King of the Road (album)

King of the Road is the sixth studio album by the California stoner rock band Fu Manchu. It was released on February 15, 2000, by Mammoth Records.[3][4] Many of the songs are about cars and car culture.[5][6]

King of the Road
Studio album by
Fu Manchu
ReleasedFebruary 15, 2000 (2000-02-15)[1]
January 26, 2000 (Japan)
Recorded1999
StudioMonkey Studios in Palm Desert, California
GenreStoner rock
Length46:20
LabelMammoth[2]
ProducerJoe Barresi
Fu Manchu chronology
Godzilla's/Eatin' Dust
(1999)		 King of the Road
(2000)		 California Crossing
(2001)

The Japanese and European releases contain the track "Breathing Fire" in place of "Drive". "Breathing Fire" was on the demo version of the record that was sent to radio stations, clubs, and fans.

Production

The album was produced by Joe Barresi at Monkey Studios.[7][8] It was recorded live in the studio, where the band experimented with fuzz pedal tones.[9][10] King of the Road contains a cover of Devo's "Freedom of Choice", which was praised by Mark Mothersbaugh.[11]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Courier News[13]
Des Moines Register[14]
Edmonton Journal[15]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette[16]
Reno Gazette Journal[17]
Rock Hard8/10[8]
Spin7/10[7]
Windsor Star[18]

The Austin Chronicle wrote: "King of the Road is another rock & roll road trip back to the early days of the Carter administration, sounding like an album that could have been made in 1977 ... It's full of obscenely fat guitar licks à la Frehley, Blackmore, Iommi (and the most perfect AC/DC break you've ever heard in the middle of 'Over the Edge'); treble-free tones; and more songs about driving and vans. It'd be stupid if it weren't so thoroughly convincing and didn't rock so unrelentingly."[19] The Morning Call wrote that "like the Ramones (and most great rock 'n' roll in general), the [monolithic] concept is based on visceral rather than cerebral response."[20] The Riverfront Times deemed the album "a happy hunting ground of beefy, bong-rattling RAWK AND ROLLLLL."[21] The Chicago Tribune called it "one bad, bone-jarring tour of the Great Riff Valley in all its arid, inhospitable majesty."[22]

The Washington Post opined that "true believers might call Fu Manchu's approach to headbanging odes of the road conceptually pure; skeptics could deem it moronic."[23] The Boston Globe thought that "guitarists [Scott] Hill and Bob Balch's aptitude for the big guitar sound popularized by Kiss and AC/DC locks into a monster rhythm section, ensuring that listeners are laughing with Fu Manchu, never at them."[24] In a review of Fu Manchu's next album, California Crossing, USA Today deemed King of the Road a "creative peak" and "a stoner milestone of turbo-revved guitars and West Coast slackerdom."[25] The New York Times advised: "Think Tommy Lee riffing with Jerry Garcia."[26]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Hell on Wheels"4:48
2."Over the Edge"5:01
3."Boogie Van"4:17
4."King of the Road"4:03
5."No Dice"3:09
6."Blue Tile Fever"5:30
7."Grasschopper"3:51
8."Weird Beard"3:32
9."Breathing Fire"3:46
10."Hotdoggin'"4:52
11."Freedom of Choice" (Devo cover)3:27

Personnel
  • Scott Hill – vocals, guitar
  • Brant Bjork – drums
  • Bob Balch – guitar
  • Brad Davis – bass

Production

All songs written by Bob Balch, Brant Bjork, Brad Davis and Scott Hill, except "Freedom Of Choice": written by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale
All tracks recorded, mixed and engineered at Monkey Studios, Palm Desert, CA, except "Hell On Wheels" mixed at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA
Assistant engineer: Steve Feldman
Mastered by Dave Collins A&M Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Live photo: C. Taylor Crothers
Band photo: Alex Obleas
Art direction: Lane Wurster
Graphic design: Christopher Eselgroth

References
  1. "Fu Manchu To Pump "King" On Sevendust Tour". MTV News.
  2. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 628.
  3. "Fu Manchu | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. "Don't Bother Knockin' When Fu Manchu's Rockin'". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. January 31, 2000 – via Google Books.
  5. Hunter, James (Mar 16, 2000). "King of the Road". Rolling Stone. No. 836. p. 73.
  6. Miles, Milo (29 Feb 2000). "Trash: The God that failed". The Village Voice: 68, 101.
  7. "Reviews". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. March 1, 2000 – via Google Books.
  8. "FU MANCHU King Of The Road". Rock Hard. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  9. Fox, Darrin (Jul 2000). "Fu Manchu". Guitar Player. 34 (7): 53.
  10. Keyes, Bob (3 Mar 2000). "Fu Manchu takes advantage of breaks". Argus Leader: F1.
  11. "Fu Manchu Remains a Heavy-Handed Band". Los Angeles Times. May 23, 2000.
  12. Raggett, Ned. "King of the Road Review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  13. Makin, Robert (10 Feb 2000). "ALBUM REVIEWS". Courier News: D6.
  14. Munson, Kyle (30 Mar 2000). "Triple your listening pleasure". Des Moines Register: DB14.
  15. Sperounes, Sandra (26 Feb 2000). "New Releases: Eight Snap Reviews". Edmonton Journal: C3.
  16. Masley, Ed (10 Mar 2000). "Fu Manchu". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: 27.
  17. Robison, Mark (11 Feb 2000). "CD Rack". Reno Gazette Journal: J18.
  18. Keene, Darrin (6 Apr 2000). "CD REVIEWS". Windsor Star: E6.
  19. "Fu Manchu King of the Road (Mammoth)". www.austinchronicle.com.
  20. TERLESKY, JOHN. "FU MANCHU DRIVEN BY A SIMPLE OBSESSION WITH RIFFS AND RIGS". mcall.com.
  21. Friswold, Paul. "Fu Manchu with Sevendust and P.O.D." Riverfront Times.
  22. Reger, Rick (25 Aug 2000). "IT'S A METAL RENAISSANCE". Chicago Tribune: 46.
  23. Jenkins, Mark (18 Aug 2000). "FU MANCHU "King of the Road" Mammoth". The Washington Post. p. WW14.
  24. Kielty, Tom (17 Aug 2000). "FU MANCHU KING OF THE ROAD MAMMOTH RECORDS". The Boston Globe: CAL 8.
  25. Gundersen, Edna (12 Feb 2002). "Trail of Fu Manchu roams 'California'". USA Today: B12.
  26. Woliver, Robbie (13 Aug 2000). "Fu Manchu at Maxwell's". The New York Times: 12.
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