Stoner rock torchbearers Fu Manchu are set to record the follow-up to 2000's King of the Road later this month at Sound City studios in Van Nuys, California. Currently in pre-production with Matt Hyde (Monster Magnet , Slayer), the Southern California group's sixth album is due in September on Mammoth Records.

"We're all very excited to be working with Matt, since we liked the work he did with Magnet and Slayer," says singer/guitarist Scott Hill of the Fu's production choice. "We haven't settled on a title, but this record will be a little less fuzzy, and a little more commercial sounding."

The band -- also consisting of bassist Brad Davis, lead guitarist Bob Balch and onetime Kyuss drummer Brant Bjork -- plans to record thirteen new songs plus a reworked version of "Mongoose," which originally surfaced on 1998's Eatin' Dust EP. "The guitar sounds will be different on almost every song," says Hill of Fu Manchu's new direction. "We are really working on the arrangements so that each song will have strong impact."

Hill says eleven tunes will make the final cut. One likely finalist is "Planet of the Ape Hangers," scheduled to feature a guest solo from Slayer guitarist Kerry King. "We're unsure if Kerry's going to work his magic in pre-production or when we get to Van Nuys, but we're really glad he's going to be on our record. He's a metal god."

Other working titles at this point include: "Ampn," "Squash That Fly," "Thinkin' Out Loud," "California Crossing," "Separate Kingdom," "Wiz Kid," "Downtown in Dogtown," "Hang On," "Bultaco" and "Out to Sea." The band also plans to record a cover of Pantera's "I'm Broken," but Hill doubts it will make the record.

An additional surprise may be the appearance of Circle Jerks/Midget Handjob frontman Keith Morris. "It's not confirmed, but we've asked Keith to sing on one of the tunes, and we'll hope he'll do it." Fu Manchu have previously covered the Jerks' punk classic, "When the Shit Hits the Fan."

After wrapping up the recording sessions by late June or early July, Fu Manchu plan to head off on a Canadian tour with like-minded hard rock outfit Clutch. "We'll finish up the studio stuff and hop right on the bus," Hill says. "It's gonna be a pretty busy year for us."

In related news, Brant Bjork recently announced plans to start his own record label, Duna. The drummer plans to release solo material as well as a future Fu Manchu record through the imprint. Hill says the band is toying with the idea of recording, "a very mello, cruisin'-type record, or a live covers record."

JOHN D. LUERSSEN
(May 21, 2001)