Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has opened up about the life-altering impact of the illness that forced the band to abruptly cancel a bunch of shows in 2024. While he remains tight-lipped on the specific nature of the emergency surgery he underwent, Homme is candid about the toll it took — and how it shaped his mindset and artistry going forward.
Fans were alarmed last summer when Queens Of The Stone Age called off their tour dates due to what was only described at the time as a medical emergency. Given Homme's previous cancer battle in 2022, the concern was understandable. Now, in a new interview with Consequence, Homme revealed that the condition had escalated to the point of requiring sedation and surgery within a day of his haunting performance at the Catacombs of Paris — a stripped-down, one-of-a-kind concert later released as Alive in the Catacombs.
"I was in a very difficult physical spot," Homme recalled. "And I'm really thankful that I was, actually… If I was well, we would've maybe been more 'California' about it and thought, 'Man, it's so cool to be here…' And something about that kind of sucks."
Homme was admitted for surgery just 20 hours after that performance, and what followed was a brutal recovery: seven months bedridden, with doctors warning him he could be out of commission for up to two years. The experience, layered on top of a 2011 near-death surgical complication and his previous cancer fight, has carved a new philosophy into Homme's already rebellious spirit.
"I had a lot of time to think," he said. "Each thing that me and the guys are making… I want to work on it and leave it in there until it's red hot so I can at least, for the moment, try to beautifully scar everyone that hears it… My brand is scarification."
That Catacombs shows resulted in a live album and titled Alive in the Catacombs, recorded deep beneath Paris on July 8, 2024. The haunting performance took place in the historic Paris Catacombs — the first time a musical act had officially been permitted to perform there — surrounded by the remains of roughly six million souls.
Instead of Queens Of The Stone Age's usual electric roar, the band embraced stripped‑down arrangements shaped by the venue's atmosphere: acoustics, a three‑piece string section, a car‑battery‑powered Wurlitzer, percussion made from chains and chopsticks, and an intimate setlist spanning nearly two decades of material.
Now back on his feet, Homme's ordeal has redefined how he approaches both life and creativity. For him, every note, every project, and every performance is a chance to leave a mark — not just musically, but emotionally, with permanence. Queens Of The Stone Age has a boatload of tour dates coming up, all of which you can find below. Get your tickets here.
7/30 Warsaw, Poland COS Torwar (w/ So Good)
8/1 Riga, Latvia Arena Riga (w/ So Good)
8/2 Tallinn, Estonia Unibet Arena Black Box (w/ So Good)
8/4 Helsinki, Finland Ice Hall (w/ So Good)
8/7 Gothenburg, Sweden Way Out West
8/8 Oslo, Norway Øyafestivalen
8/9 Copenhagen, Denmark Syd For Solen
8/12 Berlin, Germany Zitadelle (w/ So Good)
8/13 Bonn, Germany Kunst!Rasen (w/ So Good)
8/15 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Lowlands Festival
8/16 Charleville-Mézières, France Cabaret Vert
8/17 Hasselt, Belgium Pukkelpop
8/20 Dublin, Ireland Irish Museum Of Modern Art (w/ Amyl and the Sniffers)
8/22 Portsmouth, UK Victorious Festival
8/24 Paris, France Rock en Seine
8/27-28 Sheffield, UK Rock N Roll Circus: Don Valley Bowl
10/2 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
10/3 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
10/5 Toronto, ON Massey Hall (w/ Paris Jackson)
10/7 Philadelphia, PA The Met (w/ Paris Jackson)
10/8 Boston, MA Boch Center Wang Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
10/10 New York, NY Beacon Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
10/18 Milan, Italy Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber
10/23 Berlin, Germany Theater des Westens
10/24 Copenhagen, Denmark DR Koncerthuset Koncertsalen
10/26 Amsterdam, Netherlands Royal Theater Carre
10/27 Antwerp, Belgium Queen Elisabeth Hall
10/29 London, UK Royal Albert Hall
11/4 Mexico City, Mexico Corona Capital
11/8 Santa Barbara, CA Arlington Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
11/10 San Francisco, CA Davies Symphony Hall (w/ Paris Jackson)
11/11 Los Angeles, CA Dolby Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
11/19 Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall (w/ Paris Jackson)
11/21 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre (w/ Paris Jackson)
