Sometimes You Just Get It Right The First Time

Look, I'm not going to talk about all the Queens of the Stone Age records today. Not even a few. Even though I know more about all their side projects, past projects, future projects and other mindless info...Enough to even bore me sometimes, I'm only going to speak on why the QOTSA self-titled debut is perhaps one of the most flawless records in rock n' roll history and that Josh Homme is a goddamn genius. A riff machine, who chose to simplify it all down to the basic elements of drums, vocals, bass and guitars. Little multi-layering and some of the sweetest grooves since "Cheap Sunglasses". There's a reason Billy Gibbons loves Queens (and not much of one for liking Nickelback).

The album is fucking perfect. "Regular John", "You Would Know", "I Was A Teenage Hand Model", and "Avon" just hit so hard and they groove like a motherfucker...Scratch that. 10 motherfuckers.

A lot of people don't know that this record (which has been out of print for about five years) does not feature Nick Oliveri at all. He's in the pictures on the sleeve and back cover but only began his time in Queens after recording was finished. It's all Josh and Alfredo Hernandez, who also plays drums on one of my favorite stoner records ever, Che (with Brant Bjork).
QOTSA have become one of my favorite bands and have employed some of my favorite musicians. They keep putting out amazing music and don't ever show signs of staleness. I just tip my hat to Stone Gossard and his Loosegroove Records imprint for signing Gamma Ray (the previous name of QOTSA) and putting out this fancy record.

"You Would Know" 1999
"Mexicola" 1999

Like A Stone

(My accountant. Nah, just Stoney)

Yes, I love me some Audioslave and all that was Chris Cornell (up until Carry On, which is about as appealing as a turd on a hoagie roll), but this post is about Stone Gossard. Lots of talk about Mr. Gossard this evening over dinner with some friends and my lovely wife. Turns out, he rules.

Do yourself a big favor and dig through the bargain bins for Bayleaf, Stone's only solo album and a serious fucking gem. Every song on this beast is awesome, and not just regular awesome...Angelina Jolie circa 1998 awesome. I bought this thing twice. Once through Pearl Jam's Ten Club for an absurd price, then again thru CD Now for an even bat-shittier price...As a Japanese import with one bonus track, the well-worth-it "Can't Stop". Ranging from Neil Young worship ("Bayleaf"), to Queens of the Stone Age to-the-note rip-off ("Pigeon"), to R&B/funk heaven ("Cadillac"), this LP is truly a favorite in my vast collection. Ty from Green Apple Quickstep lends vocals to three tracks, which just mixes it up, not taking away from the beauty of the record.

It's a damn shame that this got as much love as a Brad record, which also sucks. One of my favorite albums and definitely the strongest side project/solo record in my collection. Just a brilliant glimpse into the world of Stone Gossard in 2001. Rumor is that a follow-up is on the horizon, as well as a completed new Brad LP called Best Friends, already in the can for two years with no release date. Oh, and a new Shawn Smith LP, The Diamond Hand, is due in March via Sound Vs. Silence Records. Cop that shit.

1993 with Brad "20th Century"...Ass-shakin' music