Eagles Of Death Metal - Biography
Side projects are not supposed to last this long, and are definitely not supposed to be this much fun to listen to; but the Eagles of Death Metal just get better with each album, never sounding like a vanity project for Queens of the Stone Age front-man Josh Homme, who plays drums in this group. Jesse “the Devil” Hughes has developed a real knack for writing quick and catchy songs that don't take themselves seriously or over-indulge in the silliness. Admittedly, it is a glaring truth that Eagles of Death Metal would not be as popular as they are if it weren't for Homme's status as one of hard rock's most tenacious torchbearers. However, they would still be well-regarded critically, as Hughes-penned songs such as “I Only Want You,” “I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)” and “Cherry Cola,” demonstrate a first-rate marriage between Rolling Stones sensuality and gritty garage rock toughness.
Jesse Hughes' family moved to Palm Desert, California in 1979. When he met Josh Homme, they were both playing on a local soccer team. The two formed a bond which lasted throughout high school, but upon graduation, life took them in opposing directions. Homme stayed in his home state and formed the band Kyuss with another high school friend, Nick Oliveri. Hughes decided to head east, where he became a journalist after attending the University of South Carolina. After Kyuss had run its course and broken up, Homme re-entered the life of Hughes, inviting him to play on his new project, Desert Sessions, a series of albums deeply rooted in collaboration. Hughes appeared on Volumes 3-4 in 1998, and this was the very beginning of Eagles of Death Metal. However, any potential shared by Hughes and Homme had to be put on hold, as the latter went on to start another band with Oliveri, Queens of the Stone Age.
QOTSA put out three well-received albums for the next four years, and after releasing their high-water mark, 2002's Songs for the Deaf, Homme once again reunited with Hughes, under very different circumstances, in 2003. Hughes was now dealing with a break-up of his own, a difficult divorce from his wife that left him feeling despondent and isolated. He was spending most of his time in his bedroom where he had been writing the bulk of what would become the first Eagles of Death Metal album. His mother, concerned by her son's odd behavior and isolation, called Homme and asked him to come check in on his old friend. When he did, he heard the new songs and asked Hughes if he had enough material to fill an album. One week later, Hughes was able to respond in the affirmative.
The two journeyed to Hollywood together. Homme named himself Carlos Von Sexron, and Hughes gave Hommes another alias, Baby Duck, while naming himself, simply, the Devil. Together, they were Eagles of Death Metal, a name that hearkened all the way back to Hughes' bachelor party, where a friend of Hughes put on a death metal album and Hughes teased him, saying the band sounded like the Eagles of death metal. The duo were joined by Homme's longtime collaborator, Alain Johannes, and over just three days, they pounded out an album, with Homme alternating between the producer's seat and the drum seat. Rarely was there a song that wasn't finished on the first take. During QOTSA's stage time on the Lollapalooza tour in the summer of 2003, Homme donned an Eagles of Death Metal t-shirt, drumming up interest for this new and mysterious project.
The first taste of the band's music given to curious Homme fans was the catchy and danceable “I Only Want You,” which first surfaced as an mp3 that had leaked on the Internet. Excitement was building up for the group, and as soon as QOTSA went on a break, the Eagles added guitarist Timmy VanHamel and toured in late November and early December, opening up for Placebo. The album's release date kept on getting pushed back, which led to even more fervid anticipation. Peace, Love, Death Metal finally saw the light of day in March 2004, on Homme's very own Rekords Rekords label and Mike Patton's label, AntAcidAudio, a sister label to Ipecac Records. The LP boasted more of the Stones-like danciness of “I Only Want You” and there was even a cover of “Stuck in the Middle With You” (renamed here as “Stuck in the Metal With You”). Reviews of the album were enthusiastic and the group went on to join the Distillers for a string of European dates.
The duo recorded their second LP in 2005, joined by QOTSA's drummer Joey Castillo, Jack Black, Dave Catching, the Distillers' Brody Dalle (whom Homme is now married to), and Mark Lanegan. It was finished in 8 days. After the recording was complete, the band stopped by the UK for some shows in late 2005, then embarked on a full US tour with the Strokes in the spring of 2006 while their new album was still awaiting its release. The fateful moment came on April 11th of that year, when Death by Sexy was released on the Downtown label (also home to Gnarls Barkley and Mos Def). The five extra days they spent in the studio this time around ultimately paid off; reviews of the new disc were even better, as critics and fans had come to celebrate the tongue-in-cheek rock & roll of this band whom many people didn't think would even make another album. The band were still not as big as Queens of the Stone Age, and the album only peaked at a modest 113 on the Billboard charts (which was still an improvement on their debut, as it failed to chart). With Homme at the helm, however, a huge hit wasn't needed, and their fan base was widening and going strong.
In the fall of 2008, the Eagles made their return with Heart On (Downtown), featuring an even longer roster of guest musicians. The song “Wannabe in LA” gained some significant airplay, and the album reached number 57 on the Billboard 200 very quickly after its release, their highest charting position yet.
