Aug 11, 2009
POSTED BY Jay Babcock
Stream:
Download: “King Richard TLH” — Masters of Reality (mp3)
Here’s the opening salvo off Pine/Cross Dover, the new studio album out later this month from Chris Goss’s MASTERS OF REALITY, via the Mascot Records label in Europe—pre-order info here. The band willbe touring in Europe, check their dates and more at the October tour in Europe, more: official Masters of Reality page on myface.
Chris Goss: beloved Masters of Reality mainman for twenty-plus years—a storied New York City band whose debut album was produced by Rick Rubin and released on American Records, which was followed by a move to California and some time on the record label that brought us Tone-Loc. For two years, three tours and a studio album, Masters of Reality’s drummer was legendary fierce redhead Ginger Baker of Cream. Pine/Cross Dover is the band’s first studio effort in five years, and finds longtime drummer John Leamy once again on skins, joined by Brian O’Connor on bass, and Dave Catching (Eagles of Death Metal, Earthlings, QOTSA, etc) and Mark Christian on guitars.
Goss is also known as: Kyuss producer, occasional Queens of the Stone Age/Desert Sessions member/collaborator, UNKLE contributor, and, with Twiggy Ramirez and Zach Hill, one-third of Goon Moon. As one-half of the pictured-above The 5:15ers (QOTSAer Josh Homme was the other half), he headlined the second night of ArthurBall in Los Angeles in spring 2006.
And, of course, Goss is the author of arguably the best piece of neighborhood/cooking writing to appear so far in the pages of Arthur: check out his super-porkout Immigrant’s Sauce recipe/reminisence from the Brian Eno cover ish of Arthur (No. 17, July 2005—still available, collectors!).
Bonus dish: Here’s a profile on Goss that I wrote for the LAWeekly from August 2004…
[...] new Masters of Reality song entitled ‘King Richard TLH’ is available for streaming on Arthur Magazine’s blog. It’s opening salvo off Pine/Cross Dover, the new studio album out later this month via [...]
Chris Goss is the man, can’t wait for the new Masters, and also wishing for new GoonMoon!!
I would just like to point out a correction. Masters of Reality were not from New York City. They were from Syracuse, New York. In fact, they are probably the greatest rock band ever to come from Central New York (Dio grew up about 30 minutes south of Syracuse.)
I interviewed Mr. Goss some time back, and we talked for a while about Syracuse (also my hometown). Because Goss relocated out west, very few interviews focus on his roots back east. He talked about how the mood and darkness of the Masters’ classic debut was very much a product of Syracuse, a bleak, rust belt town that for a good chunk of the year is buried underneath snow and an impenetrable blanket of grey clouds.
Another interesting note: Goss wasn’t the group’s sole leader back in the day. He cofounded the Masters with a guitarist by the name of Tim Harrington. Tim is extremely talented and has released some great music over the years. From what I understand, Goss and Harrington don’t get along, but nevertheless, both are true talents.
Hmm, I’ll have to check with Chris, or go back to my notes, but I know that there was a period when they (or at least Chris) was living in NYC itself. But yes…Syracuse!
I don’t doubt they tried NYC, but “The Cuse” is the true home of the Masters. Their annual Halloween concerts at the Landmark Theater, downtown, are legendary. The Masters’ original drummer, the great Vinnie Ludovico, earned extra scratch playing in my dad’s wedding band on the weekends. I even took piano lessons from Al Dunn (aka Mr. Owl).
Man, what a great band!!!
Mr Farrar is correct. MOR was a band born in the grey, miserable land known as Central New York.
I can confirm that The Masters are from Syracuse.I can also confirm that CNY is gray and miserable. MOR frequently played NYC but never took residence. It’s all Syracuse has for a rock legacy, please let us keep it. In fact some of us local musicians are doing a Halloween tribute to the “Blue Garden” record and the stuff before that was never released. It was huge annual tradition that there was a MOR show on Halloween.