Earthless

Drummer Mario Rubalcaba moved back to his native San Diego to join Rocket from the Crypt, and eventually encountered future Earthless bassist Mike Eginton.{{Cite web | last = Leitko | first = Aaron | title = Q&A: Earthless | date = February 25, 2009 | website = Washington City Paper | url = http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2009/02/25/qa-earthless/ | access-date = January 9, 2014}} Guitarist Isaiah Mitchell had been playing with a band called Lions of Judah when he met Eginton.{{Cite web | last = Solis | first = Eddie | title = Earthless | date = May 6, 2009 | website = Thrasher | url = http://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/music-interviews/earthless/ | access-date = December 28, 2013}} Mitchell, Eginton and Rubalcaba discovered they all enjoyed Japanese psychedelic rock and German krautrock.

Eginton suggested the name Earthless, inspired by a song titled likewise by a 1960s American rock group called the Druids of Stonehenge. The trio accepted the name for its "psychedelic ring" and ambiguity,{{Cite web | last = Tucceri | first = Daniel | title = AMH Network Interview with Earthless » AMH Network | date = December 22, 2013 | website = AMH Network | url = http://amhnetwork.com/interview-with-earthless/ | access-date = December 26, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141024111147/http://amhnetwork.com/interview-with-earthless/ | archive-date = October 24, 2014 | url-status = dead }} but by then they had already been together for at least three months (five rehearsal sessions and one live show) without one. At the group's earliest rehearsal, they played songs from Led Zeppelin{{Cite web | last = Marchese | first = David | title = Journey to the Center of Earthless: A Heavy Chat With the Psych-Rock Gurus | date = October 9, 2013 | website = Spin | url = https://www.spin.com/2013/10/earthless-from-the-ages-interview/ | access-date = December 16, 2013}} and Black Sabbath interspersed between lengthy improvisations; at their second session the band only played their own material. They played their first live show together at the Casbah, a venue in their native San Diego, but in general they found it difficult to come together for rehearsals or shows owing to Rubalcaba also playing drums for Rocket from the Crypt at the time. He also played in Hot Snakes for a time, but after both groups disbanded, Rubalcaba and his Earthless bandmates had more free time to devote to their new project.

Earthless' debut album, Sonic Prayer, was released in 2005 and won the 2007 Best Hard Rock Album award at the San Diego Music Awards,{{Cite web | title = San Diego Music Awards – 2007 Winners | website = San Diego Music Awards.com | url = http://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/2007-winners | access-date = October 18, 2014 | archive-date = October 19, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141019005055/http://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/2007-winners | url-status = dead }} where their second album, Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky, was also nominated for the same award and the band themselves were nominated for Best Hard Rock Artist.{{Cite web | title = Cattle Decapitation Nominated In Two Categories At San Diego Music Awards | date = August 12, 2007 | website = Blabbermouth.net | url = http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cattle-decapitation-nominated-in-two-categories-at-san-diego-music-awards/ | access-date = January 25, 2014}}

Earthless performed at the thirteenth Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands on April 18, 2008.{{cite AV media notes | title = Live at Roadburn | others = Earthless | year = 2008 | type = inside sleeve | publisher = Tee Pee Records | id = TPE-089 | location = New York City}} They were originally only scheduled to play to 250 people in the smallest room of the event as the main act, but were invited at the last minute to perform as the last act on the main stage to 2000 concertgoers instead, as the scheduled band Isis had only performed for half of their two-hour slot.{{Cite web | last = Sanford | first = Jay Allen | title = Road Luck | date = October 22, 2008 | website = San Diego Reader | url = http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/oct/22/blurt2/ | access-date = January 14, 2014}} Earthless performed for about an hour and a half,{{Cite news | last = Treppel | first = Jeff | title = Live at Roadburn – Review | newspaper = Outburn #47 | pages = 78 | date = March 2009 }}{{Cite web|date=May 16, 2020|title=Ep170: Mario Rubalcaba (Earthless, OFF!, Hot Snakes, Rocket From the Crypt, Clikitat Ikatowi)|url=https://www.radioneutron.com/2020/05/16/ep170-mario-rubalcaba/|access-date=July 11, 2020|website=Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal|language=en-US}} and were not aware the performance had been recorded, but did not object when Tee Pee Records requested they release an album based on the performance, liking the recordings themselves.{{Cite web | last = Guyre | first = Jen | title = Interview with Earthless: Cosmic Nodding | date = February 23, 2009 | website = The Aquarian Weekly | url = http://www.theaquarian.com/2009/02/23/earthless-cosmic-nodding/ | access-date = December 26, 2013}} The result was released on October 7, 2008, as Live at Roadburn, which Rubalcaba described as "the most honest representation of [Earthless] that you're gonna get on a record". He said that if listeners did not like the album they would not like to see the band perform live.

In February 2009, Earthless toured with Witch in North America.{{Cite web | last = Hughes | first = Josiah | title = Witch Announce North American Tour | date = January 8, 2009 | website = Exclaim! | url = http://exclaim.ca/News/witch_announce_north_american_tour | access-date = January 11, 2014}} The band toured in Europe and the UK with Russian Circles in April 2010,{{Cite web | last = Sciarretto | first = Amy | title = Earthless European Tour Dates With Russian Circles | date = April 5, 2010 | website = Noisecreep | url = http://noisecreep.com/earthless-european-tour-dates-with-russian-circles/ | access-date = January 17, 2014}} in the US in support of Baroness from November to early December,{{Cite web | title = Baroness announces headlining tour | date = September 4, 2009 | website = Lambgoat | url = http://lambgoat.com/news/13286/Baroness-announces-headlining-tour | access-date = January 21, 2014}} and in Australia for the first time from December 2010 to January 2011.{{Cite web | last = Lee | first = Samantha | title = Earthless Australian Tour | date = December 12, 2010 | website = Faster Louder | url = http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/news/26698/Earthless-Australian-Tour | access-date = January 21, 2014}}

As the band members continued with their rigorous touring schedule, they became increasingly involved with side projects (Rubalcaba with Off! and Mitchell with Howlin' Rain) and Mitchell moved to Northern California,{{Cite web | last = Weiderhorn | first = Jon | title = Earthless's "Equus October" Is Just Another Example of Why They're the Best Sober Stoner Band on Earth | date = September 26, 2013 | website = Noisey | url = http://noisey.vice.com/blog/earthlesss-equus-october-is-just-another-example-of-why-theyre-the-best-sober-stoner-band-on-earth | access-date = December 27, 2013}} which reduced the available time to rehearse as Earthless, much less record another studio album (even though some of the material on Live at Roadburn was intended for the next album). As an act, Earthless eventually entered into a period of inactivity by default, but not by intention.

After two years of not touring, Earthless came to Australia for a series of concerts in December 2012, and released a limited edition vinyl single to coincide with the tour.{{Cite web | last = Giffin | first = Brian | title = Earthless: Out of This World | date = December 16, 2012 | website = Loud Online Magazine | url = http://www.loudmag.com.au/content/earthless-out-of-this-world | access-date = January 3, 2014}} Earthless were again nominated for Best Hard Rock Artist at the 2013 San Diego Music Awards,{{Cite web | last = King | first = Anthony | title = San Diego Music Awards nominees released | date = August 2, 2013 | website = San Diego Uptown News | url = http://sduptownnews.com/san-diego-music-awards-nominees-released/ | access-date = January 25, 2014}} and From the Ages won their second Best Hard Rock Album award the following year.{{Cite web | title = San Diego Music Awards – 2014 Winners | website = San Diego Music Awards.com | url = http://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/2014-winners | access-date = October 18, 2014 | archive-date = October 19, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141019010215/http://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/2014-winners | url-status = dead }}

Earthless toured in support of From the Ages along the western coast of the United States in October 2013,{{Cite web | title = Earthless Streaming New Album "From The Ages" | date = October 1, 2013 | website = Theprp.com | url = http://www.theprp.com/2013/10/01/news/earthless-streaming-new-album-from-the-ages/ | access-date = January 13, 2014}} and with the Shrine in Australia from December 2013 to January 2014,{{Cite web | title = Earthless Confirm Australian Dates | date = October 28, 2013 | website = theMusic.com.au | url = http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2013/10/28/earthless-confirm-australian-dates/ | access-date = January 3, 2014}} and the east coast of the US in August 2014.{{Cite web | title = Earthless And The Shrine Plan August East Coast US Tour | date = June 20, 2014 | website = The PRP | url = http://www.theprp.com/2014/06/20/news/earthless-and-the-shrine-plan-august-east-coast-us-tour/ | access-date = June 21, 2014}}{{Cite web | title = Earthless Tour! | date = July 2, 2014 | website = Tee Pee Records.com | url = http://teepeerecords.com/news/latest/earthless_tour.html | access-date = August 19, 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140820230634/http://teepeerecords.com/news/latest/earthless_tour.html | archive-date = August 20, 2014 }} They are embarking on a tour of Europe in October 2014, and have rescheduled a tour of Japan with Eternal Elysium that Earthless had to cancel to tend to ill family members; the tour will take place in January 2015.{{Cite web | title = ヘヴィ・サイケデリックの新世代支配者アースレス、初来日公演が実現 | website = Yahoo! Japan | url = http://bylines.news.yahoo.co.jp/yamazakitomoyuki/20141023-00040199/ | access-date = October 24, 2014}}

In 2016 Earthless, together with Harsh Toke, released a split-record each with a single track on it.

On March 16, 2018, the band released their album 'Black Heaven'.

Earthless consider themselves most strongly influenced by krautrock and psychedelic bands from Japan. Eginton has identified such Japanese groups as Blues Creation, Flower Travellin' Band, High Rise and White Heaven as being inspirational for Earthless, and for krautrock, Rubalcaba has named Guru Guru and Amon Düül II. Classic rock has also influenced the group, as they also share an interest in Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Eginton has also said the earlier work of Miles Davis has impacted the band, along with other modal jazz players, as the band often choose a key or mode and almost never play outside it even regardless of what the guitar solo becomes.

Although typically labeled a stoner rock group, they reject the term,{{Cite web | last = Hamlin | first = Andrew | title = Rub my sticks | date = October 16, 2013 | website = San Diego Reader | url = http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/oct/16/blurt-rub-my-sticks/ | access-date = January 14, 2014}} and the band have stated they do not use marijuana;{{Cite web|last=Lothspeich|first=Dustin|title=Earthless: Homecoming Kings|date=January 13, 2016|website=NBC San Diego|url=http://www.nbcsandiego.com/blogs/sounddiego/Show-is-18-Earthless-Homecoming-Kings-364798101.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_SDSoundDiego|access-date=January 14, 2016}} rather, they drink coffee or iced tea.

The band alternate between writing their songs out and improvising them on the spot, repeatedly playing the improvised parts in their live set to the point that the parts become features of the song. Rubalcaba has noted the distinction between improvisation and jamming; he argues that improvisation differs from jamming in that improvisation is more focused and has a purpose, while jamming does not.

As Earthless are primarily an instrumental band, their music has no vocals by default, although Mitchell has sung vocals for the group on the few songs that need them (such as "Cherry Red" and "Woman with the Devil Eye"). Other than that, the group do not intend to hire a full-time vocalist, despite all the offers they have received over the years.

• Isaiah Mitchell – guitars, vocals (2001–present)
• Mike Eginton – bass (2001–present)
• Mario Rubalcaba – drums (2001–present)

{{Main|Earthless discography}}

• Sonic Prayer (2005)
• Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky (2007)
• From the Ages (2013)
• Acid Crusher/Mount Swan (2016)
• Black Heaven (2018)
• Night Parade of One Hundred Demons (2022)

• Live at Roadburn (2008)
• Live at Freak Valley (2015)
• Live at Tym Guitars, Brisbane Australia (2015)
• From the West (2018)
• Live in the Mojave Desert: Volume 1 (2021){{cite web|url=https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/bands/earthless.htm|title=Earthless|publisher=Heavy Psych Sounds|access-date=March 28, 2022}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071114080654/http://www.teepeerecords.com/bands/earthless/ Tee Pee Records]

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Category:2001 establishments in California

Category:American instrumental rock musical groups

Category:Musical groups established in 2001

Category:Musical groups from San Diego

Category:Musical trios from California

Category:Psychedelic rock music groups from California

Category:Occult rock musical groups

Category:American stoner rock musical groups