Dali's Llama is an American band formed in 1993 by Zach Huskey and his wife, Erica. The band is primarily a desert rock / stoner rock band but over the years, it has ventured into doom, punk rock, experimental, and garage rock. The Huskeys also started their own record label called Dali's Llama Records and have released thirteen Dali's Llama albums and two EPs, in addition to numerous side projects and solo albums.
Before Dali's Llama
Zach Huskey's early bands were The Sciotics (with Sean Wheeler), Blue Sunday, Cloudy Daze and The Next. All featured Tony Brown from Unsound on drums. Huskey's garage-psychedelic bands in the 1980s are considered by some to be influential in what later became known as the original desert rock music scene.
In 1986, Huskey moved to Los Angeles, where he formed the band Long, Dead and Gone. Occasionally, the band traveled back to the desert to play a club or a generator party. When Long, Dead and Gone disbanded, Huskey formed a heavy down-tuned rock band called My Pain, which opened shows for bands such as Wool, White Zombie, Rage Against The Machine, The Obsessed, etc. When My Pain disbanded, Huskey returned to the desert.
Band history
In 1993, Zach and Erica Huskey formed Dali's Llama, created Dali's Llama Records and self-released the band's first album, Pre Post Now. Bruce Fessier of The Desert Sun said, "Zach Huskey has been an integral player on the desert rock scene since the days of the generator parties in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His tuned-down guitar sounds epitomize desert rock as surely as the music of Kyuss, Fatso Jetson and House of Broken Promises..."
The following year, Dali's Llama released their second album entitled Creative Space. The song "Listen" was later featured in the 2010 movie I'm Not Like That No More featuring Paul Rodriguez and Felipe Esparanza. The band's lineup for both of these early albums was Zach Huskey (songwriter/vocals/guitar), Erica Huskey (bass) and Johnnie Moreno (drums).
In 1994, Ian Dye replaced Johnnie Moreno on drums. In 1995, Dali's Llama released a third album, Being. Both “Creative Space” and “Being” were produced by Steve Kravac and recorded at West Beach Recorders, Los Angeles, the studio owned by Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion.
After Being, Huskey took the band artistically in a different direction. He wrote songs using elements of his avant-garde compositions. The band had a new drummer, George Rubacava and a second guitar player, Eric Overton. The new experimental improvisational songs were recorded live at a rehearsal in 1995 but were not released until 2001 on The Color Of Apples album.
In 2005, after pursuing other projects (including Primordial Blues) and solo projects, Dali's Llama released a fifth album, Chordata, with drummer Robin Clewell and second guitarist, Josh Roell.
Alfredo Hernandez said, "Way before Kyuss or Queens of the Stone Age, Dali’s Llama frontman Zach Huskey was a musician to be reckoned with. Today’s Dali’s Llama are punchy, powerful and to the point. Dali’s Llama is one of the best desert rock bands today and the best live desert rock band around!"
In 2006, Huskey wrote some tuned down, heavy, slow, and sludgy songs, which became Dali Llama's sixth album, Sweet Sludge, recorded at The Sanctuary and produced by Scott Reeder (Kyuss, The Obsessed, etc.).
Scott Reeder said, "They were out here a few weeks ago - tracked and mixed it in only four days! It was good to hang out again with my old pal Zach Huskey, who’s been a stalwart of the desert music scene since our high school days together. Along with his wife/bassist Erica and drummer Robin, Dali’s Llama have been working hard - hardcore DIY, and in it for all the right reasons - for the pure joy of making music. Zach’s always-thought-inspiring lyrics, coupled with epic song structures, are tossed off as if it’s no big deal. After a few listens, a deep appreciation develops for the love that goes into what they do together."
Around this time Dali's Llama performed with Fatso Jetson, Dixie Witch, Sasquatch, House of Broken Promises, SuperGiant, Floating Goat, etc, and they played the Stoner Hands of Doom Festival (SHoD VIII) in Mesa, Arizona.
