Dali's Llama

Dali's Llama is an American band formed in 1993 by Zach Huskey and his wife, Erica. The band is primarily a desert rock / stoner rock band but over the years, it has ventured into doom, punk rock, experimental, and garage rock. The Huskeys also started their own record label called Dali's Llama Records and have released fourteen Dali's Llama albums, in addition to numerous side projects and solo albums.

Before Dali's Llama

Zach Huskey's early bands were The Sciotics (with Sean Wheeler), Blue Sunday, Cloudy Daze and The Next. All featured Tony Brown from Unsound on drums.

In 1986, Huskey graduated from high school then moved to Los Angeles. There, he formed the band Long, Dead and Gone. The band performed for the most part in Los Angeles and collaborated with some punk and metal bands. Occasionally, the band travelled back to the desert to play at a club or a generator party. When Long, Dead and Gone disbanded, Huskey formed a very heavy de-tuned rock band called My Pain. My Pain played with Wool, White Zombie, Rage Against The Machine and The Obsessed. When My Pain disbanded, the Huskeys returned to the desert.

History of Dali's Llama

In 1993, Zach and Erica Huskey formed Dalai's llama after they returned from Los Angeles. In the same year, after creating Dali's Llama Records they self-released the band's first CD, Pre Post Now. Bruce Fessier of The Desert Sun said, "Zach Huskey has been an integral player on the desert rock scene since the days of the generator parties in the late 1980s and early '90s. His tuned-down guitar sounds epitomize desert rock as surely as the music of Kyuss, Fatso Jetson and House of Broken Promises. You can hear Huskey's hard rock sound on the many Dali's Llama albums he's produced on his own independent label."[1]

The following year, Dali's Llama released their second CD entitled Creative Space which took an artistically more aggressive turn. The song Listen was later featured in the 2010 movie I’m not like that no more featuring Paul Rodriguez and Felipe Esparanza. The band's lineup for both of these early CDs was Zach Huskey (songwriter/vocals/guitar), Erica Huskey (bass) and Johnnie Moreno (drums).

The band performed at entertainment venues in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the desert area, including the Rhythm and Brews club owned by Mario and Larry Lalli. Dali's Llama performed with many bands, including Unsound, Well Strung to Hang, Solarfeast, Super Fun Happy Slide, Polyphemus and Sort of Quartet and opened for artists, such as Robin Trower. In 1994, the drummer, Ian Dye replaced Johnnie Moreno.

In 1995, Dali's Llama released a third CD, Being. Both “Creative Space” and “Being” were produced by Steve Kravac and recorded at West Beach Recorders, Los Angeles, a studio owned by Brett Gurewitz, guitarist for Bad Religion. Sophia Possidon of Flipside said, ""Be This Moment" impressed from the first ten seconds, as being a serious yet catchy rock tune."

After Being, Zach Huskey took the band artistically in a different direction. He wrote songs using elements of his avant-garde compositions. The band had a new drummer, George Rubacava and a second guitar player, Eric Overton. The new experimental improvisational songs were recorded live at a rehearsal in 1995 but were not released until 2001 on The Color Of Apples CD.

Phil Lieberts, a musician and composer said, "Most jam sessions are far more fun to play than to hear. This is an exception. This collective improvisation really works. What sets it apart is a sense of swing and dynamics. Something special was created out of a void that day in ́95. There is substance here. Pay close attention. This difficult music is quite rewarding. How much you hear in it depends on your attention span. Happy accidents abound. There is a refreshing lack of nihilistic overkill. (Still, mello it ain ́t.) Hey, call it No Wave blues (with a smile). Give it the good hard listen it deserves - it will never happen again."

In 2005, after pursuing other projects (including Primordial Blues) and solo projects, Dali's Llama released a fifth CD, Chordata. Huskey incorporated influences from The Stooges, X, The Cult, MC5 and early 70s Who. He also incorporated elements of the heavy rock sound of Wolfmother and the lyricism of Bad Religion.

Alfredo Hernandez said, "Way before Kyuss or Queens of the Stone Age, Dali’s Llama frontman Zach Huskey was a musician to be reckoned with. Today’s Dali’s Llama are punchy, powerful and to the point. Dali’s Llama is one of the best desert rock bands today and the best live desert rock band around!"

In 2006, Eric Overton left the band. Zach Huskey wrote some slower tempo songs, tuned down, heavy, slow, and sludgy. The Dali Llama's sixth CD, Sweet Sludge was recorded at The Sanctuary and produced by Scott Reeder.

Scott Reeder said, "They were out here a few weeks ago - tracked and mixed it in only four days! It was good to hang out again with my old pal Zach Huskey, who’s been a stalwart of the desert music scene since our high school days together. Along with his wife/bassist Erica and drummer Robin, Dali’s Llama have been working hard - hardcore DIY, and in it for all the right reasons - for the pure joy of making music. Zach’s always-thought-inspiring lyrics, coupled with epic song structures, are tossed off as if it’s no big deal. After a few listens, a deep appreciation develops for the love that goes into what they do together."

Around this time Dali's Llama performed with Fatso Jetson, Dixie Witch, Sasquatch, House of Broken Promises, SuperGiant, Floating Goat, Putanesca (Joe Baiza's band). They appeared at festivals such as the Stoner Hands of Doom Festival (SHoD VIII) in Mesa, Arizona.

The Dali Llama's seventh CD, Full on Dunes presented heavier, thicker, and faster songs. It blended the band's desert punk and heavy rock roots. Jeff Howe, drummer, joined the band. Some of the Huskey's high school friends performed as guests on the CD. They included Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson, Yawning Man and Desert Sessions), Sean Wheeler (Throw Rag, Sun Trash and Charley Horse), Joe Dillon (from Hot Beat Pussy Fiend) and Scott Reeder.[2] Mike Frame said, "Here is another album full of top-notch stoner/desert rock from this great band. This is some of the best of this style in a decade!"[3]

The band's next CD was entitled Raw is Real. Joe Dillon performed as a second guitarist. Again, the CD was recorded at The Sanctuary with Scott Reeder. This CD had a darker, heavier and angrier sound. The Obelisk website commented, "Raw is Real definitely lives up to its name, more ideologically than sonically. It sounds clean but there is a cynical bite to the lyrics of songs like Theocracy and the punkish Grump that, political or not, adds thematic heft."[4]

The band's 2010 CD, Howl do you Do? was a lighthearted detour for the band with a live unpolished sixties psychedelia sound. It incorporated a garage element and raw blues with hints of The Sonics, Music Machine, Nuggets, The Yardbirds, Fuzztones and The Damned. A new drummer, Craig Brown joined the band and Mikael Jacobson, also the producer, played the organ. It was recorded at Audio Grande studios. Jay Snider said, "Nothing wrong with a little trip to the chemistry lab! "Howl do you do?" is an experiment that works. Not as much of a departure from the band's sound as I expected (riffs are still the trail boss on this wagon train), but the quicker, catchier song structures, heavy organ interplay, and the more jammed-out feel of the material sure do show another side to Dali's Llama."[5]

After releasing a CD each year for five years, Dali’s Llama released Zach Huskey's side project, a heavy sounding CD called Warts and All with a band formed with the name, Ogressa. The line up of the band was Zach Huskey, Trent Ramseyer (vocals), Ian Dye (drums), Mike Jacobson (bass), Scott Reeder (bass) and Joe Dillon (second guitar on some tracks).

In 2012, Dali’s Llama released the album Autumn Woods with influences from doom metal. Joe Wangler, a new second guitarist joined the band. This album was recorded in two and a half days at The Sanctuary. Scott Reeder again engineered and produced the album. Ed and Sally on Doommantia website commented, "After so many years together and with so much music recorded already, it is remarkable that Dali's Llama have still yet to make a wrong turn in their recording career."[6]

Celebrating 20 years together, Dali's Llama released an anthology of some of their better known songs up to that point. "...it is a lovingly curated eight song LP that represents the last five years of the band... Although this isn't the lavish, career-spanning box set the band deserves, Twenty Years Underground gives you a tantalizing taste of power and majesty that is Dali's Llama. It will leave you wanting more." - Eleni P. Austin, Coachella Valley Weekly[7]

In 2016, Dali's Llama released their twelfth release "Dying In The Sun". "...they continue to crank out fantastic heavy music. They don’t try to be “scary” or to be “tough,” they just blast out cool, heavy riffs with excellent vocals..." – Mike Frame, Razorcake [8]

Dali's Llama followed up with "The Blossom E.P." in 2018, a bluesy, three song release."...Dali’s Llama may remain the desert’s best kept secret when it comes to songwriting, but like they do, they’ll keep moving forward anyway, and while parts of “Longtime Woman” and “Like I Do” feel like they’re playing to the band’s strengths, the jammier feel also shows the chemistry the four-piece have developed over their time with this lineup around Zach and Erica..." - The Obelisk[9]

Credits and testimonials

Dali's Llama was credited and thanked in the John Srebalus film Such hawks, such Hounds (2008).

Eleni P. Austin wrote in the Coachella Valley Weekly', "If someone were to erect a shrine to the founders of the Desert Rock scene, an imposing Mount Rushmore-style monument, the four faces would have to be Mario Lalli, Herb Lineau, Sean Wheeler and Zach Huskey. Other Desert musicians have received more recognition and achieved more notoriety, but these guys were the originators, the pioneers."[10]

In 2014, at the Coachella Valley Music Awards, Bruce Fessier wrote, "Special Trailblazer Awards were presented to two bands that came out of the generator scene and remain relevant. Zach and Erica Huskey of Dali’s Llama have self-recorded 20 albums. Unsound recently packed Schmidy’s Tavern despite a rare-for-this-desert $15 cover charge"[11]

Discography

Full Albums
  • Pre Post Now - 1993
  • Creative Space - 1994
  • Being - 1995
  • The Color of Apples - 2001
  • Chordata - 2006
  • Sweet Sludge - 2007
  • Full on Dunes - 2008
  • Raw is Real - 2009
  • Howl Do You Do - 2010
  • Autumn Woods - 2012
  • Twenty Years Underground - 2013
  • Dying in the Sun - 2016
  • The Blossom E.P. - 2018
  • Mercury Sea - 2019

Compilations
  • StonerRock compilation 8
  • Lollipop's Fall 2009 mp3 compilation

Filmography

Music Documentaries

Movie Soundtracks

Internet Series

Festivals

Awards

Line-Up

Current
  • Zach Huskey - guitar and vocals (1993–present)
  • Erica Huskey - bass (1993–present)
  • Craig Brown - drums (2009–present)
  • Joe Dillon - guitar (2008–2010), guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (2014–present)

Former Members
  • Johnnie Moreno - drums (1993–1994)
  • Ian Dye - drums (1994–1995)
  • Eric Overton - guitar (1995–1996)
  • George Rubacava - drums (1995–1996)
  • Robin Clewell - drums and vocals (2005–2007)
  • Josh Roell - guitar (2005–2006)
  • Jeff Howe - drums (2007–2009)
  • Trent Ramseyer - drums (2009)
  • Michael Whitehead - guitar (2010)
  • Joe Wangler - guitar (2011–2018)

Guest Appearance
  • Scott Reeder - bass and background vocals (Full On Dunes)
  • Mario Lalli - guitar and background vocals (Full On Dunes)
  • Sean Wheeler - background vocals (Full On Dunes)
  • Mikael Jacobson - organ (Howl Do You Do?)
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References
  1. Fessier B. Zach Huskey hicks up Dunebilly Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine The Desert Sun June 30, 2014.
  2. Dali’s Llama - Full On Dunes Earthdog Hellride.com March 15, 2009
  3. Dali's Llama, Full On Dunes Archived 2015-06-06 at the Wayback Machine Razorcake website
  4. Dali’s Llama Keep it Raw, Also Real The Obelisk November 24, 2009
  5. Dali’s Llama – Howl do you do? Hell Rider Music website August 22, 2010.
  6. Dali's Llama - Autumn Woods Doomantia website December 19, 2012
  7. Coachella Valley Weekly
  8. Razorcake
  9. The Obelisk
  10. Austin E. P. Dali's Llama twenty years Underground Coachella Valley Weekly. Accessed October 2, 2013.
  11. fessier B. Awards celebrate desert's music scene The Desert Sun May 19, 2014.
  12. Morgan, Lisa (May 15, 2014). "Zach and Erica Huskey - 2014 Trailblazers". Coachella Valley Weekly.
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