That includes Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme and ex-Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, Them Crooked Vultures had been certainly one of rock’s nice one-and-done supergroups. In 2010, shortly after they launched their self-titled debut (and solely) album, Traditional Rock jumped talked to the trio about their all-star union – although not earlier than being stored ready for a number of days…
“You’re kidding, proper?”
She’s received to be kidding.
“No, I’m afraid not. Actually sorry.”
“However I’ve flown all this method to meet the band! And also you’re saying it’s not going to occur?”
“Actually, it was by no means really confirmed that they’d do it. Sorry.”
Certainly they may give me a while, I cause, desperately clutching at a fats metaphorical straw. Is there something they’ll handle? What about tomorrow?
“There’s no room within the schedule both tomorrow or the day after,” she counters.
I’m because of fly residence the day after.
“There’s an opportunity I’d be capable of get Josh on the telephone on Sunday.” (Heavy emphasis is positioned on the would possibly.) “Or I’d be capable of get Dave someday on Monday, although I actually can’t be certain.”
I’m attempting to remain serene on the skin, trying to stem a fast-rising tide of interior panic and rage. This actually wasn’t alleged to occur. A part of me – the illogical, eternally hopeful a part of me – thinks it have to be some form of perverse joke, some grand comedic document firm/administration sting.
Solely it truly is true. I’ve travelled over 6,000 miles, throughout continent and ocean for the most effective a part of 24 hours to fulfill and interview Them Crooked Vultures, the most recent, greatest and most profitable of that much-maligned über-style of rock: the Supergroup. Solely it’s not gonna occur. In any respect.
It’s mid-April and I’m standing outdoors Membership Nokia, a sensible reside venue within the newly-generated leisure complicated that fringes downtown Los Angeles. It’s an space that additionally serves a 7,000-seat enviornment – Nokia LA Stay – in addition to lodges, eating places, luxurious condos, a Cineplex and the Staples Centre. Tonight Membership Nokia is taking part in host to Them Crooked Vultures – the trio shaped amid a lot stealth and secrecy final yr by Foo Fighter/Nirvana man Dave Grohl, Queens Of The Stone Age/Eagles Of Loss of life Metallic magus Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones.
Per week earlier, your Traditional Rock scribe had met with the affable, eminently likeable Jones in a London lodge room, speaking up his Vultures residency over that the majority English of afternoon delicacies: biscuit assortments and a pot of Earl Gray. Now I’m in LA to fulfill the opposite two as nicely, possibly hang around collectively for a bit, get a way of what makes them motor. There’s a lot pleasure on the prospect. This interview has been one thing of a marathon to organise, involving a lot heave-ho’ing between administration camps and a slew of conferences and telephone calls. Even Ross Halfin’s photoshoot, I’m advised, was an arseache.
So right here I’m. The girl I’m speaking to is Kristen, supervisor of all issues Josh Homme and, subsequently, one third of the decision-making workforce that oversees the Vultures. She’s well mannered and completely amiable however, it transpires, this entire proposal has fallen sufferer to some form of misunderstanding or communicative blip. I can get in to see the present tonight, however that’s as a lot entry as I’m going to get. The band’s UK PR had advised me earlier within the day that there’d been a number of “points with scheduling” over the previous 24 hours. However even he hadn’t anticipated this. Somebody, in some way, someplace – I perceive later – has determined that the band aren’t going to fulfill me in spite of everything. It was a choice apparently taken whereas I used to be mid-air, mid-Atlantic.
Days go and, because of a sure bloody-minded volcano in Iceland, I discover myself in LA for over per week. I nonetheless don’t hear as a lot as a peep.
Again in England a fortnight later and I lastly get to speak to Josh Homme, on the telephone from his residence in California. I ask if he was conscious of the LA hoo-ha. “I came upon yesterday that you just had been there,” he replies. “Yeah, I’m sorry to listen to about that. I feel one of many issues that’s been nice concerning the Vultures is that it’s been much less speak and extra rock. And what occurred to you appears to be a by-product of the ethos of this band. In some respects, there isn’t a lot to say. The make-up and scenario is obvious from a distance.”
Likewise Dave Grohl, over the telephone a day earlier, appears genuinely shocked at what occurred, trying to untangle any crossed wires by means of mild self-mockery: “You had been there to interview me? Oh, nicely… fuck. Effectively, to be sincere, dude, when you get to know me I’m one of the crucial forgetful folks you’ve ever fucking met in your whole life. Besides on the subject of my youngsters. My thoughts’s simply mush. How lengthy had been you right here? Per week? I wager you fucking drank your self foolish each evening…”
Point out ‘supergroup’ to any skilled musician and it’s probably they’ll spit it again with barely-veiled disdain. It’s a phrase with its personal in-built sense of sluggish dread, a default setting with connotations of monstrous egos, dysfunctional relationships and bloated extra. Even Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger – maybe probably the most well-known instance of all – had been detest to explain themselves as such. “We’re 4 people playin’ collectively,” griped a considerably pedantic David Crosby at their early 70s peak. “Don’t name us a gaggle and don’t name us tremendous”. Eric Clapton first heard the time period when he, Steve Winwood and Ginger Baker had been about to document as Blind Religion in 1969. “That’s after I noticed the crimson gentle…” he admitted later. Blind Religion ended nearly as rapidly because it had begun, with Clapton sifting by way of the wreckage of two bands inside 12 months.
Supergroups had been nearly de rigueur by the tail finish of the 60s. Within the UK, Humble Pie and ELP had been stirring. The Rock’n’Roll Circus had been curated by The Rolling Stones as an all-star excuse to buddy up with Clapton, The Who and John and Yoko. Touted as “the final nice jam of the 60s”, the two-day Supershow – recorded for TV from an deserted London manufacturing unit in 1969 – featured Clapton, Jack Bruce, Buddy Man, drummer Buddy Miles, jazz participant Roland Kirk and Stephen Stills.
The latter, ever the musical gadfly, had already performed on the fabled Tremendous Session with Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield, earlier than hoofing it over to David Crosby’s gaff, inviting over some English bloke and forming CSN. This threesome got here to embody the great, dangerous and opposite nature of your celebrity combo. All three had fled problematic bands. Graham Nash had turn into disillusioned inside the restrictive parameters of The Hollies’ pure pop; Crosby had been unceremoniously booted from The Byrds; Stills had been crushed by the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. But as a trio – and shortly with the addition of Neil Younger – they may all pull in a single route, harmonised by devotion to a single trigger: making the form of folksy, acoustic statements that each performed to their particular person strengths and chimed with the brand new, socially-conscious technology of protest and alter. However that was earlier than all of the in-fighting.
Resentment set in, magnified by attendant egos and a risky chemistry that Crosby in comparison with “juggling bottles of nitroglycerin”. The entire on-off shebang grew to become a byword for indulgence within the 70s. Their 35-date tour of 1974, for a while probably the most commercially profitable in US historical past, grossed over $10m. CSNY every had their very own soundman and crew and blew into city in Lear jets (other than Younger, that’s, who most popular his customised GMC Camper), armed with as much as 30 catering employees. The mixed tour entourage was round 85. Spinal Faucet writ massive – and really actual. It prompted a serious piece in Time journal – ‘Return of a Supergroup’ – which posited that, regardless of pulling in megabucks, such bands had been doomed to failure. The entire thing, they mentioned, was merely a “potent however short-lived phenomenon”.
Go inform that to the category of 2010. They’re all at it: Chickenfoot, Useless Climate, Velvet Revolver, Monsters Of Folks, Black Nation (or no matter the brand new Hughes-Bonamassa-Bonham outfit known as). And naturally Them Crooked Vultures, probably the most high-profile of the lot. Very like CSNY did within the 70s, the Vultures appear to embody a sea change in rock sensibility. Besides that the brand new mannequin is certainly one of democratic utopia. At present’s deferential supergroups declare to depart their egos outdoors the door. The songs on the Vultures’ terrific self-titled debut had been all co-writes (although Homme offers the lyrics), every member’s enter as legitimate as the subsequent, a local weather of consensus prevailing over any self-serving notions or accusations of subterfuge. It’s a formulation that fits them nicely, judging by reside reveals and the thunderous, metallic KO of their recorded output.
“We’re kinda like a Particular Forces Unit,” presents Homme. “We every have our personal speciality and it’s three guys who’re keen to hear to one another and take a minute moderately than snap to a judgement. I consider any certainly one of us may flip the opposite guys to their mind-set, given the proper dialogue. The choice-making is completed by the three of us.”
The music itself takes Zeppelin as a tough repair, then canters off in any respect factors on the compass. James Brown grooves get busy with enormous Sabbath riffs; clavinets and keytars bulge from Metallica-sized get together pants; Center Jap figures loom behind jagged QOTSA rhythms. There are comfortable textures and unusual subtleties, however more often than not it’s plain HUGE. “We may have simply taken a extra mellow flip with that document,” explains Homme, “as a result of we additionally had three acoustic songs written. However ultimately we felt like the primary document ought to be a steamroller of eerie darkness.”
It’s clearly a symbiotic relationship that felt proper instantly. “There wasn’t numerous dialogue, ever, about dynamic or management and even music,” explains Grohl. “If somebody didn’t like one thing, they’d simply say so and we’d transfer ahead from that. It’s a easy band to be in, since you depend on this individual subsequent to you and you’ve got this belief with everybody. When we’ve got these moments the place we go off on a jam, on our method to someplace we’ve by no means been earlier than, we’re not apprehensive about easy methods to get again. So long as the three of us are there collectively, we’ll make it.” John Paul Jones concurs: “It’s very democratic, very natural. To be sincere, I’d forgotten the time period ‘supergroup’, till folks level out: ‘Oh, you’re a supergroup!’ It’s positively simply the ‘S’ phrase for me. Everybody simply appears very pure and relaxed within the Vultures. And I feel it helps that we’ve all achieved what we’ve achieved earlier than. Everyone knows who we’re and none of us need to show something. There’s numerous life and vitality within the band. And everybody simply appears to know when one thing isn’t working. You don’t need to pussyfoot round anyone.”
There appear to be no hidden agendas, the band as a substitute propelled by an innate sense of self-confidence. Certainly, Jones sees parallels between the pure surety of the Vultures and that different band of his. “Folks actually didn’t know what to make of Zeppelin again within the day,” he remembers. “Each album we introduced out was greeted with: ‘Oh what do they suppose they’re doing now? It’s too industrial, they’re going to lose all their followers!’ That occurred with each document, nevertheless it didn’t trouble us in any respect as a result of we knew what we had been doing. The concept was that if we favored it, then another person was certain to. It’s the legislation of likelihood. And it’s the identical with the Vultures. Should you begin worrying about attempting to second-guess the general public, you’re screwed. Should you favored and actually understood Zeppelin, you’ll in all probability just like the Vultures. It’s received the identical drive and impulse.”
Jones additionally sees similarities within the simple chemistry between the 2 bands, likening the Vultures’ prompt rapport to that of Zeppelin’s first ever rehearsal, again in London in August 1968. “We had been doing songs that none of us knew greater than 4 bars of, however we simply began to play. And I bear in mind [manager] Peter Grant put his arms round all 4 of us on the finish and lifted us all up off the ground: ‘Boys, you had been bloody nice!’ I feel all of us knew we had one thing particular.”
So are the Vultures the very excellent of what a supergroup ought to be? They’re definitely conscious of the implications of the phrase. Says Homme: “I by no means flip to Brody [Dalle, Homme’s then-wife] and say: ‘Sweetie, I’m off to jam with my supergroup. I’ll be again in an hour.’ I feel it could be completely different if I lived inside a graphic novel, like Sin Metropolis or one thing. [Affects dramatic anchorman voice]: ‘Rock’n’roll is dying! It’s out within the ocean someplace! We’d like a supergroup to save lots of us!’ The phrase has a connotation of resting in your laurels, presupposing you’re tremendous. I feel it’s actually vital for a band like this to not fear about what the present pattern is, however simply be itself.”
Grohl is equally dismissive of the entire concept. “I do know this would possibly sound ridiculous,” he says, “however the Vultures started similar to another band I’ve ever been in. Josh and I talked about beginning up one thing and I mentioned: ‘Hey, need me to name John?’ And he mentioned: ‘Positive’. It’s not in contrast to my band Mind Injury after I was 15 years previous. My buddy Dave and I mentioned: ‘Y’know, that man Reuben’s fairly good. Let’s name him’. I suppose with supergroups, there are connotations of intention that could be questionable. However on the identical time I get the truth that we’re three completely different musicians with three established careers, we’ve made three names for ourselves and now we’ve come collectively to do one factor. However I feel the time period is kinda foolish – if I didn’t, I’d be form of an asshole for considering that I’m tremendous.”
So right here they’re. Not for them the preciousness of CSNY, the inter-band sniping of Velvet Revolver, the continued cleaning soap opera that’s Black Nation or certainly the schisms that ruined Cream (twice – even their temporary 2005 reunion fell foul of “a specific amount of animosity”). No, the Vultures are stable, sufficiently old and smart sufficient to keep away from any of these frequent traps. It nonetheless feels like some idyllic three-way honeymoon.
“There are specific moments after I’m reminded that John was in my favorite rock band of all-time,” says Grohl. “It’s after we’re on stage and I’m soaking moist from taking part in for the final hour and a half, and we’re within the final jam of the evening, and he’s received the neck of his bass beneath my Riot cymbal and we’re staring one another within the eyes, smiling and considering: ‘OK, let’s go, let’s fucking go!’
“For the previous 20 years I’ve been recognised because the cymbal-cracking, punk-rock Muppet-Animal drummer, when actually my entire life I’ve cherished listening to funk, dance, disco and R&B. When John and I sit down at soundcheck we don’t bust into some fucking arduous’n’quick rock factor. We simply begin to fucking groove collectively. It’s one of many nice issues about Zeppelin and one of many nice issues concerning the Vultures: it may be darkish and it may be heavy, however it could actually nonetheless groove.”
The elements which is able to in the end decide the Vultures’ long-term destiny are more likely to come from outdoors the band, moderately than inside. As highlighted by the LA fiasco, there are clearly logistical and probably destabilising points in operating a gaggle with a three-way administration set-up. However the greatest foreseeable hazard would possibly nicely be the small matter of easy methods to work across the day jobs. Grohl has plans for a brand new Foo Fighters album – “We’ve been writing and demoing Foo Fighters stuff for the final couple of months, so we’ll go into the studio in September to begin engaged on the subsequent one” – whereas Homme has dusted off QOTSA for a bunch of competition reveals this summer time.
After Studying, he reveals, “Queens are going to get again within the studio and start the method of attempting to destroy everyone else”. So how are all these actions suitable? “The Vultures and the Foo Fighters are two solely completely different experiences, however they serve one another nicely,” causes Grohl. “The drums, for me, although they’re not my first instrument, are positively my residence. However the Foo Fighters symbolize one thing greater than only a band to me; they symbolize one thing very deep and significant. It’s the factor that helped me recover from Nirvana. It’s the factor that helped me proceed to fall in love with music again and again. I don’t wish to make a silly analogy, however being within the Vultures is like taking a Maserati down the fuckin’ autobahn, with the audio system on 10. It’s actually fuckin’ thrilling. And it’s nice to go from one to the opposite. I can’t wait to come back again and do reveals with the Vultures. Y’know, it’s like visiting somebody you haven’t seen in a very long time they usually’re three inches taller they usually have tits!”
Homme mirrors his bandmate’s sentiments. “I’ve all the time embraced my very own musical schizophrenia,” he says, “and the Vultures is simply one other room in that mansion of persona. [QOTSA, Eagles Of Death Metal, The Desert Sessions and Them Crooked Vultures] are all form of necessities for one another. They eternally until the soil for the opposite. Once I get entangled in one thing, you get all the things I’ve to present.”
It’s preventing speak alright, however will schedules and different commitments actually enable sufficient gentle for a second Vultures album? Or, because the hearsay mill has been suggesting of late, are they over earlier than they’ve actually begun? Grohl, Homme and Jones are all satisfied they’re in it for the long-term. “I actually hope there’ll be a second album,” contends Grohl. “It doesn’t really feel like a side-project, it appears like a band. It’s only a matter of determining how we will make it work. Personally, I feel we may stroll into the studio and make a document in two weeks. There’s no query in my thoughts that we may try this.”
Says Jones: “It’s only a query of discovering time. All of us carry various things to the combination and are all eager to maintain this going. I adore it.”
Homme is especially adamant: “I really feel very snug talking for everybody: there needs to be one other Vultures document. A part of why I like doing it’s because there’s completely no rulebook. There’s a move of solutions and countless opinions. There’s actually no manner to do that mistaken. The Vultures has to occur, as a result of we’ve got an excessive amount of of a very good time doing it. What we want is to come back collectively the identical manner we did the primary time. And I feel that requires somewhat little bit of air. The thriller and magic – the shock component – is what I like in music. It really works so nicely that there’s no cause why we couldn’t flip up simply behind your shoulder once more. Like we did the primary time spherical.”
Right here’s hoping.
Initially revealed in Traditional Rock challenge 146, Might 2010
