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I think people are too smart and too self-conscious and too cool for school. When everyone is cool and everyone's an outlaw then everyone's nothing. You forget how to have fun. When you go straight for the pussy and don't really fool around and kiss you lose the art of gettin' down and you're just fucking. There's a great difference between being a great lover and being a dude who gets laid a lot. -Josh Homme |
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"It's un-ironic. He's not trying to Williamsburg his face, and if it was gone you'd say, 'Would you grow one immediately or wear this one I bought at the store across the street?' His moustache is in the Tom Selleck/Burt Reynolds tradition," says Homme. "It's sweepin' up the nation. We call it a 'tickly town tamer.' He's a bit like Sampson in that it is the source of all his power. Nicknames and phrases like that are a product of growing up in the TV generation and not feeling their slogans were doing anything for us. We have so much fun with [song] titles and the concept that we're 'selling' our music. So, let's sell the shit out of it and enjoy it and not trip."
As noted at the start, there's a fuller band feel on Heart On.
 Jesse Hughes by Ronan Thenadey |
"That's beautiful deception on our part because this record is once again primarily me and Jess because that's where the weird quirks come from. We love to make music together, to get locked in that bizarre cave that happens with us when we go into the studio. I enjoy making three-record plans; it's a lot of fun. They're not cast in stone necessarily but a big outline of what we'd like to do," says Homme. "[Heart On] is really the record I've been looking forward to doing because it's the most polished in terms of production but still raw and goes the deepest. How deep into the center of fun can you go while submerging yourself? The important thing is to grow, and the difference between the first and second records, musically, is not tons; it's more how it's presented. When we did the first record we laughed when we said, 'When we put bass on the second record it'll already make it so different it's crazy!' What's fun to do is be consistent but surprise your audience at the same time. That's the real challenge."
"This is the first time in Eagles that I've shown a side of sadness, like 'Now I'm A Fool,' and it hurts. That's me observing romance and Hollywood," says Hughes, who also works up a melancholy shine on the Stealers Wheel-like "How Can A Man With So Many Friends Feel So Alone," a Heart On standout. "That one's an ironic truth. Here you are, exactly where you wanted to be, and everyone knows you but nobody cares. If you don't take [the music industry] seriously for what it is it will fuck you."
That said, success is chasing them around like a barely legal cutie with a cherry to pop. Eagles were recently inducted into the Denny's restaurant chain's "All Nighter" hall of fame and given their own menu item, "Heart On A Plate Pancakes."
 Eagles of Death Metal |
"Having a menu item at Denny's makes me feel like I've made it. If people don't think that's cool then they probably wouldn't think it was cool if Jessica Simpson walked down their street. Jessica Simpson showed up at our soundcheck today," says Hughes with a hint of schoolboy naughtiness. So, did Ms. Daisy Dukes shake it a little? "No but I wanted her to! I was kind of taken by surprise by the Denny's thing, which I did at the Denny's at Highland & Sunset [in Hollywood]. When I got there they had the whole place shut down for me! Get the fuck out! I respect and appreciate it when people honor me and I try hard to never feel entitled to shit. No one is 'lucky' to get to talk to me! I'm never going to think that. I never take shit for granted. It all seems like an award to me."
It's a wonder that anyone with a pulse and a healthy amount of pheromones would reject the Eagles of Death Metal. Their roaming hands hug of rock's original inspirations is freakin' enjoyable, undiluted fun that just might let you scrape some denim off your Levis with a perfect (for the night) stranger. If you're lucky and stop worrying about what anybody thinks of your stupid, broken wing chicken moves on the dance floor. Real freedom is always sexy. Believe that.
"I don't break the rules just to be wrong or just to break 'em. I don't need to believe in magic talking monkeys just to get down with somebody's wife. I really do believe I was made for this" says Hughes. "I love all the parts of it, especially when you do it right. There've been moments when I've seen a collective look on the faces in the crowd when the moment hits them and they realize, 'I could do some stupid shit and it'll be fun and nobody will care!' Yes! Dude, you don't have to be born in 1965 and have gone to the first Clash show to wear their t-shirt. If you just discovered rad shit yesterday instead of 30 years ago then it's still to be congratulated. It doesn't matter when you discover rad shit, only that you do. If you wanna get down and dance come see the Eagles of Death Metal."
"What's important is now. We're young and there's got to be a way to cut loose in rock 'n' roll. I can't believe that isn't at the forefront of what rock 'n' roll is anymore. It seems utterly bizarre, very Twilight Zone, that the main goal isn't having everyone doing whatever it takes to get their pants off with one another," says Homme. "In people's reactions to Eagles of Death Metal now we see a lot of sighs of relief. We knew at first people would think it was a joke and a side project so we chose not to address that at all. That will happen and spending our time defending or correcting things is a waste. This is a course we're teaching and we're trying to have fun. Ultimately, the joke is on them because we're badass and we can throw down. I love that surprise factor. And some people think we're not badass but I don't care about them. Fuck it. I want people to put their fist in the air and dance. Get off with your heart on."
Here's Jesse Hughes cookin' it up at Denny's
And here's the goofy, cool video for new single "Wannabe In L.A."
Eagles of Death Metal are on tour now. Get your rocks off here.
JamBase | Lovin' The One We're With
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