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one thing i forgot to say about the gig, was that it wasn't anywhere near as loud as i was expoecting. actually the volume was just right, but i had read reviews that said it was VERY loud, so i nearly bought some earplugs to use. we didn't need them at all.

I did buy some earplugs, in fact I had a pack of six :D --but I didn't need them either, and I was right on the front rail by the end.

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Rock Supergroup Them Crooked Vultures Play

Published: 7:40PM Friday January 29, 2010

Source: ONE News

Supergroup Them Crooked Vultures has arrived in New Zealand for two concerts in Wellington and Auckland.

The band, made up of John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin, Dave Grohl from Nirvana and Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme, say they have "a great amount of fun together".

Individually they are rock heroes, but they say fans don't seem focussed on their bands of origin.

"When we do the shows, nobody actually shouts out any of the songs of any other bands, which is great," says Jones.

"(The fans) say 'Ok, this is what you're doing and this is what we wanna see.'"

http://tvnz.co.nz/en...es-play-3345423

One News Them Crooked Vultures Video Interview Link (1:28):

http://tvnz.co.nz/en...y-3345423/video

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How luck and persistence brought AC/DC to Download

Friday, January 29, 2010

HE had been after them for years but AC/DC, one of the world's biggest rock bands, don't do festivals. Or didn't. "They do their own thing, their own stadium tours," says Andy Copping, Download's band booker. "They're the biggest rock band in the world. Back In Black is the biggest selling album of all time after Michael Jackson's Thriller. They played Wembley Arena last year and sold it out in a day. That's 70,000 people. So they don't need to do festivals.

"That said, I still wanted them for Download 2010 and had already tried twice.

"Then late last year, I was at a function and I left early to go back to the office. I say early but it was around midnight and I was just finishing off a few e-mails. I already had Them Crooked Vultures down to headline one of the days. And I thought, Them Crooked Vultures is cool..."

(The supergroup features Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Josh Homme, of Queens of the Stone Age)

"... but I didn't think the announcement would have that 'Wow!' factor. So I decided to go after AC/DC again.

"But this time I sent a pitch to them as if I was in the band. What would make me want to play Download, other than a big chunk of money?"

So I sent a short note that said something like, 'I know you've already turned me down but I'd really like you to take into account...' and then I had these bullets points – 'it's the 30th anniversary of Donington; it's 30 years since Back In Black; we have Radio 1 on board; you can have a say in the bands that you want to play and we can accommodate your own stage production'.

"And I added, 'Maurice Jones, who I know you were close to and who launched Monsters Of Rock in 1980' with a guy called Paul Loasby, 'died last year. We want to pay tribute to him at Download and it would be a fitting tribute if you would play.'

" I sent this off to the band's agent in the US. By now it's half past midnight. I ring to check he's got it and his PA says he's not in the office, he's out with one of his bands.

"But then my Blackberry flashes and it's this guy. By pure chance he's sat with AC/DC's manager in Buenos Aires. He's shown him my e-mail, the manager shows it to (AC/DC guitarist) Malcolm Young and he's gone off to talk to the rest of the band.

"I couldn't believe it.

"There were a few more e-mails between us into the night and he said 'I think they're going to do it.'

"Bear in mind, negotiating deals with headline bands normally takes months. This was done in minutes.

"Every other festival organiser has either rang or e-mailed me going 'how did you do that?' And I've said 'I don't know. Lady Luck was on my side.'"

It is the first time AC/DC will have appeared at Download but the veteran rockers played Monsters of Rock in 1981, 1984 and 1991.

"I saw them each time," says Andy, who was at the first Monsters Of Rock in 1980.

"In 1981 it rained virtually all day, but nobody cared because we were all there to see these bands. I saw them again in 1984 with Van Halen, Ozzy, Motley Crue and Scorpions on the bill. And then in 1991 with Metallica."

Joining AC/DC at Download this summer are Them Crooked Vultures (no longer headlining), Motorhead, Deftones, Stone Temple Pilots, Megadeth, Bullet For My Valentine and Wolfmother.

None of Them Crooked Vultures has ever played at Donington. Neither have grunge-rockers Stone Temple Pilots although frontman Scott Weiland has twice with Velvet Revolver.

It'll be thrash metallers Megadeth's fourth time, after 1988, 2005 and 2007, likewise Motorhead (1986, 2005 and 2008).

Andy, who worked at Rock City on and off from the late80s until seven years ago when he joined Download promoters Live Nation, has yet to finalise the other two headliners.

"I'm stitching those up at the moment and expect to announce them in a couple of weeks."

Does it matter? Can't AC/DC sell-out the 110,000 tickets on their own?

"We'll see when the tickets go on sale. It would be an incredible feat. But I've only just started. I've only booked 10% of the line-up so far. We're not taking our foot off the gas in terms of getting great bands for the other two days. We're still doing three days, we're still doing four or even five stages."

The increased capacity, if a sell-out, will be a record for Donington. In 1988 there were 107,000 people.

Last year's 85,000 daily attendance was Download's first sell-out.

"It was amazing to see kids in Slipknot T-shirts watching Def Leppard and guys in Whitesnake shirts watching Trivium.

"Corey Taylor, the singer from Slipknot, wanted to meet the guys out of Faith No More and he was tongue-tied, like an eight-year-old kid. Slipknot were headlining the following night but he was nearly crying meeting his heroes."

Monsters of Rock and the first few Downloads were held within the Donington racetrack. In 2008 they moved off to make way for the planned redevelopment of the track for Formula 1.

"It's a shame that whole thing has fallen apart," said Andy. "But Kevin Wheatcroft, the landowner, said he wanted the festival to stay at Donington. Whatever happens with the race circuit, we're not affected.

"Where we are now allows us to expand both the capacity and the campsite.

"We're right on the flight path of East Midlands Airport. There's nothing like standing in that field and seeing those planes go over."

Download 2010 , Donington Park, Leicestershire, June 11 to 13, Tickets: Weekend – £145; standard or family camping (three days) – £25; (five days) – £35; camper van supplement – £40; campsite lockers – £11; parking £15/£20.

http://www.thisisnot...il/article.html

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Gig review: Them Crooked Vultures

Reviewed by SIMON SWEETMAN - The Dominion Post 30/01/2010

20100129001RobertKitchinDominionPos.jpg

ROBERT KITCHIN/Dominion Post

THEM CROOKED VULTURES: left to right: John Paul Jones, Josh Homme and Dave Grohl.

Where: TSB Arena,

When: Friday, January 29

If Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) and Josh Homme (Queens of The Stone Age, Kyuss) had decided on any other bass player, this might have been just any other project.

But John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) instantly elevated Them Crooked Vultures to the talk of the town last year; the supergroup to watch.

Everyone was waiting for the debut, self-titled album. So to see the band live is, in many ways, to decide if they actually stand up as something beyond the hype; as more than just a project.

That becomes hard to tell when there are deafening screams for Jones before he is introduced.

The crowd also goes crazy when Grohl thrashes at the cymbals.

There are certainly moments when the best songs from the album surge with energy; the audience moving almost as one to Scumbag Blues, No One Loves Me & Neither Do I and Reptiles.

But it is swiftly apparent that to see Them Crooked Vultures live is to witness the best and worst aspects of this band.

The attempts to improvise and add colour to the tunes definitely gives a chance to showcase the musicianship - always tight and generally impressive.

The problem with Grohl's brief drum solo, with an extended keyboard piece from Jones and from a guitar intro courtesy of Alain Johannes (the Vultures extend to a quartet for live performances) is that nothing is added, beyond length to the set-list.

There is a lot of filler material where nothing is coloured in or around, nothing of value comes from the added pieces - it is jam-band excess. Indulgent and directionless.

Homme is a talented guitar player but he has no personality in his playing; when he offers a fine line in blues-boogie or sharp rock there is no stomp or swagger to go with it.

Grohl is a competent drummer, in fact a very good rock drummer - and better suited to that position than any of his attempts elsewhere on a stage - but because he has led the very successful Foo Fighters and has made sporadic returns to the kit, he is seen as some kind of drum-god; heir apparent to the Bonham throne.

I'm sorry but this is incorrect.

http://www.stuff.co....rooked-Vultures

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Once I heard Homme has no personality, I just laughed. The guy just oozes coolness and swagger, and he has neither? Every one in rock will tell you that Josh's sound is so unique. To be able to play the way he does, and sing....AT THE SAME TIME is amazing.

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Once I heard Homme has no personality, I just laughed. The guy just oozes coolness and swagger, and he has neither? Every one in rock will tell you that Josh's sound is so unique. To be able to play the way he does, and sing....AT THE SAME TIME is amazing.

They will?? Every single last one of them? And because he can sing and play at the same time?

I thought he was charisma-free myself--doesn't alter the fact the music was great, though.

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Gig review: Them Crooked Vultures

Reviewer Chris Schulz was at the band's Auckland show.

By CHRIS SCHULZ - Stuff.co.nz

Last updated 10:24 31/01/2010

20100130005ShaneWenzlickStuffcoNZ.jpg

Them Crooked Vultures are putting the "super" into the term "supergroup". Photo Credit: Shane Wenzlick (Stuff.co.NZ)

Them Crooked Vultures

Where: Vector Arena, Auckland

When: Saturday, January 30

Lanky hair flying, white teeth gritted and arms flailing around like Animal from the Muppets on speed - is there anything more awesome than watching Dave Grohl play drums?

Actually, there is. It's watching Josh Homme and John Paul Jones - the other two-thirds of rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures - coming face-to-face, staring each other down and daring themselves to play as fast as humanly possible during the thrilling closing moments of their Auckland show.

That friendly competitive streak is the reason last year's debut album was one of the best of the year. It's also the reason Them Crooked Vultures' live shows are such a treat, so it was a shame their Vector Arena show was only half full because rocks fans missed out on something special.

The trio, with guitarist Alain Johannes in tow for the live show, are having a blast up there - from Queens of the Stone Age front man Homme's desert swagger and Elvis Presley hip swings during the frequent pace changes of Elephant, to Jones' smooth bass, occasional keyboard flourishes and guitar playing on Led Zeppelin-aping unreleased track Highway One.

Then there's Grohl. Freed from his front man responsibilities for the Foo Fighters, the former Nirvana stickman proved behind the skins is where he should be and he looked like a man possessed during the 100-minute show as his arms turned into a blurry whirlwind.

It's his supercharged playing and crisp beats that sparked New Fang into life, turned Scumbag Blues into a fiery punk outburst and gave Gunman it's industrial stomp. He put so much into epic opening track Nobody Loves Me and Neither Do I that he was forced to pour an entire bottle of water over his head.

If you're a rock fan, it was a set packed full of highlights, and some of the best came from the album's stranger moments. If you've ever wanted to see Jones playing a keytar, he did it during the Mariachi-aping Interludes with Ludes. He also showed off his classical keyboard skills with a solo that had the crowd erupting in a football chant.

But it was the closing track - the frenetic mood-changer Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up - that really took the breath away, and proved the Vultures could one day become bigger than Homme, Grohl and Jones' day bands.

That's the thing you forget about Them Crooked Vultures. This is the tour supporting their first album. They could get better - and that's just scary.

Link to article and Photo Gallery (18 images):

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/gig-reviews/3279373/Gig-review-Them-Crooked-Vultures

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Review: Them Crooked Vultures at Vector Arena

By Scott Kara, New Zealand Herald, 4:00 AM Sunday Jan 31, 2010

Dave Grohl said recently that his time spent drumming in American rock band Queens of the Stone Age in 2002 was like being in the "coolest gang". With Them Crooked Vultures - a super group made up of the former Nirvana drummer and head Foo Fighter, Queens main man Josh Homme, and Led Zeppelin multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones - he has stepped up into a legendary gang.

Even though they range in age from young buck Homme at 36, through to Jones who is 64, there's still a healthy dose of teen spirit in all of them.

Their Auckland show is the last on this leg of their world tour and they run through the whole of the self-titled debut album in a 90-minute-plus set.

Jones looks like he's loving it, with a constant smile on his face he keeps up a soulful and pummelling bass throughout.

Homme's voice moves from crisp and dulcet falsetto on Scumbag Blues to a more dour and harrowing tone on the low-slung and agitating Spinning In Daffodils. And he might be the least well known of the three stars but Homme is a cocky and cool front man with guitar licks to match.

Grohl is a lucid animal on the drums, with boundless energy and precision hitting.

Also part of the touring line up is sometime Queens of the Stone Age recruit Alain Johannes on guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals.

While there are elements of Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and Foo Fighters, the sort of rock'n'roll TCVs play leans more towards the weird and grunty psychedelia of Queens of the Stone Age than anything else.

It's beautiful and heavy, with more than a few dance numbers like New Fang, Dead End Friends, and the rampant and rowdy Mind Eraser, No Chaser thrown in.

Then there's the romantic shuffle of Bandoliers, which Homme dedicates to the ladies; Elephants moves from something frantic, into a powerful lumbering thud, and then becomes sweet and serene; and the wah wah groove of Gunman, a kind of desert boogie crossed with Led Zeppelin doing funk, is the first crowd bounce along - and TCV's own feel good hit of summer.

The only song they lose their way on - which is saying something considering these songs morphed endlessly, often sounding better than they do on the album - is the run-of-the-mill rumble of Reptiles.

Final track Warsaw Or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up stretches out over 10 minutes and ends with another bout of thumping heaviness.

There were those who were wishing for some added extras, like QOTSA's No One Knows, or even something by Led Zep'. But as Homme says: "This is all the songs we know. We're not a covers band."

These rock legends are just out to have some fun - and play beautifully sprawling, twisted and dissonant dance rock tunes while they're at it.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10623353

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Them Crooked Vultures talk influences

Rock luminaries on the records that shaped them

Victoria Hannaford, BBC 6 Music News, January 31, 2010

With a heavyweight line up including Josh Homme, John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl, Them Crooked Vultures define the term supergroup. With a self-titled debut album that came in October – closely followed by a world tour – 6 Music put the players of the ultimate rock triumvirate under the spotlight, to find out about the music that helped define them as artists.…

Q: What was the first record you ever owned?

John Paul Jones: Jerry Lee Lewis single Great Balls of Fire

Dave Grohl: The K-Tel compilation with Edgar Winter Group's song Frankenstein

Josh Homme: Jackson Browne's Running on Empty

Q: John, what was the record that made you want to be a bass player?

JPJ: Shakin' All Over by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

Q: Dave, what was the record that made you want to be a drummer?

DG: Probably a punk rock band called The Bad Brains. They had a record called Rock for Light.; but to be a good drummer, it was Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin.

Q: Josh, what was the record that inspired you to be a musician?

JH: It was a seven inch called Thirsty and Miserable by the band Black Flag.

Q: Which is the record that was a breakthrough for you as an artist?

JH: The record I thought 'wow, I'm going to keep doing this' is the first Queens of the Stone Age record. I thought I was on to something…

DG: It was Nevermind – the record Nevermind with Nirvana, because we were selling equipment for food until that came out, and then everything changed.

Q: What's a song of your bandmates' that you love?

JH: Pretender by Foo Fighters.

DG: For a Led Zeppelin track, I would say Trampled Underfoot, and for a Queens of the Stone Age track I would say Regular Junk, cause they both just make you shake your ass. Those are the ass shakers.

Q: What's your favourite Them Crooked Vultures track?

JH: Dead End Friends.

DG: That's what I was going to say. I love that song because of the way it was recorded. Josh came in and he said "ok dude, I've got 15 minutes and then I've got to take my daughter out to dinner, so here's this riff – let's go' and we just went through it a couple of times, and then he split. Then John showed up and he was like 'Hey what are you guys doing?' and then he put the bass on.…

http://www.bbc.co.uk...dvultures.shtml

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They will?? Every single last one of them? And because he can sing and play at the same time?

I thought he was charisma-free myself--doesn't alter the fact the music was great, though.

I only say that because I play music and I know how hard it is to play guitar and sing at the same time. But Josh isn't just strumming your basic three chord progressions that most front men who have a guitar do. He's playing complicated riffs and chords and singing and taking care of the solos all at the same time.

If you don't think Josh is charismatic, then I don't know what else to say. It's part of his persona. As a front man and a lead guitar player, you can clearly see it while he's up on stage and through his lyrics.

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Lots of guitar-playing singers (or singing guitar players) do that.

And no, I couldn't clearly see his charisma while he was on stage, because for me he didn't have any--that didn't prevent me thinking he was a great guitarist and good singer, though, even if others rate his singing more than I do. This is precisely the point--people have different opinions and come to different judgments. It's not a question of "Josh is cool and you're just wrong if you think otherwise." ;)

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Lots of guitar-playing singers (or singing guitar players) do that.

And no, I couldn't clearly see his charisma while he was on stage, because for me he didn't have any--that didn't prevent me thinking he was a great guitarist and good singer, though, even if others rate his singing more than I do. This is precisely the point--people have different opinions and come to different judgments. It's not a question of "Josh is cool and you're just wrong if you think otherwise." ;)

I see where you're coming from. I just totally got turned off by the review, because as a guitar player, the guys statements about Josh Homme's guitar playing is so off, and I bet you he can't even play a guitar to save his life.

Then he basically painted Grohl as a Bonham wannabe. He is clueless throughout the whole review and it shows.

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Them Crooked Vultures - Royal Albert Hall - March 22, 2010

Noel Gallagher, Them Crooked Vultures, JLS For Teenage Cancer Trust Gigs At London's Royal Albert Hall...

February 01, 2010 by Scott Colothan

Noel Gallagher, Them Crooked Vultures, Arctic Monkeys, The Specials, The Who and JLS have all been lined up for the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs at London's Royal Albert Hall this February and March.

The flurry of new acts join the already confirmed Suede and Depeche Mode at the charity series curated by The Who's Roger Daltrey.

Former Oasis star Noel Gallagher will play a two night residency in what will be his only shows of 2010. It will be the fifth time Gallagher has performed at the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs.

Roger Daltrey enthused about the shows: "It's a blinder. I'm over the moon. It will be Noel's only gigs this year, so those nights will be special."

Asked by The Sun whether JLS are too commercial for the TCT gigs, Daltrey responded: "Kids have to start somewhere and JLS are for young people. Music snobs might turn their noses up but there's no place for them in the business."

Tickets for the shows go on sale via the Gigwise Gig Tickets section from 9am this Friday (February 5).

The shows are as follows:

Depeche Mode - February 17

Them Crooked Vultures - March 22

Jimmy Carr, Noel Fielding and Rod Gilbert - 23

Suede - 24

Noel Gallagher - 25/26

Arctic Monkeys - 27

JLS - 28

The Specials - 29

The Who - 30

http://www.gigwise.c...ncer-Trust-Gigs

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Vultures promise second album icon_gallery.gif

By CHRIS SCHULZ - Stuff.co.nz

Last updated 12:43 02/02/2010

Rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures say they will release a new album in 2010.

The band - consisting of Foo Fighters' front man Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones - released their debut album in November last year to almost universal acclaim, and they played two blistering shows in New Zealand over the weekend.

Speaking to Stuff.co.nz before their Auckland show on Saturday night, Jones promised a second Them Crooked Vultures album would be released in late 2010.

"We'll do a second album this year," Jones, 63, confirmed. "By the end of summer, something like that."

Asked whether the other members of Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age wanted their front men back, Jones said they'd get them "eventually".

"I haven't really stolen them - it's Dave's baby, it's his fault," he said. "They'll get them back - one day."

Jones said he was excited to be part of the Vultures and admitted the band's success had helped make up for Led Zeppelin fans disappointed by the lack of a full-scale reunion.

"(Zeppelin fans) have been disappointed a long time - they're getting used to it ... I think they're enjoying (the Vultures). It doesn't sound like Led Zeppelin but it's got a similar sort of vibe. It's a groovy, exciting rock band"

Chemistry, hard work and "people who know what they are doing" were the key elements to a successful rock act, Jones said.

"We're all hard workers. In a way we need to do this, for ourselves. Once we committed to it we worked as hard as a young band would, put the hours in.

"It's got to be good - we've got reputations to uphold more than anything else."

http://www.stuff.co....se-second-album

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This a funny little article from a New Zealand paper posted today.

http://www.stuff.co....rooked-Vultures

Hanging out with Them Crooked Vultures

By Chris Schultz

Last updated 12:53 03/02/2010

Wow, so that was a pretty crazy anniversary weekend, huh? First, Them Crooked Vultures rocked it out on Saturday night - more on them in a minute - and then the brand spanking new festival Laneway took up most of my Monday. Just quietly, I'm feeling pretty fatigued.So yeah, as I said last week, I got to hang out with the Vultures for around an hour before the show on Saturday night. I use the term "hang out" loosely, because I was really only sitting in the same room as them and about 15 other media and label reps.

But it was interesting to see how much rubbish Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones had to put up with. They basically got ordered to sign albums, pose for photos, give people tickets to the show, then sit through the strangest interview ever with a bunch of Japanese guys and a framed photo of a presenter called "George" who couldn't make it here.

Maybe he was too busy having his body cryogenically frozen.

So I had a lot of respect for Josh, John and Dave. They joked and laughed the entire time, while I watched, smiling like the little fanboy I am. Here's an observation: Dave Grohl has arms as thick as my thighs. I wouldn't want to arm wrestle him.

I even got to spend 10 minutes with former Led Zeppelin rocker John Paul Jones. I'm not a fan of question-and-answer type stories - I'm looking at you, lazy journos - but after yesterday's short piece I've had requests for the whole interview, so I'll make an exception just this once.

Here it is:

Do you get down to New Zealand much?

"I was here in 2004 with the Datsuns, that was the last time. It's a long, long way from where I live."

How did the Wellington show go?

"Really well, it was a great show, the crowd was really up for it."

Did you know there was another big band - AC/DC - playing down there as well?

"Yeah, actually there was a nice quote from Josh. They were playing the night before us and the night after, and Josh said they were 'nice buns to our burger'."

Did you ever think you would be doing this again, on this scale?

"I did a couple of years ago, because after the O2 (Led Zeppelin concert) when Robert [Plant] decided he didn't want to do it anymore, Jimmy


, Jason [bonham] and I were going to form another band - which everyone called 'Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant', which it wasn't because we had new music. So I was kind of up for it when Dave [Grohl] suggested it. I didn't have to think very hard. As soon as he said it was Josh [Homme], and we were building it around a trio, it didn't take me long to decide because the other project wasn't going anywhere."

Do you think Them Crooked Vultures has made it up to all the disappointed Led Zeppelin fans out there who wanted a full-scale reunion?

"They've been disapointed a long time, Led Zeppelin fans. They're getting used to it. I hope they like this. There seems to be a lot of Zeppelin T-shirts in the audience, I think they're enjoying it. It doesn't sound like Led Zeppelin but it's got a similar sort of vibe. It's a groovy, exciting rock band."

In Chicago last year there was a massive buzz around your first show after Lollapalooza. Have you been surprised by the passion?

"It was amazing considering nobody had heard any music by then. That was the first show, there was nothing on YouTube and nobody knew anything about it at all really, apart from who was in it. Obviously we've all got our own lot of fans who know each of our music. One interesting thing is a lot of people have come to me and said, 'I didn't really know about Queens of the Stone Age until Crooked Vultures' and said, 'This is really good stuff, isn't it?' All the other fans are discovering our other bands as well, which is really nice.

Are the other guys in the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age annoyed that you've stolen their frontmen?

No, I don't think so - I haven't really stolen them. It's their guy - it's Dave's fault. But they'll get them back - one day.

Is the Vultures turning into a long-term prospect? Will there be a second album?

"We'll do a second album I think, yeah. This year? Yeah, I think so. By the end of summer, something like that."

How long did it take you guys to click in the studio? Days, hours, minutes?

"A good couple of minutes really. By the first jam. Dave started, I joined in and then came Josh. On the second day we started working on songs. No time at all, no trouble at all."

You're in a unique position to comment on what makes a great rock band. Is it all about your chemistry?

"Yeah, chemistry and good players helps. People who know what they're doing and are passionate about what they're doing and hard workers - we're all hard workers. You would think that because we don't need to do this - in a way we do need to do this, strangely, for ourselves we need to do it - but once we commited to it we worked as hard as a young band would. Put the hours in. It has got to be good obviously - we've got reputations to look after apart from anything else.

Has it turned out like you planned it to?

"It was a kind of plan. We took it one step at a time really, see what would happen. We knew we wanted to play some shows, that was the main thing. As far as Dave was concerned, we had to keep him in the studio. He said, 'Well let's go do some shows.' But we need an album first. 'Oh yeah, but let's go'. We'd do three songs, 'Let's go do some shows.' We need more than three songs, honest Dave."

He looks pretty happy to be behind the drums again.

"Oh yeah, he's very happy, but everyone's happy in that respect. When I was doing my solo stuff everything relied on me, and a lot relied on Josh as leader of Queens of the Stone Age and a lot relied on Dave as leader of the Foo Fighters. It's nice that you can all share the blame in this band. We're all equal."

Do you prefer bigger stadium shows or smaller, more intimate venues?

"I like both. We're a bit too big for the very small places. I don't mean big in terms of drawing power, the music's just a bit too much for a very small place. It was okay right at the beginning but it's outgrown some really tight places. I like 3000-4000.

What if you got as big as Led Zeppelin again. Are you ready for that?

"I don't mind arenas. Ten thousand to 12,000 is good. Stadiums I don't like much. I'm not very keen on those. Everything just gets lost. I remember the Zeppelin stadium shows. Everyone was there because they kind of felt they had to be, rather than to hear some music. It was an event that you should attend. It's okay, you can get them singing along but we're not really that kind of band. Stadium gigs are like karaoke moments where everyone sings along and the band just plays."

I read one great quote from you saying you wanted to "melt people's faces off". Do you think you're doing that?

"I think so, yeah. We certainly did in Chicago that night, they couldn't believe it - they didn't really know what to expect and weren't ready for the intensity of it. I think they just didn't believe it was going to be like it was. It melted their faces, pretty muchy."

Were you nervous before that show?

"Not really nervous. We wanted to get it right. We weren't as relaxed as we are now. You have an idea that people are going to like it, because we like it, and you're experienced enough to know that it's not weird and 'out there' but we want to make sure it's good, and it's as good as it can be."

http://www.stuff.co....rooked-Vultures

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Josh Homme: 'Them Crooked Vultures Hope To Record Second Album'

He speaks about the future...

February 03, 2010 by Jason Gregory

Them Crooked Vultures singer John Homme has said the band are confident they will return with a second album.

Homme said there "isn't a reason" that the group, which also stars Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones, wouldn't record a follow-up to their 2009 self-titled debut.

"We love playing in this (band)" Homme told BBC 6 Music. "We have such a good time together and it's fun and it feels like we're obligated to risk and challenge ourselves. It's such a rewarding risk to take you know, it's like high tension wire."

Drummer Grohl has previously expressed his interest in returning to the studio with the band.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Them Crooked Vultures will feature at next month's Teenage Cancer Trust gig series in London.

The group will perform at the Royal Albert Hall on March 22.

http://www.gigwise.c...rd-Second-Album

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Proving just how much they rock, Them Crooked Vultures blew two speakers during a truly epic set at one of their Australasian shows. The band decided that instead of throwing these away, they would isgn them and put together a couple of excellent packs for a benefit auction to raise money for the victims of the devestating earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday 12 January 2010.

Up for auction are two Them Crooked Vultures packs, each containing:

A blown speaker signed by Homme, Grohl, Jones and Johannes

Drumsticks signed (& used!) by Dave Grohl

2010 Australian tour poster

Australian tour shirt

Official Tour Merchandise stubby holder

Official embroidered tour patch

Official "Working Pass" from the tour

Set list from show

Letter of Authenticity signed by Them Crooked Vultures' Tour Manager

The two packs will be auctioned separately on e-bay HERE and HERE from Wednesday 3rd - Sat 13th February 2010.

All proceeds will be donated to the Australian Red Cross Haiti Appeal.

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Rock power trio brings big names, big talent

By Debby Jet Jennings - Special to The Herald (Charlotte, SC)

February 5, 2010

A supergroup is an awkward animal, so Them Crooked Vultures performing Wednesday at The Fillmore in Charlotte has embarked on a challenging journey. Not just a mere supergroup, TCV is a power trio supergroup. It combines the venerable talents of John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin on bass/ keyboards; Dave Grohl of Nirvana/Foo Fighters on drums; and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age on guitar/vocals. While Jones is a rock icon and Grohl an heir apparent rock god, Homme is the secret weapon. Even though his fame and notoriety are a bit less, Homme's haunting vocal style and musical talents are certainly worthy.

Their first show was Aug. 9 at the Metro in Chicago, and their self-titled album hit the streets in mid-November to critical acclaim and instant ranking on "best of 2009" lists, plus gold or platinum status in some locales.

With 13 tracks on the album, the music is a true collaboration written, arranged and produced by all three. Lyrics are supplied by Homme. The sound and style of the music are remarkable. Some of the album's tracks are posted here. The number of plays each track has received is also noted, indicating which are the most popular and strongest.

For instance, the song "New Fang" a sort of Foo-Fighters-meets-Talking-Heads romp, leads the pack with a rousing 162,962 plays.

"Nobody Loves Me and Neither Do I" is next with 96,488 plays. This bluesy, Zeppelin-esque tune or Led Zep by way of something Clapton-ish with a John Lennon mood and a hint of Dead Weather retro-ness is possibly one of the album's best.

Then find "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" (66,017 plays) which features squirrely Jimmy Page-like guitar conflagrations and odd tempo ruminations; and then "Dead End Friends," a straight-up guitar jam with 52, 051 plays, followed in turn by "Scumdog Blues" (47,861 plays) that is more of a classic rock Clapton /Cream concoction with some Billy Preston Beatle keyboard maneuvers thrown in for good measure.

Overall, this is a grand introduction to Them Crooked Vultures. Lots of clever chops, hard-hitting riffs, and attitude-a-plenty to satisfy all comers who encounter this three-headed monster cross-bred to keep classic rock in-play and interesting.

Frankly, the mere fact that a member of Led Zeppelin is involved might have been enough to carry the day. Their bio refers to the band as an "enigma wrapped in a mystery," but things have been falling into place quite nicely.

For now, get another quickie taste of the music on this week's "Saturday Night Live," which features TCV as the musical guests, then get up close with Them Crooked Vultures at The Fillmore, 820 Hamilton St., Charlotte.

For show/ticket info, call 704-916-8970 or visitlivenation.com. Get more on the band/music at themcrooked vultures.com; and my space.com/crookedvultures.

http://www.heraldonl...ry/1921875.html

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Rock gods v fatherhood

By Scott Kara, New Zealand Herald, Feb 4, 2010

It sometimes pays to stay for another beer. But when you're a dad, there's always a nagging feeling that you should get home, get a good sleep, and be semi-refreshed for when the little one wakes up at 6.30am-ish.On Saturday night, I rebelled. And I'm glad I did.

Following a gig by Them Crooked Vultures at Vector Arena, a cracker show by a super group made up of Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), a few friends and I found ourselves at Quadrant Hotel's swanky bar in the central city.

It was always going to be a semi-big night because those three famous rock guys I mentioned are legends - and all musical heroes of mine. So a few celebratory beers were in order.

I'd already had one for the road and was about to head home. But a friend twisted my jelly-like arm into staying on. And it's just as well he did because half way through that next tasty ale, who should stroll through the door but Dave Grohl and his bass playing side-kick and living legend John Paul.

I really had to go home, but I stayed. Well, I stayed long enough to meet and have a chat to two thirds of my new favourite band and then I was off home.

In hindsight I probably should have stayed for another because five minutes after I left Josh Homme of Queens - probably my favourite band of the noughties - swaggered in.

But hey, I can catch him next time he's in town because it's funny how your attitude to staying out late changes when you have kids - and you have to get up early.

My wife and I used to love staying out until all hours, but now we find ourselves keen to get home to Mia at a reasonably respectable hour, which also makes it easier in the morning.

It seems that sort of thinking also extends to rock stars because Grohl, Homme, and Jones (who met his wife way back in 1965) are all confirmed family men.

After a long stint on the road they were looking forward to getting home to their partners and kids. (Although, who was that girl having a cheeky stroke of Dave Grohl's hair at the bar?).

And besides, while it was great to meet a few of my musical heroes, there's nothing better than waking up to the dulcet and cute tones of "mummy, daddy, mummy", in the morning.

That beats being serenaded by Josh Homme any day.

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10624066

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