Interview © OC Weekly 11. November 2010

von Lilledeshan Bose

Foto: Masters of Reality.com

Masters of Reality on Their Inspirations:
 Catholic School, Isolation, Pubescent Psycho-Sexuality, Fear and Television

For a band that's 29 years old, Masters of Reality's contemporaries in sound--Queens of the Stone Age, Screaming Trees, UNKLE--are all pretty current. Chris Goss has been at the helm of Masters of Reality since it formed in 1981. He talks about living in Joshua Tree, Joanna Newsom and bestiality to preview his show at the House of Blues, Anaheim on Wednesday.

OC Weekly: I've read that you count Joanna Newsom as an inspiration--which issomething I've heard from many metal bands. What is it about her music that strikes a chord?
Chris Goss: Really? You hear that from metal bands? That's maybe a good sign. Her music is almost classical in nature and she's a genius."

You have been playing music for 20 years...was there ever a point when you were like, I wish I had studied medicine instead?
"I DO study all kinds of medicine."

Your sound has weathered trends as well--what's your philosophy when writing songs? How do you know when it's done or good enough to record?
"When the recording budget is gone, the song is finished."

What were your inspirations for your latest set, Worm in the Silk?
"Catholic school, Isolation, pubescent psycho-sexulaity, fear and television."

It's easy (and maybe lazy) to compare your music to QOTSA just because you're from Joshua Tree, but there's no denying the similarities in the both bands' sound. Do you think geography has anything to do with it?
"No. I was raised in Upstate New York, and brought my sound to the desert. BUT both are geographically isolated from urban areas."

What should we expect at the live show?
"Naked people with shaved bodies, bestiality and fresh green beans."

(UPDATE: If you missed Masters of Reality's show last night, you can also catch them at Brick by Brick in San Diego tonight, or House of Blues on Sunset Strip in LA tomorrow.)