I've always had a sick sense of humor, and I've always wanted that to permeate the music because I don't take myself seriously. I take the music seriously, but I know I'm not God's gift to anyone except my mom.Collection: Humor
Looking for equality everywhere is a huge mistake because equals are terrible and boring. But a sense of fairness and justice is a totally different thing and a much more complex thing.Collection: Equality
I think one of the coolest things you can do is disappear for a while, because it gives you the chance to re-emerge. To sort of pounce out of the jungle.Collection: Chance
I don't think it's good to run on anger, but it's really great when that's the first couple of gallons in your tank - when you've had enough, and you're just pissed off enough to go for it. In a lot of ways, that sort of environment can be a catapult for a great situation.Collection: Anger
Sometimes Queens' music is dark, but somehow it's ok to deliver it with a smile on your face because thing's are still going to kick in.Collection: Smile
I'm always looking for cool stuff to do because that's what we're supposed to do, ya know?Collection: Cool
Making people uncomfortable is one of my hobbies. I'm always hoping that half the people get the joke and the other half are the joke.
I think you can separate yourself from your fears. You know what you should do, and it's just scary to do it. But I'd hate to let the fact that I'm scared to do it make me not do it. It ends up defining you. Because the moves you make are then based on what you don't want to do.
I think I learned years ago when I went to Hawaii that you don't bring puka shells back. You've got to be careful of your vacation purchases.
I've always considered myself a workaholic... The way I work, I have to turn myself upside down and hang myself by my ankles and wring myself out like a wet sweater, and I have to do that with other people, too, because I think that's where something good comes out.
People think that when they're playing it safe, they're trying to preserve what they have, but there is no preservation of what you have in music. There's no safety in music.
Sometimes hard decisions have to be made, and sometimes wonderful decisions have to be made. You've got to be willing to make them all.
I'm just going to put out three or four releases a year and make it so that if you like the Desert Sessions, then you'll definitely like everything else.
The expression of this idea is Queens of the Stone Age, but the idea is that you will never slack on the music and will always humble yourself at the alter of Rock.
Sometimes you actually get caught in the web of things where people are talking about... what kind of breakfast cereal you like.
If you're trying to do something different, you can't ask someone to help, because they'll want to make it not different.
I've always heard music in my head since I was a little kid, so I've always played towards that. If I felt bad, that's what I did.
If I was just in one band, I would have a problem with the amount of time between records because I don't want to wave one flag. I just want to be part of something cool.
The problem is that music is selfish in that you need to make it for yourself, so that you can give it away, and those two things don't jive. I needed to find the right reason to play that had the magic and mystery and excitement that made me want to play in the first place.
The first record I bought was a Carl Perkins record, because I saw him at The Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho. I loved Elvis and I found out that he wrote 'Blue Suede Shoes'... so connecting that experience of going to see him play was pretty awesome. That's when I realised I wanted to play guitar.
When you get sick and it's extended, you go through all these mental phases, and everyone handles them differently.
Why would you choose being bitter over choosing to make music? Being bitter is gross. It doesn't amount to anything.