The forthcoming sixth studio album from desert rock vanguards Queens Of The Stone Age is already shaping up to be one of 2013’s most highly anticipated.
There’s already been the news that Nine Inch Nails/How To Destroy Angels/all-around maverick Trent Reznor will be appearing on the new Josh Homme-helmed LP, news that came shortly after confirmation that Dave Grohl would be appearing on the as-yet untitled album; replacing long-time drummer Joey Castillo following his departure from the band last month.
Now the upcoming QOTSA album gets an unlikely musical guest that makes the record seem even more like its going to be the spiritual sequel to 2002’s Songs For The Deaf.
Estranged former bassist Nick Oliveri will appear on the new Queens Of The Stone Age album. As Stereogum reports, the surprising reunion was announced on the Facebook page of Mondo Generator, Oliveri’s mainstay band since departing QOTSA in 2004 after a serious fallout with Josh Homme, who confronted him over his reported domestic violence before sacking him from the group.
It seems that they’ve patched up their differences temporarily, with the post reading:
NEWS: Nick has re-joined Kyuss, and has recently recorded his vocals on a new Queens of the Stone Age song! Stay tuned.
Though it’s not quite a fully fledged band reunion, it’s surprising news given the complicated history between the former QOTSA bassist and Homme, not least the legal trouble the troubled bass player has had recently, narrowly avoiding 15 years in jail following a domestic abuse case that got out of hand involving a SWAT team and a house arrest.
The SWAT incident and subsequent court trials also forced Oliveri’s bandmates in Kyuss Lives! to resort to ‘Plan B’, replacing him temporarily with Scott Reeder, one of the earliest Kyuss members. But as the Mondo Generator news also points out – he’s since reunited with the stoner rock originals as well; all despite their own legal troubles with Homme and former members over the use of the Kyuss name. (Homme and Oliveri were both in the original lineup of Kyuss – keep up!)
Complicated lineup changes aside, the news of Oliveri contributing vocals to the new QOTSA album is the latest in a string of exciting reveals that are certainly setting fans’ excitement for the follow-up to 2007’s Era Vulgaris at ridiculously high levels. What with Trent Reznor contributing to the album – though not yet determined whether that’s playing, singing, producing or a combination of all of the above.
Still, with Oliveri present and Dave Grohl already in the drummer’s seat, all fans need now is a return from the gravelly voiced Mark Lanegan to make the Songs For The Deaf reunion complete – the perfect way to celebrate the album’s 10 year anniversary.
We live in hope.
