While in high school, Homme got together with locals Brant Bjork, Chris Cockrell (later replaced by Nick Oliveri) and John Garcia resulting in the formation of Kyuss (firstly known as "Sons of Kyuss"). Queens of the Stone Age formed in 1997, rising from the ashes of Kyuss and began playing together during the now legendary Desert Sessions. Homme has drawn all of the members from that diverse group of musicians for Queens of the Stone Age. The band originally formed under the name Gamma Ray, but almost faced a lawsuit from the European metal band of the same name.
Queens of the Stone Age have gone through many line-up changes since first breaking into the hard rock scene. Their most recent line-up includes: Josh Homme (guitar, vocals), Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar, lap steel, keyboards, backing vocals), Jon Theodore (drums, percussion), Michael Shuman (bass, backing vocals), and Dean Fertita (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals).
Former core members include Joey Castillo, Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider, Mark Lanegan, and Nick Oliveri, among other members and contributors. In 2002, regarding the band line-up, Homme said: "It really is more of a musical experiment… It keeps moving and reinventing itself. That way we never get painted into a corner."
Dave Grohl recorded drums, percussion and backing vocals on Songs for the Deaf and toured in support of the album in 2002 before returning to the Foo Fighters. Grohl also made a live appearance in 2007, to play Make It wit Chu, and recorded tracks on …Like Clockwork, following Joey Castillo's departure.
Mark Lanegan has long been an on/off vocalist for the band, toured from 2001 to 2005 and made live appearances in 2007 and 2010. He has recorded with the band on all albums except for their self-titled debut album. Lanegan has also played keyboards in live performances during the tour preceding the release of Lullabies to Paralyze, before Natasha Shneider joined the band.
Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri were seen as the only two consistent Queens of the Stone Age members. Oliveri had previously played alongside Homme in the band Kyuss and joined Queens of the Stone Age as its permanent bass guitarist and co-lead vocalist, in 1998, upon the release of its debut album, Queens of the Stone Age. Being friends since childhood, the two meshed well together. Oliveri's punk background brought an element of danger and attitude to the Queens' live shows. As the band's two core members, the duo recorded the breakthrough albums, Rated R and Songs for the Deaf, together. Oliveri's unique "howling" singing style made him easily distinguishable on songs such as Six Shooter from the album Songs for the Deaf; he also displays a more melodic singing style in Rated R songs such as Auto Pilot.
However, Homme fired Oliveri in 2004 for excessive partying and an alleged incident of domestic abuse (an accusation which Oliveri strongly denies). The duo repaired their friendship shortly afterwards. Oliveri, however, did not return to the band. In 2013, upon hearing that former contributor Dave Grohl was recording drums for the band's sixth studio album, …Like Clockwork, Oliveri asked Homme if he too could return on bass guitar. Homme ultimately did not grant Oliveri's request. He does, however, appear on backing vocals on the album track, If I Had a Tail.
Diskographie:
1997 - Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age
1998 - Queens of the Stone Age / Beaver Split
1998 - Queens of the Stone Age
2000 - Rated R
2002 - Songs for the Deaf
2002 - Sample This School Boy
2002 - 2002-10-29: Rock City, Nottingham, UK
2002 - 2002-11-06: Stockholm, Sweden
2003 - Songs For The Deaf Tour Edition
2004 - Stone Age Complication
2005 - Lullabies to Paralyze
2005 - Lullabies To Paralize Tour Edition
2005 - MTV Unplugged (Berlin 2005-06-10)
2005 - Over the Years and Through the Woods
2006 - 2005-12-20: Los Angeles, CA, USA
2006 - Over The Years And Through The Woods
2007 - The Definitive Collection Of B-sides & Rarities
2007 - Era Vulgaris
2008 - Era Vulgaris Tour Edition
2013 - ...Like Clockwork
2017 - Villains
2023 - In Times New Roman...
No One Knows
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That and this
These and those
No one knows
We get these pills to swallow
How they stick
In your throat
Tastes like gold
Oh, what you do to me
No one knows
And I realize you're mine
Indeed a fool am I
And I realize you're mine
Indeed a fool am I
Ah
I journey through the desert
Of the mind
With no hope
I follow
I drift along the ocean
Dead lifeboats in the sun
And come undone
Pleasantly caving in
I come undone
And I realize you're mine
Indeed a fool am I
And I realize you're mine
Indeed a fool am I
Ah
Heaven smiles above me
What a gift here below
But no one knows
A gift that you give to me
No one knows
The lyrics to Queens of the Stone Age's song "No One Knows" can be interpreted in various ways. The opening lines "We get some rules to follow, that and this, these and those, no one knows" suggest that the singer is confused and overwhelmed by the constraints and expectations of society. The reference to pills that are difficult to swallow may represent the challenges and difficulties of navigating life's obstacles. However, the taste of gold suggests that there may be rewards in life that are worth struggling for.
The lyrics also hint at a romantic relationship, with lines such as "Oh, what you do to me, no one knows," and "And I realize you're mine, indeed a fool am I." These lyrics suggest that the singer is in love but may not fully understand or appreciate the depth of those feelings. There is also a sense of introspection and self-reflection, with the lines "I journey through the desert of the mind with no hope I follow" and "Pleasantly caving in I come undone."
Overall, the lyrics of "No One Knows" seem to explore themes of confusion, hopelessness, and uncertainty, but also hint at the possibility of finding meaning and connection in life.
Interesting Facts about "No One Knows":
* The song was released in 2002 on Queens of the Stone Age's album "Songs for the Deaf."
* The song's main riff is played on a 12-string guitar.
* Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters played drums on the studio version of the song.
* The music video for "No One Knows" was directed by Dean Karr and features the band playing on a rooftop.
* The song was a commercial success, reaching #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.
* "No One Knows" has been covered by numerous artists, including Green Day, Mastodon, and 30 Seconds to Mars.
* The song has been used in various films, television shows, and video games, including "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band."
* The bridge section of the song features a vocal harmony by bassist Nick Oliveri that is in a different language (Spanish) than the rest of the lyrics.
* The song's opening riff is often used as a warm-up exercise for guitarists.
* In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the song #64 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Chords:
The chords to "No One Knows" are G, C, F, and A#. The song's opening riff is played on a 12-string guitar in a drop C tuning.
Line by Line Meaning
We get some rules to follow
We are given instructions and guidelines to adhere to.
That and this
We are expected to comply with various things, big and small.
These and those
We must observe both the principles we comprehend and those we cannot.
No one knows
There is no clear knowledge or understanding of why things are the way they are.
We get these pills to swallow
We are handed medications to ingest.
How they stick
These drugs are difficult to swallow and can feel unpalatable.
In your throat
These pills have a physical impact on our body.
Tastes like gold
These pills seem valuable and important, but their actual worth and benefit is unclear.
Oh, what you do to me
My experience is impacted by unknown factors.
No one knows
There is no way to fully comprehend these changes and how they impact us.
And I realize you're mine
I come to understand that I am responsible for my own life and choices.
Indeed a fool am I
I recognize that I have not made the best choices and have made mistakes.
And I realize you're mine
I understand that I am the only one with the power to make changes in my own life.
Indeed a fool am I
I acknowledge that there are areas I need to grow and learn.
Ah
This realization brings up mixed emotions, such as regret and optimism.
I journey through the desert
I go through a difficult and dry period in my life.
Of the mind
This period is more mental than physical, and affects my thoughts and feelings.
With no hope
I feel hopeless and lost during this time.
I follow
Despite feeling lost, I continue to try and find direction in my life.
I drift along the ocean
I metaphorically travel along rocky and turbulent waters in my life.
Dead lifeboats in the sun
I am surrounded by things that have failed, even in the brightness of the sun.
And come undone
I am unraveling and falling apart during this time.
Pleasantly caving in
Feeling helpless and without direction almost seems like a relief, even as it is difficult.
I come undone
This difficult time continues to cause me to feel untethered and chaotic.
Heaven smiles above me
A sense of peace and hope starts to envelop me, as though from a higher power.
What a gift here below
There are blessings and opportunities around me that have gone unnoticed.
But no one knows
Despite these gifts, there is still a sense of isolation and a lack of understanding.
A gift that you give to me
Some of these gifts and opportunities are brought into my life by others.
No one knows
Even with these moments of grace, there is still much that remains uncertain and unexplained.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Josh Homme, Nick S. Oliveri, Mark William Lanegan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind