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Queens of the Stone Age

Josh Homme

Josh Homme

Vocals, Guitar

Troy Van Leeuwen

Troy Van Leeuwen

Guitar, Keyboards ('02 - )

Nick Oliveri

Nick Oliveri

Bass ('98 - '04)

Mark Lanegan

Mark Lanegan

Vocals, Guitar ('00 - '06)

Joey Castillo

Joey Castillo

Drums ('02 - '12)


Formed: 1996
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Genre: Rock, Hard Rock, Stoner Rock
Years Active: 1996 -
Meaning of the Name: Adapted from a nickname for Josh Homme's previous project Kyuss. Comprised of five guys, the 'Queens', didn't want to sound too macho.
Primary Songwriter: Josh Homme
Associated: Kyuss
Labels: Loosegroove, Interscope, Matador

Essential Releases

Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R

Rated R (2000)

Second album. Completes the ambitious work of their debut. Put hard rock back on the map.

Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf

Songs for the
Deaf (2002)

Humorous concept album that narrates a road trip through the music industry and searing heat.

Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

...Like Clockwork
(2013)

Triumphant return from the stalwart veterans. Darker and more artistic.


In the early '90s, a blistering sound emerged from the desert. Kyuss, whose co-founder Josh Homme later formed Queens of the Stone Age, and other bands such as Yawning Man performed there, using the vast, open space to accompany their marijuana-laced psychedelic rock. The practice of driving generators and gear into the barren California wastes became so influential it spawned an entire sub-genre of psych known as desert rock, itself an offshoot of stoner rock.

As the sound grew louder, it attracted more people, culminating in a music festival held in the same Coachella Valley in the autumn of 1999. Unpredictably, one of the world's most popular festivals can be traced back to some stoners and their friends playing tunes in the baking sun.

When the critically acclaimed Kyuss dissolved due to poor sales and creative differences, they left a partially intact carcass behind them. Queens of the Stone Age emerged from those remains as a supergroup with a mission: to make innovative music that would smash into the mainstream. Led by Homme from the outset, early versions of the band included members of Soundgarden and Screaming Trees, a lineup sure to get the attention of journalists and fans.

Initially, the strategy was only a moderate success. However, their second LP, Rated R (2000), earned a dedicated following. Their popularity skyrocketed when Dave Grohl, of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, joined as the drummer on Songs for the Deaf (2002). Gold and platinum albums soon followed with songs like 'No One Knows' and 'Go With the Flow' dominating MTV. Crucially though, the band achieved all this while staying true to their artistic vision.

Tracks like 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer' (featuring Rob Halford from Judas Priest on guest vocals) simply listed drugs as lyrics: 'Nicotine, valium, vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol. Similarly, the music video for 'Go With the Flow' immediately established the image of a band driven mad by scorching heat, singing their songs on a road trip to hell as scantily clad women dance around them. It was a far cry from the mainstream fodder of the charts that perfectly summed up the drug fuelled hedonism of desert rock.
A wide-eyed, silhouetted Josh Homme against a burning red backdrop of desert heat. From the music video to Go With the Flow by Queens of the Stone Age
A wide-eyed, silhouetted Josh Homme against a burning red backdrop of desert heat.
Homme essentially breathed new life into a genre that was looking for direction after the death of grunge. By playing modified blues scales that purposefully sound out of key to feel 'honest', and incorporating them with repetitive, kinetic drums that sound 'trippy', he crafted a sophisticated take on rock music that competed against the juvenile nu-metal and moaning indie alternative for airplay.

Paving the way for the psych revival of the early 2010s, which included bands like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Queens of the Stone Age proved that rock music had plenty more fuel left in the tank.


Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?
70

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.
55

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.
85

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.
80

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?
75

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.
90

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.
70

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.
85

Singing

i Technical attributes.
80

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.
90

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?
80

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.
80

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.
85

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?
70

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.
60

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.
65


Commercial & Critical Success

Awards >>>

  • Grammy Award Nominee x9

Certifications >>>

  • Queens of the Stone Age - Gold in the UK
  • Rated R - Gold in the UK & Australia
  • Songs for the Deaf - Platinum in the UK, Australia & Canada; Gold in the USA & Germany
  • Lullabies to Paralyze - Gold in the UK, Germany, Australia & Canada
  • Era Vulgaris - Gold in the UK & Canada
  • ...Like Clockwork - Platinum in Australia; Gold in the UK & Canada
  • Villains - Gold in the UK, Australia & Canada

Charts >>>

  • Songs for the Deaf - Number 4 in the UK; Number 7 in Australia; Number 9 in Germany
  • Lullabies to Paralyze - Number 2 in Australia; Number 4 in the UK & Holland; Number 5 in the USA & Canada; Number 8 in Germany
  • Era Vulgaris - Number 4 in Australia; Number 5 in Canada & Germany; Number 7 in the UK
  • ...Like Clockwork - Number 1 in the USA & Australia; #2 in the UK, Canada; Number 7 in Germany; Number 8 in France
  • Villains - Number 1 in the UK, Holland, Australia & Canada; Number 2 in Germany; Number 3 in the USA; Number 4 in France
  • In Times New Roman... - Number 1 in Holland; Number 2 in the UK, Germany & Australia; Number 7 in France; Number 9 in the USA

Critics >>>

  • Billboard - Lullabies to Paralyze - The Best Albums of the 2005: 7th
  • Classic Rock - Villains - The Best Albums of the 2017: 1st
  • Kerrang - Songs for the Deaf - The Best Albums of the 2002: 1st
  • Mojo - Songs for the Deaf - The Best Albums of the 2002: 3rd
  • Mojo - Villains - The Best Albums of the 2017: 3rd
  • NME - Songs for the Deaf - The Best Albums of the 2002: 6th
  • NME - Songs for the Deaf - The 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade (2009): 15th
  • Rolling Stone - Rated R - The Best Albums of the 2000s: 82nd
  • Rolling Stone - Villains - The Best Albums of the 2017: 8th
  • The New York Times - Era Vulgaris - The Best Albums of 2007: 10th

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