Queens of the Stone Age

I may cover college football, the NFL, and the Atlanta Braves mostly for FanSided.com, but I also dig music, man. Green Day will always be my No. 1 and My Morning Jacket is firmly my No. 2. However, I think Queens of the Stone Age now have the firmest grasp possible at No. 3. I have always liked them, but seeing Josh Homme and the guys return to the stage, finally unencumbered, has been a breath of fresh air in a world where music is mostly pop-processed schlock. QOTSA has always gone to the beat of its own drum. Whatever inspiration Homme finds from the California desert will always intrigue me. Their music has always been different, yet incredibly groovy. With the release of In Times New Roman..., we have finally seen this band of mostly 40 and 50-somethings be at the peak of their powers as musicians and showmen. Nobody can play as complex material and make it sound as tight as they can. A record written about divorce over the pandemic has given us something so beautiful: A long-troubled man finally figuring it out with his fans, family, and friends. Nominating QOTSA for a Fandom of the Year was a no-brainer, as they have achieved their own level of equilibrium of what rock and roll, at its very essence, should be.

Release. Fate would have it, their debut single off In Times New Roman... was titled “Emotion Sickness“. “Baby don't care for me“ is the refrain Homme and the guys sang out about his ex-wife, Brody Dalle. Homme's life may have been chaotic several years prior, but I think we can all learn a lesson from his lyrics. Sometimes, it doesn't go your way, but you have to make peace with it, move on, and live your life because nobody is going to do that for you. This record was incredibly cathartic, not just for Homme, but for everyone in their band. To see Josh, Troy, Michael, Dean, and Jon play together live for the first time in pretty much five years, I am so appreciative that we finally got to see this epic rock band play up to the levels we all know they could. Not only are they as tight as they have ever been, but the demons from yesteryear seem to be nothing more than that — yesterday's news.

Go watch QOTSA live and try to leave the music venue unsatisfied. It is not very often bands are playing at an optimal level. With the momentum they have gained since the release of their new album, I would suspect the follow-up and its subsequent tour will be as advertised as well. Even if you are not a fan, you will be a fan after watching them play live.