My favorite thing about stoner groove bands is that the majority of them have the funniest names to date

Probot  -  Red War 

MTL characters but in totally different metal genres

Hope they make side projects with these

I think Nathan actually doesn't go well with black metal because of his deep death growl vocal and he isn't skinny enough so yeah death metal is best for him but as Dethklok plays MDM/DM music so I had to choose something different.

Pickles, he really fits in stoner genre things cause he's an ACTUAL stoner, smoking bunch of weeds and bongs. Plus its stereotypical outfit looks pretty good on him too. Smoke weed everyday

Skwisgaar should start another side project which plays viking/folk metal but not the kind of Korpiklaani/Equilibrium folk style, more like Moonsorrow or early Ensiferum. Oooor kinda like Falkenbach. Well I kept listening to Bathory albums(viking metal era) when I drew him.

Toki may play power metal for ✶ 🎀 𝓀𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓎 𝒸𝒶𝓉𝓈 🎀 ✶ just like Hevisaurus does to kids, tho he's Norwegian and looks like he's somehow connected with black metal - his appearance on 1x16, having a friend who is a fan of black metal - everyone knows he's the naÏve guy in the band so only power metal can protect his childlike innocence.

Murderface was the hardest one to come up with but I guess 80s thrash metal will be the best. Curly hair(I guess so, no one has trapezoid shaped hair in real life) and his vest which reminds me a battle jacket. Planet Piss is sounding to groove/industrial/nu metal and groove metal was inspired by thrash/heavy metal so it makes sense.

And these are my inspirational songs for this post

What bands do you think the papas would like? I have a feeling Pantera is gonna be in here somewhere

QUIEJFOE RAHHAHA IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT

OKAY SO IM ONLY GONNA BE TALKING BOUT METAL CAUSE THATS MY EXPERTISE- BUT YALL CAN OFC PUT IN YALLS THOUGHTS AND SHIT- ALSO SUPPER INACURATE AND MOSTLY BASED ON HOW I SEE THEM 💀💀

Primo: Def doom/stoner metal! Bros probs a hardcore ozzy era Black Sabbath fan- I think he likes his metal not too fast or too heavy, he’d also probably be into old school sludge as well!!

I’d say his top fave bands would be

Black Sabbath, electric wizard, cathedral ,andd probs Melvin’s

Secondo: AS U GUESSED OBVIOUSLY PANTERA 😼😼 BROS MET PHIL ANSELMO YALL- SO OBV GROOVE/THRASH , and my moots on twitter def agree he’s into nu-metal (don’t kill me Tobias) but he also gives me war metal vibes- IM NOT JUST SAYING THAT CAUSE HES BALD

I think his top faves would be

Pantera, Exodus, blasphemy, and Korn

Terzo: oof this one’s hard ahhh. Maybe some glam metal he seems like he’d enjoy Motley Crue? Hmmmm hell one of my moots said she’d like Xavleg and I totally agree with that- so maybe death metal and grindcore.

I’m not too sure but maybe his fav bands would be

W.a.s.p, Motley Crue, Xavleg, and exhumed

Yall can recommend or add something here cause I got no clue-

Copia: OH BOY BRO COPIA WOULD LOVE IT ALL THRASH, DEATH, BLACK, SLAM, GRIND, PUNK, GOTH, HEAVY, HELL OLD ROCK TOO HE DONT CARE- buUTTT since I’m sorta basing this off tobias he would probs hate nu-metal and be an elitist too- I see him as the type to be very INLOVE with old 80s metal that he’d be like “oh theres no good bands today, the good ones are getting so old their gonna die soon x’C” without even trying to find any new metal bands and shit- ALSO HED HAVE A VERY COOL ASS BATTLE JACKET PROBS EVEN MULTIPLE FOR EACH GENRE-

His fave bands would be

The big four (he can’t choose), kiss, nuclear assualt, Sodom, and Bathory (mostly basing this off Tobias since I think they’d both be similar in taste))

Lolol and here have this little doomer/stoner primo I did on my phone in like 10 secs 😭

Pallete, As I'm completely excited for the new muppet series, i have a question, how old do you think the members of this band was when they found each other.

My personal theory is that Teeth left home at 14 to 15 years of age, looking to be independent. (Based on what he said in 2015 muppets) Got his gold tooth, bought a van and picked up his friends on the way to start his life on the road, playing piano for others and for money. The first being Janice.

I've actually spoken with Snuff about this on Discord a couple of times, and it was only after we got excited over the idea of a potential origin episode about the band did I start diving into the idea of the "How DID they all meet?"

I know in the 2015 show they said Janice dated Teeth for a short while and I thiiink theres a clip from the og show of them in the ballroom segment dancing together?? I'm still not 100% sure on if I love or just like Janice x Teeth, mostly cuz Janice x Floyd will forever be in my heart

My hc so far for how they met is this, this is a very quick description as my idea may change after the show:

Teeth left home at 16 (I know in the 2015 show he said 14 but I doubt he would have left home THAT when he was a teen) and left for the big city after someone responded to his calling for musicians for a band. Alas things didn't work out so Teeth is left working shifts playing the piano at a local pub and living off tips and what money he brought with him. Just as he's about to throw in the towel he runs into Floyd (same age as Teeth) and Animal (a few years younger). They quickly strike it up as friends for a few days, Floyd letting Teeth crash at their place while he's low on cash. Eventually the trio hit the road after Teeth discovered Floyd's and Animal's knack for the bass and guitar

~Side note~ As for how Teeth got his gold tooth I imagine it happened later in his life when he lost all his baby teeth. I like to believe Teeth constantly changes the story whenever someone asks how he got his golden tooth, when in reality it was probably something really stupid, like he fell down the stairs and slammed face first into the floor and knocked his tooth out

They spend a few months travelling, grooving out when they can at pubs and on street corners. They only ever stay in one place for a few weeks to scrape up cash before moving to the next city, trying to find more band members along the way. One day the trio get thrown off a train they'd snuck onto and land in somewhere just outside of San Francisco. After days of walking the group take a pit stop to rest up where they bump into Janice peacefully meditating - it took a bit for her to actually notice them but she very kindly tells them she knows a place for he weary trio to recharge on their travels. The gang take temporary roost on Haight street (hippy street), a happy, thriving, laxed group of hippies (and a few stoners-) from all walks of life. The band are happily welcomed into the community and the locals are very enthusiastic about their music, more enthusiastic then any city folk have been! Over their stay Floyd probably develops a little crush on Janice, who though at first denies their request to join them on the road she changes her mind last minute and catches the next bus/train with them out of town

I'm not too sure about Zoot - I had the idea of him maybe being apart of Janice's little hippy community and, at the time, him and Janice are roommates and not yet together together (I do love the ship Zoot x Janice, I think it's cute and I like the idea of them being a thing in the past!), if anyones got suggestions feel free to share em!

Lips was the last to join (referenced in my story Well I Think You're Pretty Cool on A03). Lips grew up fairly poor and a lot of his clothes where hand me downs, going off from Snuf's (discord buds) HC's Lips grew up near the coastline where not a lot happened, but he grew a love for music thanks to the countless parties that would happen at the beach. He left home bright and with a skip in his step, not too sure how he bumps into the band, perhaps he overhears them playing in a pub on his travels and after the performance shyly offers his compliments . From there Teeth notices the little instrument case Lips is carrying around and Lips plays them a little solo on his trumpet, where the band applaud him, then ask him if he wants to join their crew

DISASTROID Reveal Striking 4th Full-Length, ‘Garden Creatures’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Get ready for full-on galactic riffing, energetic rhythms, with moments of interstellar insanity. This is DISASTROID and their latest record, 'Garden Creatures' (2024) -- a swirling blend of colors drawn from a dynamic palette of psychedelic, grunge, desert, noise, and math rock influences.

This fourth full-length outing from the SFO band begins with the title track and is presented with rumbling force and jagged rhythms juxtaposed with clean, earnest singing and smooth melodic lines from frontman/guitarist Enver Koneya. At times the vocals soar like the pleas of some jerky cosmonaut thrust into the unknown vastness of outer space. Braden McGraw's drums thunder and churn like the roaring ocean. Travis Williams' bass is warm and pulsating.

Enver's guitar and Travis' bass trade barbs on "Stucco Nowhere," an ode to being stuck in a life of sameness and misery ("burning out within your head"). The singing builds to a crescendo, perhaps summoning sheer force of will to shake off the spell of mediocrity. There are some dreamy vocal harmonies that haunt overslept dreams, and finally a cry of frustration and despair to be set free from the shackles of it all.

"Mama says I need some help," laments Enver in "Figurative Object." The guitars chug with rocketing force, but often enter the realm of disorienting dissonance. This tendency towards the strange and uncanny continues in "Backwards Sleeping" and feels like a night of tossing and turning ("losing sleep for all that we have done"), complete with trippy guitar effects, rhythmic jolts, and ghostly droning.

"24" is fuzzy as all get-out, with screeching guitar hooks, unconventional rhythmic structure, and a misty hue of sadness in the vocals. Then "Hold Me Wrong" is like a fever dream, with a persistent bass groove, strumming and picking on the guitar, and exhausted pleas to "hold me tight, hold me right."

The penultimate song, "Light 'Em Up" is like a hallucination straight out of Blade Runner, with sounds and samples flying about us like fugitive visions. This is another where the bass is so integral to giving us a feeling of movement and cohesiveness in this shapeshifting world. The drumming here, as throughout the record, is stalwart and determined, whilst the riffmaking ranges from raucous to delirious. The record ends on a short banger, a riotous number "Jack Londonin'" with punk, noise, and math overtones.

Disastroid's Garden Creatures was recorded and produced by Billy Anderson and is releasing on Heavy Psych Sounds this weekend, February 23rd, on a spectacular variety of vinyl variants (get it here). Stick it on a playlist with The Melvins, Red Fang, Fatso Jetson, Kook, and Soundgarden.

Give ear...

SOME BUZZ

San Francisco veterans Disastroid have been serving up sludgy, grunge-infused stoner rock for the better part of a decade now, refining a sound that weaves heavy riffs together with angular guitar lines, odd time signatures, and hazy walls of fuzz. As influenced by 90's noise rock as they are by modern psych, doom, and post-metal, Disastroid delivers thick, satisfying stoner rock stomp while also embracing layers of noise, tripped-out feedback, and unpredictable song structures.

The current lineup of singer/guitarist Enver Koneya, bassist Travis Williams, and drummer Braden McGraw coalesced in 2011. They’re united by a desire to make heavy music that's loose instead of mechanical, a motivation to explore methods that make them sound bigger and more varied than a traditional rock trio, and a shared affection for the Amphetamine Reptile back-catalog. Thematically, their songs steer clear of genre cliches, touching instead on scattered aspects of modern life: technology fatigue, immigration, nuclear deterrence, the monotony of work, the existential dread of aging. Despite the subject matter, Disastroid never take themselves too seriously, injecting their live shows with an infectious sense of humor and their songwriting with math-rock quirks.

Disastroid’s latest outing, Garden Creatures, is a record about the darkness in the hidden corners of suburban landscapes — sinister overgrown gardens, secret collections kept in basements, the crime just beneath the surface, the pervasive loneliness under a veneer of normalcy. Accordingly, it’s a dark and atmospheric record, trading the stripped-down approach of 2020’s Mortal Fools for a thicker, heavier, and more layered sound. Legendary producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Neurosis) builds mixes that range from dark and dreamy to a thick, sludgy crunch, slowly pulling the listener through a range of sounds and textures, making sure things stay interesting. Singer/guitarist Enver Koneya's vocals are soulful and sometimes haunting, drifting above Disastroid’s characteristically off-kilter, grunge-influenced riffs.

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

A.B.A. (Possible References)

Before I forget:

A.B.A. Band References (from her current Movelist) (Note: this is just a vague list based on Encyopaedia Metallum, just as reference.)

Jealous Rage:

Jealous (U.K. Heavy Metal Band) Jealous Heart (German Melodic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock) Jealous Wild (Japanese Heavy Metal Band/Hard Rock)

Bonding and Dissolving:

The Bonding (Song by Edenbridge) Criminal Bonding (Song by Stonehurst) Dissolving (Song by Cruor Deum) Dissolving (Single by Doom Rot) Dissolving (Full Length Song by Et Moriemur) Dissolving (by Eucharist) Dissolving (Demo by Shotgun Blast) Dissolving (Full Length song by Suffokate) Eluding, Dissolving (Autumn's Kingdom) etc etc… look it up.

Changing and Swaying:

Changing (Condition Red, Decline, Flood of Ages, Force, Mad Mav, Prospect, Seven7, Silent Nightmare, Tvnalad, Witch, etc) Swaying (Sancnity) (there's other derivatives)

Haul and Heed

Haul/Havl (Black Metal Band) Haul Wind (Folk Power Metal) Keelhaul (Progressive Stoner/Sludge Metal) Haul (songs by Jumalhämärä, Rågbröder, Sahrana, Demo by Defleshed etc) Heed (Echoes of Solitude, Oblivion, Psilocybe, The Right Wing Conspiracy Heed is also a Power Metal Band out of Sweden

Intertwine and Tilt

Intertwine (song by Magistina Saga, Serpents Rise, The Third Grade)

Tilt (Japanese Metal Band later known for Hard Rock) Tilt (U.K. Band for Melodic Heavy Metal) Tilt (U.S. Heavy Metal Band) Tilt-X (Progressive/Melodic/Thrash) Full Tilt (Hard Rock/Metal, based in U.S.) Shock Tilt (Heavy Metal out of Finland)

Menace and Groan

Menace (Groove Metal Rock Band out of Argentina) Menace (Thrash Metal out of Brazil)

Groan (Doom/Progressive Metal out of Poland) Groan (Stoner Metal out of the U.K.) Grone (Death Metal U.S. Band)

Frenzy and Astonishment

Frenzy (Heavy Metal out of Spain) Frenzy (Death Thrash Metal out of U.S.) Astonishment (songs by Mortify, Mutexide, Neka, Newton's Cradle)

Judgement and Sentiment

Judgement (Power Metal Band out of Brazil, Finland, Serbia, U.K. and other places also Canada) Sentiment (another band out of Finland)

The Law is Key, Key is King

Guilty's Law (Japan) Odin's Law (Canada) Moshing da Law (Argentina) Lawbringer (U.S.) Broken Law (Germany) etc etc

Key is a Heavy Metal Band in the U.S. Key is also a Demo by 612 Sacrifices

King has too many song references to narrow down.

Keeper of the Key Compilation by the band Pokket Foxx

Aside the ABBA reference that's obvious If you want to search yourself go here.

[Album of the day] Froglord - Save The Frogs

Bristol, UK // 2021 // Swamp Records (later)

[Genres] stoner doom, groove metal

[Themes] SaveTheFrogs.com, Teocipactli the Divine Crocodile

[FFO] concept albums, charitable music, eco preservation

[Thoughts] This is an EP from a solo artist who's a decent guy and his whole thing is saving the frogs and preventing us from the consequences of ecological collapse. This EP is what originally caught my attention, particularly the throat singing.*

However, other releases are also good. Amphibian Ascending mythologizes the Froglord, following the deity through a narrative: the Froglord creates the Earth as a habitat for amphibians to flourish, and upon returning 10,000 years later is disgusted what the ape men have done to the biome. The Mystic Toad and Army of Frogs continues the tale; A Frog In The Bog is a split with Bog Wizard, a stoner doom battle won by Our Frogther Who Art In The Swamp. Later releases trend towards nu/groove metal, which is less my speed but still executed well.

Finally, there's a new release dropping in one week (2024.03.09), titled after the Froglord's sacred mantra: LIVE BY THE FUZZ OR DIE BY THE SLIME.

o()xxxx[:::::::::::::::::> o()xxxx[:::::::::::::::::> o()xxxx[:::::::::::::::::>

* I was very into Tengger Cavalry at the time, still my favorite Mongolian folk metal project.

o()xxxx[:::::::::::::::::> o()xxxx[:::::::::::::::::> o()xxxx[:::::::::::::::::>

[From the band/label]

"As a musician and a frog enthusiast, I send my thanks and respect to FROGLORD for his fabulous contributions to frog conservation, environmental education and the musical community. Long live the frogs and the ectoplasmic slime!" -- SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger SaveTheFrogs.com

The mission of SAVE THE FROGS! is to protect amphibian populations and to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. We work in California, across the USA and around the world to create a better planet for humans and wildlife.

Frog populations have been declining worldwide at unprecedented rates, and nearly one-third of the world’s amphibian species are threatened with extinction. Since 2008, SAVE THE FROGS! has been at the forefront of worldwide amphibian conservation efforts.

SAVE THE FROGS! is a 501(c)(3) public charity, funded primarily by donations from nature enthusiasts like you. If you share our vision of a world in which amphibians and humans co-exist and the sounds of frogs calling still fills the nighttime air, please support our efforts by donating to SAVE THE FROGS! today. Thank you!

HEAVY PSYCH -- HEAVY GROOVE -- ON A HEAVY SONIC ROTATION.

PIC(S) INFO: Resolution at 1080x1080 (x2) -- Spotlight on sleeve art to the first two studio full-length albums by Japanese psychedelic stoner rock/stoner metal band SONIC FLOWER, a side-project started by bassist Tatsu Mikam of CHURCH OF MISERY infamy.

"Sonic Flower" (2011), self-titled debut album by SONIC FLOWER, released by Emetic Records (US)

"Rides Again" (2021), released under the Italian label Heavy Psych Sounds

Source: www.picuki.com/tag/japandoom.

NEW SIGNING ALERT!!!

I am extremely pleased to announce that Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico based Psychedelic/Stoner/Progressive Rock band Desert Mantra have joined the HHR family, with their latest album Harvest now available on the HHR Bandcamp and YouTube channel.

Harvest offers three tracks of powerful groove laden stoner psych, working in progressive elements and impressive complexity over its 26 minute run time. You'll find stunning soulful guitar, wild shredding and moving atmospheric moments all expertly woven together. The band are just one of the many amazing acts to emerge from Mexico's stoner psych scene in recent years, let them be your gateway.

Listen to and purchase the album at the link below. All sale proceeds go directly to the artist as always with HHR.

Remember to always support emerging artists!

The Metal You Missed in 2022

It’s that time of year again. Everyone’s got their own “Best of 2022” list, and by now you can probably guess the bands in the top spots before you even click the links. Don’t get me wrong— I, too, am foaming at the mouth to sing Messa’s praises. But there was a lot of good shit that flew under the radar as well. 

Here are 5 doom, drone, and psych releases (in no particular order) that deserved more attention in 2022. 

Weightless by Grief Circle

Weightless by Grief Circle

Suggested track: Hollow

Polish doom and post-metal outfit Grief Circle dropped this boulder back in October. The album features a heady mix of clean and growled singing that seems to embody the frustrations and impossible choices of the past two years. Amid a flurry of tempo changes, the band manages to get vicious metal and haunting misery to hold hands and play nice. If you’re looking for something heavy as fuck to ring in a new year, this is it. 

.....

Chem-Trails LIVE by Apex Ten

Chem-Trails LIVE by Apex Ten

Suggested track: Tentacles

Attention stoners: are you ready to embark on a sightseeing tour of the cosmos? Masters of psychedelic improv, Apex Ten, have the countdown running and the engines billowing steam. This band is ready to take you from Belgium to the fucking moon. This tasty live album features epic jams, ample use of a theremin, and no tracks under 8 minutes. It’s a journey you’ll want to take again and again. HIGHly recommend.

.....

The Salt Pale Collective EP by The Salt Pale Collective

The Salt Pale Collective EP by The Salt Pale Collective

Suggested track: Charnel Plains/Whore Abyss

UK doomers The Salt Pale Collective have assembled a cinematic masterpiece with this EP. Sometimes the melodies are floating and celestial; other times they writhe through grit and sludge. The band uses a wide range of noise, vocals, and instrumentation to sculpt monstrous landscapes that drip, shimmer, and evolve before your eyes. This EP is captivating and ghastly, and you won’t want to miss a second of it. 

.....

Tales of the Astro Throne by Astro Throne

Tales of the Astro Throne by Astro Throne

Suggested track: Caestus of Grief

Prairie doom act Astro Throne brought scorching psych riffs and hideous grooves to 2022. Their album is a dark fuzz-laden fantasy world, populated with fighters, wizards, and sci-fi abominations. Put on your headphones, turn up the volume, and rock out in a decaying world at the edge of your imagination.

.....

Za sad, još nam ne treba... by Zauvijek Hani

Za sad, još nam ne treba . . . by Zauvijek Hani

Suggested track: Civet u lobanji (“Flower in the skull”)

This album knows the secret passcode to my mind. When the first track starts, my skull opens wide, and I am entranced—completely at its mercy. Croatian band, Zauvijek Hani, makes experimental drone doom inspired by the wind. Their unique sound conjures images of the sea, the prickle of salt air on your skin, and the lo-fi buzz of a dusty old radio. Don’t let that fool you... this album is no day at the beach. Despite all of the delicate layering, this album is umbral and staggeringly bleak. Let the non-melody guide you through the liminal space halfway between a dream and a tortured memory. Easily one of my favorite albums of 2022.

Jessie Jessie Jessie Jessie what if Ian like. Finds Mickey's band shirts. Right. And Mickey totally has some super obscure band shirts that he found in the garbage in thrift stores and Ian is like I should listen to these my husband must like them and they're not Ian's style at ALL but he makes the effort, maybe throws on some eyeliner and flirts bc clearly his husband likes a darker edge and Mickey does Not Know how to tell Ian that he doesn't really like The Bloody Death Sabers he just thought the t shirt looked cool.

(also afterwards when Ian is relieved that Mickey doesn't like all these crazy metal bands he says something along the lines of "I mean Jesus who actually listens to insane clown posse" and mickey's like "uhhhh sure that's totally not a band I legitimately like")

Oooh okay interesting scenario!

I could absolutely picture teenage Mickey plucking clothes out of dumpsters if they seemed like they were in decent enough shape. That feels super plausible. The thing is, I fully headcanon him as liking all kinds of stuff, but specifically being a metalhead on top of everything else. He likes heavy shit! I'm not gonna touch juggalo mickey with a ten foot pole, that is just not something I could even begin to entertain, but the rest of it? Yeah he's got a couple obscure band tees, and when they're unpacking in the apartment Ian's like ooooh what's this. Interesting. And this is how he becomes more acquainted with Mickey's appreciation for the doomiest, sluuudgiest stoner metal, and the speediest thrash, and the silliest industrial shit. And he's like huh alright this isn't my favorite thing. But he knew Mickey was into that good good heavy shit and he listens to a couple of these bands out of curiosity and he feels like he's being crushed by the weight of the sound and is like OKAY. Well if he likes this then maybe I should lean into it a little. And he tries the eyeliner thing and Mickey has no idea what's happening, doesn't make the connection at all because why would he, Ian's making the effort but he's a little lost okay? One thing does not lead to the other. Enjoying getting fucked up while listening to Monolord and Electric Wizard and grooving in the car to Power Trip and being a fifteen year old in his bedroom jamming on his guitar to Rammstein does not mean he desires makeup on his husband. That said, he's weirdly into it. He'd seen Ian in makeup before but those circumstances were waaayyy different. This, though? This is actually pretty hot. Obviously he jumps on his dick.

Also, gonna introduce this idea real quick: remember Ian's Ozzy t shirt from season one? Mickey finds it. Similar situation, unpacking boxes in the apartment and he's like "whose is this?!" And Ian confirms it's his and Mickey is STUNNED. He's like oh man I liked ozzy when I was a kid too! And he makes Ian listen to the shit he appreciates more now as an adult, 70s-era Sabbath and modern-day Sabbath worship bands blaring in the rig while they make runs all the time now. Ian doesn't know how to tell him he liked one bad ozzy osbourne album from 2007 when he was a tiny bean and he bought the shirt to be edgy and cool and the super riffy heavy stuff is a little much for him.

Storia Di Musica #246 - Sly & The Family Stone, Stand!, 1969

San Francisco è stata anche la città dell’inclusione razziale: sin dagli anni ‘50 il crescente fervore culturale, la presenza di grandi università pubbliche, tra cui  le due Università di San Francisco e, appena fuori città, quella di Berkeley che fu teatro delle spinte culturali giovanili di tutto il paese il decennio successivo, tutta la baia era la zona più eccitante della parte occidentale degli Stati Uniti. Così la pensò anche la famiglia di Sylvester Steward, che nei primi anni ‘50 si trasferisce lì. Sylvester studia teoria, composizione e tromba al Vallejo Junior College, e come esame finale compone un pezzo, Long Time Away, che a sedici anni lo fa conoscere al pubblico locale. Con il fratello Freddie, forma il primo gruppo, gli Steward Brothers, e amplia i suoi esperimenti musicali a San Francisco facendo il Dj per un’emittente specializzata nella musica soul, la KSOL. Intorno alla metà degli anni ‘60 entra come produttore nella Autumn Records fondata da uno dei grandi personaggi del periodo, il dj Tom Donahue, e lavora con nomi del calibro di Beau Brummels, Mojo Men e Great Society, il gruppo formato da Jerry Slick, il fratello Darby e la moglie Grace, che poi diventerà la voce femminile della San Francisco psichedelica con i Jefferson Airplane. Nel 1966 ci riprova con una propria band, The Stoners, con il fratello e una notevole trombettista, Cynthia Robinson. Dura pochissimo, ma da quel nucleo si aggiunsero altri personaggi: Greg Errico alla batteria, Jerry Martini al sassofono, un gruppo di coriste e un bassista, geniale, Larry Graham, che viene considerato l’inventore della tecnica slapping,  in cui si alternano "strappi" (pull o popping o slap) e percussioni (thumb) con il pollice alle corde di uno strumento. Sylvester sceglie come nome d’arte Sly Stone, dà al suo gruppo il nome The Family sancendo la nascita così di un gruppo, guidato da un grande personaggio, che collegherà gli elementi scenici e provocatori del rock’n’roll e del r&b anni ‘50 alle forme della black music del decennio successivo, legate con il rock psichedelico, influenzando tutta la musica funk e soul a venire, anticipando gli stilemi di giganti come George Clinton con i suoi Funkadelic, Prince fino a personaggi come Lenny Kravitz o Bruno Mars. Il primo singolo, I Ain’t Got Nobody, è un buon successo che garantisce al gruppo un contratto con la Epic. Nel 1967 il primo disco, A Whole New Thing, non ottiene il successo sperato. Sfornano due dischi in un anno, e Dance To The Music, trascinato dall’omonimo singolo, va meglio, ma Life, (entrambi del 1968) è un mezzo disastro. Sly mette tutto sé stesso durante le registrazioni agli studi Pacific High di San Francisco, aggiunge al piano la sorella Rosie, sviluppa al meglio questa idea di soul rock psichedelico, e il risultato è uno dei dischi del decennio. Stand! esce nel Maggio 1969, ed è un portento: è un mix irresistibile di brani ballabili e altri più impegnati, che mettono in risalto la condizione, usando anche una certa dose di ironia, della popolazione nera statunitense. Alcuni brani del disco diventano leggendari: la meravigliosa Stand! di apertura, quasi un incitamento alla rivendicazione dei propri diritti, che sfocia nella storica Don’t Call Me Nigger, Whitey, funk-rock allucinato dal chiaro messaggio anti-razzismo dove Sly usa il  vocoder. I Want To Take You Higher diventerà uno dei loro classici, ripreso da decine di artisti (da ricordare che fu una hit per Ike & Tina Turner). Il disco ha altre canzoni numero uno: Everyday People, loro primo numero uno in assoluto, è un inno pacifista che ha il famoso verso “different strokes for different folks” (che diventerà ispirazione per il titolo della serie Tv, Diff’rent Strokes, in Italia conosciuta come Il Mio Amico Arnold). Sing A Simple Song, dal groove irresistibile, diventerà un pilastro per buona parte della musica nera futura, saccheggiata dai campionamenti dell’hip hop, e con centinaia di cover (tra cui,  Dusty Springfield, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, The Commodores, Miles Davis, The Meters, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Prince e si potrebbe continuare per una pagina intera). Sex Machine è un irriverente jam session di oltre 13 minuti, un jazz funk ante-litteram, e non si possono dimenticare le splendide Somebody's Watching e You Can’t Make If You Try, che conclude il disco. L’album è un successo clamoroso: vende 500.000 copie nel 1969, resta in classifica per 80 settimane, ed è il trampolino di lancio per altri due grandi momenti: una strepitosa e storica esibizione al Festival di Woodstock, con due esibizioni incendiarie di I Want To Take You Higher e Dance To The Music conquistano il pubblico; il successivo lavoro in studio, There’s A Riot Goin’ On, del 1971, spinge gli accenti polemici e politica sulla vita della minoranza afro-americana, conservando solo un pizzico dell’ottimismo di Stand!. Sarà un grande successo lo stesso, ma non tutti apprezzeranno il cambio di prospettiva, amplificato dal fatto che Sly inizierà atteggiamenti da megalomane e sarà più volte arrestato per possesso di cocaina. La storia della band da qui in poi si eclissa, un po’ travolta dai cambiamenti musicali circostanti, continuando comunque a proporre musica sino a metà degli anni ‘80, incapace però di riscrivere quella magia che questo disco, fondamentale, sancì nell’anno di grazia 1969.

Seum - DOUBLE DOUBLE (2023)

Earth shaking, bass-led, NOLA style stoner sludge

The Canadian lords of distortion return with another offering of filthy bass driven stoner sludge, and one that could be their finest work to date. The band simultaneously refine their sound and amp up their grime and bite. Prepare for vocals that sound as if Gaspard is shredding his cords, bass so heavy it measures on the Richter scale, high energy drum work and more groove than you can shake a bong at. If you're a fan of NOLA style sludge then DOUBLE DOUBLE is essential listening.

Thursday, February 9: Kyng, “Falling Down”

For a subgenre whose name implied easygoing bliss, stoner metal had a lot of irascible bands.  Kyng didn’t sound like an exception, as “Falling Down” opened the Los Angeles trio’s debut with a cantankerous spirit alongside the tumbling riffs and grooves.  Eddie Veliz’s vocals were a bit more elastic, recalling Chris Cornell and giving the track a more aggressive energy.  Otherwise, the tune checked the stoner metal boxes, though it also benefited from more economical writing and playing that didn’t drag things out and largely got right to the point. Perhaps Kyng could’ve stood to lighten up a bit, but “Falling Down” was a good opener that showed they knew what they were doing.

I haven't played this song in a while, and I'm pretty sure most ppm have never heard of the band this song is from. Either way just getting back into my groove before recording guitar parts Tuesday. Hope ya digg it ✌ 💀everything Else Dies but the Music💀 #everythingElseDiesbuttheMusic #eED #AnimalHowze #inlandempire #california #cali #inlandempire #951 #guitarist #guitar #acousticguitar #jamming #cover #music #musiclife #musician #artist #art #boxcarracer #cidicvicious #acousticguitar #artist #guitarist #vocals #lyricist #emcee #poet #songideas #songwriter #explorepage #locs #420 #stoner #stoners #stonersoul #stonerrock #rocknroll #alternativerock #punkrock ✊ https://www.instagram.com/p/BHbX40QDNC1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=