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The Side Projects of Jack White and Josh Homme
Over the past couple of years, my inbox has teemed with press releases making ample use of the word “supergroup.” It seemed that 2008-09 were to bands what 1978-79 were to marriage—indie artists worth their salt need to partner swap to stay with it. Sticking the tour van keys into a bowl at the beginning of the party, M. Ward and Jim James pulled out Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis’ to form Monsters of Folk, while James Iha and Adam Schlesinger got Taylor Hanson and Bun E. Carlos to form the weirdest generational mash up ever, Tinted Windows. But a couple of greedy gents dipped their mitts in twice, forming bands on the side of their side bands, and only one will be allowed to get away with it.
Jack White and Josh Homme are both reigning kings of the retro-rock scene: The former for founding two-piece garage-rock machine the White Stripes, and the latter for leading the rowdy riff rock of Queens of the Stone Age. White got a jump on the supergroup trend when, in 2005, he formed the Raconteurs with Brendan Benson and Greenhorns members Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence, and then doubled down in 2009, sliding behind the drum set and bringing Jack Lawrence along to form the Dead Weather with the Kills’ Alison Mosshart and QOTSA’s Dean Fertita. Homme’s first side project—Eagles of Death Metal,which started in 1998, with its first album released in 2004—avoids the supergroup label, as its main lineup contains only Homme and friend Jesse “The Devil” Hughes, while his 2009 collaboration with Dave Grohl and legendary Led Zepplin bassist John Paul Jones is the textbook definition of the supergroup cliché, bringing together three rock powerhouses.
Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
(Interscope, 2009)
The debut album from hard rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures is a fairly mediocre exercise until you take into consideration bassist John Paul Jones. It was probably no easy feat for the other two Vultures, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, to record an album with a Revolutionary War hero who died precisely 217 years ago. That they could rouse any kind of performance from the long-expired sea captain is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle. Them Crooked Vultures deserve not only a Grammy but several major scientific awards for defying the laws of nature in such a bold, successful manner.
I have just been informed that the John Paul Jones in question is actually the bass player from English music legends Led Zeppelin. While that’s still quite a “get” for our pals Homme and Grohl (Zep’s Jones is known for his finicky nature), it saddens me to learn the space-time continuum has not actually been ruptured by Brody Dalle’s husband and the former drummer for Nirvana. Maybe next time, guys.
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Era Vulgaris
(Interscope/Rekords Rekords, 2007)
If you find a formula that works, you stick with it, right? And when that permits an audience to zone out for droning, hypnotic melodies, and then snap back to it getting rowdy while propulsive drums and screeching guitar kicks in, as they pound beer and simultaneously smoke a joint… it’s no doubt this combo succeeds in the world of rock ‘n’ roll.
Yes, this formula has been mastered by Queens of the Stone Age, who have returned with the highly anticipated Era Vulgaris. A revolving cast of musicians have worked with veteran Josh Homme in the past, and for QOTSA’s fifth album, Julian Casablancas from the Strokes joins in on multiple fronts, Mark Lanegan returns for a guest vocal appearance, and the Distillers’ Brody Dalle (and Josh’s wife) contributes her signature raspy pipes to the project too. Chris Goss produces, and these guest musicians complement the definitive sound QOTSA created for themselves all the way back when they released their debut record in 1998, nearly a decade ago.
David Grohl Overdoses on Caffeine
by: Jocelyn Hoppa
Them Crooked Vultures recently made yuks about how drummer Dave Grohl, the biggest guy in rock ‘n’ roll, was “rushed to the doctor” because he’d overdosed on caffeine. Anyway, now there’s a pretty entertaining video called “Fresh Pots!” that explains Grohl’s coffee addiction, which also features Josh Homme and John Paul Jones.
If you’ve ever seen Grohl perform live, you know… his energy level is off the charts. Whatever of his music, he looks like fun.
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by: Jocelyn Hoppa
published: March 17, 2010
in column: What Goes On
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