Fear not Queens of the Stone Age fans, rumors frontman Josh Homme was going to have to take time off for surgery are as of now, moot. Thanks to a doctor's visit, the redheaded singer's knee injury won't be affecting their latest upcoming tour.

"He had surgery [Wednesday] and I haven't talked to him since," guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen tells Spinner during a brief respite, at home in L.A. "I think he's pretty groggy at the moment."

This week wasn't Homme's first knee surgery. Just so it doesn't cause trouble in the future, the raven-haired guitarist is planning on offering some advice to the Queens team captain. "I think I should convince him to wear different shoes -- something that slides a little more, that way he can fall on his head [instead]," Van Leeuwen jokes.

One thing that will help Homme out possibly, is the addition of a couple of new members to Team Queens: former Raconteurs multi-instrumentalist Dean Fertita and Mike Shuman from Wires on Fire on bass. In the case of Shuman, Van Leeuwen admits QOTSA haven't quite given him a proper welcome, or should we say, initiation. "We haven't put him through a lot. There are plenty of opportunities, the hazing's about to begin," he laughs.

So what kind of rituals might the new bass player be put through? "We'll put him in a room full of groupies and see if he can crawl his way out," the guitarist answers fittingly.

Such spirited adventures aren't just for QOTSA bandmates though. Van Leewen says his band enjoys all sorts of on tour camaraderie and sportsmanship with other ensembles while on the road. In fact, the Queens recently trounced some chart toppers on away turf. "Maroon 5 challenged us to a drinking contest at Nobu in London," he says. "They got served."

So, Spinner readers, if your band happens to cross paths with the Queens, Troy wants you to know, they are always ready for an alcoholic throwdown. "It'll be a good game," he warns before offering a tip on their training techniques. "We watch 'Beerfest' every day."