Brant Bjork, the former drummer of legendary stoner rock band Kyuss, recently opened up about the pressures placed on the group by their record label and the impact it had on their identity. In an interview with Metal Hammer, Bjork revealed his discomfort with Elektra Records’ push to market Kyuss as “the next Metallica.”
“Our guy at the label would always say, ‘You guys will be the next Metallica,’ and that bummed me out,” Bjork shared. For him, the notion of following in Metallica’s footsteps felt at odds with Kyuss’ essence. “I wanted Kyuss to be Kyuss, not the next version of someone else,” he added. Despite his admiration for Metallica’s accomplishments, Bjork believed that chasing a similar level of global fame seemed ultimately unfulfilling.
This sentiment crystallized during Kyuss’ tour in Australia, where they opened for Metallica. By then, Bjork had already decided to part ways with the band, sensing that their once-magical chemistry was fading. “That experience was absolutely wild, but it just wasn’t for me,” Bjork admitted. “I realized I didn’t connect with the scale of success they were trying to push us toward.”
Kyuss disbanded in 1995, shortly after releasing their final album, …And the Circus Leaves Town. Bjork’s reflections offer a candid glimpse into the challenges artists face when the pressures of the music industry collide with their creative values.
Though Kyuss never achieved the massive commercial success of Metallica, their legacy in stoner rock endures as a testament to the power of staying true to one’s artistic identity.
