Josh Homme Goes Acoustic on New Song ‘Villains of Circumstance’
Even when Josh Homme isn’t plugged in to two full stacks, he can still get heavy. The Queens of the Stone Age mastermind debuted a new song, “Villains of Circumstance,” during an acoustic gig for this year’s Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
You can check out a fan-shot video of the performance above, and though it’s shot vertically and from far away, the song comes out crystal clear. Homme carries the aching “Villains of Circumstance” with a heaving desperation, utilizing every trick in his vocal range from a near whisper to a balladeer’s belt to a soft croon that perfectly affects the familiar line, “I’ll be forever young.”
Where Does Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘…Like Clockwork’ Rank on Our 50 Best Albums of 2013 List?
No official word on where “Villains of Circumstance” might end up, though as Homme told Rolling Stone at the beginning of the year, he’s already got plenty of songs for the follow-up to Queens of the Stone Age‘s 2013 effort, …Like Clockwork. “When it’s time to make music, that’s about getting lost for me,” Homme said. “To be a control freak is not half as good as being a freak who’s casually in control. You’re feeling around in the dark for something that feels good. As long as you’re not in an orgy, that can be an amazing moment.” The singer plans to get started on the album once the band wraps up their ongoing trek in October (they’ve got a few North American dates scheduled for July).
Amidst QOTSA’s extensive touring schedule — which included taping an episode for Austin City Limits — Homme has found time to help close out the Grammys (and curse out the Awards show after they cut his performance short) and even make a guest appearance on Portlandia, where he played a “disappointing gay man” while wearing a tuxedo T-shirt, no less.