The band was originally formed in 1989 in Palm Desert, California under the name "Sons of Kyuss". They took the name from a monster in Dungeons and Dragons. Shortly after the release of their self-titled EP, the name was shortened to just Kyuss.
The quartet gained popularity around the desert due to their famous generator parties. These were parties fueled by gas generators in the canyons and isolated desert surrounding the small valley towns.
The group disbanded in 1997. They felt that they were in a decline and felt it best to call it quits before it escalated into something that could not be fixed. The line up had shifted dramatically between 1989 and 1997. Josh Homme, John Garcia, Brant Bjork, and Chris Cockrell were the original members. Chris was replaced by Nick Oliveri during high school. That line up recorded Wretch (released in 1991) and Blues for the Red Sun (released in 1992), after which Nick soon left. The eighteen year older, but very able Scott Reeder from The Obsessed was brought in. This line up recorded the famous self-titled album Kyuss (released in 1994; due to the album front cover often referred to as "Welcome to Sky Valley", a small town outside of Palm Desert — wrongly labelled by many). Brank Bjork left after this due to personal reasons. Alfredo Hernandez was brought in. The final line-up recorded ...And the Circus Leaves Town (released in 1995). The band toured and soon disbanded. With the compilation Muchas Gracias: The best of Kyuss, one final greatest hits CD was released in 2000.
All band members still influence the genre they helped to create. The most notable is Queens of the Stone Age. Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, and Alfredo Hernandez started this up after Josh had experimented with his famous Desert Sessions.
John Garcia took a path geared more towards traditional rock. He opened with Slo Burn. It was a harder Kyuss, and still played in drop C. That project did not last for over a year, although one EP was released. Following Slo Burn came Unida. This band was steered toward rock n' roll and away from the stoner rock genre. John has most recently been involved with the band Hermano. Many consider this the greatest post-Kyuss project. In 2010 a Garcia Plays Kyuss gig at Roadburn Festival (Netherlands), to be followed by a proper European tour, was announced. The line-up of this band includes (former) members of Agua de Annique, Celestial Season, Kong and Arsenal.
Nick Oliveri also has created waves in the music world. Apart from playing for years in Queens of the Stone Age he has played on and off in The Dwarves. He is most known for his side project, which has become his full-time band, Mondo Generator.
Scott Reeder pursued a career of producing mainly (most notably Orange Goblin's Coup de Grace). In 2006, he released a solo album called Tunnelvision Brilliance. He also played in Unida for a little bit.
Brant Bjork has the most stable musical career of them all. He turned down playing with Queens of the Stone Age to pursue a journey with his surfing buddies, Fu Manchu. He left after making numerous records with them to focus on his already blossoming solo career, playing the guitar instead of drums. He has worked with many people since, releasing records with Ché, touring as Brant Bjork and the Bros, and occasionally playing drums as well. Brant Bjork also played on some Desert Sessions.
Los Angeles based drummer Gene Trautmann played for a brief period between Brant Bjork and Alfredo Hernandez.
Alfredo Hernandez has guest starred on too many CDs and bands to count including Yawning Man, Orquestra Del Desierto, Fatso Jetson, and many others. He also played in a local band located in Palm Desert and is the drummer of Brant Bjork and the Bros.
A big influence on the sound of Kyuss was Chris Goss (frontman of Masters of Reality), who produced Blues for the Red Sun, and everything that followed.
Although Queens of the Stone Age has been, and continues to be, a great deal more popular than Kyuss or any of its offshoots for many Kyuss is considered far superior than anything the disbanded members created afterward.
A lot of bands have been inspired by Kyuss, including Electric Wizard, Monster Magnet, Orange Goblin, Beaver, Dozer, Los Natas, Truckfighters, Acid King, Fu Manchu, Clutch, Pelican, Torche.
For 2011 touring line-up, see Kyuss Lives!.
Flip the Phase
Kyuss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you lay it down burnin' up in a second
i bought her something i could grip on
i'm burnin' up like to leave us alone
it ain't fair
it ain't done
it ain't up to me
you lay it down and let it teach you a lesson
lay it down burnin' up in a second
i bought her something i could grip on
i'm burnin' up like to leave 'em alone
it ain't fair
it ain't done
it ain't up to me
In Kyuss's song Flip the Phase, the lyrics seem to be about somebody who is trying to let go of something that is burning them up inside. The repeated phrase "you lay it down and let it teach you a lesson" suggests that the singer has taken a step back from their situation in order to gain a new perspective. They are trying to learn from their mistakes, but the pain of the experience is still fresh in their mind. The line "i bought her something i could grip on" is a bit more ambiguous, but it could be interpreted as the singer trying to find a sense of stability or control in their life through a relationship or material possession.
The chorus, with its repetition of "it ain't fair, it ain't done, it ain't up to me," seems to be a lamentation of the singer's lack of agency in their own life. They are struggling with the feeling that they are not in control of their circumstances, which is causing them a great deal of angst.
Overall, the lyrics of Flip the Phase are somewhat opaque and open to interpretation. However, they paint a picture of a person who is grappling with difficult experiences and trying to find a way to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
you lay it down and let it teach you a lesson
You place it down and allow it to impart its wisdom onto you.
you lay it down burnin' up in a second
You set it down and it quickly catches fire.
i bought her something i could grip on
I purchased an item with a handle or grip for better handling.
i'm burnin' up like to leave us alone
I am overheating and desire to be left alone.
it ain't fair
It is not just or equitable.
it ain't done
It is not completed or finished.
it ain't up to me
It is not my responsibility or decision to make.
Contributed by Ethan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.