Their instrumental album Almost Heathen is widely regarded as on par Kyuss' Welcome to Sky Valley and Monster Magnet's Spine of God, as one of the defining albums of the stoner rock genre, although the band themselves referred to their style as malternative.
The band was renown for their live performances and former Kyuss singer John Garcia was a big fan and even tried to sing with the band, however this didn't bear much fruit as he did not have the time to become a full-time member and Karma to Burn itself wasn't sure his voice fitted in their music.
Karma To Burn refused to give their songs ordinary titles, instead referring to them by numbers, which allegedly made it easier for a dyslexic band member to read setlists.
The group quietly disbanded in 2002 after bassist Rich Mullins left to play full time in Speedealer.
On February 23, 2009, Karma to Burn reformed with the line-up being the same as when they disbanded. A year after reuniting, Karma To Burn released a fourth full length album on April 1, 2010, Appalachian Incantation, which was produced by Scott Reeder formerly of the stoner rock band Kyuss. Like their previous two releases, this is an instrumental album, though one track does feature Year Long Disaster's Daniel Davies on vocals.
In June 2010, Year Long Disaster toured Europe with all three members of Karma To Burn as part of the band. The favor was returned on Karma To Burn's European summer tour, with Davies stepping in as an occasional guitarist (and, when needed, vocalist) for the band.
The follow-up to Appalachian Incantation was recorded in February, 2011, at Dave Grohl's studio, and includes Davies' vocals on three songs, although he has since started a project outside Karma to Burn and left the group, returning the band to a trio. This album has been released and is titled V.
The following is from the Road Runner website:
"This ain't no movie soundtrack chump. It's real life and these are real songs by real people. Four people to be exact. They hail from some small town in West Virginia. A town they'd rather not have me mention here because of what I'm about to tell you. Karma To Burn got their start as drug addled teenagers listening to Skynyrd. In an opiated world, fantasies can appear so real. These boys in the hillbilly state wanted to be rock stars. They bought instruments. Built a still in the back yard. Tried to make music and moonshine. The moonshine sucked but the supersonic rumblings sounded good to them. They saw through the blurred vision to a light at the end of the tunnel. After three months, a plan was concocted. They made a tape but had no singer. Fuck it. Instrumentals it was to be. Heavy as shit and loud as hell. With no singer and subsequently no lyrics, songs were given numbers as their meager titles. They sent the tape out to labels. With tactics Howard Stern would applaud, they called labels impersonating other bands spewing what the world will soon find out about...the madness and mayhem of Karma To Burn. They played a show in NYC and inked a deal with Roadrunner Records. Large room service bills were rung up. Per diem money disappeared. Things were moving along like a train...like their music. They decided to get a singer. Various people tried out. They returned from the land o' the lost with horror stories. Karma to Burn was Marlon Brando the singers were Martin Sheen. This was a rock and roll version of Apocalypse Now. One fellow who tried out ended up in the looney bin. No one could make the cut. So they enlisted one of their friends. He can't really sing. His sound is more of a distorted warble. He moans and grunts a lot. Due to his dyslexia, they had to name their songs because he sucked at numbers and kept fucking up. So it was to be that their songs would have titles. Titles like "(Waltz Of The) Playboy Pallbearers", "Appalachian Woman", "Mt. Penetrator", and "Twin Sisters and a Half Bottle of Bourbon". Finally they made it into the studio. What you have in your hands is the debut record from Dickey, William, Baka, and Nicholas collectively known as Karma To Burn. This ain't no movie soundtrack. It's a record about real life in rural America. It's a record about dreams. It's about sex, drugs, and - you guessed it - rock and roll. The trinity is now complete. Thanks for your time. Now fuck off and die." was written by Wiebke, former European Press Agent.
It should be noted that RR actually "enforced" K2B to hire a vocalist. ;)
Current Line-up:
William Mecum (guitar) (ex-Treasure Cat)
Rob Halkett (bass guitar) (The Exploited)
Evan Devine (drums)
Never Say Die
Karma to Burn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking for the answers that they know inside
Searching for a reason, looking for a rhyme
Snow White's mirror said "partners in crime!"
Don't they ever have to worry?
Don't you ever wonder why?
It's a part of me that tells you
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
Sunday's satisfaction, Monday's home and dry
Truth is on the doorstep, welcome in the lie
All dressed up in sorrow, got no place to go
Hold back, `till it's ready, taking it slow
Don't they ever have to worry?
Don't you ever wonder why?
It's a part of me that tells you
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
Never, never, never say die again
Don't you ever say die
Don't you ever say die
Never say die
Panic, silver lining, writing's on the wall
Children get together, you can save us all
Future's on the corner, throwing us a die
Slow down, turn around, everything's fine
There's no need to have a reason
There's no need to wonder why
It's a part of me that tells you
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
Never, never, never say die again
The song "Never Say Die" by Karma to Burn is a reflection of the struggles and doubts that people go through in their lives. The lyrics seem to address the idea that people are often taken for a ride without knowing it and look for answers that they already possess. They search for reason and meaning in their lives while struggling to find a balance between truth and deception. The line "Snow White's mirror said 'partners in crime'" suggests that even self-reflection and introspection can sometimes lead to deception and wrongdoing.
The chorus, "don't you ever, don't ever say die, never, never, never say die again" encourages the listener to remain positive and not give up hope, despite the challenges they may face. The song suggests that even when things seem bleak and hopeless, there is always a way to turn things around and find a solution.
Overall, the song seems to be a call to action, urging people to take charge of their lives, slow down when necessary, and never give up on their goals and dreams, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
People going nowhere, taken for a ride*
People are living their lives aimlessly, without a clear direction and are being misled by others.
Looking for the answers that they know inside
People are searching within themselves for answers they already know.
Searching for a reason, looking for a rhyme
People are searching for a purpose and meaning to their lives.
Snow White's mirror said "partners in crime!"
Just like the evil queen and her mirror, people can be partners in their own wrongdoing.
Don't they ever have to worry?
People seem to be carefree and not worried about the consequences of their actions.
Don't you ever wonder why?
As an observer, the singer wonders why people don't seem to care about the bigger picture.
It's a part of me that tells you
The singer acknowledges that he too is not immune to the carelessness of others.
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
The singer tells others not to give up on life and to keep trying.
Never, never, never say die again
Reiterating the message that one should never give up, no matter the circumstances.
Sunday's satisfaction, Monday's home and dry
People are happy on the weekends, but as they return to their mundane work lives, their satisfaction disappears.
Truth is on the doorstep, welcome in the lie
People often welcome lies to avoid facing unpleasant truths that might require change.
All dressed up in sorrow, got no place to go
People might seem sad and lost, but have nowhere to direct that emotion.
Hold back, `till it's ready, taking it slow
Patience is key when striving towards a goal; rushing towards it may result in failure.
Panic, silver lining, writing's on the wall
In moments of crisis, there is always a way out, and one must look for the signs and signals.
Children get together, you can save us all
Children working together have the power to create change and save the world from its problems.
Future's on the corner, throwing us a die
The future is unknown, and we must take risks and make choices based on the limited information we have.
Slow down, turn around, everything's fine
When life feels overwhelming, sometimes taking a step back and looking at your surroundings can put things in perspective.
There's no need to have a reason
Sometimes, our actions might not have a clear purpose, but we do them anyway for the sake of doing something.
There's no need to wonder why
Questioning the reasoning behind every decision is not always necessary and can lead to unnecessary stress.
It's a part of me that tells you
The advice given is coming from the singer's own experience and perspective.
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
The singer reiterates to never give up on life.
Never, never, never say die again
Reiterating the message that one should never give up, no matter the circumstances.
Writer(s): John Osbourne, William Ward, Terence Butler, Anthony Iommi
Contributed by Abigail D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.