BRANT BJORK Explains Why He Hated KYUSS Being Called The Next METALLICA

Kyuss pioneered the stoner rock style within the late ’80s and early ’90s, made an enormous splash within the rock and steel world, after which sadly referred to as it quits in 1997. Founding drummer Brant Bjork not too long ago spoke to Metal Hammer about how they have been advised they might’ve been the following Metallica by their label, to which Bjork principally responded “cross.”

“Our man on the label would at all times say, ‘You guys would be the subsequent Metallica‘, and that bummed me out,” mentioned Bjork. “I wished to be this Kyuss! I felt like we fucking rocked and had hit the height of our chemistry on the time, and Metallica have been super-cool guys and actually supportive, however seeing all of it on that scale, it was similar to, ‘This is not for me.’ If that is the epitome of success in a rock band, it simply appeared unrewarding. They acquired up and performed the identical issues each night time, mentioned the identical issues… I might inform it’d change into a travelling circus, a machine. I used to be nonetheless 20 years previous, extra drawn to what we have been doing when it comes to improvising onstage and being unfastened. I wished Kyuss to go extra in that course.”

Kyuss‘ lineup included guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), bassists Nick Oliveri (Mondo Generator, ex-Queens of the Stone Age) and Scott Reeder (ex-Goatsnake, ex-The Obsessed), vocalist John Garcia, and Bjork. The band has by no means reunited, which Oliveri was publicly pissed off about in 2022.

“It is a kind of issues,” mentioned Oliveri in an interview with Goetia Media. “I really feel personally that it is a followers’ band. When the band existed [until] ’95, with a document firm push and all behind it, as a band, it acquired [big]]. And the band broke up, after which years later, followers traded MP3s, CDs, cassettes, no matter, and it grew [much bigger] with none label push, with out the band present. So it is a followers’ band; they took it additional than we ever did.”

“[The fans] wished us to play. I want we have been capable of play. However I haven’t got any possession or stake within the identify. [Drummer Brant Bjork] got here up with the identify; he did not have possession in it. He left the band at one level. The prevailing members registered the identify. So it is simply so simple as that. I type of really feel plenty of other ways about it. I really feel like why do you wanna personal the identify when you wanna kill the band? Allow us to run with it and have a very good time. We’re taking part in [the songs] with all respect to the music that we are able to, as near it as we are able to. And the followers, we owe it to ’em.”