| I | ||
|---|---|---|
 Original CD cover. 2004 reissue cover below. | ||
| Studio album by Goatsnake | ||
| Released | May 21 1999 | |
| Recorded | Summer 1997 - Spring 1998 at The Gas Chamber in Los Angeles, California, USA | |
| Genre | Doom Metal | |
| Length | 36:48 | |
| Label | Rise Above Records Man's Ruin Records Southern Lord Records | |
| Producer | Goatsnake, Count Schneeberger | |
| Goatsnake chronology | ||
| Man of Light (1998) |
I (1999) |
Goatsnake / Burning Witch (2000) |
| Alternative Cover | ||
| ||
I (Also known as Goatsnake I or Goatsnake Vol. 1) is the debut album by the California doom band Goatsnake. It includes the former rhythm section of The Obsessed, consisting of Guy Pinhas and Greg Rogers, as well as Greg Anderson of Sunn O))) and Peter Stahl of Scream and Wool.
Background[]
Goatsnake would form in 1996 when Greg Anderson (Engine Kid, Burning Witch) would meet with Greg Rogers and Guy Pinhas, who had both played in The Obsessed. The three, along with Scream and Wool vocalist Pete Stahl, would form Goatsnake. Recording a handful of songs in 1997 and releasing two 7" singles. Recording for the album would take place at the Gas Chamber in Los Angeles in the Summer of 1997 and the Spring of 1998.[1] Notably, "Dog Catcher" would be re-mixed by Buzz Osborne (Melvins) to "polish the turd" according to the re-issue liner notes. The album's closer, "Trower", would be named for the guitarist Robin Trower.
The band would opt with Man's Ruin Records for North American distribution and Rise Above Records for European distribution as Southern Lord Records was a relatively new label at the time of the release. "I" would be released initially on 21 May 1999[2] Man's Ruin would also issue a vinyl edition in 1999 (with a repress in 2000) with different artwork.
Artwork[]
The front and back artwork of the original Man's Ruin and Rise Above CD presses are tapestries that hung in the band's rehearsal room that the band had found hilarious at the time. In an interview with Heavy Music Artwork, Guy Pinhas would state that Frank Kozik was not happy with the artwork for the CD edition and would opt for a statue of baphomet instead. The 2004 re-issue "I + Dog Days" would feature a Baphomet drawing in a gold and black color scheme, which would be used for all futher issues.[3]
I + Dog Days[]
On 21 September 2004, Southern Lord Records would re-issue I as "I & Dog Days", with a remaster of the album, new artwork and liner notes by all four members of the band on each individual track. Along with I, the compilation would feature the entire Dog Days EP, along with "Knucklebuster" from the "Man of Light" 7" (Which was later re-recorded as "A Truckload of Mamma's Muffins" for the 2000 album Flower of Disease). I & Dog Days would see a vinyl edition in 2010 and 2015, respectively.
Reception[]
I would recieve positive reception in both it's original incarnation and as it's re-issue. At the time of release, publications such as KNAC, MarkSound, Eyeless and Metal Hammer among others[4] would all praise the album, Eyeless in particular stating "This is an album that absorbs you and with it being so short, you really do need the repeat button."
I + Dog Days would see new reviews and near-universal acclaim. Maximum Metal[5] and Your Last Rites[6] would both heavily praise the re-issue. In a review written by "petew" for Head Heritage, would also note that despite the different recording sessions that the compilation "feels like one body of work", closing out by stating that "there ain't a bad cut on the damn thing".[7]
I would be selected by Stonerrock.com as one of their "Top Ten Stoner Rock Albums of The 20th Century".[8]
Tracklist[]
I[]
- 1. Slippin' The Stealth (3:15)
- 2. Innocent (3:32)
- 3. What Love Remains (6:50)
- 4. IV (4:31)
- 5. Mower (6:05)
- 6. Dog Catcher (2:32)
- 7. Lord of Los Feliz (5:06)
- 8. Trower (4:57)
I & Dog Days[]
- 1. Slippin' The Stealth (3:15)
- 2. Innocent (3:32)
- 3. What Love Remains (6:50)
- 4. IV (4:31)
- 5. Mower (6:05)
- 6. Dog Catcher (2:32)
- 7. Lord of Los Feliz (5:06)
- 8. Trower (4:57)
- 9. The Orphan (5:02)
- 10. Long Gone (2:50)
- 11. Heartbreaker (6:38) (Paul Rodgers)
- 12. Raw Curtains (7:28)
- 13. Man of Light (4:16)
- 14. Who Are You (8:26) (Black Sabbath)
- 15. Knucklebuster (5:04)
Personnel[]
- Pete Stahl - Harmonica, Vocals
- Greg Anderson - Guitar
- Guy Pinhas - Bass
- Greg Rogers - Drums
- Buzz Osborne - Producer (6)
- Danny Frankel - Percussion (1, 7)
- Petra Haden - Additional Vocals, Violin (8)
- Count Schneeberger - Recording
- Mark Chalecki - Mastering
- Lisa Johnson - Photography
- Stephen O'Malley - Design, Photography
External Links[]
References[]
| V·T·E Goatsnake | |
|---|---|
| Final Lineup | Greg Anderson • Pete Stahl • Greg Rogers • Scott Renner |
| Past and Live-Only Members | Guy Pinhas • G. Stuart Dahlquist • Ron Holzner • Joey Castillo • Scott Reeder • John-Robert Conners |
| Studio Albums | I • Flower of Disease • Black Age Blues |
| Other Releases | Goatsnake / Burning Witch • Dog Days • Trampled Under Hoof |
| Associated Bands, Artists, Etc. | Burning Witch • Thorr's Hammer • Sunn O))) • Asva • Across The River • The Obsessed • Kyuss • Unida • Fireball Ministry • Acid King • Earthlings? • Sonic Medusa • Scream • Wool • Doomriders |