Karma to Burn

Karma to Burn, sometimes known as K2B, is a desert rock/stoner rock band from Morgantown, West Virginia comprising guitarist William Mecum, bassist Eric Clutter, and drummer Evan Devine. The band are noted for their uncompromising, mostly instrumental sound.

This article is about the stoner rock group. For the album by The Waterboys, see Karma to Burn (The Waterboys album).
Karma to Burn
Karma to Burn performing in Pittsburgh on 4-24-2009
Background information
OriginMorgantown, West Virginia, United States
GenresDesert rock, stoner rock, instrumental rock, acid rock, stoner metal, heavy metal
Years active1997–2002, 2009-
LabelsRoadrunner, Spitfire Records, Napalm Records
Associated actsSpeedealer, Year Long Disaster, Dragon Ass, Sons of Alpha Centauri, Treasure Cat, Nebula, Kyuss
Websitehttp://www.k2burn.net/
Members
Past members

Their name comes from a sleevenote on Bob Dylan's 1976 album Desire which reads "I have a brother or two and a whole lot of karma to burn..."

History

First era (1997-2002)

After years of viral self-promotion (such as phoning record companies pretending to be other bands who'd heard an interesting band called Karma To Burn), Karma To Burn was signed to Roadrunner Records in 1996.[1] They were planning to release an entirely instrumental album, but Roadrunner insisted that the contract was only valid under the condition that they hired a vocalist. After a brief trial of then Kyuss frontman John Garcia, they hired a friend of theirs Jay Jarosz. Their first album Karma To Burn was released in 1997, and despite critical acclaim, sold poorly. The band decided to sack Jarosz and as such were fired from Roadrunner. The band continued, releasing 1999's Wild Wonderful Purgatory and 2001's Almost Heathen as entirely instrumental albums.[2][3]

The band unofficially disbanded sometime in mid-2002, when bassist Rich Mullins joined Speedealer. As of 2008, Mullins was playing in the Los Angeles based band Year Long Disaster, Oswald was the drummer in Nebula, and Will Mecum was playing guitar for Treasure Cat.[4]

Reunion (2009-2010)

On February 23, 2009, Karma to Burn reformed with the line-up being the same as when they disbanded. They toured extensively, hitting both the US and Europe.[5] Their European tour included a second stage slot at the Download Festival, which has now become infamous for the wasp swarm above the crowd throughout.[6] A year after reuniting, Karma To Burn were in the stages of finishing a fourth full-length album, which was produced by Scott Reeder formerly of the stoner rock band Kyuss. The album, Appalachian Incantation, was released in April 2010, and included two vocal tracks: 'Waiting on the Western World', featuring Year Long Disaster vocalist and guitarist Daniel Davies, and 'Two Times,' featuring former Kyuss vocalist John Garcia. The rest of the album consisted of instrumental selections.[7] The band toured Europe after its release, including a nine date UK run supported by bassist Mullins's other band, Year Long Disaster.[8]

Merger with Year Long Disaster (2010-Present)
Karma To Burn, with new vocalist Daniel Davies at Sonisphere Knebworth 2010.
Year Long Disaster play Download Festival 2010 with all members of K2B as the backing band.

In a May 2010 interview with Uber Rock, Daniel Davies commented on a planned merger between the bands Year Long Disaster and Karma To Burn:

"The bands are starting to kind of merge together. We wrote that song together and we liked it so we're thinking that maybe we should write some more songs together. I think that is where it's leading to now."[9]

In June 2010, Year Long Disaster toured Europe with all three members of Karma To Burn as part of the band.[10] The favour was returned on Karma To Burn's European summer tour, with Davies stepping in as an occasional guitarist (and, when needed, vocalist) for the band. Karma To Burn then announced it plans to record a swift follow-up to Appalachian Incantation with an album featuring several songs with vocals by Davies, to be released in 2011, further blurring the boundaries between it and Year Long Disaster. The speculation as to whether Davies had joined the band was confirmed by his inclusion in the band picture on K2B's website[11] and, more solidly, by Rich Mullins himself in an interview with Rock Radio.[12]

K2B headlined the Jägermeister stage at the UK leg of Sonisphere Festival 2010.,[13] and supported The Sword on their 2010 winter US tour[14] and in Europe the following November.

The follow-up to Appalachian Incantation, V, was recorded in February 2011, at Dave Grohl's Studio 606, and includes Davies' vocals on three songs, although he has since started a project outside Karma to Burn and left the group, returning the band to a trio. V was released in June 2011, followed by more extensive touring of the US and Europe. The band were also set to record a song for John Garcia's solo project, Garcia Vs. Garcia.[15] On September 7, it was said via Twitter that Karma To Burn had finished recording 3 tracks with John Garcia, though for which projects was left unclear.[16]

Evan Devine of Morgantown metal band Ancient Shores filled in on drums for Karma To Burn during their 2012 European tour.

Band members

Current
  • William Mecum – guitar
  • Eric von Clutter – bass
  • Evan Devine – drums

Former
  • Daniel Davies – guitar, vocals
  • Jay Jarosz – vocals
  • John Garcia – vocals
  • Ronnie Garcia – vocals (unconfirmed)
  • Jim Davison – guitar/vocals (live only)
  • Chuck Nicholas – drums
  • Nathan Limbaugh – drums
  • Rob Oswald – drums
  • Rich Mullins - bass
  • Rob Halkett - bass

Discography

Studio albums

Live CD or Vinyl
  • Live in Brussel 2013 (available on iTunes and Spotify)

EPs
(Incantation's Ingredients was a tour EP, sold on K2B's pre Appalachian Incantation release tours. It featured several tracks off the album.)

Compilation albums

Videos
  • Live 2009 - Reunion Tour (A collection of 2009 footage, also includes bonus videos shot between 1997 and 1999)

References
  1. "Karma To Burn". Roadrunner Records. 1997-02-25. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  2. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "( Karma to Burn > Biography )". allmusic. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  3. "Artists :: KARMA TO BURN". MusicMight. Archived from the original on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  4. Treasure Cat
  5. blabbermouth.net article Archived May 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "News - Download Festival 2010". Downloadfestival.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  7. Appalachian Incantation first details Archived March 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Karma To Burn Finish Up New Album | Errorizer.Com". Terrorizer.com. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  9. "Daniel Davies - Year Long Disaster - Interview Exclusive". Uberrock.co.uk. 2010-05-20. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  10. Chris says (2010-06-04). "Year Long Tour (Not Literally) | Karma To Burn - Official WebSHRINE". K2burn.com. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  11. "Karma To Burn - Official WebSHRINE". K2burn.com. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  12. "Listen Again". Rock Radio. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2010-08-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand | Karma To Burn - Official WebSHRINE". K2burn.com. 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  15. "Karma to Burn Interview: Rich Mullins Reveals Tours with The Sword and Monster Magnet, Merger with Year Long Disaster, Future Recording with John Garcia and More". The Obelisk. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
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