Clearly singer/guitarist Josh Homme and bassist/screamer Nick Oliveri were big metalheads growing up. Then, they discovered punk, Krautrock, alternative music and recreational pharmaceuticals, all of which they blended into their stomping, psychedelic cocktail of sound.
The first recordings from their first band, Kyuss, came in 1991, and between then and 1995 they recorded four albums full of lumbering beats, sludgy rhythms and ripping guitars, which laid the foundation for the emerging stoner metal movement.
After Kyuss broke up, Homme, Oliveri and drummer Alfredo Hernandez persevered with Queens of the Stone Age, which released their self-titled debut in 1998. The disc wasn't as metallic as anything by Kyuss, substituting laid back, melodic melody for enraged snarl, but it was trippy as a mushroom party and still heavy as hell. From there, Queens began experimenting more with texture and atmosphere, and by the time they issued 2000's Rated R, it was questionable how metal they still were. The band continued in this vein for 2002's excellent Songs For the Deaf, then Oliveri was kicked out and Queens became, arguably, even less metal.
So, we ask you, were Kyuss ever really metal to begin with and if so, how metal were Homme and Oliveri when they surfaced with Queens of the Stone Age? Also, if Queens were ever metal, when did they lose their metalocity and are they still worth the price of a concert ticket? Leave your opinions and abuse in the comments box below.
Last year, we took part in a heavy metal roundtable, during which a panel of so-called experts, including Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta and various dudes and dudettes from Headbangers Ball, MTV news and MTV Radio came up with a list of the 10 best metal bands of all time. The discussion was heated and the session was filled with senseless acts of violence -- okay, not really, but we did raise our voice when Judas Priest was ranked higher than Metallica.
Anyhow, during the afternoon, some panel members proposed that AC/DC, Kiss and Van Halen be included on the list, which brought up an interesting question: just what was the criteria to be considered "metal?" Obviously, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are metal, but Motorhead, who are universally deemed metal, are fronted by a guy that considers his band "rock and roll." And Dragonforce, who are as influenced by Journey as Cradle of Filth and Joe Satriani, would like to be considered "metal."
That's where we come in. For our first installment of "They Rock, But are They Metal?" we ask you to comment on the metallic composition of Van Halen -- both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar eras (we're leaving out the Gary Cherone lineup for obvious reasons).
It's a tricky question. Sure Eddie Van Halen is one of the most influential lead guitarists of all time, and yeah, the band's more rockin' tunes inspired members of Pantera and even Morbid Angel to kill, but can a band that writes songs like "Jump," "Dance the Night Away" and "How Can this Be Love?" possibly be metal?
