The album Josh Homme actively tried to annoy fans with: “You’re growing or dying”
While many insist that rock music is way past its heyday, artists like Josh Homme continue to make a strong case for its survival and perseverance. Taking on that role, of course, has also put the multi-instrumentalist in the hot seat.
When Queens of the Stone Age teamed up with superstar record producer Mark Ronson for their seventh album, day-one fans of the group were quite skeptical. With ten Grammys and an Academy Award to his name, the studio guru is and has been one of the industry’s most beloved figures due to his widespread success in the commercial space. Naturally, this alliance seemed like a mismatch to many since it resulted in a more pop-friendly product coming from an outfit that had built a completely different reputation on their rough edges and hard-hitting execution.
This is a dilemma most artists face when they finally earn the freedom to do as they please: play it safe or actually try something new? Either way, they find themselves at the risk of either boring their fans to death by regurgitating the same slop or alienating them by trying to be too different. Privy to this, Homme decided to spruce up his band’s sound and then stand by it even as it generated a pouty response from a lot of his followers.
Even though the aptly titled Villains was released independently through Matador, it had a broader appeal than the average Queens of the Stone Age record. Although the tracklist retained its riffy DNA, the overall sound and production were relatively more conducive to dancing due to the album’s preppy production. While purists felt betrayed, the group also pulled in tons of new fans who found this version of the group easier to listen to than the earlier stuff. Homme, for one, wasn’t the least bit bothered by the negativity surrounding the release.
During a chat with The Current, he claimed to have seen the criticism coming from miles away and said that he was ready for it before it even arrived. Sticking to his guns, the California native stated that being challenged by himself as well as others meant that he was headed in the right direction as an artist.
“I do believe that there’s no stasis or static in life. You’re growing or dying,” he stated. “The by-product of that is that anyone that’s into us should expect the poke in the chest because we’re doing it to ourselves first.”
He even acknowledged that the group may lose 20% of their following with each release every time they break character, noting that “if 15% of the people don’t hate you, you suck.” He then cheekily added that he’s actually trying to boost his stats and get 40% of his listeners to hate him, making it clear that he doesn’t really give a shit about what his critics have to say.
In an interview with NME, Homme noted that he’s proud of how he’s gone about making music since he has the flexibility to keep thinking of new ways to make his job interesting. He also shared that his ability to “find different ways to do the same song” has allowed him not to feel suffocated by the expectations a lot of people impose on him.
Despite ruffling some feathers, Villains went to number one on the OCC’s UK Albums, UK Independent Albums and UK Rock & Metal Albums charts upon release. Furthermore, it was nominated for ‘Best Rock Album’ at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
