"This song is the most personal track we have ever done": Stoner rock icons Masters Of Reality release first new music in 15 years

Chris Goss studio portrait
(Image credit: Alex Solca)

Stoner rock icons Masters Of Reality have released a new single, Sugar. It's the first new material from the band since 2009's Pine Cross Dover album, and arrives ahead of a seven-date European tour, which kicks off in Eindhoven in the Netherlands on May 16, and includes a show at London's Desert Fest two days later. 

“As it developed, Sugar revealed an inner will to become less esoteric and more directly personal,” says Masters Of Reality mainman leader Chris Goss. “It’s a complete, emotionally based story instead of my usual, covertly whispered list of what’s wrong with the world’s tragic trajectory.

"Finally the lyric gelled, reflecting on intelligent women trying to find their place somewhere in the mess. Not in the modern media’s social strata angle as a percentage number to create ratings by directing a ruse to a large demographic, but a real picture of what real people feel. The inner emotional reality of one life and its relevance to many lives."

“We can infer after a long silence of 15 years that the band is ready to face The World,” he continues. “When people are truly ready for real music played from the heart, as opposed to auto-tune and everything so aligned, and that’s not where this band ever came from. I’ve waited for some time for that storm to pass. Whether inner or outer, it wasn’t right. It’s simply time now, and this song Sugar is the most personal track we have ever done.”
 

Masters Of Reality: European Tour 2024

May 16: Eindhoven Effenaar, The Netherlands
May 17: London Electric Ballroom, UK
May 19: Utrecht Tivoli Pandora, The Netherlands
May 21: Leuven Het Depot, Belgium
May 23: Bielefeld Forum, Germany  
May 24: Rüsselsheim Das Rind, Germany
May 26: Berlin Columbia Hall, Germany  

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.