Queens of the Stone Age

[sachmo71]

Having been disappointed by my last few CD purchases of "new" bands, I was leery about shelling out $13 bucks on yet another one. The problem was that I couldn't stop humming/singing/whistling No One Knows by the Queens of the Stoneage. I'd heard some good things about the album though, so I bit the bullet and bought thier Songs for the Deaf CD. I am so glad I did.

I haven't been this into a CD in a long time. They remind me of Alice in Chains, but they are unique enough not to piss me off.
If you are fan of "the heavy stuff", I would give this album a 9 out of 10.

BTW, one of the band members sounds very much like the singer from Screaming Trees. I was wondering if anyone knew if this was the same person.

Also...a buddy of mine loaned me a copy of The White Stripes CD Elephant. I wasn't expecting to like it very much, but I really do. Interesting band.

[Butter]

Originally posted by sachmo71
BTW, one of the band members sounds very much like the singer from Screaming Trees. I was wondering if anyone knew if this was the same person.

Yes.

Also love the CD, though I'm not usually into the heavy stuff. This album makes me want to beat up a random guy for no reason.

[Butter]

Dola

I think Elephant sucks, though. "Ball and Biscuit"....

[BucDawg40]

Songs for the Deaf is a great CD -- it never leaves my car!

[sachmo71]

Originally posted by Butter_of_69
Dola

I think Elephant sucks, though. "Ball and Biscuit"....

That song is a bit much, but I really like There's No Home for you Here, Hypnotise, and I Want to be the Boy.

I like bands that aren't afraid to try different things. *shrug*

[Butter]

Originally posted by sachmo71
I like bands that aren't afraid to try different things. *shrug*

Me too. I really liked "Seven Nation Army", but the CD as a whole seems an unworthy successor to "White Blood Cells".

[sachmo71]

So White Blood Cells was better than Elephant? I'll probably love it then!

I think Queens of the Stonage is going to be one of my favorites for a long time.

[Butter]

IMO, it was. YMMV.

[Easy Mac]

I've never really gotten into the CD, which is kind of sad because I like the way it goes, it just doesn't draw me into multiple listenings.

I just bought my first CD in a year last week (I've gotten like 2 or 3 for gifts). If you're looking for new bands, pick up the Mars Volta cd. Its like $7, and I can compare it to Radiohead. Best CD purchase in a few years.

[Ksyrup]

Queens of the Stone Age was trying different things years ago when they were called Kyuss.

Seriously, I like QOTSA, but nothing beats Kyuss. When they broke up, I think their members formed 3 or more different groups (2 members of which are in QOTSA) that sound pretty much like Kyuss did - but not quite as good. Kyuss and Monster Magnet are the godfathers (if one can call the founders of a type of music that began in the late 80's 'godfathers') of "stoner metal/rock."

Welcome to Sky Valley is a monumental piece of work. The most interesting part about it is that they made it only 3 tracks (plus a 4th stupid 'ditty'), so that you had to listen to the whole thing and couldn't go straight to any one track. Brilliant. 10 songs, 3 tracks.

Blues For the Red Sun, the predecessor to WTSV, is great as well. By the last album, ...And the Circus Leaves Town, you could tell they were running out of ideas, because it flows, as an album, very much like WTSV. Similar to RATM, in the sense that once you've heard one album, you've heard them all. So it's probably good that they broke up, but they were QOTSA before QOTSA ever was. Check them out if you like QOTSA, you can probably get any of the albums pretty cheap at this point.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by sachmo71
I think Queens of the Stonage is going to be one of my favorites for a long time.

Ha! Considering that Queens of the STONE AGE is now the most popular in the lineage of stoner metal bands, that's a pretty funny accidental (I'm assuming) misspelling.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by sachmo71
BTW, one of the band members sounds very much like the singer from Screaming Trees. I was wondering if anyone knew if this was the same person.

And for the triple dola...

Yes he is, but he was the singer for Kyuss before a touring stint with Screaming Trees. I don't think he ever recorded an album with ST.

Now that I think about it, I think 3 former Kyuss members are in QOTSA - Homme, Oliveri, and Hernandez.

[sachmo71]

Yup, twas an accident. Stoner metal, huh? I had no idea there was such a thing, but it looks like I'm a fan. I was trying to figure out which genre they fit into yesterday, but I finally decided I didn't care. I like who I like!

Thanks for the suggestions, Ksyrup. I'll keep an eye out for them.

[sachmo71]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
And for the triple dola...

Yes he is, but he was the singer for Kyuss before a touring stint with Screaming Trees. I don't think he ever recorded an album with ST.

Well, I remember his voice from Sweet Oblivion, and I've never seen them in concert, so he must have recorded one album with them. For reference, I'm talking about the singer in Hanging Tree.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by sachmo71
Well, I remember his voice from Sweet Oblivion, and I've never seen them in concert, so he must have recorded one album with them. For reference, I'm talking about the singer in Hanging Tree.

Sweet Oblivion was recording in the early 90's (1992?), so it couldn't have been the same guy. And actually, Josh Homme never sang for Screaming Trees, he just played second guitar on their 1996 tour, which was about a year after Kyuss broke up. So they may sound alike, but it's not him. ST's vocalist is (was) named Mark Lanegan.

I'm not sure what Hanging Tree is - a song, a band, a movie?

[Ksyrup]

BTW, in addition to my own memory, I got my info from allmusic.com:

Let down by Kyuss' breakup, Homme didn't touch his guitar for nearly a year, but decided to get back into music when the Screaming Trees invited him to serve as the band's second guitarist on select tour dates in support of their 1996 release, Dust. This led to cameos on recordings by other artists (Gamma Ray, Wellwater Conspiracy, and Mike Johnson), as well as starting up the multi-volume Desert Sessions series, which featured former members of Soundgarden, Monster Magnet, and Kyuss indulging in tripped-out jams. All the guest spots had rekindled Homme's desire to form another full-time band, and by the late '90s he was ready to take the plunge again.

Homme hooked up with former Kyuss/Dwarves bassist Nick Oliveri to form Queens of the Stone Age, a band who tempered Kyuss' monolithic rock with more varied styles and focused songwriting. The pair would be joined by a revolving door of other members (with both Homme and Oliveri sharing vocal duties), and by 1998, QOTSA were signed to Stone Gossard's Loose Groove label, issuing their self-titled debut the same year. 2000 saw the release of their sophomore effort (and first for the Interscope label), Rated R, which became one of the year's most critically praised rock releases, as the band toured with such big names as Hole, Foo Fighters, and Smashing Pumpkins (as well as being part of Ozzfest 2000 and the 3rd Rock in Rio).

[Butter]

To clear the confusion, Mark Lanegan sang the vocals on QotSA's song "Hanging Tree" on their current album.

[mckerney]

Decent CD, though not as good as Slow Motion Daydream by Everclear.

[sachmo71]

Thanks, Butter! Sorry for the confusion, Ksyrup.

Has anyone listened to Rated R? How does it compare to Songs for the Deaf?

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by sachmo71
Yup, twas an accident. Stoner metal, huh? I had no idea there was such a thing, but it looks like I'm a fan. I was trying to figure out which genre they fit into yesterday, but I finally decided I didn't care. I like who I like!

Thanks for the suggestions, Ksyrup. I'll keep an eye out for them.

Well, there are different kinds of stoner metal. Kyuss plays a type of music that is also described as "desert rock." It's laid back (California desert) groove metal, but with this wall of sound, complete with fuzzy guitars and bass that will blow your speakers if you're not careful. Definitely not as commerical as QOTSA.

I think you would like Kyuss much more than Monster Magnet, which is stoner metal in the 60's/70's metal/psychedelia way - also called "space rock." MM is from Jersey, and the music is different from Kyuss' in that it's not really laid back, but more in your face. There are clear elements of 60's psychedelic pop/rock in their music, fused with Black Sabbath riffs.

They are an interesting band, because their music is actually very cool, but to like it, you've got to get past their appearance. They dress like a metal band from, say, the period of 1978-1982 (leather, sunglasses, whips, the whole 9 yards) and frequently employ scantily-clad women in their stage shows and videos. Not that that's a bad thing, but their album covers and inserts are hilarious to look at. If you can find it, check out the video for Space Lord. Great song, and it pretty much defines the band's image.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Butter_of_69
To clear the confusion, Mark Lanegan sang the vocals on QotSA's song "Hanging Tree" on their current album.

D'oh! I got ya, thanks to CDs, I only know track numbers, not song names!

[Ksyrup]

Do I dare go for another triple dola?

Coincidentally, Homme and Oliveri of QOTSA are releasing the 2nd album from one of their several side projects, Mondo Generator, today. It's called Drug Problem That Never Existed, and it's supposed to be a mix of acoustic and punk rock. I think it's mainly an Oliveri project. I've never heard them, so I can't comment on it.

[sachmo71]

And thus, a door opened in Sachmo's life. Thanks, guys. Looks like I've ignored an entire world of music that I could have been enjoying for years now.

[DeToxRox]

QOTSA are good.

Right now though, my favorite band is cKy. They're not only great musicians, but they put on a killer show and take the time to chill with their fans.

Best Band in the last 15 years though? Faith No More.

They were not only so innovative for ther time, but the current times as well.

[Qwikshot]

Songs for the Deaf and Rated R are great.
I think Elephant is great, Ball and Biscuit is a really cool song. The album is meant to be over the top. That guitar riff is quite enjoyable.
I also find the time to listen to Doves, and Elbow. I've heard that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is good, as well as, the Libertines (a new wave of punk in the vein of the Clash).

[The Afoci]

I also think Elephant is great. To me, it is the greatest CD in quite a few years. It reminds me of the feeling I got listening to Pearl Jam Ten when I was 12 or 13. It just takes me in and I can listen to the whole thing start to finish over and over. Its truly amazing.

[korme]

I think many of you in this thread may like Brand New's new cd "Deja Entendu". I bought it the day it came out, and it's really different than their first cd. So at first I did not like it, because it was a little heavier than "Your Favorite Weapon", but now that is all I am listening to, it is really a great CD.

The CDs in my rotation right now:
Brand New - Deja Entendu
Brand New - Your Favorite Weapon
The Juliana Theory - Emotion Is Dead
Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends
Thursday - Full Collapse

Oh yeah, FWIW, I do like Queens of the Stone Age.

[Ksyrup]

Bump...for an update:



Queens of the Stone Age have always had a revolving door of members, but at the heart of the band was always the partnership of singer/guitarist Josh Homme and bassist Nick Oliveri. Not anymore.

At a time when the band's lineup seemed more stable than it had been in years, Oliveri has unexpectedly left the band, breaking off a musical relationship with Homme that goes back to their days playing together in Kyuss in the early '90s.

"A number of incidents occurring over the last 18 months have led to the decision that the two can no longer maintain a working partnership in the band," read a terse statement from the band's management. No replacement for Oliveri has been announced.

Singer Mark Lanegan, who toured with the group and sang on several songs from the band’s last two albums, has also left. “Mark is officially no longer playing with Queens of the Stone Age so as to devote more time to his own band,” read a statement from Lanegan’s spokesperson. “His new album, Bubblegum, is finished and will be out in late spring.”

There has been speculation that something dramatic happened while the band was in Australia on the Big Day Out tour, but Ipecac Records co-owner Greg Werckman, whose label has released projects by both Homme and Oliveri, said he talked to Homme on Friday, following the completion of the tour, and had no idea there was any bitterness between any of the Queens bandmembers.

“This definitely took me by surprise," he said. "[Homme and Oliveri are] both extremely talented people, and they seemed pretty much like kindred spirits. They both just love the music and love rock."

Queens of the Stone Age plan to hit the studio this spring to work on a new album. When MTV News talked to Queens in June, the band said it had more than 25 songs written and hoped to have a new record ready by the spring (see "Queens 'Giveth' Third Single, But No New Songs This Summer").

At the time, they had just hired drummer Joey Castillo and said they were looking forward to a long period of stability and productivity. "We've finally found players that want to stay and we want them to," Oliveri said.

Homme is currently on tour in England drumming with side project Eagles of Death Metal. The band's debut album, Peace Love Death Metal, comes out March 23. Oliveri's most recent side project, Mondo Generator's A Drug Problem That Never Existed, was released in July.

(On Wednesday, we mistakenly reported that Van Conner and Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees had joined Queens of the Stone Age. MTV News regrets the error.)

[sachmo71]

ugh.

[sachmo71]

Dola...I hate rockstars.

[ShovelMonkey]

So sad Kyuss and Qotsa take up much of my listening time these days.

I never was into Stoner rock when Kyuss was still a band and missed out on that in a way. I'm getting an education, though. I had hoped that Qotsa was going to be my second chance but, alas, it was not to be.

Ksyrup: Have you listened, perchance, to the EP that was put out by a band called Slo Burn which was fronted by John Garcia of Kyuss? If so what did you think of them?

They released this EP, Amusing the Amazing, played OzzFest, and then broke up. This hall happened in the space of a single year, '98 I believe.

I found it cheap on Amazon, and I think that they were the second coming of Kyuss. With Garcia doing the singing they sounded nearly identical to Kyuss, which to me was a good thing to others maybe not.

There is actually a rather interesting interview with Garcia from back in '98 when all this was happening.

hxxp://www.stonerrock.com/sloburn/metal_hammer_interview.html

[hukarez]

This is probably going to add even more so to that convoluted "Family Tree" that was listed on their website!

[Ksyrup]

I've got that Slo Burn EP. It's good, but not as good as Kyuss was. Sky Valley is the shit.

[Qwikshot]

That sucks...I really enjoy their work.

[ShovelMonkey]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I've got that Slo Burn EP. It's good, but not as good as Kyuss was. Sky Valley is the shit.

Agreed, Sky Valley was excellent. I personally enjoy Amusing the Amazing (specifically Pilot the Dune) as much as any of Kyuss's albums. Each to his own, I guess. The only downfall they had, as I see it, was that they sounded EXACTLY like Kyuss. This isn't a particularly bad thing for me, but it is against the statement's Garcia made in the interview I linked to previously.

I'm really getting an education now on a few bands. HAve you listened to Neurosis, Coal Chamber, or Master's of Reality? If so what are your thoughts on them?

[Ksyrup]

Masters of Reality is awesome. As you probably know, Chris Goss produced Kyuss and QOTSA. I really like them, although I don't own any of their albums. I think I used to have one of them, but I don't anymore. They toured with King's X in the early 90's and I saw them. I'm not even sure if they are around anymore, but at that time, Ginger Baker was their drummer. Great, great band. I've been meaning to pick up a couple of their albums - I think there's a live album out there now. They're not really heavy at all - more of a 60s/70s bluesy/Doors-ish thing going on. I think the best comparison is to Cream, which, ironically, is the band Ginger Baker was in.

I've never heard Neurosis and Coal Chamber, although from what I've read, I gather that both have a gothic, industrial sound similar to Tool, but heavier. And I think Coal Chamber is more associated with "nu-metal" as well. I'm going to have to check them out, though. Thanks for mentioning them.

[ShovelMonkey]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I've never heard Neurosis and Coal Chamber, although from what I've read, I gather that both have a gothic, industrial sound similar to Tool, but heavier. And I think Coal Chamber is more associated with "nu-metal" as well. I'm going to have to check them out, though. Thanks for mentioning them.

If you go to Neurosis website (hxxp://www.neurosis.com) they have a load of free (legal...;-) ) .mp3's available. Now mind, I'm just starting to listen to these bands, but Neurosis reminds me very much of a slowed down Kyuss, I'd almost call them Doom Metal. I wouldn't call Neurosis goth or industrial sounding, but that just me. Coal Chamber may fit that bill, however.

As for Coal Chamber, they are vaguely nu-metallish, but not nearly as bad as the rest of the acts Roadrunner Records sports. I'm having a hard time finding any legal mp3's for them but from the clips I've heard I'm not sure I'd call them goth, more of a metal sounding punk. Again, I haven't heard much so don't quote me on that...

BTW, I'm glad to hear your good review of Masters of Reality, I'm allocating the funds now to buy their CDs.

Another question: Do you have any of the Desert Session albums? I've heard that it's the OzzFest of Stoner rock, but thus far I haven't listened to any of them.

Hope you don't mind playing twenty questions....

[SlapBone]

I can't believe I've read a whole page of posts about QOTSA and Kyuss without seeing the name of the greatest band that ever lived being mentioned... FU MANCHU !! Anyway, the drummer and one other member were also members of the famous grandaddy of all stoner bands... Kyuss.

If you like Sabbath and a lot of the mid-to-late 70s metal then you will like Fu Manchu. These guys are kind of like the afformentioned Monster Magnet.

Anyway, as for QOTSA, they were sort of like everyone's side project. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) played drums on the last album and actually delayed the release of "One by One" so that he could finish his tour with QOTSA.

[DeToxRox]

Coal Chamber broke up last year.

The singer is now in a band called Devildriver. Not a fan of either band really at all.

Really, all the music on the radio now is garbage anyways. It's too much crossover B.S. so everything gets played on multiple radio stations. MTV really has ruined music.

They only show videos of people already making money, thus taking time out from bands who aren't. It's horrendous.

The radio is the same way.

It's pathetic.

[Ksyrup]

The guy from Devildriver is the one feuding with Sevendust, isn't he? Something about the guy's girlfriend being kicked out of a band or something. All of these bands run together after awhile.

[Pyser]

i cant believe this thread got bumped and it DIDNT mention that one of the bands main guys quit a few days ago.

[ShovelMonkey]

Originally Posted by Pyser

i cant believe this thread got bumped and it DIDNT mention that one of the bands main guys quit a few days ago.

Well, like I said, I'm JUST learning of these bands so I claim ignorance....

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Pyser

i cant believe this thread got bumped and it DIDNT mention that one of the bands main guys quit a few days ago.

Uh...if you are referring to QOTSA, that's the reason I bumped it. Look again.

[FargoFreez aka fof playa]

Yeah, he has me confused as well. Guess he must've thought someone else bumped it.

[sachmo71]

Bought my first Kyuss album today...Wretch.

I wanted Blues For the Red Sun, but all they had was Wretch. If Blues and WTSV are better than this, I'm going to be one very happy man.

I'm really enjoying Wretch. It's like the music was tailor-made for me. That makes me happy.

[ageofquarrel]

im not the biggest stoner rock fan but

Another great band to mention is The Melvins. HEAVY stoner rock there new shit sucks and is uber-experimental. But their older material is fucking classic when someone describes their band as heavy I just think of The Melvins and laugh. Shit you need to buy:

Gluey Porch Treatments
Ozma
Egg Nog
Lysol
Houdini (Kiss cover rules!)

A friend saw them in the early 90's and they were playing a super low and heavy bass note. Like that crowd control frequency that makes you lose control of your bowels. And his stomach started to hurt and he ran to the bathroom. They also have a book that has a cd with a good sampling of their carrer plus a hilarious page of bad reviews.


Another band of note is Sleep i dont like them that much. Holy mountain is an ok record to get and the also have a record called Jerusalem that is one 74 minute song(jam session). Its gimmicky but at least there is a funny story behind it.
They basically spent all their recording money on weed so they just recorded themselves in their basement on a 8-track and sent it to the record label.
Not as funny as what Anal Cunt did to Earache but thats another story for another time.

[thesloppy]

I will second the Melvins recommendation. Probably my favorite band of all time, which gets me near zero respect from almost any cricle of music fans. I immediately thought of Buzz and Dale when I first saw this thread months ago, but didn't want to get all frothy-at-the-mouthy...but now I have a lead in!

I will also agree with ageofquarrel that their new stuff is meant only for the hardcore fans, and even then it puts most off their lunch. 'Stoner Witch' and 'Houdini' are stoner-rock at ti's best, and if you like Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu, etc. then I highly doubt anyone would be disappointed with those two discs.

The rest of their work is an acquired taste, to say the least, and I can only honestly recommend it to someone who has tried and liked 'Houdini', as that album contains hints of true Melvins majesty, but still has enough structure not to scare away the uninitiated. 'Lysol' (or simply 'Melvins', as it has been labeled for most of it's life) is probably the penultimate Melvins experience....take your other stoner-rock, slow it waaaay down, make it a million times more menacing and there you have Lysol. In my mind, there is nobody who can even come close, except Earth.

As much as I love 'em, and think they had just as much of a hand as Sabbath in forming the stoner-rock sound, it sure can take a while to get used to the Melvins. The first time I ever heard their name was in '91 when some gobknobbler I couldn't stand was ranting and raving about what utter crap they were...that was good enough for me, so I immediately went and bought 'Bullhead'. I put it on and let myself melt into it for awhile, closing my eyes, awash in the sonic attack, I thought to myself "this shit sucks.", and sold it the next day. A year later in '92 I happened across the Melvins again, this time they were opening for Gwar (it was '92, times were hard), and when I finally heard that raw music live, unadultered by worthless indie production values, I had a minor epiphany, and thought to myself "this shit sucks." and went to go sit on the steps outside until their set was over. Sometime after that Houdini was released, and, catching a snippet on a local radio show, I thought I'd give them on more chance...that time it stuck, and I've never looked back. The moral of this story should be 'Give everything a chance', or something cheesey along those lines, but really the point I'm trying to make is; most likely, you're gonna think that shit sucks too.

It's also worth noting that Mudhoney gets no love anymore, but those boys were doing this same shit a decade (almost two!) ago.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Bought my first Kyuss album today...Wretch.

I wanted Blues For the Red Sun, but all they had was Wretch. If Blues and WTSV are better than this, I'm going to be one very happy man.

I'm really enjoying Wretch. It's like the music was tailor-made for me. That makes me happy.

They're much better, IMO. Though I have to admit, Wretch doesn't do much for me. WTSV and ...And the Circus Left Town are my faves (though Circus is a bit too much of a re-tread of WTSV), but Blues is great too. Wretch...meh.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

They're much better, IMO. Though I have to admit, Wretch doesn't do much for me. WTSV and ...And the Circus Left Town are my faves (though Circus is a bit too much of a re-tread of WTSV), but Blues is great too. Wretch...meh.

Hmmm...then maybe I won't like their later stuff. Well, I'm just going to have to find out for myself then!

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Hmmm...then maybe I won't like their later stuff. Well, I'm just going to have to find out for myself then!

I wouldn't necessarily say that. I didn't start with Wretch, so maybe that's why I don't like it as much. I tend not to like first albums nearly as much as newer stuff, especially when I don't hear the first album until after I've heard the newer stuff first. If anything, Wretch isn't as good because it doesn't have the full "stoner metal" production nor the quality of song writing of the later albums, so if you like it, you should really like the other stuff. I think listening to them at their peak, and then going back and listening to their beginning, was why Wretch didn't do much for me.