User:Sad Rist/Cowboys and Aliens

Cowboys and Aliens, stylized as Cowboys & Aliens, is a Belgian stoner rock band from Bruges, in the Flemish Region.

History
Cowboys and Aliens was formed in 1996 in Bruges, Belgium by John Pollentier. He was later joined by Kris Vandekerckhove, Henk Vanhee, and Peter Gaelens. Cowboys and Aliens belong to the lineage of stoner rock bands influenced by Kyuss, with Henk Vanhee possessing a vocal timbre remarkably similar to John Garcia.

The band's first album, League of Fools, was released in 1997 on the independent label Alien Records. Noticed by the American record label Buzzville Records, the band produced their next two albums with the assistance of Dee-J, former guitarist of the band La Muerte. During the early 2000s, Cowboys and Aliens, along with the band Beaver, established themselves as the undisputed leaders of stoner rock in the Benelux region. This status allowed the band to support Monster Magnet, a prominent stoner rock band from the East Coast of the United States.

In 2002, the band released their third album, Love, Sex, Volume. In 2003, Johan Vandesijpe replaced Peter Gaelens on drums. In May 2004, Cowboys and Aliens won the first edition of Graspop, competing against 120 other heavy metal bands. Shortly after this event, Johan Vandesijpe left the band, and Mario Goossens took his place. Around the same time, the band entered the studio to record their fourth album, working with guitarist-producer Peter Iterbeke and producer Attie Bauw (known for his work with Channel Zero, Scorpions, The Gathering, and others).

In August 2005, a few months after the release of their fourth album, Language of Superstars, , , John Pollentier and Mario Goosens left the band. Mario Goossens was replaced by Pieter De Wilde. The band attempted to produce a new album and performed as an opening act for Deep Purple, but eventually disbanded in 2006.

Cowboys and Aliens reunited in 2011 with their original lineup.

Current members

 * Henk Vanhee — vocals
 * John Pollentier — electric guitar (1996-2005, since 2011)
 * Tom Neirynck — bass guitar (since 2017)
 * Peter Gaelens — drums (1996-2003, since 2011)

Former members

 * Peter Iterbeke — guitar (2004-2006)
 * Kris Vandekerckhove — bass guitar (until 2017)
 * Johan Vandesijpe — drums (2003-2004)
 * Mario Goossens — drums (2004-2005)
 * Pieter De Wilde — drums (2005-2006)

Discography
1997: League of Fools

2000: A Trip to the Stonehenge Colony

2002: Love, Sex, Volume

2005: Language of Superstars

2011: Sandpaper Blues Knockout EP

2013: Surrounded By Enemies EP

2019: Horses of Rebelion