Kyuss

Kyuss ( /ˈkaɪ.əs/ KY-əs) was an American rock band, formed in Palm Desert, California in 1987 by Josh Homme (guitar), John Garcia (vocals), Brant Bjork (drums) and Chris Cockrell (bass). After releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss and recruited Nick Oliveri. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 as Kyuss and the newly formed Queens of the Stone Age. This nicely tied up the loose ends of Kyuss and introduced the new band Queens of the Stone Age, which was at one time composed entirely of ex-Kyuss members.

Nick Oliveri was fired from the band in 1992 and replaced by Scott Reeder just prior to the release of Blues for the Red Sun. Brant Bjork decided to leave the band in 1993, citing creative differences, and was replaced by Alfredo Hernández from the seminal Palm Desert Scene band Yawning Man. John Garcia and Josh Homme would be the band's only continuous members throughout the band's lifetime. Kyuss eventually split up in 1995, and since then, members of Kyuss have gone on to form or play in several notable bands including Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu, Dwarves, Brant Bjork, Eagles of Death Metal, Mondo Generator, Hermano, Unida, Slo Burn and Them Crooked Vultures.

In November 2010, three former members of the band (minus Homme, who declined to participate) reunited under the adapted monikor of Kyuss Lives! for a world tour with plans to record a new album at some point. A federal lawsuit subsequently filed by Homme resulted in Oliveri leaving the band in March 2012, and five months later, Judge S. James Otero of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ruled that Garcia and Bjork could not release audio recordings under the Kyuss Lives! moniker. He also encouraged the band to re-brand under a new name.