Photo: Wenn
Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has revealed that ahead of work on the band’s latest album, ...Like Clockwork, he was in a depressive spiral that he wasn’t sure he’d emerge from.
Following complications during routine knee surgery in 2011 the guitarist and singer was hospitalised for 13 days and bed-ridden for four months, something which saw him descend into a deep depression.
Speaking with the Guardian he said: “I didn’t know if I was gonna come out. I had a pretty rough three years, but I don’t wanna harp on about it because everything for me is just a smaller set of wounds in a grander set of wounds.
“I would never say, ‘I’m probably not gonna make it out of here’. But back then, I wuld definitely think it.”
Homme also said he had no drive to make an album at the time, but that his bandmates were keen and he eventually had no choice but to ‘invite them in’ to the fog he was unable to emerge from.
But the recording process was tough, perhaps unsurprisingly.
“Making records is supposed to be fun,” he said.
“Even when they’re dark, it’s fun. But this one was spelunking - which is suposed to be fun, but really it’s just a dark deep cave.”
Coupled with Homme’s personal problems, Queens Of The Stone Age had issues with personnel, with Homme firing long-term drummer and friend Joey Castillo for reasons he choses not to divulge.
“I’m shaking hands with Elton John [one of the albums many guest stars] and all the while I'm covering up some gaping social wound because I just fired my drummer four days before. But, you know, what’s a little blood among friends?”
Joey Castillo was fired for reasons as-yet-unknown
But it’s not the first time Homme’s had to fire someone close to him, dismissing best friend Nick Oliveri after their hugely successful Songs For The Deaf.
“Some people think I must be a jerk because I fired by best friend, but the truth is I went to his house, stared him in the face and I told him how I felt. Can you do that?”
Below: What's left to get excited about this summer? QOTSA and more
Oliveri is now back in the QOTSA collective, singing backing on 'If I Had A Tail', with previous collaborators Dave Grohl and Mark Lanegan also contributing to the new record.
QOTSA’s ...Like Clockwork is released tomorrow (June 3). The band will play an in-store gig at Rough Trade East on June 11.
