While I initially joked that the price of the Kyuss Lives New Year’s Eve gig was a joke, I eventually gave in and bought myself a 200-dollar ticket.  I don’t normally go out for NYE–frankly, I think it’s a rather pointless holiday–but I figured that for the founding fathers of stoner rock, I could make an exception.  And I certainly don’t regret it, especially since a couple months later, Kyuss would live no more.

In fact, that New Year’s Eve gig would actually have something to do with the band’s demise.  I swear I read somewhere that they were planning on using the soundboard recording of the Cherry Cola’s concert as a future live album–until Josh Homme and his legal representation had something to say about it. In a 20-page suit filed in early March, Homme alleged that “Defendants will likely unfairly benefit from HOMME’S and the Original Partners’ valuable goodwill and hard-earned reputation for quality and consistency.”  I kid you not.  It doesn’t directly state that he feels Bruno Fevery couldn’t carry his guitar strap, but it’s certainly implied!

In any case, a judge ruled in August that “The Court will issue a preliminary injunction prohibiting Defendants from using the Kyuss Lives Mark in conjunction with any studio album, live album, or other audio recording.”  And as such, the artist formerly known as Kyuss Lives has changed its name to Vista Chino, a moniker more fitting for an old folks’ home than a seminal stoner rock outfit, if you ask me.  On their own website, the band states that they’ll do a couple more gigs as Kyuss Lives in Australia before they make the switch–which means that I officially witnessed the last-ever Kyuss gig in North America.  Now, if only I still had that ticket stub…

On that note, click here for the full list of my top 10 concerts of 2012.

Peace,

Greg

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