The Desert Sessions Members, Gear & Sound

Genre

Alternative rock Blues rock Experimental rock Hard rock Stoner rock Modern rock modern blues rock modern alternative rock palm desert scene

Members

Select a The Desert Sessions band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

Josh Homme

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Kyuss Queens of the Stone Age Them Crooked Vultures Screaming Trees Eagles of Death Metal Sound City Players The Fiffiff Teeners

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Les Claypool

Roles:

Singer Bassist

Groups:

Primus The Claypool Lennon Delirium Oysterhead Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel Bob Cock and the Yellow Sock Sausage Blind Illusion Festus Clamrod and The El Sobrante Twangers Les Claypool's Fancy Band Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade The Les Claypool Frog Brigade Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang Duo de Twang Electric Apricot Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains Beanpole Les Claypool's Bastard Jazz

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Mike Kerr

Roles:

Singer Bassist

Groups:

Royal Blood

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Dean Ween

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Ween Dean Ween Group Z-Rock Hawaii Moistboyz The Dean Ween Group

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Troy Van Leeuwen

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Failure A Perfect Circle The Wondergirls Gone Is Gone Enemy Sweethead

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Nick Oliveri

Roles:

Singer Bassist

Groups:

Kyuss Queens of the Stone Age Dwarves STÖNER Vista Chino Mondo Generator Bl'ast! Bloodclot

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PJ Harvey

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Keyboardist Harpist

Groups:

Private Function

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Jeordie White

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Composer

Groups:

Nine Inch Nails A Perfect Circle Marilyn Manson Mrs. Scabtree Goon Moon Satan on Fire

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Ben Shepherd

Roles:

Singer Bassist Composer

Groups:

Soundgarden Wellwater Conspiracy Hater Devilhead Ten Commandos

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Brant Bjork

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Drummer

Groups:

Kyuss Fu Manchu STÖNER Brant Bjork Trio Vista Chino Fatso Jetson Ten East Ché Mario Lalli & The Rubber Snake Charmers Brant Bjork and The Bros

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Alain Johannes

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist Drummer Keyboardist Music Producer

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Them Crooked Vultures Sound City Players Eleven Anthym What Is This? Ten Commandos

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Joey Castillo

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Danzig Eagles of Death Metal Circle Jerks Zakk Sabbath Trash Talk Goatsnake Bl'ast! Wasted Youth California Breed Sugartooth The Wildabouts DOOM REGULATOR Bloodclot Zilch The Hellcat Saints Pusherjones General Fucking Principle

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Josh Freese

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Foo Fighters Nine Inch Nails Weezer A Perfect Circle Guns N' Roses Devo The Replacements The Dirty Heads The Vandals Dwarves Infectious Grooves Ashes Divide Black Light Burns Tapeworm Sublime with Rome New Radicals Institute Xtra Large Viva Death Monster in the Machine Jihad Jerry & The Evildoers Zoobelly Slider The Summer Obsession The Damning Well Royal Machines Daredevils Simpletones Medication Stripsearch The I Don't Cares The Silencers Magnapop The Hellcat Saints

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Jesse Hughes

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Groups:

Eagles of Death Metal

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Matt Sweeney

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Chavez Zwan Superwolf

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Dave Catching

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Eagles of Death Metal Mondo Generator earthlings?

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Mickey Melchiondo

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

Ween Dean Ween Group Z-Rock Hawaii Moistboyz The Dean Ween Group

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Matt Berry

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Keyboardist

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Stella Mozgawa

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Warpaint Banana

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Christian Grahn

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

The Hives

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David Catching

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Eagles of Death Metal Mondo Generator

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John McBain

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Monster Magnet Wellwater Conspiracy

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Mark Lanegan

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Mad Season Screaming Trees The Twilight Singers The Gutter Twins Mark Lanegan Band

Needs more gear

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Mario Lalli

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

Yawning Man Brant Bjork Trio Fatso Jetson Zun Ten East Yawning Sons Mario Lalli & The Rubber Snake Charmers Perfect Rat

Needs more gear

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Chris Goss

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Music Producer

Groups:

Kyuss Queens of the Stone Age Sound City Players The Fiffiff Teeners Masters of Reality

Needs more gear

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Natasha Shneider

Roles:

Singer Keyboardist Composer

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Eleven Anthym Black Russian

Needs more gear

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Carla Azar

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Autolux Jack White Ednaswap

Needs more gear

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Gene Trautmann

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Eagles of Death Metal The Miracle Workers

Needs more gear

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Samantha Maloney

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Hole Mötley Crüe Eagles of Death Metal Brother Clyde

No gear added

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Peter Stahl

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Goatsnake Scream Wool earthlings?

No gear added

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Alfredo Hernández

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Kyuss Queens of the Stone Age Yawning Man Ché Brant Bjork and The Bros

No gear added

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Jake Shears

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Scissor Sisters

No gear added

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Blag Dahlia

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Dwarves

No gear added

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Fred Drake
No gear added

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Barrett Martin

Roles:

Drummer Composer

Groups:

Mad Season Screaming Trees Skin Yard Tuatara Levee Walkers Walking Papers Endino's Earthworm Barrett Martin Group

No gear added

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Larry Lalli

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Fatso Jetson

No gear added

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Brendon McNichol

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Masters of Reality

No gear added

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About

The Desert Sessions is a collaborative musical project spearheaded by Josh Homme, the frontman of Queens of the Stone Age. Originating from the Palm Desert scene in California, this ever-evolving collective features a rotating lineup of musicians from various backgrounds, contributing to its rich tapestry of sound. Notable collaborators have included Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Les Claypool of Primus, and Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint, among others. The Desert Sessions is renowned for its genre-blurring explorations of alternative rock, stoner rock, and experimental rock, with each session recorded at the iconic Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree. This project thrives on spontaneity and creative freedom, making it a unique fixture in modern rock.

How to Sound Like The Desert Sessions

The Desert Sessions' sound is characterized by its raw, gritty textures and unpredictable sonic landscapes. The music often balances heavy, distorted riffs with moments of experimental ambiance and bluesy undertones. Josh Homme’s choice of guitars, such as the Fender Jazzmaster Troy Van Leeuwen Signature and the Ovation 1984 Ovation Ultra GP 1431, contributes to the project’s distinctive tonal palette. Amplifiers like the Ampeg VT-40 lend a vintage warmth to the recordings, while effects such as the Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive introduce an edge of overdriven chaos that complements the free-spirited nature of the sessions. The result is a sound that is both aggressive and exploratory, capturing the essence of a musical journey unbound by convention.

Discography

The Desert Sessions Volume 9 & 10

2003

Vols. 11 & 12

2019

Get the The Desert Sessions Sound

Want to sound like The Desert Sessions? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.