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!.
Lick Doo
Kyuss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are gone and now I'm free (I'm free - yeah),
Strip me down to nothing,
Fuck me will free the vulture (make it fly),
Burning my brain and burning my teeth (in the sun),
100ř and burning my need (make it fly),
Live the love that I have for you,
The lyrics to Kyuss’s song “Lick Doo” explore the theme of freedom and self-liberation. The line “Feed my lungflower seed” can be seen as a metaphor for wanting to escape from the limitations and pressures of society. The singer of the song sees someone leaving as an opportunity to break free, declaring “You are gone and now I'm free”. This sentiment is further encapsulated in the line “Strip me down to nothing”. The desire to be stripped down to nothing is the desire to be rid of everything that holds one back and to achieve true freedom.
The second half of the lyrics take on a more sensual and erotic tone. The line “Fuck me will free the vulture” is ambiguous in meaning, but it could be interpreted as a form of release or catharsis achieved through physical intimacy. The next two lines - “Burning my brain and burning my teeth (in the sun), 100ř and burning my need (make it fly)” - further emphasize this carnal desire. The final line, “Taking you life for want you (free)”, could be seen as a declaration of the singer’s intention to take what they want and live their life as they choose, free from constraint.
Overall, the lyrics of “Lick Doo” by Kyuss explore the desire for freedom and self-liberation, as well as the powerful emotions of sensuality and eroticism.
Line by Line Meaning
Feed my lungflower seed
Nurture my addiction to drugs
You are gone and now I'm free (I'm free - yeah)
Your absence has led me to indulging in drugs without any restraint or guilt
Strip me down to nothing
Make me vulnerable and helpless
Fuck me will free the vulture (make it fly)
Engage in sexual acts with me to release the inner demons and pain that haunt me
Burning my brain and burning my teeth (in the sun)
The effects of drugs are causing severe damage to my mind and body
100ř and burning my need (make it fly)
The craving for drugs is intensifying and driving me crazy
Live the love that I have for you
I am deeply in love with you and willing to do anything for you
Taking you life for want you (free)
I am willing to risk my life and freedom for the sake of being with you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSH HOMME
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Levy
While it's certainly something of a radical turn for the group both lyrically and aesthetically it still serves as one of their most satisfying compositions. 9.3/10
rebecca s
Found myself singing this in the car on the way home despite that i’ve never listened to this track on its own except when the album ends
claudevandog
This song is so good that they put it twice in a row on the Spotify version
The Guy Next Door
One of the best hidden tracks ever.
D R
something really catchy about this. great way to end a fucking mental album lol
Andrew Kalat
Finally. Someone posted it on youtube! The greatest 58s masterpiece ever made
KAOS8604
i swear whenever i end the album on this it catches me off guard
skypjuh
so that's why it's called "Whitewater"....
Archäonaut
+skypjuh Made my day. Thank you soo much! :D
skypjuh
+oO0NegativeCreep0Oo lol on the CD it's just a part of "Whitewater" so ;)