From its location and appearance (a bland fortress-like beige building on a non-descript street in Burbank) Josh Homme’s Pink Duck studios is about anonymous as it gets. Around the corner and behind the high iron fence, it’s possible to hear Dave Grohl’s infectious laugh coming from the wooden deck that abuts the studio’s private parking lot.
“Thank you, Josh, for letting me play drums on YOUR record,” he laughs, his voice clearly identifiable on the other side of the fence. Homme responds with a droll “You’re welcome. You’re not bad.” This is followed by a quiet chuckle from John Paul Jones. He likes to take his afternoon tea on the tiny back patio. He obviously enjoys the banter.
Pink Duck is the world HQ of Them Crooked Vultures, the world’s newest supergroup. Add up all the releases by Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal (not to mention all the guest gigs and producing credits), the three members of TVC have their names on perhaps 150 million albums. To see the three of them lounging about in such surroundings is reassuringly unpretentious.
Homme, the larger-than-life guitarist, lyricist and front man of TCV, is quick with a handshake and proudly points to his new Dodge Challenger wagon, which has been lowered and outfitted with giant shiny rims. There’s also a nice-looking custom hog perched nearby on a kickstand.
It’s decided that we’ll conduct this three-on-one interview in the studio control room, which is decorated with pictures and paintings of John Wayne and filled with racks and racks of vintage-looking studio gear all bearing inventory tags that begin with the letters QOSTA.
Through the window in the main room is TCV’s rehearsal room.
Grohl is the first to bounce in. He asks about my flight and wonders if I need anything before running around the corner into the studio where he sits down and bashes on the drumkit. Jones is next (“Hello,” he says, extending his hand with a big smile. “My name is John.”). He picks up a bass that’s sitting on a stand and starts absentmindedly plucking something that sounds vaguely Zep-like. Homme comes in, throwing his 6-4 frame into the studio chair, which sends him spinning around like an blender. Finally, Grohl bounces back into the control room, stretching out face down on the sectional next to me.
We’re ready to start, then. Click here for Part 2.