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...
Tangled Up in Plaid
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't mean to do it that way.
But I blew in on a whim, gone tomorrow?
I've gone today
Oh yeah oh yeah
Oh oh oh oh yeah
Lets play it loud and let each other lose
A win would cause an alarm
Don't matter to me
Don't matter to you
Oh yeah oh yeah
Oh oh oh oh yeah
I could keep you all for myself
I know
You gotta be free
So free yourself
I could keep you all for myself
I know
You gotta be free
So free yourself
Self inflicted wound, your gift,
Impeccable aim
Can really clear a room
All the bodies piled up in your way
Oh yeah it hurts so bad
Oh oh oh oh yeah
I could keep you all for myself
I know
You gotta be free
So free yourself
I could keep you all for myself
I know
You gotta be free
To kill yourself
The lyrics to Queens of the Stone Age's "Tangled Up in Plaid" depict the singer's desire for freedom, both for themselves and their loved ones. The imagery of slipping and blowing in on a whim suggests a lack of control and a sense of transience, while the call to "play it loud and let each other lose" suggests a desire for wild abandon and a disregard for consequences. The line "a win would cause an alarm" suggests that the singer values freedom over any material success.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn, with the mention of a "self inflicted wound" and "impeccable aim" that can "really clear a room." The reference to "bodies piled up in your way" suggests a violent disposition, which the singer acknowledges is painful ("oh yeah it hurts so bad"). However, rather than condemning this behavior, the singer encourages their loved ones to "free themselves" even if that means they may ultimately "kill yourself."
Overall, "Tangled Up in Plaid" is a song about the complicated relationship between freedom and self-destruction. The singer recognizes the value of free will, but also acknowledges the potential consequences of that freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
I slipped,
I made a mistake, unintentionally
Didn't mean to do it that way.
I did not intend for things to turn out this way
But I blew in on a whim, gone tomorrow?
Did I come here impulsively with the knowledge that I will leave soon after?
I've gone today
I am leaving right now
Come,
Join me
Lets play it loud and let each other lose
Let's have fun and not worry about the outcome or consequences
A win would cause an alarm
Winning could create trouble
Don't matter to me
I am indifferent to the outcome
Don't matter to you
You too, do not care about winning or losing
I could keep you all for myself
I could possess you entirely
I know
I am aware
You gotta be free
You need to be liberated
So free yourself
Take control of your freedom
Self inflicted wound, your gift,
You are hurting yourself, and you think it is a blessing
Impeccable aim
You deliver pain with precision
Can really clear a room
Your methods of inflicting pain can empty a place
All the bodies piled up in your way
You have hurt and offended many along the way
Oh yeah it hurts so bad
It is painful but still alluring
I know
I understand
You gotta be free
You must be unchained
So free yourself
Take it upon yourself to liberate your mind and soul
I could keep you all for myself
I could dominate all aspects of your life
I know
I am aware
You gotta be free
You deserve to free yourself
To kill yourself
To take responsibility for your own liberation
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSH HOMME, TROY DEAN VAN LEEUWEN, JOSEPH WILLIAM CASTILLO, MARK WILLIAM LANEGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind