While still in high school, Bjork got together with friends Josh Homme and John Garcia in 1987 to form a band called Katzenjammer. At Bjork's prompting, the band would soon be renamed Sons of Kyuss for a single EP, named after "The Sons of Kyuss" monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, and then later shortened to Kyuss. The band relocated to Los Angeles in 1990 and signed to Chameleon Records, releasing their debut album, Wretch in September 1991. They were then picked up by the major label Elektra Records, becoming the first desert rock band to achieve international success. Bjork was a major creative force in Kyuss, contributing a substantial portion of the band's songwriting. In 1994, Bjork left the band following the release of Welcome to Sky Valley, frustrated at guitarist Homme's growing reluctance to play the songs he was contributing to the band.
After leaving Kyuss, Bjork would go on to play with several different bands, as well as founding the independent label El Camino Records (later Duna Records). Through his label, Bjork would release albums that he was musically involved in, such as hardcore punk band De-Con's 1995 album Balls for Days, on which he played drums. Bjork would also release and produce stoner rock band Solarfeast's 1995 debut Gossamer. Bjork would later go on to join former Kyuss bandmate, Josh Homme, in his Palm Desert musical collective series, The Desert Sessions. He would play a mixture of guitar, bass, drums, and percussion on various tracks on the 1997 releases Volume 1: Instrumental Driving Music For Felons and Volume 2: Status: Ships Commander Butchered, as well as 1999's Volume 5: Poetry for the Masses (SeaShedShitheadByTheSheSore) and Volume 6: Black Anvil Ego.
Bjork briefly moved to Santa Cruz to play guitar for hardcore punk band LAB in 1997 (made up of the remaining members of 80's punk band BL'AST!), playing on their 1997 release, the 7" EP "Burning Leaf/Chihuahua". He would also play guitar for Fatso Jetson during 1997–1998, including on their 1998 "Jailbreak" 7" split EP with stoner rock band Fu Manchu.
Bjork was playing with another former member of Kyuss, Nick Oliveri, in Oliveri's metal band Mondo Generator. Joining in 1997, Bjork's drumming would feature on the 2000 LP Cocaine Rodeo, and the 2003 LP A Drug Problem That Never Existed. He would tour with the band until leaving in 2004. Bjork also appeared on the live DVD, 2004's Use Once and Destroy Me, as well as later releases featuring the Bjork-era line-up, in including the 2006 7" single "I Never Sleep" and the 2008 Australian Tour EP.
Having produced their debut album No One Rides for Free in 1994, Bjork would officially join Fu Manchu with the release of their critically acclaimed 1997 album The Action Is Go. Bjork would continue to play on every Fu Manchu recording until his departure following the release of 2001's California Crossing, including the LPs Eatin' Dust and King of the Road.
Bjork began recording his first solo album, 1999's Jalamanta, in February of that year. Bjork performed all instruments, including guitar and vocals. He would also perform guitar and vocals in the short-lived stoner rock band Ché – a side-project collaboration with former Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age drummer Alfredo Hernández. Ché released their only album, Sounds of Liberation, in October 2000. Bjork's next album, 2002's Brant Bjork & the Operators, named for Bjork's fictional backing band, 'the Operators', was recorded in November 2000 with Bjork again performing vocals and most instruments. He would continue to be the sole performer, except for a few guest spots, on 2003's Keep Your Cool and 2004's Local Angel.
Bjork would form the band Brant Bjork and the Bros in 2003, featuring guitarist Mike Pygmie, bassist Dylan Roche, and drummer Michael Peffer, with Bjork performing vocals and additional guitar. They toured Europe in October 2003, performing a mixture of Bjork's solo material and Ché's Sounds of Liberation. Pygmie was replaced by Scott Cortez Silverman for further touring in Europe and North America in 2004.[5] This line-up went on to record the 2005 double album Saved by Magic. The album featured a return to the sound of Bjork's earlier sound from his Jalamanta/Sounds of Liberation era.
2006 saw the release of Sabbia, a feature film "visual soundtrack" by filmmaker Kate McCabe, featuring Bjork's music. Brant Bjork and the Bros would go on to record another album, 2007's Somera Sól, with Alfredo Hernández replacing Michael Peffer on drums. In the same year, Bjork released his fifth solo album, Tres Dias, an acoustic album featuring reinterpretations of older songs, as well as some new material. The title of the album (Three Days) comes from the purported amount of time that Bjork claimed it took to record it at producer Tony Mason's house in Joshua Tree, California.
Bjork reported in 2007 that he had ended his label, Duna Records, citing that it took too much time and energy to run. Bjork soon created a new label, Low Desert Punk Recordings, and the Duna Records website now functions as a Brant Bjork community fansite and forum.[8] The first release on the new label was Bjork's 2008 album, Punk Rock Guilt, made up of recordings from December 2005 referred to as the "New Jersey Sessions". This release was followed up with the 2010 album Gods & Goddesses. Recorded in LA in 2009, Gods & Goddesses was the first Brant Bjork solo album not to be primarily recorded by Bjork himself. Instead, Bjork recorded with a new line-up of musicians including guitarist Brandon Henderson, former Yawning Man bassist Billy Cordell, and former Mondo Generator drummer Giampaolo Farnedi.
In November 2010, it was announced that Bjork was forming Kyuss Lives! with Bruno Fevery on guitar, Nick Oliveri on bass and John Garcia on vocals. The band undertook a European, Australian and New Zealand tour from March to May 2011. On November 2012, Kyuss Lives! announced that they had changed their name to Vista Chino.
Vista Chino released their debut album Peace on September 3, 2013 through Napalm Records.
In March 2014, Bjork announced that he would tour Australia in May with his backing band, the 'Low Desert Punks', consisting of bassist Dave Dinsmore, guitarist Bubba Dupree, and Tony Tornay on drums.[10] He would later announce a New Zealand tour with dates in June.
Tao of The Devil was released in 2016.
Europe '16, a live album was released in 2017.
Mankind Woman was released in 2018.
A new solo record entitled Jacuzzi has been recorded and mixed. Jacuzzi will be an instrumental album, featuring jazz and funk influences with break beats. Originally planned for release in 2013, it has been delayed for undisclosed reasons. It was released in 2019.
Automatic Fantastic
Brant Bjork Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got your radio tuned..but it ain't gonna play this song
It's the sweetest sound you ever heard, and the metal flaked cherries always pass the word
Rub your genie down and get the news, it's time to ride with the strange dudes
Suns up, and we like it hot, and we always take our time...cuz it's what we got
The man shakes me down and that's why I'm broke , the rich man got all the green...but it ain't the kind we smoke
So we turn up our rock and we roll it slow, and we're always flying high...and the ride is always low
The lyrics to Brant Bjork's song "Automatic Fantastic" speak to the idea of finding the perfect music that speaks to you, going against the mainstream radio that only plays certain types of songs. The opening line, "When the needle hits wax...it won't be long," refers to the joy of listening to vinyl records and the anticipation of hearing a particular track. However, the following line, "You got your radio tuned..but it ain't gonna play this song," suggests that the mainstream radio won't play that one song that captures the essence of what you're feeling or searching for.
The lyrics then move into a celebration of the music that speaks to them, with the "metal flaked cherries always pass[ing] the word" about the sweet sound that they love. The line "Rub your genie down and get the news" feels like the act of tuning in to the types of bands and music you love, getting the latest news and information about them. The chorus talks about being free to enjoy this music, taking time to enjoy life, despite the struggles of the everyday world. The idea of "riding with the strange dudes" further enhances this concept of rebellion against mainstream ideas.
Ultimately, "Automatic Fantastic" is a song about finding your tribe, your crew, and your passion in life. It's about seeking out the music that speaks to you, despite the lack of mainstream acceptance. The message is one of defiance and self-fulfillment, encouraging the listener to take charge of their life and pursue the music that really means something to them.
Line by Line Meaning
When the needle hits wax...it won't be long
Once the vinyl record player is turned on and the needle touches the record, the music will start soon.
You got your radio tuned..but it ain't gonna play this song
Although you have your radio on and adjusted properly, it will not broadcast the song that is currently being sung.
It's the sweetest sound you ever heard, and the metal flaked cherries always pass the word
The music is extremely pleasant to listen to, and everyone knows that this is the case because it spreads through word of mouth.
Rub your genie down and get the news, it's time to ride with the strange dudes
Rub your hands together and listen to what's happening, as it's time to join and ride with the weird guys.
Suns up, and we like it hot, and we always take our time...cuz it's what we got
It's a bright and sunny day, but we don't mind the heat because we have all the time in the world.
The man shakes me down and that's why I'm broke , the rich man got all the green...but it ain't the kind we smoke
The authorities have stripped me of my income, leaving me with nothing while the rich have all the money, but it's not the kind we use for smoking.
So we turn up our rock and we roll it slow, and we're always flying high...and the ride is always low
We blast our rock music and play it slowly while maintaining a high level of enjoyment, and the ride is always at a relaxed pace.
Contributed by Isabelle Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joe Sanderson
Smoothest riff ever. With a nice single malt, at the end of a party...best mellow tune.
David Fitzgerald
Perhaps the greatest stoner song of all-time
Dominik Wiedemann
He'S a damn good musician. Could hear/see him with Kyuss lives. These guys are just great. Every single one of'em !!!
Alex Godinez
He was in kyuss lives he was the drummer
Elaremalaka
Το άλμπουμ αυτό βγήκε την χρονιά που γεννήθηκα, αυτό όμως είναι τελείως άσχετο και δεν κολλάει πουθενά. Εγώ απλά ήθελα να πω ότι γαμάει <3
Adan Marin
I have a feeling Brant is like his music : cool, groovy, relaxed.
drfaust5fc
If Jimi Hendrix was alive in the 90's Jalamanta is what he would of sounded like. Brilliant music.
Ekrem Korkmaz
drfaust5fc how dare you? Delete that comment immediately
Alex Godinez
@Ekrem Korkmaz lol chill out he obviously didnt mean it that way im pretty sure what he meant by it was that it sounds like something jimi would play.
Joao Pedro2012
Brant Bjork was and will ever be the best one from Kyuss.