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Monster Magnet Information
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'Monster Magnet' is an American rock band 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". In contrast to the grunge movement that was beginning at that time, Monster Magnet helped create the stoner metal style of music. Stoner-rock emphacised a return to the 1970s styles of heavy metal and space rock, more specifically the musical formulas of Black Sabbath and Hawkwind respectively.
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 an EP from Glitterhouse Records of Germany. Caroline Records signed the band, who recorded Spine of God in 1991. The next release, 25............Tab, included a 32 minute track called "Tab...". The band's live talent and prospective future gained a deal with A&M Records. McBain was fired soon after, due to personality conflicts between him and Wyndorf. Ed Mundell replaced him on guitar.
Superjudge was the band's debut on A&M Records; the album did not sell very well. The follow-up, a more pop-influenced album, was Dopes to Infinity which had a hit single in "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" but still did only slightly better than Superjudge. Wyndorf moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in order to begin working on Powertrip (1998), a breakthrough hit. Powertrip saw the band departing from its usual lo-fi, stoner rock fare, and enter into an era with more guitar and heavier drum beats. 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 and Marilyn Manson. Their last album on A&M Records was God Says No (2000). After this release, Joe Calandra and Jon Kleiman departed the band due to internal conflicts with Wyndorf, and were replaced by Jim Baglino and Bob Pantella respectively. In 2003, Monster Magnet 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'. In March 2005 Phil Cavaino departed after 7 years service in a split described as amicable by Wyndorf.
Influences
Monster Magnet's style and material are heavily influenced by 1970s-era 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). 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.
Trivia
* The song "Live for the Moment" is WWE wrestler Matt Hardy's entrance song.
* Monster Magnet hail from Red Bank, New Jersey.
Discography
Albums
| 'Year' | 'Title' | 'Label' | | 1991 | Spine of God | Caroline | | 1992 | Tab...25 | Caroline | | 1993 | Superjudge | A&M | | 1995 | Dopes to Infinity | A&M | | 1998 | Powertrip | A&M | | 2001 | God Says No | A&M | | 2004 | Monolithic Baby | SPV |
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