HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Monster Magnet
Throughout their thirty five year history as a band, New Jersey psychedelic space rock monoliths MONSTER MAGNET have consistently brought out albums swathed in immense bursts of rock ‘n’ roll excess and tales of interplanetary madness. When they say fact is stranger than fiction, MONSTER MAGNET have constantly and defiantly turned the tables on anything you would expect from the norm and lived to tell the tale.
Formed in Red Bank, New Jersey in 1989 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Wyndorf, who had previously been the frontman of military themed punk/power pop band SHRAPENL. After SHRAPNEL fizzled out, Wyndorf joined a band called DOG OF MYSTERY who would soon morph into MONSTER MAGNET. Alongside guitarist John McBain and drummer Tim Cronin, the band would immediately make waves.
After two underground demos entitled Forget About Life, I’m High On Dope and I’m Stoned, What Ya Gonna Do About It?, and various lineup changes, the band released a self-titled EP in 1990 before staking their claim as the future of psychedelic and space rock with their first full-length album Spine Of God in 1991. With a rapturous reception, MONSTER MAGNET arrived with a huge bang, with tales of acid-fried live shows only adding to their blossoming reputation.
After Cronin‘s departure, the band settled on the lineup of Wyndorf and McBain alongside Joe Calandra on bass and Jon Kleiman on drums. Quickly following up Spine Of God with the monolithic EP Tab the same year, the new EP was a half hour plus singular track of pure blissed out acid rock. Boasting the same potency as its subject matter, both Spine Of God and Tab made major waves in the rock underground, particularly across the pond in Europe.
If these releases made a splash, their next move would be a tsunami. 1993 saw the release of the band’s next album Superjudge, (featuring new bassist Ed Mundell) which was at the forefront of a stoner rock explosion alongside the likes of SLEEP and KYUSS. Today, the album is considered a classic within the stoner rock and metal world. The record’s success saw MONSTER MAGNET film accompanying music videos for the singles Twin Earth and Face Down which gained some airplay, demonstrating the power of the visual side of the band. That visual power was personified by the band’s rapidly full-on and legendary live shows with tours alongside heavy hitters SOUNDGARDEN, WHITE ZOMBIE, DANZIG, and CLUTCH.
1995 saw the release of the band’s third album Dopes To Infinity and spawned the band’s biggest hit to date in Negasonic Teenage Warhead. The song featured in the movie S.F.W and spawned a typically trippy video that received extensive airplay on MTV, a time where video airplay could leverage a band to new heights. The album’s strong reception saw further tours around this time with runs alongside the likes of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, MEGADETH and future stars KORN and DEFTONES. The album’s success also granted European festival appearances at the likes of Reading and Bizarre, helping establish MONSTER MAGNET into a slicker proposition in the live arena.
With the band gaining a well deserved bigger profile following their tireless and hardworking outlook, MONSTER MAGNET took an even bigger stride forwards with their next album; 1998’s classic Powertrip. With a more polished sound (with Wyndorf producing alongside Matt Hyde), the band’s space rock anthems were turned up to 11 and saw them strike whilst the iron was hot. The late 90s was a time where rock was at a commercial high and with Powertrip, MONSTER MAGNET hit the motherlode.
With purposely flashy videos for the album’s hit singles in Space Lord and the title track, alongside amazing tracks like Crop Circle, Bummer and See You In Hell, the album was a smash from start to finish. This would lead to tracks being featured in numerous Hollywood films including Urban Legend (1998), Bride Of Chucky (1998), and Talladega Nights (2006). With their profile suitably raised, the band hit the road alongside bonafide titans METALLICA and AEROSMITH alongside joining major tour packages alongside the likes of FEAR FACTORY and ROB ZOMBIE.
What goes up though, must come down. 2000’s God Says No faltered and did not nearly hit the same heights as its predecessor. However, there is quality there and today, it’s a fair assessment to say it is overlooked in the MONSTER MAGNET back catalogue. A tour with QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE in support of the album would follow and see the band’s power in the live arena remaining intact, especially with the threat of the nu-metal era dominating the rock and metal landscape. By keeping their reputation on the stage intact, MONSTER MAGNET doggedly and determinedly carried on doing what they do best, however, darker times were ahead.
After the release of the album Monolithic Baby! in 2004, the band continued to tour at the same relentless pace and lived and breathed the excess of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Unfortunately, disaster would strike in February 2006, Dave Wyndorf would overdose on prescription drugs and was hospitalised, forcing the band into an extended hiatus. Various line up changes happened in the following years, but MONSTER MAGNET soldiered on regardless. Led by a newly clean Wyndorf, the band would release 4-Way Diablo in 2007, Mastermind in 2010 and Last Patrol in 2013, all of which contained the same aura and attitude of decades prior.
With 2018’s Mindfucker showcasing a more slicker rock sound, the band continued to tour extensively. Similarly, 2021’s A Better Dystopia saw the band pay tribute to their roots with a collection of psychedelic and garage rock covers and brought things back full circle. Still a force to be reckoned with in the live arena as well, MONSTER MAGNET consistently toured to celebrate their vast history and last year saw the band celebrate the astonishing 35th year as a band. From humble beginnings to the biggest stages on earth, MONSTER MAGNET have done it all with Dave Wyndorf being at the forefront of it all, alongside a whole host of talented co-conspirators.
MONSTER MAGNET have rightly achieved godlike status in the rock world, ultimately through hard work and sheer determination, releasing some of the most incendiary, experimental and above all triumphant music ever recorded. While their recent tour commemorating the three and a half decades of the band ended somewhat abruptly due to Dave Wyndorf‘s ongoing health problems, we can only hope for a speedy recovery so the band can continue this celebration. Until then, stick on every single one of their albums and EPs and marvel at the utter glory of one the greatest rock bands of all time.
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