Josh Homme on Why He Doesn’t Listen to Critics

The J I don't, I haven't read about myself in over a decade. That's amazing. Way to go. Well, the first time I did, I remember when I got a computer and I was like, oh, you mean they, you can sometimes I feel like such a, like a dumb nuts. Like I'm like, oh, you can talk to someone like, who's like into your tunes. It's like, I, and I did. And, you know, sometimes people like to bond over what they don't like. And like, and also they like to pretend it makes them feel better to pretend they have intimate knowledge of you, Joe Rogan. Well, think about Joe is you see, yeah, what he does. And it's gotta be negative. So always, oh, because it suggests that we're, we're close enough to, I know his secrets, you know, it puts on good face for you, but I know his fucking Joe's secrets, man. So think about Joe is, and it's, it's a, it's, that's kind of an insecurity. And so when I went on, I was like, Oh no, no, actually I'm doing this. And they said, you're not the real, and I just let it be known. Uh, yes, I fucking am. And, and then all of a sudden it was like, Hey, Josh, I thought, Oh my God, this is, what am I going to do? Go door to door and correct people's perception. Actually what happened in 1742. It's a waste of my time. You can see some people who don't have like a wise sort of perspective on the internet getting wrapped up in doing just that because they then responding to criticism and going after people. And you know what? It's because, um, they, they don't want to be blamed. They don't want to be misunderstood. Right. Totally understand. I understand. My wife has been one of my biggest inspirations ever. And like, um, that, that thing that I really learned from her is like the, you can't blame when you blame someone. It's like saying to them, uh, when you point the finger, it's like saying you're guilty before you even have a chance to talk and say your perspective. What that's, nobody likes that. You know what I mean? Nobody wants to like start by being blamed for something. Makes you shut off immediately. And now you have these disengaged people blaming each other and being mean to each other. And again, if we're talking about doing what you like, I don't like that. And I also have friends I really love that engage in that quite a bit. And it's a trouble spot for them. And so instead of doing it myself, I try to like look at that and say, Ooh, I don't, I don't want that. I, I love my music and I try to make it as real as I can. And I try to make it as different as I can. And that, and I accept if you don't like it, but if you have a vinyl or if you have a CD still, I love it. Um, if you don't, it's still a hell of a coaster, right? It's not bad. You know, I mean, it could be a worse coaster. The art looks cool. You know, I, I need to be okay with that and accept that shit because otherwise what I'm, please like it. Well, you're also, you're not looking at that review, right? That reviewer is wrong. I can't with unmanageable numbers too, right? Because you'd be interacting with literally thousands of people every day and trying to correct them. And then once people find out that all they have to do to get your attention is to be negative. Then I've had moments of that before because, um, I really have always cared about fairness and justice. But especially in the last bunch of years, you know, it's like, um, uh, I have to be okay with what I did for me and people don't really know what the fuck. They're talking about and what really goes on. But if my expectation is that I'm going to get, take everyone to a spot where like, this is what actually happened. Right. Um, I'll be sad and disappointed. You're also engaging people that don't want you to be a good guy. So they want to go fuck you. You just want us to think that. Of course. Yeah. Of course. And, um, and I'm actually kind of investing time and energy into like, no, but yeah, but no, Right. I mean, you're investing time and energy also into your persona or your public perception, public perception of you. I don't have a persona I've had many times where because of being, um, like, um, like feeling strange about things or angry about things or this, I take them out on stage some, sometimes because I grew up watching bands like, and Iggy and all this stuff where sometimes you go see a band and it's scary. And it's wonderful to be scared by this music is like, whoa. And everything that comes with it, it's so fucking real. Look out. It can actually drive you backwards. That's exhilarating. And also on stage, that's the place for that. Yeah. Out in real life, doing that. Like why you're at the ATM, not so much, you know what I mean? But to, to, to cut your tethers loose and go, I don't know what I'm going to do tonight, which I have done many times and walked out there, but I will embody the emotion that I'm, uh, feeling right now. And, and you can go ahead and take that shit to the ATM and deposit that. Cause that's what's going to happen. The problem is, is if you're not doing well, then that's how that, yeah, you're going to feel that when you get out there, but it is supposed to, well, um, I'm willing to do anything up there. Uh, and I don't know why, because I feel like that's the place. That's why. Because that's the place for it. It's that's the art of it. Well, it's also what you said that you enjoy the randomness of it. I mean, I think that you're, we can talk about manifesting. If you go up there with that spirit, that enjoying the randomness of it, then there's sometimes the spirit will move you in a direction that you didn't even expect. Right. Well, yeah. Um, yeah, because, um, you feel one with your actions. So in the now you have no choice and I'll preparation. I'll it's too late. It's, it's already done. The, the preparation is over. It's like a fight that like, um, you're not going to learn anything extra till it's over. Right. Right. Right. You have to be in the moment there. And, um, I enjoy that because I enjoy that it's too late. I love insurmountable odds. That's all I need to do something is tell me, like, there's no way you're going to make it and be like, that's sounds great. Well, then why do we have to worry? We're not going to make it. You know what I mean? There's something to that. And, um, um, but I also realized how, um, I guess the manifestation aspect of this has gotten important to me again, cause it's what I did in the beginning. And as I, you know, have these moments of being lost and feeling like I don't understand what's going on and wondering why when really it's cause of me, you know, um, that, um, that the best thing I can do, that's why the records have gotten so dark because that's all I'm seeing and it has to be real. So it is real dark, you know, but there's a beauty in that too, but I don't want to make shit my new normal, you know, my dad's always like, don't get accustomed to shit. You know, cause it's like, once you get used to that, you're like, this is life. This is normal, right? Is everyone cool? And people end up, people you love end up going, no, it's not, you know? And, and you go, wait a minute, but I'm so used to it. Wow. I thought you were going to hop in this jacuzzi with me. The time of water is great. It's shit, shit water. And I, so, uh, I'm, I'm really like, I'm so thankful to, uh, to have like a great group of a family of artists that I get to collaborate with. And like my, uh, some great kids, I got three of them. Every time I go in a room, there's another one of them in there. You know, there's so many fucking kids and, and my wife who like really has the courage to help has had the courage her whole life to like, go, that's, it's time to go. You know, it's time to do this. Like, you know, um, someone that has really inspired me to have a partnership like that is fucking rad. Yeah. You know, I mean, talking about someone that has had a really rough beginning, um, but never blamed, doesn't spend pointing the finger and blaming because the shit goes nowhere. Some of the most interesting people in the world, the ones who had a rough beginning. Yeah. Because of the coping mechanisms and the pinballing off awful and getting to wonderful strength. Yeah. Well, and that's the other thing is the strength, the strength to, to go right now. And that, that strength for is so inspiring for me. It's it gives me strength through her, you know, that's beautiful.