Queens of the Stone Age Set to Record New Album, Reissue 'Rated R'

Posted on Jul 7th 2010 12:00PM by Mike Ayers

Even with his duties as vocalist and guitarist for Them Crooked Vultures, Josh Homme is taking Queens of the Stone Age back into the studio after the band's late August festival run in Europe. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Homme says that the next record will be "all about wiggling hips. The music is gonna go further down that strange and lovely path of [2007's] 'Era Vulgaris.'"

The other members of the band haven't been short of activity. Keyboardist/guitarist Dean Fertita has been moonlighting as Jack White's axeman in the Dead Weather, guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen has been active with his band Sweethead and drummer Joey Castillo has been helping out sleaze-rock outfit Eagles of Death Metal. And there's always the possibility that Homme could log some more studio time with Them Crooked Vultures -- we know he's game.

But until the Queens actually get going, fans will have to make do with the band's second album, 'Rated R,' getting the 10th anniversary reissue treatment. The new 'Rated R' will of course contain the album, plus a bonus disc that includes live versions taken from the band's 2000 Reading Festival performance, with everyone's favorite ode to drugs, 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer,' and 'The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret' promising to be potential standouts. Several B-sides will be included as well, including covers of Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain,' the Kinks' 'Who'll Be the Next in Line' and Romeo Void's 'Never Say Never.'

Adding to Homme's busy schedule is the fact that he's reviving Rekords Rekords, his pet label project that issued the Homme musical collective 'Desert Sessions' and the Eagles of Death Metal albums. He's now teamed up with indie label Dangerbird Records and is set to release Queens' bassist Alain Johannes' solo debut, 'Spark,' on Aug. 31. Other future Rekords Rekords releases include a 'Desert Sessions' box set and more Eagles of Death Metal albums.

In other words, Josh Homme might be taking over from Jack White as the busiest man in music.