Desert rock drummer Ryan Güt (Stöner, Brant Bjork) launches new solo project and debut album The Shastafarian!

Veteran desert rock drummer and multi-instrumentalist releases an immersive, psychedelic rock record shaped by a lifetime of music and the landscapes of Mount Shasta, the California desert, and everything in between.

May 12, 2026, Palm Desert, California – Ryan Güt has been a rhythmic force behind some of the most influential names in the desert rock scene for over a decade. Known for his past collaborations with Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri, and Mario Lalli, as well as his role as a founding member of Stöner, Güt has earned an international reputation for his loose yet powerful swing behind the drums. Now, he expands his presence as a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer with the launch of his solo project and a debut album, »The Shastafarian«, to be released May 23, 2026.

As a drummer, Güt’s talent has taken him around the world, including North America, South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, performing on notable records including »totally…« and »Hittin’ The Bitchin’ Switch« with Stöner, »Folklore From The Other Desert Cities« with Mario Lalli & The Rubber Snake Charmers, and »Tao Of The Devil« and »Once Upon A Time In The Desert« with Brant Bjork. He has shared the stage with heavyweight acts in the rock community, including Clutch, Corrosion Of Conformity, and Melvins.

Photo credits: Athena

The debut album marks a personal milestone for Güt, drawing from a lifetime of experience gathered on and off the road. With »The Shastafarian«, he refined longstanding collections of lyrical and musical sketches into a cohesive body of work over the course of a year. Recorded at the Church Studios in the Coachella Valley with engineer and co-producer Brian Moore (Dirty Honey, Noise Agents, and Mike Green), Güt notably performed every instrument in the studio.

“I had material I’d been writing for over 10 years, plus a lifetime of collecting and experiencing music. It took a few life-changing events and doors opening to make it happen. I couldn’t have made this record a year ago, even if I wanted to.” – Ryan Güt

For listeners familiar with Güt’s drumming, the album offers a natural extension of the genres he has contributed to throughout his career. His technical yet instinctive playing anchors the record while allowing space for experimentation and atmosphere to take shape, echoing the same sun-baked influences that shaped the desert rock movement while delving further into psychedelic, classic rock, and jazz influences.

The songs take listeners on a journey, both musical and personal, exploring change, identity, and a sense of place. Moving between heavy grooves and tonal shifts, themes in »The Shastafarian« mirror the artist’s own path between Mount Shasta and the Coachella Valley, landscapes and communities that have been influential to him in his artistic career.

Güt purposefully kept spontaneous moments in the performances, inspired by the recordings that influenced him growing up, from classic rock to long-form psychedelic jams. He wanted the album to feel undeniably human. “The element of human imperfection is important in art. If everything is made perfect, it loses that sense of this is real and happening now, and I wanted that to translate to the performance on the record,” Güt says.

»The Shastafarian« invites audiences to engage with it the way classic records were meant to be heard, as a complete listening experience best heard on vinyl in its entirety. The gatefold artwork and insert were hand-crafted by Güt as an extension of the listening experience, encouraging listeners to settle in, explore the artwork, and take the ride from beginning to end.

An intimate record listening party will take place from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Rosemary Hi-Fi in Indio, California (Eventbrite tickets). Vinyl and digital formats of the album will be available for purchase on the artist’s Bandcamp. For additional information, visit theshastafarian.com or follow on Instagram, and YouTube.

About Ryan Güt:

»The Shastafarian« is the debut solo album from drummer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Güt, an artist with a longstanding presence in the international desert and stoner rock scenes. Known for his work with Stöner, Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli & the Rubber Snake Charmers, and Hammerface, Güt has toured extensively across North America, South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. His playing combines technical precision with unmatched groove, earning him a reputation as a force in modern rock circles.

Courtesy of Rebelle Rebelle PR

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well