Queens of the Stone Age's album, Songs for the Deaf, is described by Josh Homme and Dave Grohl as a unique and creative recording, even though the term 'concept' may not be particularly appealing.
In the sun-drenched desert town of Palm Desert, California, a rebellious DIY music scene was taking shape, reminiscent of CBGBs in New York and The Roxy in London. It was here that Queens of the Stone Age was born in 1996, the brainchild of Josh Homme.
Before Queens of the Stone Age, Homme was a member of Kyuss, a brooding, intense, psychedelic punk band. Kyuss's lineup included Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri on bass, John Garcia on vocals, and Brant Bjork on drums. However, business conflicts began to affect Kyuss, causing the spirit of creativity and camaraderie to evaporate. Following Kyuss's breakup, Homme decided to renounce stoner rock and venture into a more nimble, abstract, and sensual sound.
Queens of the Stone Age made their debut in 1998 with a self-titled album that was a razing of the past and a signpost to new horizons. Influences from The Stooges, Misfits, Discharge, Can, Frank Sinatra, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash could be heard in the album.
The wired, unhinged, and stylistically promiscuous album "Rated R" was an even bolder leap forward, anointing Queens Of The Stone Age as "the new saviours of rock music." However, Nick Oliveri expressed his regret about not getting a chance to play on this album in 2000. That regret was rectified when Homme offered Oliveri a chance to play on several songs for Rated R, which he accepted.
The sessions for Queens Of the Stone Age's third album, later titled "Songs For The Deaf," began in October 2001. Homme was confident that he had amassed his strongest set of songs to date. The album's sessions gained momentum with a unifying concept tying the eclectic, schizophrenic songs together, presenting them as a selection of tracks aired on disparate radio stations during a night drive from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree.
During this period, Dave Grohl, former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, found himself drawn to Queens Of The Stone Age. His participation in the album sessions was preceded by festival dates, including an appearance at England's Glastonbury festival, despite him being supposed to be in a Hollywood recording studio making the fourth Foo Fighters album. Grohl joined Queens Of The Stone Age to finish their third album after their original drummer left.
Grohl's contribution to Queens Of The Stone Age's songs was praised by Nick Oliveri for uplifting their spirit and improving their playing. Grohl's decision to join the band was purely musical and motivational, and he considered it one of the greatest experiences of his life.
On August 27, 2002, "Songs For The Deaf" was released. The album debuted at number 4 in the UK and number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart in the US. With its unique blend of styles and influences, "Songs For The Deaf" solidified Queens of the Stone Age's place in the rock music landscape.
In 2000, Queens Of the Stone Age toured with a band for a long time, and their dressing room door was labeled as 'Critic's Choice.' Today, Queens of the Stone Age continues to push the boundaries of rock music, proving that they are indeed the new saviours of rock music.
