Eagles of Death Metal Tour Overview
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998. Founded by Jesse Hughes (vocals, guitar) and Josh Homme (drums), the band also includes a wide range of other musicians who perform both on the band's studio albums and at live shows. Hughes and Homme are the only permanent members of the band, with Homme rarely performing at live shows due to commitment to his other band, Queens of the Stone Age. The band's current touring lineup includes Hughes alongside Josh Jove (guitar), Eden Galindo (guitar), and Jennie Vee (bass).
Despite their name, Eagles of Death Metal are not a death metal band, and the name is intended to be humorous. In a 2003 interview, Homme described the sound of the band as a combination of "bluegrass slide guitar mixed with stripper drum beats and Canned Heat vocals." Hughes is known for his enthusiastic interaction with audiences at live performances.
About Eagles of Death Metal
In a video interview taken at a Converse Music-sponsored event at the Soho Revue Bar in London, Hughes states that he and Homme were in a bar watching a man dance to the song "Wind of Change" by the Scorpions. When asked what he was doing, the man yelled, "This is death metal, dude!", to which Homme replied, "No, it's not. This is like the Eagles of death metal." An alternative story concerning the origin of the band name claims that the name originated during an exchange in which a friend of Homme was attempting to convert Hughes to the death metal genre. When the friend played a song by the Polish band Vader and made a claim that the song was within the death metal genre, Homme then referred to Vader as "the Eagles of death metal". After hearing this phrase,Hughes wondered what a cross between the Eagles and a death metal band would sound like.
Eagles of Death Metal formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1998 and first appeared on Josh Homme's The Desert Sessions Volumes 3 & 4, released that year. Over the next few years, Homme became distracted from the band due to the success of Queens of the Stone Age. However, in an October 2008 interview, he reaffirmed his commitment to the band saying, "This isn't a side project for me. I'm in two bands. I have musical schizophrenia, and this is one of those personalities. In brief they are amazing."
Eagles of Death Metal Facts
- Eagles of Death Metal is not a death metal band; the name is meant to be humorous. Their sound has been noted for containing elements of bluegrass and funk, and has also been described as "a mash-up of punk, rockabilly and Rolling Stones-style boogie".
- The Eagles of Death Metal have been described as having a "Rolling Stones-meets-garage rock aesthetic". NPR classified them as a hard rock band.
- Pitchfork described the band as a "cartoonish, carnal blues-rock project" and said that "the Eagles of Death Metal crank up a cock-rock sound that's free of any danger or seriousness." CNN called them an alternative rock band.
- Rolling Stone called the band "boogie-rock revivalists". Spin described them as a "soaring desert rock duo". The Reading Eagle called them a rockabilly band, while Metal Injection categorized the band's music as psychobilly, and NME described the band's music as "rockabilly-metal".
