“we Are The Most Difficult Simple Band. I’ve Often Heard Guys Coming Up To Us Saying, ‘you Guys Are Just Playing Barre Chords!’ I Am Glad You Think It Is That Simple!”– Troy Van Leeuwen On Qotsa’s Musical Illusions And Gear Secrets

There are few bands within the historical past of rock ’n’ roll to have impressed one of these cultish devotion to replicating their electrical guitar tone than Queens Of The Stone Age. 

Their rhythm guitar sound is indisputably an intoxicating sound, and that’s ahead of you believe the abnormal textures that take a seat on most sensible. However there needs to be extra to it than easy aesthetics. Perhaps this is a serve as of the myths which have been built round it; such was once the iron curtain round Josh Homme’s early sound, any breadcrumb of knowledge was once feasted upon. 

It was once a perfect Eureka second when Homme published that there it was once a Peavey Decade used on Songs For The Deaf, and specifically for the bass guitar tone on No One Is aware of. Unexpectedly, this most commonly forgotten observe amp was once the topic of bidding wars, its transistorised circuit was once pored over and cloned then reappropriated in stompbox shape. The Acorn Forged State, which was once launched final , did simply that; full-circuit copy. This Humorous Little Bins introduced the £99 Skeleton Key that promised a compact pedalboard resolution for Queens tones.

However the smile on Troy Van Leeuwen’s face once we ask him about this entire tradition of QOTSA tone-seeking is the inform; there may be a lot more to it, and naturally it extends past the sign trail. Regardless that, he admits that he too would really like to take a look at the Skeleton Key.

“It’s humorous you convey up that pedal,” he says. “Any individual instructed me about that, beneath the similar instances, ‘That is intended to be the way in which you get the Queens tone.’ Like, ‘That’s lovely!’ However I would really like to take a look at it simply because all of us accumulate lots and lots of pedals. I imply, seeing our band are living, you’ll be able to see at the flooring what number of pedals that me and Josh on my own. It’s like a mini Guitar Middle.” 

In Occasions New Roman, the band’s first since 2017’s Villains, will do a lot to inflame passions amongst their disciplines.

It traffics in reference-quality tones – its manufacturing merits high quality studio headphones – and in louche grooves which are simply rhythmically truthful sufficient to be tight, no longer an excessive amount of as to be stiff. After they transcribe Obscenery there may not be a large number of ink at the treble clef however there will likely be a large number of musical data at the web page, a large number of counting as its fuzz riff stops, begins and jerks ahead to set the hook.

Like the theory of nailing Queens’ guitar sound, acting their catalogue is at the face of it achievable. However it’s the hope that kills you. It’s the straightforward bands whose sounds are essentially the most replica secure, and Queens Of The Stone Age would possibly simply be essentially the most tricky easy band available in the market. 

As Van Leeuwen admits right here, even he has to carry his breath for a few of the ones counts.

Now, that is kismet we’ve you right here as of late, as a result of within the mail was once the Skeleton Key, a new pedal from Humorous Little Bins that permits you to nail the Queens Of The Stone Age guitar tone. So it begs the query: Once we hook this up, can we sound such as you?

“Neatly, umm, yeah, I’d say, to begin with, it’s flattering. However 2d of all, there’s no longer only one pedal that does it so… I imply, just right good fortune! Sounding like us with one pedal? I’d say it’s most definitely unattainable. My philosophy is that a large number of the way in which you sound as a guitar participant is on your arms.

“For instance, once we labored with Billy Gibbons, he introduced some equipment to the studio. This was once our first assembly. I don’t even assume it was once a Line 6 POD; it was once some off- amp simulator, and we have been identical to. ‘Yo, plug into certainly one of our amps!’ However the humorous factor is, we heard him taking part in thru this factor and it was once like, ‘Wow! It feels like fuckin’ Billy Gibbons!’ 

“It more or less doesn’t topic. Billy Gibbons would not sound like Queens ever as a result of he simply feels like he does and it doesn’t topic what he makes use of. Yeah, lets undergo all this equipment, all these items, and there are a large number of secrets and techniques we’ve been protecting through the years, however I feel that’s the joys phase, the magic of being a person. It’s about instructing other folks to get their very own sound. That’s the place I’m coming from.”

You produced this file yourselves. The place do you start with a venture like that? The place do you get started with engineering it? Is it a case of discovering a perfect rhythm guitar tone and taking it from there?

“I’d say that the primary riff that you simply’re listening to, that’s the very first thing you’ve were given to nail, after which you’ll be able to construct round it. You need to get that first sound, the item that’s the hook, the rhythmic development, you wish to have that to be the hook and so you wish to have that sound to attract you in. I feel you’re proper. 

“We tune the band are living, and we used tape this time. It was once very a lot old-school to the bone, and so the ones rhythm tones that you’re listening to, [those are] those that we controlled to get first whilst monitoring with the band. That was once essential.”

That is an audiophile’s file. It sounds improbable with headphones. Perhaps the tape has one thing to do with that however undoubtedly, from a efficiency perspective, tape adjustments issues. Tape prices cash. The ones takes topic.

“Oh yeah, indisputably. It places you beneath… I don’t need to say it’s power however it’s the factor that all of us grew up doing. Like, I take into accout the use of four-track cassettes perpetually! And you’ve got to press ‘File’ and ‘Play’ and then you definitely attempt to play an entire track, after which if you’ll be able to in finding the little button to punch in – which I by no means were given – then it’s good to do a punch-in, however then you definitely needed to play the remainder of the track. 

“So for me it was once all the time about if you’ll be able to get the entire track in a single take, that’s nice, but additionally that makes you pass, ‘Neatly, possibly I will be able to Jimmy Web page it the place it’s like this primary a part of the track wishes this sound, after which this different sound is available in at the refrain, and I will be able to do one thing other at the refrain.’ That opens up your thoughts to portions and hooks. 

“Additionally, I exploit a pc now, too, like a number of bands during the last twenty years we’re much more comfy the use of the virtual medium. We’ve performed each however basically this can be a are living band and the way in which that we sound on tape it in point of fact lends to that.”

You might be all the time one of the vital tricky easy bands on this planet. Take a tune like Obscenery, it’s does not appear overly difficult nevertheless it has this strut that is stilted however it might’t be halting. Is that the hardest factor to get proper, protecting the glide going?

“There’s a fascinating factor that we do, and that is with a large number of our grooves, and a large number of our tempos, you more or less have to bounce it slightly bit. [Hums riff] You stated it precisely – it’s a strut. You’re simply feeling it, and when everyone seems to be within the room, and everybody feels the similar as every different, doing the similar strut, that’s in truth more straightforward for us as a result of if you happen to’re no longer within the room whilst it’s going down you might be more or less guessing slightly bit.”

It’s a bodily part, taking part in round that beat in combination.

“It’s a bodily part, yeah. We do this are living at all times, too. We don’t use click-tracks. We don’t use any more or less tracks. And from time to time we’re at the again of it and from time to time we’re forward of it. On occasion it’s the target market. In the event that they’re sparky we’ll pick out it up. Or even in the course of the track, if it feels find it irresistible is beginning to sink, smartly, Josh will say, ‘Pick out it up!’ and right here we pass. 

“The ones kinds of issues include enjoy of being a musician that’s been doing this for 30-plus years. Everybody else is in the similar boat, and this actual lineup of the band has been in combination for 10 years already, in order that [understanding] is best getting higher – and that’s thrilling, too. Each and every time we make a file now it’s like, ‘Ok, all proper! We’ve nonetheless were given it! [Laughs]”

Neatly, you by no means in point of fact know till you in truth get started if it’s nonetheless there…

“Yeah. It’s not simple to come to a decision what songs are going to be at the file and from time to time these items take time. Additionally, everybody has a circle of relatives. It’s no longer like once we have been more youthful, like, ‘Oh, we’re simply going to enter the studio and pa this factor out.’ We need to transfer at a slower tempo however that still provides to the care and the way in which we produce the songs, and ensuring the lyrics are spot-on and there’s a lot that is going into it.

“I imply, you might be proper. We’re essentially the most tricky easy band. I’ve ceaselessly heard guys coming as much as us announcing, ‘You guys are simply taking part in barre chords!’ [Laughs] ‘I’m satisfied you assume it’s that straightforward.’”

That simply proves the songwriting is operating. It’s just like the swan at the lake. You don’t wish to see the legs kicking.

“Utterly.”

What’s thrilling you at the equipment entrance?

“There are new pedals on my ‘board each and every . It’s a laugh. That’s a part of the joys, and I’ve all the time were given new amplifiers that I’m testing. I’ve designed some amps with some buddies of mine, and fortuitously I used to be ready to take them at the highway for a check run final with The Damned and Jane’s Habit. I were given known as to step in because the employed gun so I took those amps at the highway to peer what they’d do. It was once like R&D for the Queens. We’re all the time taking a look to take a look at one thing new.”

Are you able to let us know extra about those amps?

“Neatly, the corporate we put in combination is named GMI and it’s actually myself and Gabriel Currie, who makes Echopark Guitars. He was once making and designing Echopark amps as smartly. He’s very a lot into the design side, and likewise is aware of sufficient concerning the historical past of the guitar amplifier; what was once used within the ‘50s and the ‘40s, the ‘60s and the ‘70s, all the way through the years. 

“However he doesn’t in truth do the wiring. Our pal Sean Romin does. He builds them. So together with his wisdom and Gabriel’s wisdom in combination, I used to be ready to mention, ‘That is what I’m taking a look to do’, and we did it. This is a distinctive amp. It was once designed to have the readability of one thing that may well be a solid-state amp but additionally it has an influence segment that’s tube-based.

“It’s a hybrid, as a result of I wish to get the cleanest cleans and the gnarliest fuzzes. It was once designed to take a large number of pedals, but additionally you’ll be able to plug into this factor, directly in, and it feels actual great, too. This is a super-versatile piece of substances. I’m more than pleased with it.”

Perhaps the time is true for gamers to fall again in love with transistorised guitar amplification once more since the era were given a foul rep ceaselessly for no in point of fact just right reason why.

“I feel you’re proper. It was once simply that point within the ‘70s the place everybody was once like, ‘Neatly tubes aren’t transparent sufficient sounding.’ Then you definitely get the readability of one thing like a Jazz Refrain, and there was once this corporate known as CMI [Electronics], that Gibson corporate that made amps for like a . 

“It was once that generation of mid ‘70s when issues have been going between tube and solid-state and I simply concept that was once a fascinating time as a result of a few of the ones amps now, whilst you play them, this is a completely distinctive enjoy. And it has a grit to it; it’s only a solid-state grit.”

With out gifting away your whole secrets and techniques. What have been an important bits of substances you used in this file?

“There was once a plethora of fuzz pedals that we’re all the time messing round with. It simply relies as a result of from time to time you might be the use of an outdated [Univox] Tremendous-Fuzz and you’ll be able to’t take that stuff at the highway as a result of each and every outdated SuperFuzz, they’re all other, and so there’s a definite person who sounds in point of fact just right so you employ that within the studio and then you definitely attempt to in finding one thing [for the road].

“I don’t care if this can be a secret or no longer however I exploit this pedal known as a Fuzz Grasp Normal via EarthQuaker Gadgets, and that principally is a Univox Tremendous-Fuzz clone, and that’s the best-sounding one so are living I exploit that. It feels just right sufficient, and it feels shut sufficient to the Tremendous-Fuzz that I love, and so I don’t must take my Tremendous-Fuzz at the highway and run the danger of dropping it someplace! [Laughs] Or it breaking. This factor, it’s new, and it does the item, it does the activity. That’s only one instance. 

“However we’re the use of a number of filtering, a number of EQ, as a result of we’re looking to combine ourselves ahead of you get to the blending [desk]. Such as you siad, there’s a midrange that we’re all the time pushing, and also you all the time have to seek out your spot. I’d in finding my spot within the extra higher midrange, after which I exploit two amps, a dry and a rainy. 

“That method I will be able to unfold throughout and there’s this spot within the center that possibly Josh can use. I’ll take the perimeters and there’s room; there’s a place within the combine. That’s how we do it. That’s how we do it are living, so it’s already blending itself. You’re no longer having the cloud in the course of the entirety and looking to hold issues round that cloud.”

It’s the battleground frequency for the guitars.

“Yeah, and that every one is going again to that rhythm tone – that must be the item. That’s the midrange too.”

You’ve were given one of these nice sense of area. It feels like there was once some form of nominative determinism occurring – there’s all the time a way of humour together with your songwriting – however giving Unfavorable Area that name when there may be such a lot unfavourable area within the composition.

“Yeah, you’re proper, as you’re speaking concerning the time period unfavourable area there may be a large number of unfavourable area in that track, too. The groove goes, the rhythm is [hums riff with its pregnant pause]. There’s room for Mikey [Michael Shuman] to do some bass riff after which there’s the wah guitar, and that’s it. However the entirety with us is a play on phrases, a pun.”

Do it’s a must to dangle your breath all through the ones silences, the ones rests?

“I most definitely unwittingly do, yeah! [Laughs]”

You discussed Jane’s Habit. That should were a fantastic gig to hide. Did it’s a must to trade your way for that?

“I grew up gazing that band play, in golf equipment after which gazing them develop into this beast, and I used to be an enormous fan when I used to be an adolescent, so for me it was once a abnormal, nice honour to have anyone like Dave say that, ‘I love that man.’ 

“And in addition, discuss pre-mixing a band? You’ve were given Eric Avery, who’s this pressure of nature, and then you definitely’ve were given the drumming of Stephen [Perkins], and the ones two in combination have this massive basis, and as a guitar participant, you might be simply floating round on most sensible of all that. And then you definitely’ve were given Perry up right here. It’s like a pyramid.

“It was once a large problem as a result of I haven’t soloed like that since I used to be finding out how one can play guitar, so it was once form of like going again to being an adolescent and getting that form of power again. It’s a large number of notes and it is occurring at all times. 

“I had conversations with Dave about this, too, as a result of although he wasn’t doing smartly bodily, he was once mentally invested in what was once going down. I simply instructed him that I used to be going to way it as although Jimmy Web page was once taking part in in Jane’s Habit. And he’s like, ‘I like that!’ 

“I imply, I can’t play like he can. The convenience and the way in which he slings out these kind of scales and stuff, I will be able to perform a little of that. I simply took extra of a Jimmy Web page sloppy however, once more, with the strut, with a groove, and the ones guys have groove for days. It was once a in point of fact cool problem for me to rise up there and do it, and no longer get issues thrown at me! [Laughs] That might be my enjoy with The Damned, too. So long as other folks didn’t throw issues at me I feel I’m doing k.”

It is helping whilst you’ve were given Perry Farrell up there. He nonetheless has the power of an adolescent.

“Completely! Utterly, yeah. And so far as my rig on that excursion, I simply did principally – ‘cos Dave’s rig hasn’t ever modified for the reason that ‘80s. It’s a Tube Screamer. It’s a wah-wah pedal. Yeah, simply a normal outdated Dunlop wah. A Boss Stereo Refrain. A Boss virtual lengthen, set to 1 lengthen time. If you’ll be able to get the sound to Run Like Hell via Red Floyd, that’s the lengthen time!

“I simply did my model of that [rig], which is a few other overdrives, a wah pedal, after which I used two Eventide H9s, one was once principally the refrain and the opposite was once the lengthen, set for 2 amps so there was once some stereo imaging occurring, and that was once it. Quite simple.”

Is that this album in point of fact a trilogy or was once that one thing that was once made up after the reality?

“I dunno, I assume possibly it was once an concept of doing 3 as a result of it kind of feels like that’s how the band began. There was once a trilogy for the primary 3 data. That’s the way in which I take a look at it, too. And I take a look at Lullabies… and Generation Vulgaris as those attention-grabbing experimental items of artwork that have been principally main us to the place we are actually.

“They’re just like the connective data between the way in which Queens got here out and the way other folks were given to recognise the band thru the ones first 3 data. It seems like the similar workforce of 3 for this new starting of the band, this lineup.You’ve were given Clockwork, you’ve were given Villains, after which now In Occasions New Roman. It simply feels proper. I like The Berlin Trilogy with Bowie. I perceive chunks of 3. 

What is subsequent?

“Now we haven’t any thought what we’re going to do and it’s completely… Lets simply be a synth band at the subsequent file.”