Twenty-nine years after Kyuss dissolved and Queens of the Stone Age emerged, Josh Homme’s ever-evolving project continues to dig deeper—this time, down to the Paris Catacombs.
On its current tour inspired by the new EP and concert film Alive in the Catacombs, QOTSA sounds less like the desert rock titans that shook the mainstream rock genre with Songs for the Deaf and more like sonic archaeologists, brushing dust from their own bones.
“The five songs are deep cuts off our records that we reimagined for the specific film in the catacombs,” says bassist Michael “Shoes” Shuman. “There’s no point in going down there and pretending to be a loud rock band in a very unwrought space. We knew we wanted to do this somewhat orchestrally.”
The film and EP, both recorded in the massive underground labyrinth, bring new atmosphere to tracks like “Running Joke/Paper Machete,” “Villains of Circumstance” and “Suture Up Your Future.” The arrangements are truly beautiful. They sway like lullabies before pitching you headfirst into despair. Homme’s vocals capture a strange elegance and pain that’s amplified by the space and driven by the acoustic whispers of the instruments.
Working under those conditions wasn’t easy. Homme, who’s been struggling since his cancer diagnosis in 2022, pushed himself through the recording.
“The process was extremely difficult. Josh [Homme] was dealing with some major health issues, which actually caused us to cancel the rest of our tour. So, this is the last thing we got to do before we went home, and I’m shocked that he even made it through,” says Shuman. “It was extremely emotional, extremely vulnerable and very existential, doing the catacombs and doing it under the duress that we were under.”
The band pulled together the ensemble arrangements and in less than a week collaborated with three Parisian string players who tied the project’s essence together.
“We have different string players and horn players in every city, so it’s scary because you’ve never met these people. You have no idea if they’re going to fully understand it, if they’re prepared. But they’re professionals. They’re professional musicians, unlike us,” jokes Shuman.
The tour is a short, intimate run through historic theaters in North America.
“It’s been really fun to do something we’ve never done before,” he says. “They’re smaller shows, they’re seated, and we’re playing a bunch of deep cuts ... it’s really for the fans.”
But between those specially curated performances, along with the Black Crowes and Neon Trees, QOTSA will plug in and crank it back up at SEMA Fest on November 7.
“We’re not here to piss people off or not play the songs they want to hear,” Shuman says. “They spent their money—this is their night out. We want to give them a good time.”
And SEMA feels like home turf. The band’s love of classic machines runs deep. Homme has a 1967 Camaro that’s been resurrected by Dallas’ Gas Monkey Garage, which has an annual presence at the event.
“I’m not a huge car guy, but the four other dudes, you know, ride motorcycles. ... Especially Troy [Van Leeuwen] and Josh, they love classic cars,” says Shuman.
As for the state of rock, Shuman, who’s been with the band for 19 years, sounds both nostalgic and cautiously hopeful. “I think rock music is making a resurgence,” he says. “It’s exciting to see bands from the ’90s and early 2000s coming back and selling big venues. It feels like rock is starting to poke its head out again.”
SEMA FEST November 7, 3:45 p.m., $95+. Las Vegas Convention Center Bronze Lot, semafest.com.
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