Giant Sand, originally The Giant Sandworms, is an American rock band formed in 1985, based in Tucson, Arizona, USA (although Los Angeles, California was its home for many years). Overseen by singer-songwriter-guitarist-pianist Howe Gelb, its membership has shifted over the years -- at times with each album -- though for a long while the drum and bass duties were handled by John Convertino and Joey Burns, who went on to form Calexico. Other members have included guitarist Rainer Ptacek