Kyuss Lives!

In October 1995, just three months after releasing what was arguably their breakthrough album And The Circus Leaves Town, the influential stoner rock group Kyuss broke up. The band has been on an indefinite hiatus ever since leaving fans wandering the desert in search of new thrills.

Now, after reaching legendary status Kyuss are recognised as “desert rock pioneers and poster boys for stoner rock”, influencing thousands of rock bands all over the world, three quarters of Kyuss have regrouped and are coming to New Zealand to play two epic shows in May 2011.

Featuring original Kyuss members singer John Garcia, bassist Nick Oliveri and drummer Brant Bjork they will be joined by Bruno Fevery on guitar.

This is an R18 show.

The Auckland shows will be opened by Billy TK Snr & Doug Jerebine — New Zealand’s own godfathers of psychedelic stoner rock. Billy TK Snr cut his teeth in the late 60s/early70s plying his trade-marked freaked-out-wah-wah-flavoured-fuzzzzz with local acid rockers The Human Instinct.

As Jesse Harper, Doug Jerebine wrote the best songs on the first two Human Instinct albums and has spent much of the last 40 years as a monk in India translating ancient sanskrit text. His album from 1969 will be officially released by US label Drag City later this year on LP.

With a powerhouse rhythm section of Miles Gilette (ex Fluf & Salad Daze) and Chris Orange (ex Terrorways of ‘Short Haired R+R’ fame, and ex Features), Billy and Doug may be in their sixties but their shows of last year had jaws dropping in awe of the psychedelic racket made by these two senior citizens. Think cranial-mashing fuzzed out guitar duelling of interplanetary proportions and you’re half way there.

Wellington’s scuzzmeisters BeastWars will open the Wellington show on Sunday 15th May. Their debut album of skull mashing rock is released in May on all popular formats including a gatefold sleeved LP. Check out the Beastwars Bandcamp page.