On the three albums released so far the band has been known as G//Z/R, Geezer, and GZR, respectively. Despite the changing name, it is still considered the same project. However, Geezer Butler Band from the 1980s is an entirely separate entity.
The bands music is generally of a much harder edge than Butler is known for in Black Sabbath. This isn't a surprise, as the vocalist on his first album, Plastic Planet, was Burton C. Bell from Fear Factory, who is known for more driving and harder edged vocals than ever was displayed in Black Sabbath. The album also featured Pedro Howse on guitar, as well as Deen Castronovo (of Journey fame) on drums. Bell did not stay with the band past the recording of Plastic Planet due to Fear Factory commitments. In 1996 the band re-emerged with an exclusive track for the Mortal Kombat: More Kombat compilation, entitled 'Outworld' and featuring Anger On Anger vocalist, Mario Frasca.
This proved to be a one-time collaboration and Frasca was replaced by Clark Brown (SYMATIC) for their second album Black Science, released in 1997. G//Z/R did play a few live dates in 1997 behind the release of the album, however this was not a full fledged tour, most of these gigs were played concurrent to the Ozzfest tour of that year. The band opened for such folks as Bruce Dickinson, who was playing some live gigs at the time. Castronovo recorded, but did not play any of the live gigs. He was replaced on drums by Chad Smith (not to be confused with the Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer with the same name).
After the handful of live gigs in 1997, the band was mostly put on ice, as Geezer was busy with various things Black Sabbath related for quite a while. Geezer eventually got back into the studio with the same line-up that played the live gigs from 8 years previous, and recorded their third album, Ohmwork, which was released on May 9, 2005. The band is currently working on a new record, and began recording in January 2011, according to Geezer Butler.
The band has actually been marketed with three different names on the three releases they've had. In 1995, the band was marketed as G//Z/R. In 1997, it was merely Geezer, and in 2005, it was GZR. Most fans refer to the band as Geezer, although Butler himself refers to the band name as GEE-ZED-R.This incarnation of the band is not to be confused with Geezer's previous attempt in 1985 to form a solo band, then known as The Geezer Butler Band - the two bands are totally separate.
The band's name is derived from the name of its creator: Terence "Geezer" Butler.
Pedro Howse, the guitarist in the band, is Geezer's nephew.
There are several bands with the name Geezer as well, a stoner rock band and a techno artist, so please vote on the redirected Geezer artist page that this name is correct: http://www.last.fm/music/+noredirect/Geezer
Xodiak
G//Z/R Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
Screenage cyber spaceman
A psychic to the stars
He liked to scan their fortune
And read their tarot cards
But then one day a stranger
Steve, Steven xodiak
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
Screenage psychopath
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
She said she wants to be a god
An angel dressed in flares
She hacked away his future
And then she threw him down the stairs
Now Steve's a real spaceman
He lives up in the stars
Steve, Steven xodiak
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
Screenage psychopath
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
From Ectoplasm City
Consulting from afar
Steven tells your fortune
Don't need no tarot cards
Just call the sci-kick network
On one nine hundred Mars
Steve, Steven xodiak
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
Screenage psychopath
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
The song Xodiak by G//Z/R is a cautionary tale about the dangers of the digital age, where a self-proclaimed screenage cyber spaceman, Steve Xodiak, who makes a living fortune-telling and reading tarot cards, is taken down by a stranger who hacks away his future and throws him down the stairs. The lyrics talk about how Steve is transformed into a real spaceman living up in the stars, consulting from afar and telling people's fortunes over the sci-kick network. The repeated line "He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back" signifies that Steve's former self is gone forever.
The lyrics are open to interpretation, but seem to suggest a warning about how technology and the internet can both empower and destroy people's lives. Steve Xodiak is portrayed as a victim of his own success and the digital world that he inhabits - he is unable to foresee the danger and is ultimately destroyed by it. The song is a reminder that life in the digital age can be dangerous and unpredictable, and we must be careful and conscious of our actions online.
Line by Line Meaning
Steve, Steven xodiak
The singer's name is Steve, but he identifies with the zodiac or astrology through his nickname 'Steven xodiak.'
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
Steve is gone and will never return.
Screenage cyber spaceman
Steve lived in the world of screens and technology and enjoyed exploring the cosmos.
A psychic to the stars
Steve claimed to have the ability to read stars and predict the future.
He liked to scan their fortune
Steve enjoyed reading and interpreting people's futures.
And read their tarot cards
Steve used tarot cards to interpret people's futures.
But then one day a stranger took him by surprise
Steve was caught off guard by a stranger.
Screenage psychopath
The person that hurt Steve is a psycho who lives on screens.
She said she wants to be a god
The person who hurt Steve wanted to be god-like and have control over him.
An angel dressed in flares
The person is trying to look and act like a god or an angel.
She hacked away his future
The person compromised Steve's future and took away his ability to control it.
And then she threw him down the stairs
The person was violent towards Steve.
Now Steve's a real spaceman
The traumatic experience transformed Steve into a real-life spaceman.
He lives up in the stars
Steve has left Earth and lives in space.
From Ectoplasm City
Steve consults people's fortunes from a city that is possibly ghostly or of supernatural nature.
Consulting from afar
Steve gives readings to people from a distance.
Don't need no tarot cards
Steve no longer relies on tarot cards to interpret people's futures.
Just call the sci-kick network
To contact Steve, people only need to call the sci-fi network on a specific number.
On one nine hundred Mars
The specific number to reach Steve is a reference to Mars.
He ain't never coming, he ain't ever coming back
Steve is gone forever and will never return. The repetition of this line emphasizes the finality of his disappearance.
Contributed by Taylor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Paranoid
One of my favorite songs right here hell yes
The Grandmaster Geezer 🤘
Kaydee Curley
This is actually fuken amazing in every way shape and form
Vinnie Knox
Definitely an A for effort hell yeah
Empty
🤘
Vinnie Knox
I ain't never coming back whoo
gUtZgRiNdEr
Okay!
Shspurs1
I really like the playing. But the vocals sound a bit like the Metallica vocalist. I can’t stand Metallica especially there vocals. It really pisses me of when like a band music. Then the vocals start and absolutely horrible, I.E don’t fit with the music.
Mickie Foster
I agree. Singing does require being able to sing. Ozzy could sing. Dio could Sing. Tony Martin could sing. Frank Sinatra could sing. Dolly Parton could sing. So I just have never found there is a real calling for the key of "sand grinder" in singing.