Rocknews\\ NICK OLIVERI Rejoins KYUSS LIVES!, Contributes Vocals To QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Album

Bassist Nick Oliveri (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MONDO GENERATION, KYUSS) has rejoined KYUSS LIVES!, the project featuring members of KYUSS — the influential American stoner rock/metal band, originally from Palm Desert, California. In addition, Oliveri has contributed vocals to the upcoming QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE album, which will feature Dave Grohl (FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA) on drums.

Oliveri was fired from QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE in 2004 but has reconnected with QOTSA mainman Josh Homme in recent years, with the latter even appearing on a MONDO GENERATOR track several months ago.

Oliveri and fellow ex-KYUSS members John Garcia (vocals) and Brant Bjork (drums) reunited for shows last year under the KYUSS LIVES! banner, in which they were joined by guitarist Bruno Fevery. The band has since toured on both sides of the Atlantic and was said to be planning a live album as well as a new studio CD.

Ex-KYUSS members Josh Homme and Scott Reeder filed a lawsuit against their former bandmates in March, claiming that they "made every attempt to help [Garcia and Bjork] continue KYUSS LIVES! respectfully. Only to discover while they looked us in the eye, KYUSS LIVES! management and band had filed federal documents in 2011 in an attempt to steal the name KYUSS. This is desperately what we were trying to avoid."

Oliveri quit KYUSS LIVES! in March, telling Antiquiet, "John's idea, when I was [first] asked to [be a part of KYUSS LIVES!], was we were going to do a tour and promote our solo bands. Seeing John do it already with GARCIA PLAYS KYUSS at such a big level, [we thought], 'Wow, man, we could actually reach some people with our solo stuff in a very honest way and play the tunes that we have mad respect for and love as well. Basically, at the end of the day, that's what I'm doing. I'm gonna bow out and do MONDO GENERATOR, because that's what we were supposed to be doing originally."

He added, "To me, you can make money doing whatever you wanna do, but it isn't about that at the end of the day. To be in KYUSS, if I'm not having a good time, it's like… When I was a kid, I had a great time doing it. It sucked being out of it. I don't wanna be fired from any band… again. I figure to walk away with my head up high and do my own thing is a respectable thing, and I think I need to do that."