Queens of the Stone Age is a rock band from Palm Desert, California, United… Read Full Bio ↴Queens of the Stone Age is a rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States. The band is frequently labeled stoner rock, although they reject the label. They developed a style of riff-oriented, heavy music which the band's founder and mastermind Josh Homme described as "robot rock", saying that he "wanted to create a heavy sound based on a solid jam, just pound it into your head". Since then, their sound has evolved to incorporate a variety of different styles and influences.

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...

You're So Vague
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Clear-eyed girl
In a crooked way
All the crooked walkin
To avoid and evade
Hair like maple, skin like cream
Bet they say I love you
When you strip them thin
Chorus:

Baby, youÂ?re so vague
That you probably think this song ainÂ?t about you
Green eyed boys
Lick the razor blade
Girl I think I love you
And the mess you made
Setting you up
It donÂ?t get you down
When you flash your fangs
You own this town
Chorus:

Baby, youÂ?re so vague
That you probably think this song ainÂ?t about you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Queens of the Stone Age's song "You're So Vague" seems to be referring to a woman who is both alluring and cryptic, with a crooked way of walking that entices people to avoid and evade her. The lyrics describe her physical appearance, with hair like maple and skin like cream, but also allude to her ability to manipulate the people around her. When she strips them thin, they inevitably say "I love you," falling prey to her seduction. However, the chorus's tone is satirical and biting, indicating that the singer is not entirely enamored with the woman in question. The phrase "Baby, you're so vague" is repeated twice, sarcastically suggesting that the woman in question is so unclear and inscrutable that they probably think the song isn't about them.

The second verse of the song introduces the idea of a "mess" that the woman has made, which the singer professes to love. The green-eyed boys licking the razor blade may be a reference to other people who are similarly entranced and dangerous, making the singer's interest in this woman all the more ironic. When the woman flashes her fangs, they own the town, suggesting that she is both sexually powerful and dangerous. The final chorus again calls back to the idea of vagueness, with a sense of finality. It takes a snarky and somewhat caustic tone, indicating that the singer is done with this woman's games.

Line by Line Meaning

Clear-eyed girl
Observant girl

In a crooked way
In a deceitful manner

All the crooked walkin
All the deceiving and evading

To avoid and evade
To escape responsibility

Hair like maple, skin like cream
Beautiful appearance

Bet they say I love you
People will lie to get close to you

When you strip them thin
When you see through their deception

Chorus: Baby, you're so vague
Chorus repeats the song's central theme

That you probably think this song ain't about you
You fail to recognize how you've inspired this song

Green eyed boys
Jealous boys

Lick the razor blade
Hurt themselves to cope with their feelings