Monster Magnet

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Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet live in Spain, 2008.
Background information
Origin	New Jersey, United States
Genre(s)	Heavy metal, stoner metal, hard rock, psychedelic rock, space rock
Years active	1989-present
Label(s)	Glitterhouse Records (1989–1991) Caroline Records (1991–1993) A&M Records (1993–2003) SPV Records (2003-present)
Website	Official Website
Members
Dave Wyndorf Ed Mundell Phil Caivano Jim Baglino Bob Pantella
Former members
Joe Calandra Jon Kleiman Michael Wildwood John McBain Tim Cronin

Monster Magnet is an American hard rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf (vocals and guitar), John McBain (guitar), Tom Diello (drums), and Tim Cronin (vocals and bass). The band first went under the name "Dog of Mystery" and later "Airport 75" before finally settling on "Monster Magnet," taken from the name of a 1960s toy made by Wham-O, which Wyndorf liked when he was a child.^[1]

[edit] History

In 1989, Monster Magnet released two demo cassettes: Forget About Life, I'm High on Dope and I'm Stoned, What Ya Gonna Do About It?. The band's first "official" release was self-titled EP from Glitterhouse Records of Germany. The EP contained the songs "Snake Dance" and "Nod Scene", (both of which would appear again on Spine of God), and "Tractor", (which would be rerecorded for Powertrip).

In 1991 the band signed with Caroline Records and released their first full-length album, the cult classic Spine of God, in 1992. The album is hailed^[who?] as one the classics of stoner rock, alongside Kyuss's Blues for the Red Sun and Sleep's Sleep's Holy Mountain. The album contained the single "Medicine" (which would be recorded ten years later on God Says No), and the band's first music video was made, followed with a tour with rising grunge band Soundgarden. The tour helped the band get a contract with major record label A&M Records.

Their final release with Caroline Records was a bizarre four-song EP titled Tab which included, among two other marathon-length songs, a 32-minute track called "Tab...". McBain quit the band soon after. He was replaced by Atomic Bitchwax guitarist Ed Mundell who holds the position to this day.

The year 1993 saw the release of the album Superjudge. While the album was released on a major record label (A&M Records), it did not sell very well, because of the rise of grunge rock, which made their hard rock style unpopular. Singles and videos were made for the songs "Twin Earth" and "Face Down", but it did little to help promote the album.

Dopes to Infinity (1995), the follow-up record, was more accessible, and had a hit single in "Negasonic Teenage Warhead", which benefitted from a music video showing Dave Wyndorf travelling through Outer Space that received rotation on MTV. Still, the record was not the success the band had hoped for, partly because other innovative tracks, like "Dead Christmas" and the title track, received little or no airplay.

After the Dopes to Infinity tour, Wyndorf moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in order to begin working on Powertrip (1998), a breakthrough hit that earned the band a gold certification. Powertrip saw the band departing from its usual lo-fi, stoner metal fare, and enter into an era with a more hard rock-type sound. Guitarist Phil Cavaino joined the band in 1998. "Space Lord", the first single, was a major radio hit and the band went on tour with bands like Aerosmith, Metallica, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson. The songs "Powertrip", "Temple of Your Dreams", and "See You In Hell" also were successful on rock radio. The album charted at #97 on the Billboard 200.

After a two-year tour supporting Powertrip, the band released God Says No (2000), charting at #153 on the Billboard, but it was unsuccessful compared to their last release. Standout tracks include "Melt", "Heads Explode", and "Silver Future". After the release, Joe Calandra and Jon Kleiman departed the band because of internal conflicts with Wyndorf, and were replaced by Jim Baglino and Bob Pantella respectively. The band also left A&M Records.

Monster Magnet wrote and performed "Live For The Moment", which has been the official theme song of Matt Hardy since 2002 and appeared on the compilation WWF Forceable Entry.

In 2003, Monster Magnet released Greatest Hits, a double CD greatest hits album featuring their best songs, some rarities, and music videos from their time with A&M. They then signed to the European label SPV, and in early 2004 released Monolithic Baby! throughout Europe. The U.S. release followed in May on SPV America. The band had a minor hit with the song "Unbroken (Hotel Baby)".

In March 2005 Phil Cavaino departed after seven years service in a split described as amicable by Wyndorf. A followup to Monolithic Baby! was expected in March 2006 to coincide with their European Tour, along with rereleases of Spine of God and Tab, both featuring new artwork and liner notes; however the tour and album release did not go ahead.

On February 27, 2006, Dave Wyndorf overdosed on prescription drugs.^[2] His management released the following statement:

The battle with one’s inner demons is the most personal fight any of us can undertake. The fight is at times a lonely, confusing journey. On the evening of February 27, Dave Wyndorf suffered a set back [sic] in his own fight and was hospitalized for a drug overdose. His full recovery is expected. We ask that all those he has encountered over the years or simply affected by his music to take a moment to think good thoughts of and for him. With the grace of God and those who love him we are all confident that Dave will rebound from this set back [sic] and continue to play and make great rock and roll.

In 2007, it was announced that Monster Magnet would release a new album, 4-Way Diablo, which had been put back for a year because of Wyndorf's overdose. It was released later that year. Later in 2007, another greatest hits collection, 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Monster Magnet, was released. "Powertrip" was used as the official theme song for the WWE pay-per-view, No Way Out 2007.

Shortly before 4-Way Diablo was released, the official website was finally updated.

Before their 2008 European tour, Phil Caivano returned to the band to resume duties on guitar alongside the band.

[edit] Influences

Monster Magnet's style and material are heavily influenced by 1970s space rock bands such as Hawkwind and Captain Beyond. In addition to arranging covers such as Hawkwind's "Brainstorm" (Doremi Fasol Latido, 1972), Wyndorf sometimes incorporates elements of space rock staples into his own songs. For instance, the Dopes to Infinity title track borrows some of its lyrics from "Lord of Light" (ibid.), and Superjudge's "Twin Earth" is a reinterpretation of Captain Beyond's "Mesmerization Eclipse" (Captain Beyond, 1972). Wyndorf also is a fan on 60's comic books, particularly Jack Kirby. He mentions Kirby in the song "Melt" from God Says No. He also mentions MODOK (on "Baby Götterdämerung" from Powertrip) and Ego the Living Planet (on "Ego, The Living Planet" from Dopes to Infinity), both of which are Marvel Comics creations. "All Shook Out" from God Says No has a reference to "Children of the Atom" which is a reference to X-Men, also from Marvel Comics.

Monster Magnet's live shows occasionally feature Stacia-esque nude dancers, a fact which has landed them in trouble with the law in some American cities.

[edit] Soundtracks

• "Crop Circle" from Powertrip for the movie Urban Legend.
• "Dopes to Infinity" from Dopes to Infinity was featured on the soundtrack to the film The Girl Next Door.
• "Heads Explode" from God Says No was featured on the soundtrack to the film Dracula 2000. Part of the music video for the song is displayed in the movie as well.
• "Look To Your Orb For The Warning" from Dopes to Infinity was featured on the soundtrack to the 1999 film The Matrix.
• "Master of Light" from Monolithic Baby! was featured in the movie Torque in a scene in which Monster Magnet are shown performing the song.
• An early otherwise unreleased version of "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" from Dopes to Infinity, was featured on the soundtrack of the 1994 movie S.F.W..^[3]
• "Powertrip" from Powertrip has been featured in numerous soundtracks including:
  • Soldier
  • PlayStation 3's 2007 release Motor Storm
  • Crusty Demons Freestyle Motocross series
• "Dinosaur Vacume" from Superjudge was featured in the Electronic Arts video game Road Rash.
• "See You In Hell" from Powertrip appears in Bride of Chucky.
• "Silver Future" from God Says No was featured in Heavy Metal 2000.
• "Space Lord" from Powertrip was featured in the film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
• "Kick Out The Jams", a cover version of the MC5 song, was featured on the soundtrack to Varsity Blues.
• "Melt" from God Says No has been featured in the Crusty Demons Freestyle Motocross series.
• "Lord 13" from "25.......Tab" was featured during the end credits of the 1999 film Beowulf.
• "Radiation Day" and "Slut Machine" were featured in the mountain bike film New World Disorder V - Disorderly Conduct.

[edit] Members' Other Projects

Since the mid 1990s, Tim Cronin and Jon Kleiman have fronted The Ribeye Bros., a garage combo steeped in the ways and means of filterless cigarettes, self-loathing, and Roky Erickson.

In 2003, Bob Pantella mixes and plays bass on The Glasspack Bridgeburner lp. Ed Mundell also plays lead guitar on The Glasspack Bridgeburner track "Peepshow." The album was released on Small Stone Records in May 2004.^[4]

In 2007 Bob Pantella joins The Atomic Bitchwax. Also in 2007, Bob Pantella and Jim Baglino formed RIOTGOD, along with Garrett Sweeny (of Psycho Daisy), and Mark Sunshine.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Full-lengths

[edit] EPs

[edit] Singles

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website (Last update: Nov. 2007)