a few years, but Boris were Boris, and that’s maybe the highest compliment they might be paid, since it actually means so many things, nearly all of them awesome. Wata, Atsuo and Takeshi took the whole building on a ride through a vortex of shred, the set becoming an assault of noise and fog with the band in the eye of their own storm, and while I could go on mixing metaphors and trying to craft suitable hyperbole for what they do on stage, the truth is that I’m really, really fucking tired and that I don’t need to hide that. Doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate Boris, doesn’t mean I don’t think they’re an incredible band with decades of influence and legacy who also absolutely slay live. The not-even-the-end-of-the-day fatigue might’ve put Boris closer to the line between immersion and abrasion for my own experience, but hell’s bells, they’re dizzying when they want to be.
—
Ecstatic Vision
Because I’ve seen the band before, I showed up 25 minutes early to Ecstatic Vision on the Texas stage. Does it make sense to leave a band from Japan’s set to go see a band from Philadelphia when you’re in New York? It does if that band is Ecstatic Vision. Psychrippers extraordinaire. Bombast in excelsis. Willfully sliding into most of humanity’s definition of obnoxious, but hitting this crowd just right. I wasn’t the only one there early, nor first in the room. A reputation, preceding. I knew I was going to miss the Melvins — I saw them in June and as I said then, I’m not a huge fan, though they were and are good live — and somehow having Ecstatic Vision in the small room as my capper seemed just right. It goes without saying they destroyed. The sax, the guitar, bass and drums, the effects wash, the intense push inherited from Hawkwind and Monster Magnet both, cosmic heavy rock turned into a party unparalleled by anyone I’ve encountered in current US psych. They were the blowout, and as excellent as the Melvins are live (and yes I know they’ve got Coady Willis drumming in place of Dale Crover; the point stands), I knew that was how I wanted to cap my Desertfest New York 2023. Three days of heavy stuffed into a cannon and launched into the sun, and everyone in the room with it. I’d take a new record from them for sure, but I do also feel like they shouldn’t even stop playing live long enough to make one. These guys are providing a valuable service guiding all involved parties on a direct line into the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy.
—
I made it home from Brooklyn in under an hour. It was beautiful. Unheard of. “Magic,” as Ronnie James Dio might say. Falling asleep at the keyboard now.
That’s it for me. Thanks to Desertfest New York for coming back, to Sarika, Reece and Matte and all behind the making of the thing. Friends old and new — in the photo pit: Falk-Hagen Bernshausen (so glad you made it over), Tim Bugbee (you’re the best), Dante Torrieri (that Star Trek nerd-out turned my whole day around), Dylan Gonzalez (smartest guy in the room, also sweetest), Tomoko (thanks for the fruit offer, by the way you’re a genius), Charles (rarely do I find somebody who so much speaks the same language of sarcasm) — and everyone who came to say hi or something nice about the site. Thanks to The Patient Mrs. for the time. Thank you for reading.
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 21st, 2023 by JJ Koczan
The first The Brant Bjork Trio live dates were announced when the band’s existence was revealed this past Spring, the new-ish project branching off from guitarist/vocalist Brant Bjork and drummer Ryan Güt‘s run with Stöner — which, in turn, was branched off their work together in Bjork‘s touring solo band — with desert mainstay Mario Lalli, also of Fatso Jetson and Yawning Man, on bass. Lalli‘s bonus-extra jammy Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers outfit toured alongside Stöner last year, and of course none of these guys are strangers to each other.
Lalli shines playing bass in a three-piece, as Yawning Man‘s legacy in desert rock can attest, and Bjork and Güt are an established commodity when it comes to heavy rolling mellow groove. You can see the trio in action from the recent Burque Rock City Fest in New Mexico. In addition to Desertfest New York next month, they’ll be at Ripplefest Texas, then meet up with Hippie Death Cult on the way to the Kyuss World reunion in Palm Desert, which I’d imagine will be a trip of a thing. This is how it starts. Kyusscon.
Dates follow here, as posted on socials:
Go Van Go ! So stoked to be out rocking around the states!!
Sat Aug 26, Cultivate Fest, Chicago Il Thur Sept 7th – the Wayfarer, Costa Mesa Ca Fri Sept 8th – Knitting Factory, North Hollywood Ca Sat Sept 9th – Benders Bar, San Francisco Ca Sun Sept 10th – Catalyst Bar , Atrium Santa Cruz Ca Tue Sept 12th – El Corazon, Seattle Wa Wed Sept 13th – Mississippi Studios, Portland or Thu Sept 14th – the Big Dipper, Spokane Wa Sat Sept 16th – Knockdown Center, Desertfest Ny, Queens Ny Tue Sept 19th, Larimer Lounge, Denver Co Fri Sept 22nd – Ripplefest Tx, Farout Lounge and Stage, Austin Tx Sun Sept 24th – Three Links Deep Ellum, Dallas Tx Tue Sept 26th – Sister Bar, Albuquerque Nm with Hippie Death Cult Wed Sept 27th – Yucca Tap Room, Tempe Az with Hippie Death Cult Thur Sept 28th – the Usual Place, Las Vegas Nv with Hippie Death Cult Fri Sept 29th – the Hood Bar, Palm Desert Ca. Kyuss World Party Sat Sept 30th – Casbah, San Diego Ca
The Brant Bjork Trio: Brant Bjork – guitar/vocals Mario Lalli – bass Ryan Güt – drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 22nd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
I love the story of Mathias Schneeberger telling Brant Bjork to re-record Ché‘s Sounds of Liberation (discussed here) because, “the music is great but the recording is shit.” Saying that kind of thing to somebody can end a friendship, and the level of trust that it won’t is hard to come by, whether we’re talking artist egos or pretty much anybody’s anything. You could say to someone their cooking tastes like crap go back and make it again and lose a spouse. I don’t know if that’s the verbatim quote, but even paraphrased that’s a hell of an impression to make.
Some historical reorganizing here. I remember seeing Brant Bjork and the Bros. touring to support Saved by Magic, and I dug that 2CD outing a lot but would definitely be interested to hear it divided between its two component sessions, one solo, one with the full band, split up as sans and avec-Bros. offerings billed as Saved by Magic Again. The coming of that and a reissue for Ché are part of an ongoing series of catalog reissues from Bjork through Heavy Psych Sounds. I don’t know how much is left, but the good thing about there being a bunch of Brant Bjork records is you can probably circle back to do a new edition of Jalamanta by the time you finish with the rest.
You like records, right? Here’s some records:
Heavy Psych Sounds to announce BRANT BJORK – Saved By Magic + BRANT BJORK & THE BROS – Saved By Magic + CHE – Sounds of Liberation – presale starts TODAY !!!
Today we are stoked to start the presale of 3 REMASTERED ALBUMS !!!
– REMASTERED REISSUE of Brant Bjork’s legendary album in brand new coloured vinyls and artwork –
RELEASED IN 15 ULTRA LTD TEST PRESS VINYL 200 ULTRA LTD SIDE A – SIDE B GREEN/YELLOW/PURPLE VINYL 600 LTD ORANGE SOLID VINYL BLACK VINYL DIGIPAK DIGITAL
TRACKLIST Magic Vs. Technology Get Into It Kiss Away Sweet Maria’s Dreams Sunshine Of Your Love Freak Levels Let The Truth Be Known Avenida De La Revolución Arcade Eyes 2000 Man
New album cover by Maarten Donders.
Remastered by John McBain !!
______________________________________
HPS279 *** BRANT BJORK & THE BROS – Saved By Magic Again ***
– REMASTERED REISSUE of Brant Bjork’s & The Bros legendary album in brand new coloured vinyls and artwork –
RELEASED IN 15 ULTRA LTD TEST PRESS VINYL 200 ULTRA LTD TRANSP. BACK. COLOR IN COLOR RED/SPLATTER BLUE VINYL 600 LTD GOLD NUGGET VINYL BLACK VINYL DIGIPAK DIGITAL
TRACKLIST ’73 Lil’ Bro Dr. Aura Inside Of You Paradise On Earth Gonna Make The Pony Trot The Messengers Dylan’s Fantasy Moda Cool Abdul
ALBUM DESCRIPTION
“I had just got off the road and went right into the studio out in the desert at Rancho de La Luna. I was living in the house just behind at the time making sessions super convenient. I was set to record with my band the Bros in a couple weeks but I decided to go into the Rancho early and get some sounds. Tony and I ended up recording a bunch of songs that I was writing on the fly. A week later the Bros showed up and we recorded another batch of songs with the band playing live in the front room. After we wrapped I combined both my solo session and the Bros session and released in as one record called Saved By Magic on my label Duna records. That was 2005.
Now I’m rereleasing this record on HPS and I’ve decided to separate the two sessions into their original bodies of work. My solo session and the Bros session. I mostly did this because I feel the Bros deserve to have something of their own as they were a magical band. I also just thought it would be cool. I call both records Saved By Magic Again.” Brant Bjork
New album cover by Maarten Donders.
Remastered by John McBain !!
___________________________________
HPS261 *** CHE – Sounds Of Liberation ***
– REMASTERED REISSUE of the legendary super-band debut album in brand new coloured vinyls and artwork –
RELEASED IN 15 ULTRA LTD TEST PRESS VINYL 100 ULTRA LTD TRANSPARENT SPLATTER RED/BLACK/WHITE VINYL 400 LTD HALF HALF WHITE/RED VINYL BLACK VINYL DIGIPAK DIGITAL
TRACKLIST Hydraulicks 04:23 The Knife 03:39 Pray For Rock 05:16 Sounds Of Liberation 06:11 Adelante 05:13 Blue Demon 06:13 The Day The Pirate Retired 04:39
ALBUM DESCRIPTION
“It was late 1999. I was living in Palm Desert with Dave Dinsmore. Dave had just left Unida and Alfredo Hernandez was in town and had just left Queens of the Stone Age. I had a rare bit of downtime from touring with Fu Manchu. The three of us started jamming at the house. I had just got over a bad relationship and songs were pouring out of me. Frank Kozik heard about us jamming and called me up and said he wanted to put out whatever we come up with. Within two weeks we were already recording on an 8 track reel to reel. I took the recording to brother Schneebie to mix in LA. He said the music is great but the recording is shit. He asked to re-record it. I asked when? He said now. We re recorded right there on the spot and finished everything in 2 days. We decided on the name CHE and called the record Sounds of Liberation. ” – Brant Bjork
