Bassist NICK OLIVERI Quits KYUSS LIVES!

Bassist Nick Oliveri has left KYUSS LIVES!, the project featuring members of KYUSS — the influential American stoner rock/metal band, originally from Palm Desert, California.

Oliveri and fellow ex-KYUSS members John Garcia (vocals) and Brant Bjork (drums) reunited for shows last year under the KYUSS LIVES! banner, in which they were joined by guitarist Bruno Fevery. The band has since toured on both sides of the Atlantic and was said to be working on a live album for a late 2012 release.

Speaking to Antiquiet in an exclusive video interview (see below),Oliveri stated about his decision to leave KYUSS LIVES!, "John's idea, when I was [first] asked to [be a part of KYUSS LIVES!], was we were going to do a tour and promote our solo bands. Seeing John do it already with GARCIA PLAYS KYUSS at such a big level, [we thought], 'Wow, man, we could actually reach some people with our solo stuff in a very honest way and play the tunes that we have mad respect for and love as well. Basically, at the end of the day, that's what I'm doing. I'm gonna bow out and do MONDO GENERATOR, because that's what we were supposed to be doing originally."

He added, "To me, you can make money doing whatever you wanna do, but it isn't about that at the end of the day. To be in KYUSS, if I'm not having a good time, it's like… When I was a kid, I had a great time doing it. It sucked being out of it. I don't wanna be fired from any band… again. I figure to walk away with my head up high and do my own thing is a respectable thing, and I think I need to do that."

Commenting on former KYUSS guitarist Josh Homme's decision to file a federal lawsuit against Garcia and Bjork alleging "trademark infringement and consumer fraud" over the use of the KYUSS name, Oliveri said, "When people sue each other, it guarantees that a band will never be together. It just guarantees that those people will never play in the same room together again." He added, "I am friends with both sides, and I also disagree with both sides at the same time, so it's a real weird place I'm in."

Oliveri, who recently plead not guilty to all five charges stemming from his arrest last July in Hollywood after a five-hour standoff with police, has a pre-trial date scheduled for April 13. If convicted, Nick faces up to 15 years behind bars.

The police was called to the scene by Oliveri's neighbor who reported a "disturbance" between the now-40-year-old rocker and his girlfriend. A standoff between a SWAT team and Nick ensued before Oliveri finally agreed to let his girlfriend exit the duplex.

Oliveri tells Antiquiet, "I have a really good lawyer and he's taking great care of me. The thing is that I screwed up because I didn't … When the police came to my house, which nobody in my house called, a friend of ours came over and we didn't open the door for her. And she called the police — which is absurd." He added, "So it's a bad scene right now, it's a bad scene, and I don't even know how I'm supposed to say that … But basically at the end of the day I screwed up 'cause I didn't open the door. I was like, 'I'm not going to open, I don't have to open the door.' I didn't think you have to open the door… [laughs] You have to open the door. A robot came and knocked down my door. [laughs]"

You can watch the entire interview below.