Ending a 16-year hiatus since its last installment, the most mythical, longest running rock n roll mixtape odyssey in existence, "Desert Sessions" will return this October with the most ambitious entries yet in its expansive and elusive catalog: Volumes 11 and 12 (a.k.a. respectively "Arrivederci Despair" and "Tightwads & Nitwits & Critics & Heels") will be released October 25 on Matador Records. A limited-edition first vinyl pressing will include a one-of-a-kind custom mix-and-match body swap booklet. Volumes 11 and 12 were recorded mostly in a six-day span in December 2018 at Rancho De La Luna studios in Joshua Tree, California with QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE founder and "Desert Sessions" ringleader/producer Joshua Homme enlisting a cast of players including: * Billy Gibbons (ZZ TOP) * Stella Mozgawa (WARPAINT) * Jake Shears (SCISSOR SISTERS) * Mike Kerr (ROYAL BLOOD) * Carla Azar (AUTOLUX, JACK WHITE) * Les Claypool (PRIMUS) * Matt Sweeney * Matt Berry ("What We Do in the Shadows", "Toast Of London") * Libby Grace * Töôrnst Hülpft The results are eight new songs that embody the legacy of freedom from expectations and inhibitions that stretches back to 1997, when Homme led a first retreat to the Joshua Tree desert. What began as a casual writing and recording session amongst friends — isolated from daily distractions and comforts — has since become a possibly infinite body of work. Now spanning 12 volumes over the course of two decades (and a total of two documented live performances), the "Desert Sessions" has featured some of music's most cherished icons — past players have included Polly Harvey, Mark Lanegan, Josh Freese, Dean Ween, among many others — deliberately removing themselves from their comfort zones and working together to create some of their most relaxed yet challenging work. For a glimpse into the various players' reactions to the completed work, check out a Liam Lynch-directed exclusive video interview with Homme below. The tracklist for "Desert Sessions" volumes 11 and 12 is: * Move Together (lead vocal: Billy F. Gibbons) * Noses in Roses Forever (lead vocal: Joshua Homme) * Far East For The Trees * If You Run (lead vocal: Libby Grace) * Crucifire (lead vocal: Mike Kerr) * Chic Tweetz (vocals: Töôrnst Hülpft, Matt Berry) * Something You Can't See (lead vocal: Jake Shears) * Easier Said Than Done (lead vocal: Joshua Homme) Photo credit: Andreas Neumann
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