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!.
N.O
Kyuss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just help me find my head
I could be dead
Where to go, what to say
When you're crossin' my line
Oh, give me time, give me time
Oh, just like they said
I live my life alone
Never going home
Just like they said
It's just a song to sing, it's just a song to sing
I wake up tomorrow today
Just help me find my head
I could be dead
Where to go, what to say
When you're crossin' my line
Oh, give me time, give me time
Oh, just like they said
I live my life alone
Never going home
Just like they said
It's just a song to sing, it's just a song to sing
Give me love, give me love
Give me love
Well, just like they said
The lyrics to Kyuss's song N.O. seem to portray a sense of confusion and disorientation. The opening lines, "I wake up tomorrow today, Just help me find my head, I could be dead," suggest that the singer is struggling to ground themselves in the present and is in danger of losing touch with reality. The repeated refrain, "Just like they said," implies that the singer feels a sense of pressure or expectation from external forces, such as society or their peers, to conform to certain expectations.
The line, "I live my life alone, Never going home," reinforces this sense of isolation and alienation from the world around them. The singer may feel disconnected from others and unable to find a place where they feel like they truly belong. The final line, "It's just a song to sing," could be interpreted as a commentary on the transient nature of life and the feeling that ultimately, everything we do and experience is fleeting and ephemeral.
Overall, the lyrics of N.O. paint a picture of someone struggling to cope with the challenges and uncertainties of life, while also feeling trapped and constrained by external pressures.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up tomorrow today
Starting each day with a new perspective and determination to make the most of it.
Just help me find my head
Seeking guidance and direction to stay on track towards one's goals.
I could be dead
Acknowledging the fragile nature of life and making the most of the time one has.
Where to go, what to say
Uncertainty and confusion about the best path to take in life.
When you're crossin' my line
Others interfering with one's direction or choices, making it difficult to stay on track.
Oh, give me time, give me time
Asking for patience and space to figure things out on one's own terms.
Oh, just like they said
Echoing the advice or wisdom of others who have been down a similar path before.
I live my life alone
Choosing to be self-reliant and independent in one's journey through life.
Never going home
Continuing to explore and push oneself outside of one's comfort zone, rather than settling into a stagnant routine.
It's just a song to sing, it's just a song to sing
Recognizing that life is a fleeting experience, and that one's accomplishments and legacy are ultimately just fleeting memories.
Give me love, give me love
Expressing the desire for human connection and emotional support in the face of life's challenges.
Well, just like they said
Reaffirming the wisdom and insights of those who have come before, who have faced similar experiences and challenges.
Contributed by Addison J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.