Desert Sessions

Ending a 16-year hiatus since its last installment, the most mythical, longest running rock n roll mixtape odyssey in existence, Desert Sessions present Vol. 11 & 12 (respectively Arrivederci Despair and Tightwads & Nitwits & Critics & Heels) Queens of the Stone Age founder and Desert Sessions ringleader/producer Josh Homme recorded the songs in a six-day span in December 2018, as always at the Rancho De La Luna studios in Joshua Tree, California. The collaborators this time included: Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) Mike Kerr (Royal Blood) Carla Azar (Autolux, Jack White) Les Claypool (Primus) Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Superwolf, Iggy Pop) Matt Berry Libby Grace Töôrnst Hülpft The results are eight new songs that embody the legacy of freedom from expectations and inhibitions that stretches back to 1997, when Homme led a first retreat to the Joshua Tree desert. What began as a casual writing and recording session amongst friends—isolated from daily distractions and comforts—has since become a possibly infinite body of work. Now spanning 12 volumes over the course of two decades (and a total of two documented live performances), Desert Sessions has featured some of music’s most cherished icons—past players have included PJ Harvey, Mark Lanegan, Josh Freese, Dean Ween, among many others—deliberately removing themselves from their comfort zones and working together to create some of their most relaxed yet challenging work.