Last year, Queens of the Stone Age were forced to cancel the remainder of their tour due to undisclosed health issues suffered by Josh Homme. While the band never revealed exactly what was wrong with the frontman, they did announce in a statement that he had to undergo emergency surgery and that he needed to “receive essential medical care through the remainder of the year.”
Homme has seemed to have since recovered, and QOTSA are back on the stage just weeks after releasing their acoustic concert film “Alive in the Catacombs” – which was taped inside the Paris Catacombs ahead of the band’s cancelled tour.
Now, while speaking to Zane Lowe in a new interview, Homme opened up about his decision to cancel QOTSA’s tour.
“What was the recommendation from on high, from those who love you the most?” Lowe asked him.
“Just to go home. To stop,” Homme replied. “Everyone cancels, and I can’t stand it. It’s only a couple of extra hours, you know what I mean? …But I’ve made a vow not to walk on stage injured anymore. Because it can get dire, which- the consequences were pretty elevated at the end.”
The musician explained to Lowe that he was in quite a lot of pain while filming “Alive in the Catacombs,” and it only seemed to be getting worse. “I could not eat… I was getting a little exhausted… The medication wasn’t working,” he stated. “It was difficult for me… I would have preferred it if it was a lot less.”
“I knew when we went into the catacombs that the tour was over. The band knew. But no one else knew,” he revealed. “But that frustration helps fuel you… Each time I’ve had something where I was like, ‘Oops, almost died’, I’ve never felt more alive… The focus of, like, I appreciate what I have.”
Homme continued, saying that “Alive in the Catacombs” is full of the emotions he was feeling at the time it was filmed:
“It’s no diss, but this is not an MTV Unplugged. It’s not simply playing acoustically. We’re there and we’re playing, but it felt, at all times, like we were just serving this audience that really deserved attention. This is for you… I got you this thing… Can I show it to you? It felt like we were having this moment together.”
Despite his health issues, Homme is ready to get back on the road and start working on new music. “You know, once I get the all clear, you know I’m going to go back to work,” he stated.
“I’m going to finish what I started,” Homme said in regards to making up the cancelled shows. “I’m going to finish what was left on the table last year and I’m going to enjoy it.”
Homme concluded by adding that this whole experience has given him a new outlook on life.
“I feel like there’s closure now this is coming out. I’m not sick any more. I feel f*cking great. I’m being different to myself… I’m enjoying a new relationship with myself that was provided to me by this experience so I’m really thankful.”
