Demon Cleaner by Kyuss

Album: Welcome to Sky Valley (1994)

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Written by Kyuss guitarist Josh Homme, "Demon Cleaner" finds frontman John Garcia singing about purging the demons from his system. The song could be interpreted different ways, but it's really about brushing your teeth.

Dentists and oral hygiene were a big deal for Homme, who used to have nightmares about having his teeth pulled. So the song does relate to his personal demons, but it's also quite literal: the line "I get the back one,
Important they'll always stay," is about brushing your molars.

Garcia, however, would interpret Kyuss songs as they related to his life, and he encouraged listeners to do the same. "If you try to get something deeper out of that from that song, I think that's great," he said in our 2014 interview.

Kyuss didn't print the lyrics on their albums for this very reason: they wanted listeners to hear it through their own ears.
Kyuss was full of rancor around this time, with many of their disputes dealing with songwriting and creative control. John Garcia was not involved in the songwriting, which made him feel like he was not respected. Drummer Brant Bjork, who was the main songwriter along with Homme, left the band after the Welcome to Sky Valley album.

Comments: 5

Who Cares from Hell On EarthI always interpreted this song as something to do with schizophrenia.
Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcNow there's 1 good stoner metal song that became a true classic.
Jake from EarthScott Reeder was the bass player on this album. Bjork was the drummer
Heathen: Deaner from DeathbridgeRight. Right. Right. All Right. And of course I'm allowed to say this. so I will. Everything Christina said is true. For Christina. Which really puts the songwriting skills in the spotlight; So compelling that a song written about oral hygiene can inspire divine imagery. Impressive. And no, Christina, I'm not being sarcastic or trolling you. I don't agree with you at all, due to my affliction of atheism. However, I do have respect for faith, and for you to so intriguingly weave the teachings of your faith into such a masterpiece of this genre.....just goes to show that The Demon Cleaner is many things to many people. For me, it conjured images of a Native American shaman who comes to fix the horribly messed up situation for his people in this world of artifice.
Or a song reminding you to brush your teeth.
Christina Charitos from TorontoWrong. Wrong. Wrong. All wrong. I'm not allowed to say this and so of course I will. Song is about the Saints who unite with the ultimate Demon Cleaner- Christ -Saints have to put up with demonic attack/ oppression...demons "trick you in to normal treatment" (trick you in to believing they don't exist) also word play "in two" in half - they divide and conquer. "Inside you see more of me... but cobwebs in the way" are you can't see cause there's a veil over your eyes... it takes an insider to even get what this song is about or get the message of what he's here to say. Christ is the magic cleaner who shines his smile on me: the "freedom bleeder" Jesus paid with his life on the cross to buy our freedom. "Christ is the Only Way. Cause yeah other paths don't work. "Important they'll always stay." Saints don't pray for them to leave but to take this on and do battle it out it cause it's a form of penance and they unite their suffering under demonic attack with the Passion of Christ. Not saying a word about Josh... you do the math.

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