Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA) is an American rock band that was established in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. Josh Homme, the band’s frontman and guitarist, was the sole continuous member during many lineup changes. The current lineup is Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar, lap steel, keyboard, percussion, backing vocals), Michael Shuman (bass guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), Dean Fertita (keyboards, guitar, percussion, backing vocals), and Jon Theodore (drums, percussion, backing vocals). (drums, percussion). In addition, the band has a significant number of contributors and collaborators. Queens of the Stone Age is noted for its riff-oriented and rhythmic hard rock music that is influenced by blues, Krautrock, and electronica, as well as Homme’s unusual falsetto vocals and unconventional guitar scales.
They recorded their self-titled first album with former Kyuss members Alfredo Hernández on drums and Homme on all other instruments. Nick Oliveri and Mark Lanegan joined as extra vocalists on Rated R, which was financially and critically successful, and included their breakout track “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret”. Songs for the Deaf, which included Dave Grohl on drums and contributions from Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider, was published in 2002 to widespread acclaim and economic success. Following the departures of Oliveri and Lanegan, Homme became the lead singer for 2005’s Lullabies to Paralyze and 2007’s electronic-influenced Era Vulgaris.
