King of the Road (album)

King of the Road
Studio album by Fu Manchu
Released	February 15, 2000 January 26, 2000 (Japan)
Recorded	1999 at Monkey Studios in Palm Desert, California
Genre	Stoner rock
Length	46:20
Label	Mammoth
Producer	Joe Barresi & Fu Manchu
Fu Manchu chronology
Eatin' Dust (1999) King of the Road (2000) California Crossing (2001)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

King of the Road is the sixth studio album from California stoner rock band Fu Manchu and was released in 2000. The Japanese and European release features the track "Breathing Fire" in place of "Drive". "Breathing fire" was on the demo version of the record which was sent to radio stations, clubs and fans.

Track listing

1. "Hell on Wheels" - 4:48
2. "Over the Edge" - 5:01
3. "Boogie Van" - 4:17
4. "King of the Road" - 4:03
5. "No Dice" - 3:09
6. "Blue Tile Fever" - 5:30
7. "Grasschopper" - 3:51
8. "Weird Beard" - 3:32
9. "Drive" - 3:46
10. "Hotdoggin'" - 4:52
11. "Freedom of Choice" (Devo) - 3:27

Personnel

• Scott Hill - vocals, guitar
• Brant Bjork - drums
• Bob Balch - lead guitar
• Brad Davis - bass guitar

Produced, engineered and mixed by Joe Barresi and Fu Manchu

Credits

All songs written by Bob Balch, Brant Bjork, Brad Davis and Scott Hill, except "Freedom Of Choice": written by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale
All tracks recorded, mixed and engineered at Monkey Studios, Palm Desert, CA, except "Hell On Wheels" mixed at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA
Assistant engineer: Steve Feldman
Mastered by Dave Collins A&M Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Live photo: C. Taylor Crothers
Band photo: Alex Obleas
Art direction: Lane Wurster
Graphic design: Christopher Eselgroth

Trivia

• The American version not only contains the song "Drive" instead of "Breathing Fire" but also has a slightly different artwork ("fisheye pic" behind the CD). Furthermore, there is a special media section included for web access, albums, a short biography and videos. The two videos are for the songs "Evil eye" off The Action is Go and the title track "King of the Road".
• The last track, "Freedom of Choice", is a cover of the song originally sung by proto-punk stars Devo.
• "Blue Tile Fever" is a song about skateboarding in a swimming pool made famous by the Z-Boys during the water shortage in California in the 1970s. The goal was to skate up and over the blue tiles around the top of the pool. It also hints that the Z-Boys were the coolest kids around and the "crowd splits wherever they go".
• The van on the cover is a 1960s Ford E-Series. Custom van culture features heavily in many of the songs on the album.
• "Invisible" from Danko Jones (from the album "Sleep is the Enemy") with guest vocals by John Garcia (Hermano, ex-Kyuss) is based on the Fu-Manchu song "Hell on wheels" from the album King of the Road.
• "Frieda und die Bomben" from Beatsteaks is based on the song "Hell on wheels".

References

1. "King of the Road - Fu Manchu". Allmusic.