FEATURE: Songs for the Hard of Hearing: Queens of the Stone Age’s Vinyl Reissues and a Chance to Inspire the Rock Scene

FEATURE:

 

Songs for the Hard of Hearing

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Queens of the Stone Age’s Vinyl Reissues and a Chance to Inspire the Rock Scene

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MAYBE it is hard to see a direct connection…

but I am looking around Rock at the moment and not seeing a lot of swagger and variation. There are some great Post-Punk bands and, aside from the likes of Foals, Sharon Van Etten and The Raconteurs, there has not been much in the way of interesting Rock. Perhaps there are some lesser-reviewed records I have missed; I do think Rock has taken a back seat to other genres over the past few years – which will fuel that eternal question: Is Rock Dead? I do not think Rock will ever die out but, when it comes to a band who have managed to compel and stand tall throughout their career, few hit harder than Queens of the Stone Age. Their eponymous debut arrived in 1998 and, since their last album (Villains in 2017), the band have hardly dropped a beat. I will talk about their music in a minute but, for those who have longed for some Queens of the Stone Age classics on vinyl, your prayers have been answered! Tone Deaf explain in detail:

“This year is turning into a big one for fans of Josh Homme, with the first four records from Queens Of The Stone Age set to receive a vinyl reissue.

Back in the mid-’90s, stoner-rock fans were undoubtedly heartbroken to learn of the break-up of genre icons Kyuss. Having delivered crushing riffs and melodic grooves for close to a decade, things found themselves looking up soon after when Josh Homme announced the formation of new band, Queens Of The Stone Age.

Releasing their self-titled debut in 1998, the band signed to Interscope soon afterwards and entered the mainstream with records like Rated R, and Songs For The Deaf, whose lead single ‘No One Knows’ topped the 2002 Hottest 100.

Now, a bunch of the band’s records are set to receive a special vinyl reissue, with these classic records coming to a turntable near you.

Announced via social media yesterday, the band’s Interscope discography is set to be reissued in the coming months, with Rated R and Songs For The Deaf dropping on November 22nd, while Lullabies To Paralyze and Era Vulgaris are planned for release on December 20th.

Released on high-quality, 180gram vinyl, these records are set to be a vital addition to the collection of any self-respecting stoner-rock fan. While there’s no word whether these reissues will contain vinyl-only tracks like ‘Ode To Clarissa’, ‘Bloody Hammer’, or ‘Running Joke’, we’re definitely hoping these classics will make an appearance.

In related news, stoner-rock fans are also in for a treat later this month, with Josh Homme set to release the first new music from his Desert Sessions collective since 2003 on October 25th.

After teasing the project’s return earlier this year, fans began to speculate something was up following rumours of Dave Grohl and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons working on the next Queens Of The Stone Age record.

As it turned out, these rumours were only half correct, with Gibbons soon being confirmed to appear to the newest record from The Desert Sessions, alongside an all-star cast of collaborators, including Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint), Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters), Mike Kerr (Royal Blood), Carla Azar (Autolux, Jack White), Les Claypool (Primus), Matt Sweeney and Matt Berry (The IT Crowd)”.

I am glad Josh Homme is working on new music and, although we might not see a new Queens of the Stone Age album for some time, it is great the Ginger Elvis is concocting some fresh tunes. As vinyl continues to grow and we are still buying it, you will get artists bringing out their older albums on the format. I love reissues, because there is something magical in vinyl. Hearing an album like Rated R (my favourite Queens of the Stone Age album) on vinyl is something I am not going to pass by – I am going to grab a copy. Whilst this news story might only appeal to fans of Homme and his crew, I think the release of these albums on vinyl should act as a guide to bands of the moment. I can’t remember when, but I wrote a piece years ago concerning Queens of the Stone Age; arguing why they were one of the last true Rock bands around. Look around now and there are few acts who have the same elements as the legends Queens of the Stone Age. It is good to see fired-up Post-Punk and Alternative bands; we have some great Indie-Pop and bands who are doing things their own way. I miss Rock music that is anthemic and sticks in the head. I am not sure what it is about Queens of the Stone Age, but they can get the hips wiggling with their mix of cool-cum-gritty.

Listen to classics like No One Knows (from Songs for the Deaf) and The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret (from Rated R) and these songs are ingrained in the brain. I think there was a cut off period when we had great Rock bands producing these timeless and incredible songs. We no longer have The White Stripes around – although Jack White is working with The Raconteurs -, yet the fact there is a new podcast available suggests there is an appetite for the superb duo. I am not suggested Rock has evolved to the point where it is too serious but, like Pop and other genres, there is a sense of fun and groove missing. Queens of the Stone Age have never lost that sense of the funny and cheeky, even when the amps are near explosion and they are threatening to set fire to the studio! They have barely calmed with age and Josh Homme remains one of the coolest leads ever. Maybe that is another thing: the absence of iconic and fascinating frontmen/women. Again, there are a few bands who seem to match the spirit and brilliance of Queens of the Stone Age. I think a lot of today’s Rock is either pretty negative or tries to hit the heavens and falls flat. Sure, artists can still pen hooks and melodies; what I am finding is fewer and fewer artists are able to write in an optimistic way but bring the noise – there are some more angered Queens of the Stone Age songs, but there is tenderness and cool in every beat.

I think it is that effortless cool and flow that has always defined the Queens of the Stone Age sound. Maybe the band are unique in that sense? If Pop music has fallen on its arse and has lost the art of being able to create big choruses and fun, maybe Rock has a bigger role to play now more than ever?! If Rock music exists and continues to move, it is clear there has been a transmogrification since the early-‘00s. This article from earlier in the year explains how Rock has stalled a bit – and the definition of a Rock star is changed:

“So what does this tell us? Well, for one, it's clear that people don't know what rock is anymore, and modern rock is in such a dismal place that listeners are revisiting Queen to scratch that itch. "For the last few years, the Billboard rock charts have been an abysmal slog of new pop artists that occasionally hold guitars like fashion accessories," wrote Noisey. The article goes on to cite the uncanny rise of The Guardians of the Galaxy 2 soundtrack, which dominated the chart for 22 weeks and eventually hit number one. At the 2018 and 2019 Grammys, they didn't even bother to air the Best Rock Album category. This year's winners, Greta Van Fleet, whose album Anthem of a Peaceful Army debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, are only famous because they sound like a B-list Led Zeppelin. "Greta Van Fleet is all costume," read a scathing review on Pitchfork, referring to the band's cliche 70's fashion choices. "They make music that sounds exactly like Led Zeppelin and demand very little other than forgetting how good Led Zeppelin often were." The group's nostalgic appeal only adds to the stagnancy of modern rock and proves that even the genre's up-and-comers can't craft anything new from its ashes.

So what's next for rock and roll? Well, The Black Keys recently debuted their first new song in five years, but it's not exactly a groundbreaking addition to their discography. As for The Arctic Monkeys, their highly anticipated Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino polarized its fans, with many dismissing the project as melodramatic and self-indulgent. "Even a nice classic-feeling pop melody...devolves into a lurching drag," wrote Rolling Stone of the project. Critics had similar critiques on Jack White's Boarding House Reach. "Sadly, the years have steadily whittled the playfulness from White's material," wrote Pitchfork. "His work is now too lumbering and unmoored for anyone to take much pleasure in it."

Even the term "rockstar" is being pinned more frequently to rappers, with artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Danny Brown now claiming the title. As artists like Breaking Benjamin, Nickelback, Gerard Way, Slipknot, and Buckcherry continue to create carbon copies of their early 2000s sound, artists like Juice WRLD, XXXTentacion, and the late Lil Peep have fused rock with Hip-Hop influences – with the resulting concoction brandishing a whole new subgenre of music. Rock has officially retired, and the longer these dying acts hold onto the mantle (i.e. Adam Levine at the Super Bowl) instead of passing it over to where it belongs, the sadder they inevitably become. Let the greats be great, but can we stop pretending that "modern rock" exists?”.

Maybe, then, Queens of the Stone Age are one of the last surviving Rock bands who can genuinely hold a candle to the very best! I do think there has been a widening of the Rock scope and, in a bid to keep the genre fresh and expansive, some of the heart and purity has vanished.

Maybe tastes have altered, and we are favouring other genres. I look around at articles that ask whether Rock is dead and what has happened. I am not suggesting the reissues of Queens of the Stone Age albums will ignite a new Rock revolution…it might give upcoming bands some guidance and inspiration when they are penning their tunes. Maybe the pressures we feel in life and on social media is impacting the sound and feel of genres like Rock. It is a shame, but Queens of the Stone Age prove that Rock still can thrill and is not entirely dead. Maybe Muse are one of those bands who are still injecting fun, drama and something interesting into Rock but, largely, there are few thrills and standout moments. As we wonder when the next Queens of the Stone Age album will arrive, make sure you snap up their vinyl releases and enjoy the music. I know many out there are die-hards; some will be new converts, but everyone needs to check out the mighty Queens of the Stone Age. I think, as we celebrate some old/new arrivals, it will give impetus for artists; some charge and lightening that, let’s hope, resonates with artists out there. Rock is not completely doomed but, as we listen to what is out there, one cannot say it is overly fruitful. I think, with more bands like Queens of the Stone Age in the world, Rock music will be…

IN a much better state.

Sam Liddicott