Queens of the stone age

Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California. It is formed in 1996 following the dissolution of the Kyuss group. Sometimes classified as stoner rock or hard rock, Queens of the Stone Age (sometimes abbreviated as QotSA or QOTSA) has seen many staff changes over the years. Josh Homme (vocals and guitar) is the only founding member to appear on all albums in the band.

After the separation of the group Kyuss, Josh Homme decides to create his own group. He surrounds himself with Matt Cameron (ex-Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) on drums, Van Conner (formerly Screaming Trees) on bass and John McBain on Monster Magnet on guitar.

The band is then called Gamma Ray, and makes a first EP soberly titled Gamma Ray in January 1996. Man must then change the name of the band, since a German power metal band already using this name threatens to sue them if they do not change their name. Josh Homme then chooses the name Queens of the Stone Age. He would have chosen this name following a joke launched by Chris Goss during a studio recording with Kyuss. Man adds: "Kings of the Stone Age would have been too macho, they wear armor, have axes and fight. The Stone Age Queens were hanging out with the girlfriends of the Stone Age Kings when they left to fight. It's also a name that Chris Goss gave us. Rock should be heavy enough for boys and sweet enough for girls. "

In December of the same year, the band released a split-album, Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age , first album under the name Queens of the Stone Age. It contains three titles recorded before the separation of Kyuss and three new songs recorded by QOTSA>. After the release of the album, Homme separates from McBain and Cameron and hires Alfredo Hernández on drums. In 1998 released the first studio album of the group, Queens of the Stone Age . Well received by the critics, the album is certified silver disc in the United Kingdom with nearly 60 000 copies sold. AllMusic salutes the new genre of music created by Josh Homme and an overflowing creativity, which avoids the comparison with his former group Kyuss>.