by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has opened up about the severity of his health crisis last year. He revealed it was a near-death experience in an interview with Mr Porter.
The health issues led to the cancellation of the band’s tour dates. Homme is now sharing more details about how serious the situation truly was.
“Some people deal with death by ignoring it. Denying its existence, daring it,” Homme said. “Then there are others [who] drag their fingers along the edge. I’ve had a few near-death experiences. I shut my eyes, it’s at my fingertips.”
The musician’s candid reflection offers insight into the gravity of what he experienced during that difficult period.
The health crisis began in the summer of 2024 when Homme underwent emergency surgery following a performance in Paris’s Catacombs. The Point reported that the frontman spent seven months in bed during recovery. He was initially told he might be incapacitated for up to 18 months to two years.
The severity of the situation forced Queens of the Stone Age to cancel eight European festival dates in July 2024. Euronews noted that Homme needed to return to the United States for emergency surgery. By September 2024, the band announced the cancellation or postponement of all remaining shows for the year. This affected at least eight U.S. dates scheduled from late September through mid-November.
The band stated that Homme had to “prioritize his health and to receive essential medical care through the remainder of the year.” The exact nature of his condition or surgery was not publicly disclosed. Major headline shows in Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Madison were postponed to 2025. Festival appearances were outright canceled.
Despite the initial prognosis of a much longer recovery period, Homme returned to the stage in December 2024, sooner than expected. iHeartRadio confirmed that the band later announced a new U.S. tour beginning in October 2025, signaling the frontman’s continued recovery.
This is not the first time Homme has faced serious health challenges. He previously experienced a near-death experience during leg surgery in 2010. He also successfully underwent treatment for cancer in 2022-2023. However, there is no official confirmation linking the 2024 medical emergency to his earlier cancer diagnosis.
