Bands I Should Like, But Don't: Queens of The Stoneage & Co.

I was at work today, and I began to think of acts that by all accounts I should like, but for some reason I don't. Some, while I love the genre in general, their particular representation of it doesn't, or I like all of the previous works by one of the members of the band, but can't quite grasp the new direction they're headed in. And so, because without much thought I was reminded of two such bands - and I'm sure if I put more effort into it I could think of more - I decided to create a new segment dedicated to this notion.

After my 'All In The Family' based on the members of Kyuss, I thought it prudent to continue with the subject and focus my debut 'Bands I Should Like, But Don't' on one of the best-known of the off-shoots of the legendary stoner rockers: Queens of The Stoneage, and the following off-shoots, Them Crooked Vultures and Eagles of Death Metal, basically anything that Josh Homme has his hands in.

I'm a big fan of stoner rock/metal, as anyone who spent any time reading The Guide could confirm, varying across the numerous sub-genres of this sub-genre. From blues to southern, psych to sludge, I think that every one of these stoner off-shoots bring something to the table, something that needs to be paid attention to. What I don't like is the stoner that moves into the pop direction (I'm not sure is stoner-pop is another sub-genre, but I'm going to use it as such). Bands that combine radio-friendly poppy-sounding rock, with the fuzz and attitude of stoner.It's not a mix that I like very much, and I lament the bands that make this stylistic progression.

All In The Family: Kyuss

I'm listening to the Kyuss discography and I realize that I recognize the singer, John Garcia, from another band, Hermano. Of course I know what Kyuss was, and I know all the members splintered off to create their own legacy, but thinking about it, I have come to realize that the group has built a solid network of projects, band and albums, listing into the dozens. Then I gave it some more thought, and I know of at least three other acts, off the top of my head, that have a similar legacy; thus, All In The Family was born. Now this is not going to be a weekly segment, or even a monthly, but like the Retrospectives I do, they will come out whenever I feel like it, and after the initial group, whenever I find another act that has as much influence as bands like Kyuss.

Kyuss has been legendary for the stoner genre, if not the first, they are the most well known of the beginning wave. Everyone cites them as an influence, and every stoner act is compared to them. They rose and fell without much fanfare, only becoming recognized for their genius years later. Throughout the act's short career they were host to numerous artists, the list being: John Garcia, Bruno Fevery, Nick Oliveri, Brant Bjork, Josh Homme, Scott Reeder, Alfredo Hernández, and Chris Cockrell - many of whom have become house-hold names to those fans of the genre.

John Garcia - Lead Vocals (1988 - 1995, 2010 - Present)
The original - and current - singer of Kyuss, John Garcia's gritty vocals have become synonymous with stoner and desert rock. Along with Josh Homme, Garcia is the only member of Kyuss to make it all the way through their initial run, and with the new incarnation of Kyuss Lives! is the sole continual driving force of the band. After Kyuss John Garcia went on to form a pair of short-lived acts, Slo Burn & Unida (which featured Scott Reeder for a short time as well), both of which have collected some of Kyuss' strong following. After these two bands had broken up, he joined producer Dandy Brown to sing in a side project, what would become Hermano, releasing three studio albums and one live LP.