It’s been a minute since Queens of the Stone Age have been in the spotlight. Their 2017 album Villains was well received and they’ve honestly been riding a wave of success since their 2013 release …Like Clockwork.
So it only makes sense that when they’d announced plans earlier today to reissue three classic QOTSA albums, those two would be on the list along with their self-titled album. As of this post, the aqua …Like Clockwork variant is completely sold out, but there are still copies available of the clear leaf green version of Villains and the orange variant of the self-titled album.
But that’s not all that the band’s got going for it. If you head to the band’s homepage, you’ll see a stylized TV sitting in the desert with a four button menu on the right. If you click the red “Buy” button, you’ll see links for the reissues, but at the bottom there’s a little news scrawl that reads: “BREAKING: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE ALBUM LAUNCH RUMOURED TO BE ‘IMMINENT.’”
If that’s not obvious, I don’t know what is.
Then if you click the yellow “Tour” button, you’re met with a list of x’ed out tour dates — 15 dates to be exact — with the tickets column filled with “AVAILABLE SOON.” Just as on the previously mentioned screen, there’s a news scrawl that says “BREAKING: WORLDWIDE MANHUNT FOR ROCK BAND QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE.”
So I guess they’re planning to announce a multi-national tour? Hopefully they can handle whatever logistical issues that’s plagued other bands’ touring plans.
While it’s been great to hear that QOTSA is coming back, given their absence from the spotlight for a few years now, that’s not to say frontman Josh Homme’s totally secluded himself. Just last month he performed with his Them Crooked Vultures bandmates during the Taylor Hawkins tribute show in London.
He’s also found himself in the headlines for the pretty shitty year he’s had, thanks to a nasty divorce, the ensuing (and possibly losing) custody battle, and that old chestnut of allegedly threatening to kill his estranged wife’s boyfriend.
We’ll have to wait and see if these tour dates and new album announcement really are “imminent.” If they do pop up, we’ll be sure to have them.