All Things Sexy

Non-joke joke band Eagles of Death Metal are back with Death by Sexy, the stompy/feel-good follow-up to their '04 debut, Peace Love Death Metal. This time, founding Eagles Josh Homme (drums, also of Queens of the Stone Age) and mustachioed singer Jesse Hughes gloss things up with a more dance-driven dynamic, but they're still pumping the droll humor and bizarre lingo (girls are "pointy kitties" and prudes are "shasta beasts"), not to mention the devil signs. EODM's tongues are so far in cheek they're hitting the tonsil area, but Homme pooh-poohs any Spïnal Tap comparisons (no joke).

I know you get this all the time, but what's with the band name?

We were four grown men in a completely dark VW bus listening to Vader, the metal band. And we were all a little bit out of our heads, and I started laughing because it takes such a commitment to play death metal. You really gotta go for it. We said we should play death metal, but it should be like the Eagles of Death Metal. Then Jesse spit graham crackers all over me 'cause he was laughing so hard.

Were you guys stoned?

That's what Jesse says, but let me ask you this: If you were stoned, why would you eat graham crackers?

Fair enough, but Death by Sexy is a silly, catchy record. Were any drugs involved in the making of that?

We were just totally high on love. This record is like a celebration of Friday night lasting till Saturday night and then that lasting forever. Because, let's face it, there isn't enough escape and celebration goin' on. I think it was Iggy Pop who said, "Music should be sweet enough for the chicks and tough enough for the guys." Yes, but it should be sweet enough for the chicks first. Even in Queens, I've been playing for the girls for years. I've almost got the one big giant drunk guy out of our audience...Almost.

What do you say to people who call this a joke band?

This band has no inhibition and no conscience. This is about the moment you're having fun...But joke band? Hell, no. I say that that comment is why my three-record plan is going to work in spades. On the first record, there was no expectation. We did it in two days. I'm playing drums. Jesse's singing. There's no bass. We knew it'd be so easy for people to say, "He shouldn't be playing drums. Who's this coattail rider with him? Where's the bass? And why is it so underproduced?" So with this album, no one's gonna see this shit coming. Whoever knows Eagles already, when they hear this, they're gonna be like, "Whoa." 'Cause this album ain't no joke. And after this one, just wait and see.

What does the future hold for Eagles?

One world under a united mustache. After a good show, we say the crowd has been 'stached.

Any plans in the future for you to grow a 'stache?

No. I don't do that. Here's the deal. What we're trying to say here is you gotta be you. I can't grow a mustache for a few reasons: a) I look stupid, like I work at Chief Auto; b) I can't really get one to grow; and c) That's Jesse's deal. I gotta be me.