Kyuss was an influential American stoner rock band formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1987. As pioneers of the genre, their heavy, desert-inspired sound played a key role in defining stoner rock. After disbanding in 1995, members went on to shape the rock landscape with bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, Screaming Trees, Fu Manchu, Eagles of Death Metal, Mondo Generator, and Them Crooked Vultures. In 2010, former members briefly reunited as Kyuss Lives, but legal challenges led to a name change, and the project continued as Vista Chino.