Editing Kyuss (section)

===As Kyuss (1991–1995)===

Kyuss' first line-up consisted of vocalist [[John Garcia (singer)|John Garcia]], guitarist [[Josh Homme]], bassist [[Nick Oliveri]] and drummer [[Brant Bjork]]. The band gradually built a local following in Palm Desert, California and frequently performed at parties in and around the isolated towns of [[Southern California]]'s desert areas. These impromptu and predominantly outdoor shows, referred to locally as "generator parties",<ref name="Morris">{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=January 15, 1994 |title=Kyuss lands on its feet and keeps climbing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |newspaper=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |pages=1, 76}}</ref> consisted of small crowds of people, beer drinking, and the use of gasoline-powered generators to provide electricity for the equipment.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Billik | first = Kira L. | title = Confused punk rockers' have an identity crisis | newspaper =[[Buffalo News]] | pages =G3 | date =March 14, 1993}}</ref> Homme commented that playing in the desert "was the shaping factor for the band" noting that "there's no clubs here, so you can only play for free. If people don't like you, they'll tell you. You can't suck."<ref name="Morris"/>

The band then signed with independent record label [[Chameleon Records|Dali]], a subsidiary of the [[Elektra Records]]-distributed [[Chameleon Records]], who released their debut album, ''[[Wretch (album)|Wretch]]'', in September 1991. Several songs on the album were re-recorded versions of those that appeared on the ''Sons of Kyuss'' EP. Album sales were sluggish, though the band was quickly making a name for itself as a live act.<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web | last = Rivadavia | first =Eduardo | title =Kyuss Biography | publisher = [[AllMusic]] | url =https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kyuss-mn0000776011/biography | access-date = July 4, 2007}}</ref> Guitarist Josh Homme soon gained a reputation for his unique downtuned, [[psychedelic rock|psychedelic]] style of guitar playing, and his convention of playing electric guitars through bass guitar amplifiers to create a bass-heavy sound.

In 1992, the band, along with new producer [[Chris Goss]], began work on their next album, ''[[Blues for the Red Sun]]''. Goss understood the band, and was able to accurately capture their live sound in the studio.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=January 15, 1994 |title=Kyuss Lands On Its Feet And Keeps Climbing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=kyuss+billboard&pg=PA1 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=106 |issue=3 |pages=1, 75 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> Released in June that year, the album was critically hailed and is today widely regarded as a pioneering [[stoner rock]] record. By the end of 1993, they were invited to open nine dates for [[Metallica]] touring Australia.<ref name="Morris" /> Comparisons to stoner rock godfathers [[Black Sabbath]] became common, though Homme claimed to have little knowledge of the band at the time<ref>{{cite web
| url =https://www.spin.com/2003/06/my-life-music-josh-homme/
| title =My Life in Music: Josh Homme
| access-date=October 23, 2014
| date =June 13, 2003
| publisher =spin.com}}</ref> but Bjork asserted he and Oliveri were hugely influenced by the British group.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://endhits.hu/kyuss-lives-%E2%80%93-interview-with-drummer-brant-bjork/ |title=Kyuss lives! - Interview with drummer Brant Bjork |publisher=endhits.hu |date=April 7, 2011 |access-date=October 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030165618/http://endhits.hu/kyuss-lives-%E2%80%93-interview-with-drummer-brant-bjork/ |archive-date=October 30, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Oliveri left the band following completion of the album and [[Scott Reeder (bassist)|Scott Reeder]], who had been approached about joining Kyuss five to six months earlier during a West Coast tour with [[The Obsessed]], made his debut at the release party for ''Blues for the Red Sun''.

In 1993, Kyuss were moved from Dali to the main Chameleon label, and recorded their third album, ''[[Welcome to Sky Valley]].<ref name=":0" />'' Once again produced by Chris Goss, it demonstrated a much more psychedelic and mature sound.<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=May 13, 1995 |title=Kyuss Brings Its 'Circus' To Town With 1st Official Elektra Set |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vAsEAAAAMBAJ&dq=kyuss+billboard&pg=PA18 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=107 |issue=19 |page=18 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> However, personal problems emerged and drummer Brant Bjork left the band following completion of the recording sessions. Bjork cited his extreme distaste for touring, particularly band relationship problems that develop during long periods on the road. He was replaced by [[Alfredo Hernández]], who had previously played with Reeder in the band Across the River during the mid-80s. The album was initially scheduled to be released in January 1994, but Chameleon went under in November 1993.<ref name=":0" /> Elektra opted to pick up the band's contract from Chameleon,<ref name=":0" /> and issued the album in June 1994 to critical acclaim. One of the album's singles, "Demon Cleaner", reached number 78 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=KYUSS {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/29590/kyuss/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=www.officialcharts.com}}</ref>{{listen
| filename     = Kyuss_Thee_Ol'_Boozeroony.ogg
| title        = "Thee Ol' Boozeroony"
| description  = Sample of "Thee Ol' Boozeroony", from ''[[...And the Circus Leaves Town]]''.
| format       = [[Ogg]]
}}

In July 1995, Kyuss released their fourth and final album, ''[[...And the Circus Leaves Town]].'' The band's only album recorded for a major label, it featured a simpler sound, in contrast to the instrumentally based ''Welcome to Sky Valley''.<ref name=":1" />  "[[One Inch Man]]" was released as the album's only single in June 1995, and a music video was also made for the song.<ref name=":1" /> The album was not as successful commercially as ''Sky Valley'', receiving mixed reviews. Kyuss broke up during the late summer of 1995.

After the band's breakup in 1995, there had been frequent and persistent speculation among fans regarding the possibility of a Kyuss reunion. When asked in late 2004 about whether the band would ever re-unite, Homme replied that this was unlikely to happen in the near future. However, on December 20, 2005, Garcia made a guest appearance onstage with Queens of the Stone Age during their encore at the [[Wiltern Theatre|Wiltern LG]] in Los Angeles. They performed three Kyuss songs together: "Thumb", "Hurricane" and "Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop".<ref>{{cite web | last = Orzeck | first = Kurt| title = QOTSA End Year On A High Note: Josh Homme Reunites With Kyuss Singer In L.A | publisher = VH1| date = December 21, 2005| url = http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1519071/20051221/queens_stone_age.jhtml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070312021713/http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1519071/20051221/queens_stone_age.jhtml | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 12, 2007 | access-date = June 5, 2007}}</ref> The band has reportedly received numerous offers to reform, all of which have been turned down:

{{quote|"The offers come in all the time. They're getting more and more expensive, and more and more elaborate. The money is crazy, but I've never been tempted – I don't really care about the money, I never have. That's not what KYUSS was about, so to punctuate the end of our sentence with that would be blasphemy. KYUSS fans are so fuckin' rad, they're fuckin' badass – but to me, reunions are just not necessary. It's not what it was, it's what it is, and KYUSS was a really magical thing – and if you weren't there, well, you weren't. That's just the luck of the draw. I don't feel the urge to do it for somebody who didn't have the opportunity to see us, or just didn't take the opportunity to see us. I'll let other bands alter their great legacies. KYUSS has such a great history that it would be a total error. I like that nobody saw KYUSS, and that it was largely misunderstood. That sounds like a legend forming to me. I'm too proud of it to rub my dick on it."|Josh Homme to [[Joel McIver]], May 2007<ref>{{cite news
 |url         = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=72065
 |title       = Queens of the Stone Ages's Josh Homme Rules Out Kyuss Reunion
 |access-date  = 2007-05-08
 |date        = 2007-05-08
 |work   = [[Blabbermouth.net]]
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070510040240/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=72065
 |archive-date = 2007-05-10
}}</ref>}}

Scott Reeder also commented on a possible Kyuss reunion in early 2008, saying "I think everyone but Josh would do it in a heartbeat". Reeder also noted that he would "do it for free beer again".<ref>{{cite web
| url =http://www.nonelouder.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1528828%3ABlogPost%3A32531
| title =BLAST BEAT 007: SCOTT REEDER
| access-date=April 13, 2008
|author=Iann Robinson
| date =February 21, 2008
| publisher =nonelouder.com}}</ref>