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)
Playboy Pallbearers
Karma to Burn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Battling with no-one, you'll have to kill
Why don't you kneel? I never will
Now that I'm missing your backpack still
Just hang on, while the sun still shines, on and on
Am I in your gutter to sell all my fears?
Just hang on, while the sun still shines, on and on
Last time you borrowed seems all too real
To suck on reality until you bleed
Take all you can swallow, Cecile my dear
This is your home to show to ever leave here
The song "Playboy Pallbearers" by Karma to Burn features somewhat cryptic lyrics that require us to delve into their meaning in order to fully understand the message that the band is trying to convey. The first line "Why do I borrow, Cecile my dear?" suggests that the singer is addressing someone named Cecile, who may be a close friend or romantic partner. However, it is unclear what he is borrowing and why he is doing so. The line "Battling with no-one, you'll have to kill" implies that the singer is struggling with something, but he doesn't know who or what the enemy is.
The next line "Why don't you kneel? I never will" could suggest that the singer is fighting some sort of internal battle rather than an external one. The line "Now that I'm missing your backpack still" may refer to something that Cecile left behind, maybe symbolizing some lost memories or a time that has passed. The chorus "Just hang on, while the sun still shines, on and on" seems to convey a message of hope or perseverance despite difficult circumstances. The lines "Am I in your gutter to sell all my fears? I'd like everything I came here to steal" suggest that the singer is in some kind of dangerous or undesirable place and may be trying to make the best of a bad situation. The line "Take all you can swallow, Cecile my dear, this is your home to show to ever leave here" seems to suggest that Cecile and the singer are in this situation together, possibly trapped in a difficult environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do I borrow, Cecile my dear?
The singer questions why they take something from Cecile, whom they address affectionately.
Battling with no-one, you'll have to kill
Trying to force oneself into a conflict where none exists is pointless and destructive.
Why don't you kneel? I never will
The singer acknowledges the act of submission, but refuses to do so themselves.
Now that I'm missing your backpack still
The person is regretful over the loss of something Cecile left behind.
Just hang on, while the sun still shines, on and on
One should persevere while things are good, for life is fleeting.
Am I in your gutter to sell all my fears?
The singer feels they are in a lowly position trying to unload their anxieties onto Cecile.
I'd like everything I came here to steal
The person desires to take everything they want, despite any potential consequences.
Last time you borrowed seems all too real
A previous interaction involving borrowing feels particularly substantial or significant.
To suck on reality until you bleed
Trying to confront the harsh realities of life can be draining and taxing.
Take all you can swallow, Cecile my dear
Cecile should seize all opportunities available to her.
This is your home to show to ever leave here
Cecile should be proud of what she has accomplished and should never feel like she has to leave.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind