Instrumental forever!

With an album out, Roadrunner probably expected Karma To Burn to go and tour. But first the label organized a release party in february 1997 and they were so clever to send out somebody else's album instead of Karma To Burn's debut...

Roadrunner also expected Karma To Burn to perform with JJ as well on their forthcoming tour. The label was so eager to get a singer with this band, that they wouldn't release the album without vocals.

So they tried it out in some shows. "I actually saw them play with Jarosz, and he was not what one would consider a great frontman. He only sang on a couple of songs and had no stage presence."

But not everybody agrees with that point of view: "I have watched this band for two years in Huntington. There is no question that when they had J.J. singing, the crowds where two times larger and the show was much better. Karma To Burn would play 5-6 songs and then he would just walk up out of the crowd, up to the microphone and just blow everyone away!! I think the fact that he wasn't your average headbanging front man, was why everyone liked him so much. His voice was much better live than on the CD. When he stepped up to the mic, he would sing so loud, and growly, that people went nuts!!!"

But the band itself wasn't too pleased with JJ's performance. "According to the band, 'he just flaked', and I can believe that. But I'm sure he was just a last minute pick to hurry and get the record out. Karma To Burn did not take him to Europe with them."

Indeed they did not. Much to the surprise of the press and media over there. They only knew Karma To Burn from the recordings. The question about the singer became the running gag in every interview. "Our singers just keep blowing up, just like Spinal Tap" they said in the Dynamo Festival Guide. "Our vocalist? He's working in the pizzeria again, just like before his career in Karma To Burn."
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With all the consternation around the singer, hardly anybody noticed the drummer change. Some time before the release of the album Nathan was replaced by Chuck Nicholas. "Nathan Limbaugh, who plays most tracks on the album also flaked (for the lack of a better word), he got involved with some girl. So CHUM's Chuck Nicholas filled in on drums for a couple of shows until he finally decided to join. CHUM is on Century Media Records and Huntington's own (check out their unofficial homepage)." And there's more about the drummer switch on the interviews page

In april and may of 1997 Karma To Burn did tour Europe. Among other events, they played on the illustrious metal festival Dynamo Open Air, where they met John Garcia and his new band SLO-BURN again. In an unanounced special set, Karma To Burn jammed with John Garcia, with him doing some vocals as well. A very special event with a very limited and surprised crowd. There are pictures of this event right here.

People start noticing Karma To Burn as well, according to this rumor: "Karma To Burn turned down a second stage spot on this summer's highly successful Ozzfest tour. The decision, from what I gathered, was made by the band's management. So much for national exposure..."

In august and september of 1997, Karma To Burn toured the USA. They have opened nine shows on the CORROSION OF CONFIRMITY / DRAIN S.T.H. tour and later opened on ten dates for CLUTCH. During that tour Clutch' Neil Fallon and COC's Pepper Keenan jumped up the stage with Karma To Burn to do a cover version of ZZ-Top's "La Grange". So they both join the exclusive group of people that have sung with Karma To Burn...

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