Queens of the Stone Age bassist Michael Shuman has criticized the modern rock landscape for its reliance on digital production tools, stating that his band remains committed to raw, unedited performances. Shuman spoke about the band’s approach in an interview with DIY Mag.
Shuman explained how modern music production has changed, focusing on the tools available to artists today and how Queens of the Stone Age differs from their peers in the industry.
“In this modern music world, everyone has tools available to tune your vocals perfectly, especially with AI,” Shuman said. “One thing that’s really fun about our band is that we don’t use any of those things in the studio. Live, there’s no click track, backing tracks, [or] tuning of vocals. With 90% of the bands out there, that’s what’s going on. That’s maybe why it’s a unique experience to come and see us play live. We are unlike 90% of other bands.”
Shuman also discussed the band’s recent creative direction and how the members worked together during the recording process. “There were moments in the record where we stopped, because it felt risky,” he continued. “Rock, thankfully, has been having this resurgence in the mainstream, and here we are, making a mellower record! But that’s so us. We’ve always been outsiders in that regard. A big part of the [difference] was having an open dialogue with Josh about his lyrics and how he delivers what he wants to say. He’s always had a mask on. [But] after going through all this turmoil, he’s had a lot of acceptance and got over some of the fear.”
These comments came as Shuman discussed the band’s approach to authenticity and live performance in today’s highly produced music landscape.
The album behind these comments is Perfecth, released on October 30, 2026 on Matador Records. The record was produced by frontman Josh Homme and bassist Michael Shuman, and was preceded by singles including “Easy Street”, “Insignificant Other”, “Where the Goth Girls At?” and “Run Away from the Mob”. The album draws inspiration from kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by filling the cracks with gold, reflecting the band’s own journey through difficulty.
In the summer of 2024, Queens of the Stone Age played a completely acoustic set in the Catacombs of Paris, surrounded by millions of skeletal remains. That experience served as a critical influence on Perfecth, with the usually hard rock band turning down the volume to explore themes of love and repair. Recording for the album took place between 2024 and 2026, with material shaped by the band’s recent personal struggles and transformation.
Homme, 52, faced significant health challenges in 2024. The band cancelled their remaining tour dates that year to allow him to focus on his health, following emergency surgery for an unspecified medical condition and a run of cancelled European dates. Homme has also shared that he had surgery for an undisclosed cancer after being diagnosed in 2022, spending seven months in bed after that procedure. The frontman said he drew on these experiences—including cancer, health struggles and divorce—to write the album and reflect on how imperfect life can be.
Queens of the Stone Age recently announced a North American tour in spring 2027 with support from Pixies and Wheelchair Sports Camp.
