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...
Fortress
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You keep your feelings locked away
Is it easier?
Does it make you feel safe?
You wander through the darkness
Of wilderness behind your eyes
I know you're afraid
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe
I believe I know you
Yet I don't truly know myself
I pray you won't feel as alone
As I have felt
I don't want to fail you so
I tell you the awful truth
Everyone faces darkness on their own
As I have done, so will you
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
The Earth spins 'round the sun
And behind everything happens
Every night that falls breaks
To sunrise
If your fortress is under siege
You can always run to me
If your fortress is under siege
You can always run
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
Come on through
Come on through
"Fortress" by Queens of the Stone Age is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the struggles of keeping one's feelings and vulnerabilities locked away. The lyrics focus on the metaphor of a fortress, representing the emotional walls that people put up to protect themselves from emotional harm. The song is essentially an encouragement to rise above the darkness and vulnerability and not to give up no matter what, as every fortress falls eventually.
The lyrics highlight the fact that everyone faces their own demons and darkness in life, but how we rise from those setbacks is what defines us. The singer tries to connect with the listener by sharing that he too has faced similar struggles, and he hopes that the listener does not feel alone. The song contains a reminder that we can always turn to others to help us through our struggles and that it's okay to show vulnerability and ask for help.
Overall, "Fortress" is a deeply moving and inspiring song that reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles and that there's always hope for a better tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Your heart is like a fortress
You keep your emotions guarded and protected
You keep your feelings locked away
You don't express your emotions to others
Is it easier?
Is it easier for you to keep it inside?
Does it make you feel safe?
Do you feel secure by keeping your feelings hidden?
You wander through the darkness
You are lost in a state of despair
Of wilderness behind your eyes
A place that nobody else can see
I know you're afraid
I understand that you have fear
But you gotta move on
You need to keep going despite the fear
Every fortress falls
Everyone becomes vulnerable at some point
It is not the end
It's not over yet
It ain't if you fall
Falling is not the issue
But how you rise that says
Your response to the fall shows
Who you really are
Your true character
So get up and go through
Keep moving forward
If ever your fortress caves
If you become vulnerable
You're always safe
You have a place of refuge
I believe I know you
I have an understanding of you
Yet I don't truly know myself
But I still have much to learn about myself
I pray you won't feel as alone
I hope you don't feel isolated
As I have felt
Like I have in the past
I don't want to fail you so
I don't want to let you down
I tell you the awful truth
I'm honest with you
Everyone faces darkness on their own
We all have our struggles
So will you
And so will you experience hardship
The Earth spins 'round the sun
Life keeps moving forward
And behind everything happens
There's always something more at play
Every night that falls breaks
Each night leads to a new day
To sunrise
With new possibilities
If your fortress is under siege
If you are going through a difficult time
You can always run to me
You have someone to turn to
Come on through
I'll be there for you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Dean Anthony Fertita, Joshua Michael Homme, Michael Jay Shuman, Troy Dean Van Leeuwen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
André Prexedes
[Verse 1]
Your heart is like a fortress
Keep your feelings locked away
Is it easier?
Does it make you feel safe?
You wander through the darkness
Of wilderness behind your eyes
I know you’re afraid
But you gotta move on
[Chorus 1]
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says who you really are
So get up and come through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe
[Verse 2]
I believe I know you
Yet, I don't truly know myself
I pray you won't feel as alone as I have felt
I don't want to fail you so
I tell you the awful truth
Everyone faces darkness on their own
As I have done, so will you
[Chorus 2]
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
[Verse 3]
The Earth spins round the sun
And behold
Everything happens
Every night that falls prey to sunrise
If your fortress is under siege
You can always run for me
If your fortress is under siege
You can always run
[Chorus 3]
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
Come on through
Come on through
Federico Garascia
Your heart is like a fortress
You keep your feelings locked away
Is it easier?
Does it make you feel safe?
You wander through the darkness
Of wilderness behind your eyes
I know you're afraid
But you gotta move on
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says who you really are
So get up and come through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe
I believe I know you
Yet, I don't truly know myself
I pray you won't feel as alone as I have felt
I don't want to fail you so
I tell you the awful truth
Everyone faces darkness on their own
As I have done, so will you
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
The Earth spins round the sun
And behold
Everything happens
Every night that falls prey to sunrise
If your fortress is under siege
You can always run for me
If your fortress is under siege
You can always run
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
Come on through
Come on through
Maria Oliveri
For my sons especially the chorus:
Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says
Who you really are
So get up and go through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine
stuart bingley
This song helped me through the loss of my wife, she passed away in 2017, and even now this song gives me strength.
Amr Abdelazeem
May she rest in peace, man. And may you have more strength in your years to come.
Caesar Pacheco
I’m sorry for your loss
maria lord
Me too-my husband and other things☀️✌🏼🌹
stuart bingley
maria lord ❤️
PROD: TeRd FeRgUsOn
It's helped me too.
I'm sorry for you're loss .
Believe me ,I know what its like "always remember you're never alone "
It's important.
Cheers❤️
Uncle Anaesthesia
Josh isn't just singing to his own kids... he's singing to all kids. Good music is a fortress: there's safety and comfort in it.
Tomi Hakala
Thank god he won the case against Brody Dalle. Just by listening to this song you can tell he is a great father. I knew she was full of shit right from the start
Charlotte Jones
I play it for my 18 year old son all the time!!!
Andrei Ionescu
My father recently passed away from a terrible disease, in only a matter of months, now I've only got my mom, no siblings. This song encompasses how I am my mom's fortress and she is mine. This band is so special to me, and their music seems to keep being a companion to my life. Thanks Josh and co.