Dave Grohl said he suggested Kyuss and QOTSA producer Chris Goss to handle the production of what would become Nirvana’s final album, 1993’s “In Utero,” explaining to Mojo:
“After Scream was over, my friend Pete Stahl stayed in Los Angeles and started a band called Wool.
“This was back in the days when we would write each other letters, and Pete said, ‘You’ve got to hear this band Kyuss, they’re from the desert and it’s the heaviest groove I’ve ever heard.’
“I went to the Off Ramp in Seattle to see them perform – this is 1992. You were lucky if you found a punk rock band with a drummer that could actually swing – usually it was just full-on aggression. Kyuss had groove in spades.
“I bought [1992’s] ‘Blues for the Red Sun,’ and the production is so perfectly natural, by Chris Goss, and recorded at Sound City. I bought at least 50 copies and gave it to people. And I didn’t know them at all – I’d just seen them play.
“They’re musical bullies in the best way: if you don’t have what it takes to jump up on-stage then don’t do it. Josh [Homme] and Nick [Oliveri], they’re the sweetest people in the world, but you don’t wanna cross that line. I think growing up in the desert made them the way they are.
“I remember playing the album for Kurt, saying, We should have this guy produce the next record.
“And Kurt looking at me: ‘Really?! You really think so?’ And of course I backed down, started thinking, ‘God, maybe’s it’s too noisy…’
“And then we make a record with Albini… [Laughs] But Kyuss were a force to be reckoned with.”