Queens Of The Stone Age cancel European tour

Queens Of The Stone Age have pulled the remaining eight dates on their European tour as bandleader Josh Homme has been forced to fly back to the US for “emergency surgery”.

The Los Angeles-based band broke the news in a social media post telling fans, “Queens are gutted we aren't able to play for you. We apologize for any inconvenience and share in your frustration and disappointment.“

The statement reads: “QOTSA regret to announce that Josh Homme must return to the United States immediately for emergency surgery. Every effort was made to push through and play for you, but it is no longer an option to continue.“

The announcement means that scheduled appearances in France, Slovakia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Romania, Hungary and Greece have been pulled. At a recent press conference at Hellfest, Homme had announced his band's intention to play a show in the Paris Catacombs in the coming weeks: this as-yet-unannounced show has presumably also been put on hold.

See the statement below:

Speaking to journalists from across Europe on June 30 at the press conference conducted before his band's appearance at Hellfest, 51-year-old Homme hailed the influence of friends and peers on his own work.

Asked by a journalist if any of the guests on his various projects have had any "enduring and on-going impact on your process", and if so, who has had the greatest impact, the singer/guitarist responded, "Honestly, playing with Dave Grohl has been incredible, because he's just so good. You move at the speed of inspiration very quickly, and so things feel very possible, and that tends to have a lasting impact. But playing with guys like Mark Lanegan and Billy Gibbons, these people that have such an interesting voice, is incredible, just because someone like Billy Gibbons is very strange, a very unique, sort of gentle antennae you feel like he could break at any moment but by the same token he is one of a kind.

"Also guys like Trent Reznor: the way he breaks machines, its hard not to have an influence. It's nice to be influenced by people, it feels good, so we've been very lucky that way."