Josh Homme Lights Up Onstage in Detroit — Says It Was Never About Smoking
Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme lit a cigarette onstage during a recent show at Detroit's Ford Field, a 65,000-capacity venue with a strict no-smoking policy that could carry a $10,000 fine. As he lit up, he told the crowd not to let "corporate assholes" decide what they can and can't do. He later explained the stunt to Consequence, saying it had nothing to do with cigarettes themselves.
"Controlling fun": what Homme was actually protesting
Homme said his real target was monopoly practices and corporate control at large venues — $85 parking, $30 beers, and rules dictating where fans can and can't go. He called it "controlling fun."
The cigarette, he said, was just an example and beside the point. The point was that fans pay to escape reality for a few hours, only to be told what to do at every turn, as if they were being supervised by a hall monitor. Asked about publicly calling out the venue and the businesses behind it, Homme said he wasn't too concerned about the consequences — yes, smoking isn't allowed, but so what, the goal is getting people to unite and do what they actually want to do.
On playing a 65,000-capacity building at all, Homme said that since the band is already operating inside that kind of big commercial system, they might as well infiltrate it and have fun — turn a Monday into a Saturday.
New album and the Take Cover tour
Queens of the Stone Age have confirmed their ninth studio album, Perfecth, will arrive October 30 via Matador Records.
The band is currently on the road with Foo Fighters on the joint North American Take Cover tour, with support from Mannequin Pussy. Their next stop is September 4 at Rock in Rio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
What we don't know yet
- Whether Homme actually faced or paid the $10,000 fine tied to Ford Field's smoking policy
- Ticket prices, on-sale details or venue-by-venue info for remaining Take Cover tour dates — not stated in the source
- Full tracklist or advance singles from Perfecth — not detailed in the source