Ex-Kyuss Frontman John Garcia and Mastodon's Bill Kelliher Have Started a New Band

Of the material, Garcia says that "hopefully one of these days it’ll see the light of day"

Photos: Courtesy of Napalm Records (left), Alfred Nitsch (right)

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished May 16, 2024

Stoner rock lovers, rejoice: ex-Kyuss vocalist John Garcia has reportedly been working on music as part of a new project with Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher.

Metal Injection points out that the existence of the group — which also features ex-Karma to Burn bassist Rich Mullins and drummer Nathan Limbaugh — was discussed by Garcia in a recent appearance on The Rockman Power Hour.

Host Jason Rockman shared with Garcia how he first heard of the new band via their mutual friend in Kelliher, sharing, "Bill and I have been… he's one of my best friends. We've been friends for probably a good 12, 13 years now. I got a call from him maybe about a year and a half ago and he said to me, he goes, 'Hey man, I'm gonna be working on this really rad project with a singer I think you like.'"

Rockman shared that he had heard some of the material while visiting Kelliher in Atlanta, GA, last year, leading Garcia to share that he was "super stoked" to lend vocals to the outfit.

Saying how he and Kelliher, Mullins and Limbaugh "go way, way back," Garcia divulged, "When Rich said he was gonna be involved with the project with Bill from Mastodon, I was like, 'Where do I sign?' I have to tell you, [Kelliher] is a badass. I have a mad amount of respect for Bill and his family, and his work ethic. He's just a professional.

Garcia shared that the formation of the four-piece "was completely and totally unexpected," continuing, "The songs, I thought were really great and I said, you know, 'Fuck it. I've got to be involved in this.' Working with Bill and his team of engineers — I call them 'the wizards' — they're great."

Will the world ever get to hear the songs from the four friends? "Hopefully one of these days it'll see the light of day," Garcia offered. "We'll see how it all plays out, but we're just taking this step by step and day by day, and seeing how it all plays out. We're gonna be movin' and groovin', and hopefully rockin' and rollin'."

You can hear Garcia's appearance on The Rockman Power Hour in the player below.

As previously reported, Kelliher and Mastodon will play Canada this summer on a co-headlining North American tour with Lamb of God.

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