Fu Manchu @ the Galaxy 2/9/02

A clean cut Scott Hill took the stage with Fu Manchu on Saturday night, shattering everyone’s preconceived notions of how the stoner rock kings would likely appear.

The perception of your typical stoner-rocker is that he probably lives with his shaggy band members, and 20 other bands of their ilk, in a run-down shack somewhere near a California desert. When it’s time for them to record and tour, the four most coherent housemates give themselves an absurd name, gas up the van and set out to conquer every small venue in the United States (European tours are usually out of the question since getting through customs usually poses a serious threat).

Although it does seem likely in some respects, this stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth, and who better than Fu Manchu to campaign that the slacker tag be lifted. As their 70-minute pummeling displayed, they are certainly giving their best effort.

Hill, the lead singer and guitar player, used to be an automobile repo man before Fu Manchu came calling, and that’s evident when you hear his lyrics. “King of the Road says you move too slow,” he sternly sang, serving as a fitting slogan for the evening. Clearly,

Fu Manchu let the music stand alone, and anybody that couldn’t handle it needed to get out of the way. With the warm, pedal-driven distortion at its extreme, the band murdered “Hell On Wheels,” “Over the Edge” and “Laserblast.”

They tore through the best songs on their new record like “Hang On” and “California Crossing,” then proceeded to drop what everyone seemed to be anticipating. Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla” was pure bliss, done in a sludgy, three-quarter speed fashion.

Heavy contributors to the smells of pot, BO and patchouli permeating through the venue, the scruffy male audience knew Fu Manchu well. Requests for never before played “Grendel, Snowman” and “Hotdoggin'” were ignored, although Hill was gracious enough to insert “Weird Beard” before “Squash the Fly.”

Certainly, those who appreciate Fu Manchu realize they are one of the greatest heavy rock `n’ roll bands of the last 20 years, calling to mind Black Sabbath and early Monster Magnet.

The set closer was a drawn out “Anodizer,” a riff-heavy churner with guitar solos that build in intensity toward the end. However, a riled Hill wasn’t quite content, as he pushed and pulled a single note to excruciating ends before leading the band through the outro once again.

Fu Manchu is one of the most intelligent bands in rock today, boasting a tightly crafted live show that is difficult to match (Just ask the two unworthy opening acts). Gimmick-free and intense as hell, there is no nonsense about Fu Manchu. It’s likely that they’ll be around forever, making records that just keep getting better, though growth and diversity will never be their main concerns.

As Henry Rollins likes to say, “They’re just so real!”