“We peaked out. You had Dave Grohl on drums, Mark Lanegan on vocals, I'm on bass and Josh is on guitar and vocals. It's kind of hard to do better, you know?” Nick Oliveri on why Queens of the Stone Age will never top their Songs for the Deaf lineup

Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri is best known for his work on two of the band's seminal albums, Rated R (2000) and Songs for the Deaf (2002) – and he thinks the Josh Homme-fronted outfit has never topped the lineup that appeared on the 2002 classic.

“I think we kind of peaked out,” he says in an upcoming Guitar World interview. "I mean… there's a thing with the band, you know, you had Dave Grohl on drums, Mark Lanegan on vocals, I'm on bass and vocals, and Josh is on guitar and vocals. I think when you have a band like that going, it's kind of hard to do better, you know?

Queens Of The Stone Age / feat. Dave Grohl - Song For The Dead (Werchter 2002) - YouTube

Watch On

“There's no way you can continue something like that with different members. I don't see it as possible. I think that's the main choice for most people as their definitive lineup, because it's the best lineup there was. It's the best band I ever played in. I've yet to play in a band of such greatness and be surrounded by such greatness.”

As to whether he would ever rejoin Queens of the Stone Age, Oliveri admits, “I would do it, but it's not my decision anymore. It's Josh's, and, well, I don't really see him giving up what he's got for bringing a partner in for his thing. He's already gotten moving well on his own now. I would do it, but that's on him.”

Despite all that ensued, Oliveri reveals that he and Homme are still on good terms.

“We still pick up where we left off whenever we see each other. We still talk on the phone. We're still good friends. Josh is a good dude, and we get along well. I wish him all the success in the world.”