The Bathrobe Anecdote
Although the story goes that Brant Bjork recorded Jalamanta while wearing a bathrobe in his desert home, this is more of a legendary anecdote than a documented fact. However, the vibe of the album definitely reflects this laid-back, independent approach to creativity – one that permeates the entire record.
There comes a point when music is no longer just sound – it becomes a state of mind. It doesn’t riff, it doesn’t shout, it doesn’t even move forward. It just breathes. That’s pretty much what happened to Brant Bjork after leaving Kyuss.
He lived in the desert. Literally. Somewhere around Palm Desert, where time doesn’t pass – it just hangs in the dust. Out there, where the sunsets aren’t romantic but spiritual, Brant recorded his first solo album, Jalamanta. Barefoot, in a bathrobe. From morning till night.
Rumor has it there was smoke in the background, but let’s not get into the discography details.
Jalamanta isn’t an album. It’s a slow-burn meditation. A kind of fuzz-drenched desert yoga.
It doesn’t scream. It doesn’t try to sell you anything. It just exists. Like an old van parked at the edge of the universe, with the engine still humming.
If you haven’t heard it yet, go listen. If you have, listen again – but not on your phone, and not in the background. Do it how it was made: barefoot, chill, no rush.
Brant Bjork doesn’t hurry.
Stoner rock doesn’t hurry.
And maybe that’s exactly the point.
