Monster Magnet is a group of American stoner rock, originally from New Jersey. It represents at the beginning of the XXI century a fusion of the musical heritage of several famous groups of the 1970s, including Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Stooges, MC5, Grand Funk Railroad, Velvet Underground, and The Third Bardo. Their music, which has its roots in the 1970s, is a synthesis of heavy metal, space rock and psychedelic rock and is usually related to the stoner rock movement.
The band is led by Dave Wyndorf, who sings and plays the guitar. It is the main image of the group, both on stage and on video clips. It is likely that his excessive personality (he was for a time the mouthpiece of a movement ironically demanding the legalization of hard drugs) is at the root of various changes among the musicians of the group. In 2004, the band included guitarist and soloist Ed Mundell (also leader of a parallel band in 2004, the power trio The Atomic Bitchwax) and Phil Caivano, third guitarist (who left the band in 2005), Jim Baglino bass, and Michael Wildwood then replaced by Bob Pantella on drums.
Despite a growing reputation for many North American and European concerts, the band's success did not really begin until 1998, with the title "Space Lord" / span>, on the album Powertrip .
In 1989, Monster Magnet released two demo tapes: "Forget About Life", "I'm High on Dope" and I'm Stoned, What's Gonna Do About It? . The first "official" title of the group is Johnny Lizard / Freakshop USA distributed by the label located at Long Island, Circuit Records. The first demo and single is recorded in three parts (McBain, Wyndorf, Cronin). Before the second demo, Jon Kleiman and Joe Calandra join the drums and the bass, respectively. An EP, of the same name as the band, follows on the Go Get Organized / Atypeek Music, Primo Scree, Glitterhouse Records, Caroline Records and Glitterhouse Records labels. The EP contains the songs Snake Dance and Nod Scene , (which will appear in the album Spine of God ), and Tractor (which will later be reissued in Powertrip ).
