Between his aggressively forthright lyricism and candid interviews, Josh Homme is a pretty open book. So, it seemed natural for the Queens of the Stone Age frontman to open the back vault of his brain for a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session. In a series of video responses, Homme answered fans’ burning questions including particulars on his songwriting process, stories of his late collaborator Mark Lanegan, and if we will ever see a Them Crooked Vultures reunion.
Perhaps the biggest revelation was Homme’s response to one fan who asked, “Any chance of Them Crooked Vultures 2: Electric Boogaloo?” After complimenting the “lovely-worded question”—a reference to the 1984 cult classic Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo—Homme more or less revealed that the call to reunite his supergroup with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones really isn’t up to him. (Them Crooked Vultures did briefly reunite at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in London and L.A. in 2022.)
“It’s sorta not my job to put Them Crooked Vultures back together, that’s Dave’s job,” Homme said. “My job is to dance around and write words and try to write some music with the guys. I really want to, Dave knows this too, I really want the Vultures to get back together and do one more round. Because the band is so strange, the music is so strange and sort of perverse and I had such a joyous time on those tours and being in that band.”
Related: Josh Homme Announces Benefit Concert With Dave Grohl, Chad Smith, Bill Burr, More
Choosing the questions that got the most likes on the QOTSA subreddit, Homme also reminisced on his late friend Mark Lanegan. The prolific singer/songwriter/poet best known for fronting grunge forebears Screaming Trees was also a member of Queens at the time of the band’s breakthrough and is heard throughout their 2002 desert rock masterpiece Songs for the Deaf. Though Homme and Lanegan collaborated throughout the 2000s and shared a bond offstage, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
As Homme explained, “Queens was very volatile, we always love each other but we’re a little feral sometimes,” and during one of those times he got in an altercation with Lanegan backstage. Things were about to turn physical, and Homme went to shove Lanegan. However, Josh’s hands were oiled up from a massage so, rather than pushing Lanegan away, his greased-up hands slipped off and he fell forward to come face-to-face with his bandmate. As they stood inches away from one another, the absurdity of the entire situation dawned on them, they started laughing, and all was forgiven.
“There’s a lot of psycho-babble out in the world today and a man like Lanegan who’s complicated would be considered…oh who f–ing cares what he’d be considered,” Homme recalled. “He was just a badass, complicated, frustrating, cool, amazing, kind, mean person. And he was all those at once, and that’s why I loved him so much.”
Another fan wrote in to ask if there are any plans for a documentary about Homme, Queens, or Lanegan. Homme’s answer amounted to a polite demur of having a spotlight shined so directly on him.
“There’s been a lot written about me or the band or Lanegan over the years but, speaking for myself, sometimes I just don’t like that that much you know. I wish it was less. I wish we could just be silhouettes and that we can enjoy each other’s company. And mystery is f–ing bitchin’, okay,” Homme said [Editor’s note: Sorry, Josh].
Following other queries about guitar pedals for novice players, what movie and TV soundtracks he’s been digging, his favorite things about each of his bandmates, and the status of QOTSA’s concert film from a German salt mine that has sat in limbo for 17 years (spoiler: even Josh doesn’t know), he answered one last heartwarming question. “hi dad, since we’re on reddit, who’s ur favorite kid out of the three of us??” One not-so-anonymous Reddit user asked. In his final response video, Homme explained that whichever child asks them “Who is your favorite,” his response is always “You are.” As for which of his children will inherit the Camero that Homme has had since he was 14, the answer is “whoever’s nicest to Dada.”
Check out a selection of responses from Josh Homme’s AMA and find the whole trove on Reddit. Queens of the Stone Age will return to the road next month for an April tour of Canada. For tickets and a full list of tour dates visit the band’s website. Prior to the Queens tour, Homme will gather up a crew of friends including Dave Grohl, Beck, Chad Smith, St. Vincent, and many more for a benefit concert at The Belasco in L.A. on March 20th. Tickets are sold out.
“Any chance of Them Crooked Vultures 2: Electric Boogaloo?”
: “Any good Mark Lanegan stories you’re yet to tell? I loved hearing you and Zane recount the ones on the Apple Music podcast”
“Any plans for a documentary on the band? Or yourself or Lanegan?”
“What happened with the salt mine show? Will we ever see it?”
“hi dad, since we’re on reddit, who’s ur favorite kid out of the three of us?? -squid”
The post Chances Of A Them Crooked Vultures Reunion & Other Things We Learned From Josh Homme’s Reddit AMA [Videos] appeared first on L4LM.
