The Cosmic Stoners
A mind is a terrific thing to waste!
Genre Rock Band Created 2/14/2008 Total Sales 97
Band Bio
The Cosmic Stoners have been making what some people might call music since 1978. They have released well over 30 albums and have toured the world several times, including an infamous tour of the Falkland Islands during the brief war there in 1982. Parachuting behind Argentinian lines in the dark of night the band was initially arrested and threatened with execution until lead singer Phil Graspman sang an inspired version of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" that convinced the Argentinian commander to spare their lives. Following a concert for wounded Argentinian troops the band stole away in the middle of the night during a British bombing attack and crossed over to the British side where once again they were arrested and held for questioning. This time the band's mental faculties were called into question and they were allowed to play a brief show on board a British Naval ship before being escorted out of the war zone and into a lengthy extradition battle with the U.S. Embassy in London. Needless to say attempts to launch a UK tour stalled for years. Despite the logistical nightmares of the Falklands Tour 1982 the band was able to smuggle out board recordings of both shows and rleased their seminal live album "Live, Unleashed in the Falklands" to critical acclaim in 1983.
The band's lineup has seen numerous changes over the years as members have been sacked, dropped out and in some cases died. The band's core, Phil Graspman and Steve Kline have remained and are known by fans as the "Dimmer Twins."
With albums like "Total Eclipse of the Mind", "Total Cacophony", "Stupid Fresh", "Subherbia" and "Dropped On Our Heads" the band continued to develop a cult following around the world. Songs like "Baby Smells Like a Wet Dog" and "Boutros Boutros Ghali Miss Molly" have become anthems to kids and adults alike, while the band continues to record and tour relentlessly.
The albums listed here on Figment are but a smidgen of the bands discography (which we hope to list here soon - so check back) and the boys continue to record new albums all the time.
Band Gear
Albums / EPs
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Total Eclipse Of The Mind
Date Released: 11/30/2011
Tracks: 14 Originally released in 1985 on Bellevue Records, Total Eclipse Of The Mind was the third in a string of six albums released by the band that were designed to take the listener through a person's gradual descent into madness. Hailed by some as a true musical exploration of mental illness, the albums were also attacked by many in the medical community as a crass exploitation of the mentally ill. Hardcore fans of the band often refer to these albums as the "Matters of the Mind Hexalogy." A double album, Total Eclipse saw the band reach deep into their bag of musical influences, tackling everything from Rockabilly to Metal, New Age Jazz, Funk and Country. While the album's eclectic nature led some critics to deem it "rambling" and "muddled", fans disagreed and made it one of the band's best selling albums to date. In turn the Stoners treated them to a gargantuan world tour that not only featured a giant on-stage revolving brain prop that gradually "eclipsed" as the concert progressed, but also dancers dressed as neurons that shot nerve impulses (streamers) around venues. When asked about the album at the time of it's original release Phil Graspman described it as "a spiritual and psycho-sexual trip through the gradual deterioration of my grey and white matter." Followers of the band attributed it more to his rapidly expanding usage of mind-altering substances. Whatever the inspiration (or cause), Total Eclipse is a masterful mix of the ridiculous and sublime, and clearly mirrors the real life struggles Graspman has faced with his own mental health. Digitally remastered and re-released on vinyl, disc and as a digital download Total Eclipse Of The Mind is indulgent, wacky and completely unique. In other words, it's a quintessential Cosmic Stoners album. © 1985 Bellevue Records/© 2011 Shadow Box Recordings |
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Things Aren't As They Appear
Date Released: 8/2/2011
Tracks: 16 What happens when you record an entire album in a sweat lodge while tripping on peyote? Put on your headphones and join the audio-vision quest, but don't be surprised if Things Aren't As They Appear! © 2011 Shadow Box Recordings Produced by: Jerry and Toad Engineered by: Steve Jackson Recorded at: Break A Sweat Lodge, Jan - March 2011 All Songs Administered by Cosmic Cohorts Publishing Cover Photo by Fred Nicholas © 2011 The Cosmic Stoners would like to thank: Break A Sweat Lodge - thanks for everything, sorry for all the vomit and lawsuits. Jerry and Toad from The Chosen Rejects for taking this trip with us, talking us down, keeping us sane, and making something coherent out of this aural zonk fest. Steve Jackson for manning the boards while fending off a 50-foot Groundhog armed with a hand mixer! Zandergriff Miggs and The Parliament of Owls for their cosmic inspiration. Our label Shadow Box Records for putting up with this insanity and not dropping us. |
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Stonedhenge
Date Released: 11/20/2010
Tracks: 10 The Stoners fifth studio release, STONEDHENGE captures the band trying to combine punk with it's musical antithesis, arena rock! Ragged and loud these songs chug along on adrenaline, sweat and a thick cloud of Mary Jane. Inspired by the band's visit to Stonehenge during a UK tour, the album was a direct reflection of their mutual love for bands like Led Zeppelin and the Buzzcocks. So in classic Stoner fashion they mixed it all up, packed it in a bowl and smoked it up! |
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A Fine Example of Urban Decay
Date Released: 2/18/2009
Tracks: 11 The band's first album of new material since 2007, A Fine Example of Urban Decay was recorded over the period of a year and features some of the most collaborative songwriting in the band's history. © 2009 Shadow Box Recordings Produced by: Steve Jackson and The Dimmer Twins Engineered by: Steve Jackson Recorded at: Grasping Man Studios All Songs Cosmic Cohorts Music Publishing Cover Photo: Manny Liebowitz © 2008 Cover Design: EM |
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Slabs of Drone
Date Released: 1/2/2009
Tracks: 18 Slabs of Drone was one of four recordings The Cosmic Stoners released in 2005. It's feedback soaked sound and dark lyrics were a departure from their previous work, but it was hailed by critics as "a bold move forward" for the band. © 2005 Shadow Box Recordings Produced by: EM Engineered by: LC Recorded at: Studio ? All Songs © 2005 Snorting Klines Songs, Blown Medulla Music Publishing The Cosmic Stoners would like to thank anguish for making this album possible. |
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White Chocolate City
Date Released: 11/9/2008
Tracks: 18 Released on January 2, 2007, White Chocolate City was The Cosmic Stoners' ode to funk pioneers like James Brown and Parliament/Funkadelic. A sprawling album filled with funk jams and psychedelic guitar outbursts "White Chocolate City" further expanded the sound explorations of the band and was anchored by 2 hit singles written by the band's long time engineer Larry Cummings. © 2007 Shadow Box Recordings Produced by: EM All Songs Blown Medulla Music except + by Commander Songs |
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Fresh Underwear
Date Released: 8/12/2008
Tracks: 10 Originally released in 1994 on Bellevue Records this classic album from The Cosmic Stoners has just been re-released by the band's current label Shadow Box Recordings. Given the deluxe reissue treatment it so richly deserves the album comes with a pair of boxers or briefs depending on which version you buy. Upon it's release in '94, the band explained the album's title as a metaphor for a new beginning, one the band clearly needed after a long world tour and a myriad of personnel changes. |
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Emotional Baggage Claim
Date Released: 3/30/2008
Tracks: 15 15 Songs to Find Yourself © 2005 Shadow Box Recordings Produced by: EM & the Dimmer Twins Engineered by: EM Recorded at: Studio ?, Black Hole Studios and Jersey Sounds All Songs Administered by: Dimwitty Tunes, Blown Medulla Music, Snorting Klines Music and Cosmic Co-Horts Publishing |
Offical Band News
| Up The Creek Set List | 8/27/2011 |
| Just landed... | 8/3/2011 |
| Things Aren't As They Appear! | 8/2/2011 |