Masters Of Reality

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

Who 'ere loves these guys and their brand of roadhouse blues/roots metal.

This bands is so time locked in the late 60's early 70's that it just has to be admired even if not internalized by your ears.

Evoking the sounds of shooting stars from a bygone era like the Doors, Ten Years After, Led Zeppelin, Blind Faith, Cream, ZZ Top, Jimi Hendrix Experience etc Masters Of Reality almost single handedly (re)invented the 90's stoner rock boom that lives in the gut of Kyuss and affiliate bands.

Band leader Chris Goss could be seen as the godfather of that movement, because not only did his music with the Masters Of Reality inspire it he also helped shape its sound producing key albums by Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age etc.

Masters Of Reality music is never psychedalic as these things can be (although the lyrics at times go against it) but just a lovely flow of creamy blues metal. Evoking images and atmospheres of the desert and such.

The S/T debut (Or Blue Garden as it is also known due to the stunning cover artwork) from 1988 is my fav for its Doors meets Led Zeppelin ethic. But second album Sunrise On The Sufferbus (1993) is a close second for it's more Cream like sound, Goss somehow roped in drum god Ginger Baker for the album which makes sense with the Cream comparison.

I don't have any of the later albums but i hear their great but not as essential as the first 2.

If you haven't already get the debut at least, this is one of the greatest underrated bands of hard rock/metal.

Masters Of Reality - Domino promo from 1990

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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Heart of Metal Age : 14 Joined : 17 Jul 2007 Posts : 1138

I like 'em! But the singer is a lil' bit boring he have nothing special but the songs really rock!
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Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

I like Chris Goss's voice, at times it's reminiscent of Jim Morrison.
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Administrator Age : 38 Joined : 18 Jan 2007 Posts : 2383

I love the s/t (Blue Garden) cd....never checked out any of the others....

I have been going to toss these guys up in your "Lost Bands" thrad but had not yet done so....
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"A thousand black bats screaming in my ears for blue eyes"

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

I say get Sunrise On The Sufferbus from 1993 i think, brilliant album.

This is a shame hardly no one know them, this one of the greatest little ongoing chapters in hard rock/metal's history. Underrated to the nines, they make King's X look like the Rolling Stones!
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

All this talk of Cream made me wanna bump this thread. You know Ginger Baker drummed for these guys.
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Heart of Metal Age : 50 Joined : 06 Feb 2007 Posts : 1844

I like them a lot. "Doraldine's Prophecies" is a great song, but the lyrics creep me out. Is Goss singing about sleeping with his sister there? Yuk.

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

I thought you'd know them.

I wouldn't say so, there is nothing really about sleeping with his sister as i recall. Pretty trippy lyrics nonetheless.

Stuff like

"When I was just a little boy
I tried to cross the river
Jumped on an alligator
I thought he was a horse"

and

"When we were just a little girl
We tried to catch the bluebird
But he grabbed her and he ate her"
_________________
"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Administrator Joined : 04 Jan 2007 Posts : 8193

Have Sunrise On The Sufferbus for trade, if anyone is interested.
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Metal graduate Age : 37 Joined : 13 Feb 2007 Posts : 293

I have the first album and I love it! It was one of those totally blind buys and Im so glad I bought it.

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

Administrator Joined : 04 Jan 2007 Posts : 8193

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1945

Administrator Age : 38 Joined : 18 Jan 2007 Posts : 2383

seriously Ult...you'd probably like the 1988 debut much more than the other...which by the way I'll take if you wanna set it aside for me...or send it on and i'll send you a goodie for it...

Pm lemme know.
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"A thousand black bats screaming in my ears for blue eyes"

Heart of Metal Age : 38 Joined : 12 Jul 2008 Posts : 1657

I LOVE this band...and pretty much everything else that Goss has been involved in over the years (as producer, whatever). There are quite a few other album available from these guys that don't get mentioned often.

How High The Moon - Live At The Viper Room. This is an excellent live record featuring some songs not available on any other albums. The highlight is probably the uber-heavy updating of the song Blue Garden from the first album.

Flak 'n' Flight - This is another fantastic live album....it's Goss with Josh Homme & Nick Oliveri from Queens of the Stone Age added to the lineup. KILLER!

Deep In The Hole - This was their return to a "straight ahead" rock album after experimenting a little too much with Welcome to the Western Lodge. This album ROCKS!