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...
In the Fade
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Countin' and breathin', I'm leaving here tomorrow
They don't know I never do you any good
Laughin' is easy, I would if I could
Ain't gonna worry
Just live till you die, want to drown
With nowhere to fall into the arms of someone
You live till you die
Live till you die, I know
Loosing feelin', but I couldn't get the way ?
Countin' and breathin', disappearin' in the fade
They don't know I never do you any good
Stoppin' and stayin', I would if I could
Ain't gonna worry
Just live till you die, want to drown
With nowhere to fall into the arms of someone
There's nothing to save I know
You live till you die
Queens of the Stone Age's song "In the Fade" is a melancholic yet empowering track that touches on themes of despair and hopelessness. The song opens with the haunting imagery of cracks in the ceiling and crooked pictures in the hall. The singer is counting and breathing, preparing to leave the next day, and reflecting on the fact that they never did any good for someone they cared about. Laughing would be easy if they could but they can't. The lyrics exude a deep sense of sadness and resignation, as if the singer has given up on trying to make things right.
However, as the song progresses, there is a shift in the singer's attitude. They declare that they're not going to worry and will live until they die. They express a desire to drown and fall into the arms of someone, indicating a willingness to surrender to the moment and be comforted by the embrace of another. They acknowledge that there is nothing to save, but the message is not one of defeat. Instead, it is a call to embrace life and enjoy every moment, even in the face of despair.
Overall, "In the Fade" is a powerful song that speaks to the human experience of feeling lost, alone, and powerless. But it also offers a glimmer of hope and a reminder to keep pushing forward, to keep living until the end. It's a poignant and meaningful message that makes the song a standout in Queens of the Stone Age's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Cracks in the ceiling, crooked pictures in the hall
The surroundings are messed up and imperfect
Countin' and breathin', I'm leaving here tomorrow
Feeling trapped and suffocated, planning to leave soon
They don't know I never do you any good
Others don't realize that I am not beneficial for you
Laughin' is easy, I would if I could
Happiness is fleeting and difficult to obtain
Ain't gonna worry
There's no point in worrying
Just live till you die, want to drown
Live life to the fullest even if it means taking risks
With nowhere to fall into the arms of someone
Feeling alone and helpless
There's nothing to save I know
Unable to save oneself or others from a certain fate
You live till you die
Keep going even if the situation seems bleak
Loosing feelin', but I couldn't get the way ?
Feeling numb and lost
Countin' and breathin', disappearin' in the fade
Slowly fading away and losing oneself
Stoppin' and stayin', I would if I could
Wishing to stop or stay, but unable to do so
Live till you die, I know
Acknowledging the inevitability of death but choosing to keep living
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joshua Michael Homme, Mark William Lanegan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind