Californian desert rock progenitors YAWNING MAN once again team up with Ripple Music to reissue their 2005 EP “Pot Head” in limited vinyl and CD editions alongside a freshly redesigned artwork this September 22nd, 2023.
“Yawning Man was the sickest desert band of all time. You’d just be up there in the desert, everybody’d just be hanging, partying. Everyone’s just tripping, and they’re just playing away, for hours. Oh, they’re the GREATEST band I’ve ever seen.” — Brant Bjork (Kyuss founder, ex-Fu Manchu)
Formed in 1986 under the sun of the Coachella Valley by guitarist Gary Arce, drummer Alfredo Hernandez, bassist Mario Lalli and second guitarist Larry Lalli,
YAWNING MAN are considered the very founders of the desert rock movement, which was made popular by bands such as Kyuss or Queens of The Stone Age in the early 90s. Following the now sold-out reissue of their 2005 debut full-length “Rock Formations” in 2021, Ripple Music are continuing to honor their iconic discography by presenting a freshly redesigned, long overdue limited vinyl and CD reissue of the band’s “Pot Head” EP, a hazy and reverb-drenched four-track which raw and organic sound will impel listeners to close their eyes and feel teleported straight into one of the band’s cult generator parties jam.About reissuing “Pot Head”,
Ripple Music founder Todd Severin says: “
I’m thrilled to be able to offer this vinyl reissue of the long-out-of-print, debut recording by desert rock legends, Yawning Man. Other than a pressing done to coincide with a tour many years ago, this album hasn’t been available on vinyl for several decades, and it sounds better now than ever. All new artwork, redesigned by the band also really sets this pressing apart.”
“Pot Head” will be available in Head Full of Pot Limited Beer/Galaxy Edition Vinyl (250 copies), Desert Sky Limited Edition Beer Colored Vinyl (250 copies), Midnight Black Vinyl and Limited 4-Panel Digipack CD, with preorders available now via Ripple Music.
YAWNING MAN “Pot Head” EP
Reissued on September 22nd via Ripple Music
Bandcamp –
European preorder –
US preorder
TRACKLIST:
1. Manolete
2. Digital Smoke Signal
3. Encounters with an Angry God
4. Samba de Primavera
While their contemporaries gravitated toward the heavy riffs of grunge, and post-punk, YAWNING MAN leaned in another direction with their unique and organic, cinematic compositions and psychedelic improvisations: the perfect soundtrack to encompass the spacious moonscape atmosphere of the well-documented “generator parties” of their area in the late 1980s. It was at these gatherings that they developed this distinctive style and sound by enchanting spectators with their seemingly endless free-form instrumental sessions, which echoed through the beautiful deserts, mesas, and landscapes of the Coachella Valley.
As time passed, their legend grew with notable names of the Palm Desert music scene paying homage to the group through mention and praise, notably with legendary desert band Kyuss doing their own rendition of the Yawning Man track “Catamaran” on the 1995 Elektra release “…And The Circus Leaves Town”. Festival appearances include Hellfest (FR), Azkena Fest (ES), Reverence Fest (ES), Desertfest London and Berlin, Up in Smoke (CH), Psycho Las Vegas (US), Stoned & Dusted I & II (US), Monolith on the Mesa (US), and various others. The recent documentaries on the desert’s unique music scene “Lo Sound Desert” and “Desert Age” give light on YAWNING MAN’s influential impact on underground rock music.
2022 to present lineup includes Gary Arce on guitar, Bill Stinson on drums and the return of Billy Cordell (Brant Bjork, Vista Chino) on bass, and rounds out their yearlong active recording and touring schedule.
“Pot Head” lineup:
Gary Arce – guitar
Billy Cordell – bass
Bill Stinson – drums
YAWNING MAN links
Website⎜Facebook⎜Bandcamp⎜Instagram⎜Spotify
RIPPLE MUSIC links
Website⎪Facebook⎪Bandcamp⎪Instagram
