Mondo Generator

Mondo Generator
Mondo Generator circa 2019.
Background information
Also known as	Nick Oliveri's Mondo Generator, Nick Oliveri and The Mondo Generator, Nick Oliveri's Uncontrollable
Origin	Van Nuys, California, USA
Genres	Punk Rock, Alternative Rock, Stoner Rock
Years active	1997 - Present
Labels	Southern Lord Records, Heavy Psych Sounds, Rekords Rekords, Ipecac, Tornado, Impedance, No Balls, Mondo Media
Associated acts	Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, The Desert Sessions, Brant Bjork, Karma To Burn, Earthlings?, Nebula, Blaak Heat, Stoner, Furious IV, Unsound, The Adolescents, Eagles of Death Metal, Yellow #5, Bloodclot, BL'AST!, Dwarves, Nirvana, Foo Fighters
Website	Facebook

Mondo Generator is a rock and roll band from Van Nuys, California, active since 1997. Notable for being the main musical project of one Nick Oliveri, Mondo Generator is primarily rock and roll with elements of alternative rock, punk rock, stoner rock and hardcore with a chaotic vocal delivery akin to the sex, drugs and rock n' roll motif. Over the band's career spanning over twenty years Oliveri has been the sole constant whether the band was a trio or quartet, with an extensive host of revolving bandmates, including many of his Kyuss brethren among others. Along with originals, Mondo Generator have been known to cover Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age songs along with other punk and rock tunes.

The name of the band originated when Brant Bjork spray-painted the words on the side of Oliveri's Sunn amplifier. Mondo means "world" in Italian. The sole Kyuss song penned by Oliveri appeared on the 1992 album Blues for the Red Sun is the key link to the band's name and the amplifier itself appears in the artwork for the album.

History

Cocaine Rodeo and Drug Problems (1997 - 2003)

Mondo Generator initially formed as a side project in 1997, with Nick Oliveri (under the moniker Rex Everything) formed Mondo Generator in 1997 with Rob Oswald and Brent Malkus as founding members. Recording two demos in quick succession in Texas, the group would eventually use these as a blueprint for recording a debut album. The band mainly performed in Texas and at least one date with Fu Manchu for their earliest known shows. Along with the trio, Oliveri would invite his former Kyuss bandmates Josh Homme, John Garcia, Brant Bjork and Chris Goss to all contribute to the record in separate sessions. These recordings would sit dormant for three years due to Oliveri's full-time commitments to Queens of the Stone Age. QotSA would perform many of the band's songs to build anticipation for the record and "13th Floor" would be re-worked as "Tension Head" for QotSA's second album Rated R.

About a month after Rated R's release, Cocaine Rodeo finally saw it's release on 18 July 2000 on Southern Lord Records to positive reviews among critics and the desert rock scene. The band gained a cult status among devoted fans of QotSA despite minimal support of the album in terms of live performances. Mondo Generator would go dormant for a time due to Oliveri's commitments with Queens.

Mondo Generator's earliest known shows date back to 2002, performing at the Sunset Junction Street Fair and playing alongside Melvins. Mondo Generator would go into 2003 performing a short string of dates with Melvins, Tomahawk and Skeleton Key along with a special set with the FantomasMelvins Big Band and Battles. On 4 July 2003 the band released their second album A Drug Problem That Never Existed on Ipecac Records and Rekords Rekords. The band became a quartet with Molly McGuire, Dave Catching, Bjork and Oliveri touring three months throughout the USA and Europe, including a part of the Lollapalooza touring Festival. Oliveri would perform with Mondo Generator in the afternoon on the second stage while performing with Queens that night on the main stage. A DVD was also released entitled Use Once and Destroy Me, depicting live footage from the tours at that time.

Full-Time Endeavors and Dead Planets (2004 - 2010)

Mondo Generator in the mid 2000s.

In early 2004, after Oliveri was fired from Queens of the Stone Age by Homme, he announced that Mondo Generator would become his full-time project.

He recorded an acoustic record, Demolition Day, and toured Europe with Brant Bjork and Mark Lanegan Band. He then recorded an EP with Catching, McGuire, and Alfredo Hernández. On July 21, 2004, during the summer tour to promote the disc, Oliveri physically assaulted a sound crew member of the South German night club Canapé (Trossingen) after complaining about his sound through a few songs during the band's set. The other members of the band were furious and left Oliveri behind and returned to the United States, effectively cancelling the remainder of the tour.

In 2005, Oliveri once again toured Europe frequently, opening for such bands as Motörhead, and playing alongside and on stage as a member of Dwarves. Oliveri also recruited UK band Winnebago Deal's Ben Perrier and Ben Thomas to join Mondo Generator on tour. They were frequently dubbed "Winnebago Generator" by fans and even themselves. The three-piece entered Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Los Angeles in December 2005 to begin work on the next Mondo Generator album. Oliveri also hired on several friends from his hometown to record parts of the record, which was co-produced by Nick Raskulinecz and Oliveri.

In July 2006, it was reported that recent members (at the time) Perrier and Thomas had exited the band under unknown circumstances. Oliveri then renamed his band "Nick Oliveri and the Mondo Generator" and signed to Mother Tongue Records, who released the new album, Dead Planet: SonicSlowMotionTrails in the UK and Europe in September 2006. Touring members of the band at that time include Ian Taylor on guitar, and Hoss, former drummer who recently rejoined the band after leaving in early 2007 to join The Exies.

On 21 March, 2007, they were added to Ozzfest 2007 as one of the non-rotating acts on the Second Stage. Their invite and subsequent tour with Ozzfest was thought by many to be a direct slap at Homme, who rejected offers for Queens of the Stone Age to tour in the 2007 line-up. The rejection sparked a war of words between Sharon Osbourne and Homme, and shortly after, Mondo Generator accepted QOTSA's slot. Ozzfest began on July 12, and on July 26, Oliveri released a statement announcing that the band had left the tour after only four dates due to things "out of [his] control". Oliveri had also went on record to state "We can't keep on touring for free! My band's not free, it's costing me.". It was announced on July 28 that their spot would be filled by DevilDriver. After which Mondo Generator went on a U.S. tour supporting Turbonegro.

Dead Planet would be reissued in the states on 17 July 2007 with an alternate production and all of the songs from III - The EP. Mondo Generator would tour with Helmet and Fireball Ministry in early 2008 and embark on an Australian tour later that year, with a live album documenting the experience.

On 6 April 2010, it was announced their fourth full-length album would be entitled Time to Destroy with a release date slated for July/August (Though this album would be delayed). The first single, "Dog Food" will be released May 21, 2010, and features Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Them Crooked Vultures), Happy Tom (Turbonegro), and The Fresh Prince of Darkness (The Dwarves). The band begun a world tour in Australia in May, hitting Europe in June and July, and the United States in August with Tweak Bird and One-Eyed Doll. The band would take a brief hiatus with Oliveri committing to Kyuss Lives! (Later Vista Chino).

Hell Comes To Your Heart and Upcoming Fifth Album (2011 - Present)

In March 2011, Oliveri stated that the band had recently recorded yet another album at his former band mate Josh Homme's studio: "I just did a new record called Hell Comes To Your Heart. So far, I'm talking to a couple of small labels to put it out, and I might just put it out myself with some distribution. So it's one of those things I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get it out there. It will be out soon. [...] It's definitely the best one yet, I really feel good about it." Hell Comes To Your Heart saw release via No Balls Records on 3 July 2012. The track "The Last Train" features Josh Homme on lead guitar and John Garcia on vocals. This track was recorded shortly before Homme filed suit against Garcia and Kyuss Lives!. A tour of North America followed in the Winter of 2012 going into 2013 with Wino, Saviours and Clutch.

In 2014, during a hiatus from Mondo Generator, Oliveri released a solo album under the name Nick Oliveri's Uncontrollable, entitled Leave Me Alone, on which he sang, played all instruments and featured guest guitar solos on each track. For live shows he recruited Mondo Generator and You Know Who lead guitarist Mike Pygmie and drummer Jeff Bowman from Mighty Jack and Unsound, a desert area punk band who played many shows with Kyuss in the early 90's. Stephen Haas from the Moist Boyz also played guitar for a brief time. Uncontrollable played several shows in the desert, Los Angeles and Bay areas, most notably opening for Queens Of The Stone Age at the LA Forum on Halloween night. That night also featured a reunion of Nick Oliveri with Queens, when Nick joined them on stage to sing five Oliveri-era QOTSA songs.

In 2015, Mondo Generator went through a line-up change, with Ian Taylor and Hoss Wright departing, and Jeff Bowman joining full-time on drums. The power trio of Oliveri, Pygmie and Bowman that was Nick Oliveri's Uncontrollable was now formed as Mondo Generator. In October, Mondo embarked on a month-long United States tour, with supporting act Peter Pan Speed Rock from the Netherlands. In November 2015 the band followed with a tour of Europe just a week after the terrorist attacks in Paris at La Batacian.

2016 saw the release of the band's "Best-Of" compilation via Heavy Psych Sounds and a tour of Europe that September. The band currently has a fifth album in the works. Mondo Generator would also tour the U.S. for a string of dates in January 2019 with Yawning Man. The band would follow up with more touring through the year, including a European tour with appearances at DesertFest London and DesertFest Berlin along with a North American tour with Church of Misery and Toke. On 24 June 2019 it would be announced that Mondo Generator had signed with Heavy Psych Sounds booking. On 11 October 2019 it would be revealed that Heavy Psych Sounds would be releasing two studio albums by Mondo Generator in 2020. The first would be a brand new album with the current lineup recorded in 2019 while the second would be a previously unreleased album recorded in 2010.

Mondo Generator would tour Europe in the Spring of 2020 despite the CO-VID19 Pandemic and then tour Europe again in 2022 followed by further touring in 2023. On 19 July 2023 the band would announce their seventh album We Stand Against You, set for a 13 October 2023 release via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Nick Oliveri and the Mondo Generator "Lie Decector"

Mondo Generator - The Last Train - OFFICIAL VIDEO feat. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age)

Mondo Generator "So High"

Discography

Studio Albums

• Cocaine Rodeo (2000, Southern Lord Records)
• A Drug Problem That Never Existed (2003, Ipecac / Rekords Rekords)
• Dead Planet: SonicSlowMotionTrails (2006, Mother Tongue)
• Hell Comes To Your Heart (2012, Mondo Music/Cobraside Distribution)
• Fuck It (2020, Heavy Psych Sounds)
• Shooters Bible (2020, Heavy Psych Sounds)
• We Stand Against You (2023, Heavy Psych Sounds)

Misc. Releases

• Mondo Generator (Demo) (1997, Self-released)
• Home Style Mexican Sauce (Demo) (1997, Self-released)
• The Jack Saints Vs. Mondo Generator (Split with Jack Saints) (1997, Milk Sop)
• Use Once and Destroy Me Tour 2003 (Live DVD) (2003, Mondo Media / Tornado)
• III The EP (EP) (2004, Tornado)
• I Never Sleep (Single) (2006, Mother Tongue)
• Australian Tour EP 2008 (EP) (2008, Impedance)
• Dog Food (Single) (2010, Impedance)
• Hell Comes To Your Heart (EP) (2011, No Balls)
• Mondo Generator / The Chuck Norris Experiment (Split 7") (2013, Strange Magic)
• Best Of (Compilation) (2016, Heavy Psych Sounds)
• DesertFest Vol. 5 (Split with Orquesta del Desierto) (2019, H42 Records)
• 7" Australian Tour Split (Split with Svetlanas) (2019, Tuff Cuff)
• Live At Bronson (Live Album) (2021, Heavy Psych Sounds)

Members

NOTE: Many of the former members also appeared as studio musicians or as onstage guests.

Current Lineup

• Nick Oliveri aka Rex Everything - Bass, Guitar, Lead Vocals (1997 - Present)
• Mike Pygmie - Guitar (2012 - Present)
• Michael Amster - Drums (2019 - Present)

Former Members

• Derek Myers - Guitar (1997 - 1998)
• Brent Malkus (a.k.a. Burnt Mattress) - Guitar (1997 - 1998)
• Rob Oswald (a.k.a. Up N. Syder) - Drums (1997)
• Josh Homme - Guitar, Backing Vocals (1997 - 2002)
• Brant Bjork - Drums (2002 - 2004)
• Dave Catching - Guitar (2002 - 2004)
• Molly McGuire - Bass (2002 - 2004)
• Dave Grohl - Drums (2003)
• Alfredo Hernández - Drums (2004)
• Josh Lamar - Drums (2004)
• Ben Thomas - Drums (2004 - 2006)
• Marc Diamond - Guitar (2004 - 2005)
• Ben Perrier - Guitar (2004 - 2006)
• Ernie Longoria - Drums (2006 - 2007)
• Hoss Wright - Drums (2006; 2007 - 2015, 2019)
• Giampaolo Farnedi - Drums (2007)
• Simon Beggs (a.k.a. Spud) - Guitar (2007 - 2015)
• Jeff Bowman - Drums (2015 - 2019)

List of Known Tours

• 2002 Shows (2002)
• 2003 North American Tour (November/December) (With Brant Bjork) (2003)
• 2003 European Tour (December) (With Brant Bjork) (2003)
• Spring 2004 European Tour (With Brant Bjork) (2004)
• Summer 2004 European Tour (2004)
• Spring 2005 European Tour (2005)
• Fall 2005 European Tour (With Motorhead) (2005)
• Dead Planet European Tour (2006)
• June 2007 European Tour (2007)
• OzzFest 2007 (Select Dates) (2007)
• 2007 North American Tour (With Turbonegro) (2007)
• 2008 North American Tour (With Helmet, Fireball Ministry) (2008)
• 2008 Australian Tour (2008)
• 2010 Australia/New Zealand Tour (2010)
• 2010 European Tour (2010)
• 2010 North American Tour (With One-Eyed Doll, Tweak Bird) (2010)
• 2012 North American Tour (With Clutch, Saviours, Wino) (2012)
• 2013 North American Tour (With Saviours, Wino) (2013)
• 2013 South American Tour (2013)
• 2013 European Tour (2013)
• 2015 North American Tour (With Peter Pan Speedrock) (2015)
• 2015 European Tour (2015)
• 2016 Scandanavian Tour (2016)
• The Revolt Against Tired Noises North American Tour (With Yawning Man) (2019)
• 2019 European Tour (2019)
• 2019 North American Tour (With Church of Misery, Toke) (2019)
• 2019 Brazil Tour (2019)
• 2020 North American Mini-Tour (With The Obsessed) (2020)
• 2020 European Tour (2020)
• 2022 European Tour (2022)
• 2023 European Tour (2023)

External Links

• Archived Southern Lord page on Cocaine Rodeo
• Facebook