Sixty Watt Shaman Discography

 

I discovered Sixty Watt Shaman when they got lucky and had the opening slot on the “Penchant for Violence” tour 2000, which if you recall was headlined by Black Label Society and Crowbar.  To me, that was an excellent line up.  It must have been hell touring and playing to half full (if that) House of Blues.  I saw that tour as it hit Chicago and turn out for such great bands was disappointing, although of course, everybody there was a die-hard Zakk Wylde or Crowbar fan, I guess they just don’t have enough.  I’d have to believe 4 years later and a few Ozzy revivals since, Zakk Wylde would be able to pack the HOB alone and when he does, I will be there.  In any case, SWS was a band I had never heard of and was quite delighted when they, as an opening band, kicked much ass live.  That’s a rarity, usually one band on a 2+ band bill sucks.  This show did not have a bad band and neither did a show I went to a few months later, which had Corrosion of Conformity, Clutch, Spirit Caravan and the Mystic Krewe of Clearlight.  That has nothing to do with my review of SWS, but it was a great show in the same musical vein.  Shows like these made me interested in more bands and enjoying a full night of great bands as opposed to the local metal show which would have a great headliner with 1 or 2 “Roadrunner” upstarts which were just unbearable.  Now, to the review, sorry for the delay.

 

Ultra Electric

The 1998 Game Two Records debut.  This album was a bit hard to come by, so thank to the local record store which carried good music, and like all good things, as you will find out by the end of this review, has gone away.  UE has the trademark SWS sound, which one person told me they ripped off from Down, but if you listen to both bands, you will see that the person who told me that is an idiot.  So both bands scream, they sound alike – no more sarcasm, I promise.  The Sixty Watt sound is definitely reminiscent of many bands, such as Sabbath (but more southern blues), Clutch (same statesmen, but more fuzzy), and Kyuss (pretty similar).  This album contains 2 songs that appear on their Spit Fire Records debut, which appears 2 years later, but it is cool to have early versions of songs to see their growth.  This album is good and definitely shows the band working hard to pump out good quality music and striving to find their niche in the, dare I say, “stoner-fuzz-southern-blues-rock-metal” world.  But once again, these guys are not stoner rock and I despise that term, so southern blues metal might capture their essence. 

 

Seed of Decades

This is the 2000 Spit Fire Records debut and the album that got them the slot on the “Penchant” tour, probably because they rock and both elder bands are also Spit Fire residents.  In any case, this album is more of the same great style and a bit more polished.  It even has the band playing a couple ‘ballad’ type songs, which completely fit in with the whole album.  “Roll the Stone” has a mandolin showing the bands expanding repertoire of instruments.  This new version of “New Trip,” which also appeared on “Ultra Electric” features Neil Fallon from Clutch and his wife on backing vocals.  Sixty Watt must have made a splash in their local Maryland scene to get the throat from Clutch to make a guest appearance.  To me, those 2 bands have more in common than Down and SWS, but ignorant minds will never know.  The last song, “I’ve Been Down,” is a very bluesy-slide jam, which is a great closer to an album. 

 

Reason to Live

The final album is this band’s short career found them with a new drummer, which to me gives the band more energy.  This release, 2002 Spit Fire, shows the band excelling at everything from their past albums, they are heavier, faster, bluesier, rockin’er (that’s not a word!), slower, jammier and more famous (well, not really, they deserved much, much more and YOU Let them down!).  This album opens with a rocker, “Nomad” and sets the tone for rest of the album.  The first 20 seconds tell you you’re in for a hell of a great album.  I also saw them on this tour, co-headlining with Alabama Thunder Pussy, and you’d like to think they could play a decent sized place since they are 2 great rock/metal acts – you’re wrong.  In Chicago, they played a place called the Beat Kitchen, which is small and they couldn’t even fill it.  Shame on YOU once again music fans – you let another great band slip through your fingers.  I was there; I didn’t see you.  This album keeps you rocking out in any way possible.  The solos that Dr. Joe Selby blast out are blistering, Minnesota Pete Campbell pounds the drums with amazing intensity, Reverend Jim Foster’s bass sound is incredible and a combination of Scott Reeder (Kyuss) and Cliff Burton (take a guess), and Undeniable Dan Kerzwick’s scream is in top form and his regular vocals are surrounded with his Northeastern Southern tinge.  SWS co-produced this album with the aforementioned Scott Reeder and is top-notch.  Guest appearances on this album are topped with Scott “Wino” Weinrich from (stay with me here) St. Vitus, the Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, Place of Skulls, and the Hidden Hand, and various other projects including an appearance on the NIB: Tribute to Black Sabbath – he played guitar on “The Wizard” with Rob Halford, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Brian Tilse (you knew you heard that guitar tone before!).  Scott Reeder also picks up a bass guitar for the last song, which is a huge great rock jam with Wino and the rest of Sixty Watt Shaman, giving you a powerful slow, sludgy, sped-up, blistering solo/scream filled song to end the album.  Amazing.  Now, actually, that doesn’t end the album, there is a secret song minutes after that ends.  I don’t know what its called, but it seems to be Undeniable Dan and a guitarist which I can’t tell if it’s Dr. Joe or Mr. Wino’s contribution.  In any case, it’s a little ditty about turning into somebody you didn’t want to be. 

 

 

Sixty Watt Shaman broke up around the summer of 2002, which is a shame, but no real word was given on the decision to end the band.  It seems perhaps some internal fighting and little fan support probably did them in.  Their albums can still be purchased through the www.stonerrock.com ‘s “All That’s Heavy Store:” http://stonerrock.com/store/ath.asp.  You can read a small bio from the release of “Reason to Live” at www.spitfirerecords.com. 

 

Remember, search for good music because it’s out there and when you don’t stick with it, it goes away, case in point – Sixty Watt Shaman.  Please come back! 

 

Review by Joe