Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has appeared on comedian Adam Buxton’s latest podcast, detailing a story in which he was arrested and ‘kicked in the ribs’ at an airport.

The bizarre incident was explained after a brief discussion about navigating airports while ‘freelance’ and famous. Listen back to the full podcast below.


Describing an incident which took place at Burbank airport, California, Homme explained: “I told them that I thought there were certain things they could improve, but that was on the way out. But also my friend Jesse Hughes, for my birthday the night before, had a party at my house, and I was traveling early the next morning. What’s funny is he was on tour so he was going to be there, and he gave me a collapsable wand as a gift, which is a weapon, a baton.

“He put it in my overnight bag right by the door, which I had packed, so I just went to the airport, because I packed my bag, and I said, ‘That was a gift. That seems weird right? Does that seem like a weird thing? Actually look at my license. See how I smell like booze? And clearly I haven’t slept, and also both of those things ain’t illegal, and here’s my license, which says oh my god, I turned a year older. So you can see where the misunderstanding is, in fact, it’s yours, from one guy to another.’ Then I ended up going to jail.”

Homme then added: “So then I said, ‘I’d like you to hear the following things since we’re going to jail.’ So I explained all of this stuff in my own language, which apparently was no good. Took a few kicks in the ribs.”

In the midst of Queens Of The Stone Age’s recent UK tour in support of new album ‘Villains’, Josh Homme told NME that he’s proud of the way he’s able to “mix things up’.

“The best part about getting to do this for a living is being able to keep looking for different ways to do things,” he explained. “That allows you to move at the speed of exploration. You find different ways to do the same song. It’s nice to feel like you’re not chained to the music, and that it’s more free.”