Clash was well into the festival spirit when we met ROCK GOD Josh Homme three hours after the anticipated time. Though more than a little bit merry himself, The Queens of The Stone Age front man was excited to be back at the UK most respected music festival. On day one of Reading, we spoke to Homme about writing on the road, Vivienne Westwood and being a support act.
CLASH: So when are you off to Leeds?
HOMME: Tomorrow. Not meaning to run away but these are our last two shows for this record so we just want to throw them down basically.
CLASH: About the next record, do you usually write on the road?
HOMME: Not always but we play always. There are always things in certain stages of development. If they are not finished themselves then I don’t push on them, I just let them finish themselves because it’s not really up to me. So all these different things in their various states you just pick them up whenever you want them, they’re like half made toys, just play with them anyways.
CLASH: Like a clown puppet without a head….
HOMME: Yeah like a clown head without a body.
CLASH: Oh that’s weird!
HOMME: The clown heads, they’re playing us..
CLASH: Dave Grohl once said that the only two bands you just can’t open for are Rage Against the Machine and The Prodigy. How do you feel about opening for RATM then?
HOMME: Well, we’ve done it a few times this year and I like playing with them because they bring everything out of the kitchen sink, you know? And you just got to do what you do and throw it down and not give a f*** what anyone else thinks. I can’t let shit like that matter, they are one of the best live bands in the world, but we’re playing before they are. Maybe if you were playing after or some shit? But we’re here to do what we do no matter what anyone else does. And you can’t think of it any other way.
CLASH: Do you think that maybe Dave Grohl was high when he said that?
HOMME: No, I know for a fact he wasn’t. Defiantly not! I think really what he is saying is that they are one of the best live bands in the world, and they really are. They do something special to the crowd, which is really awesome. But, if you are not tired by the end of us and them… Then you’ve f**ked up basically! That’s the way I figure it.
They are one of the best live bands in the world, and they really are
CLASH: Do you ever get star struck backstage at a festival?
HOMME: We met Vivienne Westwood last night and that sort of.. I was really intrigued by her but I don’t know. I can’t say I get stars truck necessarily by bands. I get more star struck by comedians I really like. Like this guy Jeffery Ross, he’s really funny and when I met him I was like, “Woo, f**k Jeffery Ross!” So not by bands because it’s what we all do. Do you get star struck?
CLASH: Um…. I.. ah… maybe..
HOMME: Tom Waits maybe would probably blow my mind.
CLASH: He’s done quite a few cameos in films. Have you done a cameo yet?
HOMME: No, just one but dressed as someone else you couldn’t… you wouldn’t be able to tell it was me so it did feel weird. But I think that musicians can do some acting but actors can’t do music because I don’t think people want their music to be acted. I think they want to be real, you know. It’s a one-way door basically.
CLASH: Taking a step back to Vivienne Westwood, do you consider yourself quite fashionable?
HOMME: I’m like a desert I have no fashion sense. But I know what I like on other people. I have had every bad haircut; I didn’t own a pair of pants until I was twelve. You know, I was born in the dirt, so I don’t know shit about clothes but I know what I like.
CLASH: Finally, I remember seeing Queens of the Stone Age in 2005 at a festival where Ryan Adams played directly before you. I remember Ryan having a number of things hurled at him by QOTSA fans, and the set generally not going down well..
HOMME: Yeah I remember. He came up to me after that show and said “thanks”. I was like “you’re welcome” (chuckle). That will learn him.
