Frontman Chris Goss started out with a band covering heavy 1970s rock acts (New York Dolls, Aerosmith, David Bowie, Blue Öyster Cult, Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin) and writing his own songs since circa 1975. After getting into punk rock for a while (performing at
CBGB in 1978), he did not play guitar for a few years, instead preferring electronic music like
Kraftwerk and becoming a club DJ. In 1981 Goss and Tim Harrington started to make experimental home recordings with lo-fi, cheap and/or borrowed equipment that included a Sanyo boombox Rhythm Ace drum machine, a Korg, synthesizers and a Fender Vibroverb amp. The rhythm tracks of synths and a beat recorded on cassette would be played back to "overdub" vocals, guitar, more synthesizers, et cetera. They considered Manson Family as a name for their act, but never actually used it for their performances. They played regularly at
CBGB with a sound reminiscent of
Suicide or somewhat like how Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson would sound in the 1990s. Masters of Reality were quiet for several years as Goss was occupied producing music for other bands. However, the band did appear at
Johnny Depp's
Viper Room night club in 1997 for a two-night stand, and a resultant live album,
How High the Moon featured
Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland on "Jindalee Jindalie". In 1999 the band released
Welcome to the Western Lodge. Goss' connection to
Queens of the Stone Age resulted in the collaborative album
Deep in the Hole in 2001, and two years later, in the release of the subsequent live album ''
Flak 'n' Flight''. In 2003, the band covered the song "
Devil's Radio" for the album
Songs from the Material World: A Tribute to George Harrison. The band released its fifth album,
Give Us Barabbas, in 2004, a collection of lost tracks opening with the "Ballad of Jody Frosty". On August 24, 2009, the band released
Pine/Cross Dover. Masters of Reality's seventh album, and its first in 16 years,
The Archer, was released on April 11, 2025. ==Members==