Josh Homme Explains Why He Made ‘Strangest’ Tour Rider Request

What is Josh Homme’s strangest tour rider request and why did he make it? The Queens of the Stone Age singer recently dished during a episode of the Dish From Waitrose podcast, as viewed below.

The tour rider is a time-honored tradition in the rock world where artists often provide a desired list of items they prefer to have on hand to make them comfortable prior to a performance. And while certain food items and adult beverages are typically popular items amongst rock stars, sometimes the requests get a little more interesting.

When asked by host Nick Grimshaw about the strangest item he’s requested, Homme first addressed the idea of having a tour rider and the challenge it’s provided.

“I always say that elitism sucks, when I’m not included,” he joked with Grimshaw and co-host Angela Hartnett. “I think that over the years, one of the things that keeps you young, other than injections, is to have a good sense of humor. So, as the years have gone on, and we had access to more and more outrageous requests being honored, it starts to make you ask for strange things.”

What Is Josh Homme’s Strangest Rider Request?

“For a while, I used to ask for chocolate-covered ants and a map of Ireland to be put on the wall,” recalled the singer. “People would ask me, ‘Josh, why do you have chocolate-covered ants and a framed map of Ireland?,’ and I would say, ‘Wouldn’t you like to know, mind your damn business.’”

The request seems to have been made more in fun than a true desire to digest chocolate covered ants, but rather than filling his hunger, it actually is more satisfying to his funny bone.

READ MORE: Bizarre Tour Rider Requests

“I think it’s nice to have a bit of pizazz and eccentric. Let your eccentric-ness just sort of herniate out every once in a while,” revealed Homme. “Perhaps its gross if its in earnest and too far because you think, ‘By God, I wish I was in a different room than this person.’ But it’s nice to push the boundaries and try new things even if it’s just as simple as setting up an entire Haribo Gummy Bear war.”

Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme Guests on the Dish From Waitrose Podcast

Queens of the Stone Age in 2024

Queens of the Stone Age recently had to put the rider requests on hold as the band dropped off the remainder of their July tour dates in Europe so that Homme could return to the U.S. to undergo emergency surgery. The nature of the ailment was not specified.

However, only the July shows were impacted with their tour leg finale July 27 being the last stop that was canceled. At present, they are expected to return to touring Aug. 8 at the Way Out West festival in Gothenburg, Sweden.  Additional shows in Europe continue through Aug. 21, at which point they’ll take a month off before starting a new North American tour leg on Sept. 27 in Boston.

See all current Queens of the Stone Age dates and get ticketing information through the band’s website.