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:

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

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Troy Van Leeuwen

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

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

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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 Moistboyz The Dean Ween Group Z-Rock Hawaii

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Nick Oliveri

Roles:

Singer Bassist

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Kyuss Dwarves STÖNER Mondo Generator Vista Chino 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 Marilyn Manson A Perfect Circle 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 Vista Chino Fatso Jetson Brant Bjork Trio Ten East Ché Mario Lalli & The Rubber Snake Charmers Brant Bjork and The Bros

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Josh Freese

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

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

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

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Mickey Melchiondo

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

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

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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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Matt Berry

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Keyboardist

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Stella Mozgawa

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Warpaint Banana

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David Catching

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Eagles of Death Metal Mondo Generator

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Christian Grahn

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

The Hives

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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 Screaming Trees Mad Season The Gutter Twins Mark Lanegan Band The Twilight Singers

Needs more gear

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Mario Lalli

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

Yawning Man Fatso Jetson Brant Bjork Trio 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:

Queens of the Stone Age Kyuss 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 Ednaswap Jack White

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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Peter Stahl

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Goatsnake Scream Wool earthlings?

No gear added

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Alfredo Hernández

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Queens of the Stone Age Kyuss 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:

Screaming Trees Mad Season 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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Samantha Maloney

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Mötley Crüe Hole Eagles of Death Metal Brother Clyde

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.