Rated R

Rated R
Cover for the CD. Vinyl below.
Studio album by Queens of the Stone Age
Released	June 6 2000
Recorded	December 1999 – March 2000 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, USA
Genre	Stoner Rock, Alternative Rock, Hard Rock
Length	42:10
Label	Interscope
Producer	Chris Goss, Josh Homme
Queens of the Stone Age chronology
Queens of the Stone Age (1998)	Rated R (2000)	Songs For The Deaf (2002)
Alternative Cover

Rated R (also known on vinyl as Rated X and Rated RX on 2010 deluxe edition) is the second studio album by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age, released on 6 June 2000 by Interscope Records. It was the band's first album for the label, as well as their first to feature bassist Nick Oliveri and vocalist Mark Lanegan.

Rated R was a critical and commercial success and became the band's breakthrough album, especially in the UK where it would peak at number 54 and eventually being certified gold by the BPI. Two singles were released from the album: "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret" and "Feel Good Hit of the Summer", with the former helping the band reach mainstream popularity.

Background

Writing and Recording

Rated R has been described as featuring stoner rock, alternative rock, hard rock and alternative metal. The album contains numerous references to drugs and alcohol. This is particularly prominent on the opening track, "Feel Good Hit of the Summer", which consists entirely of the repeated verse "Nicotine, valium, vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol" followed by a chorus of "c-c-c-c-c-cocaine". Though frontman Josh Homme has emphasized the fact there is no definitive endorsement or condemnation behind the lyrics, he has confirmed he came up with the lyrics stumbling through the desert at night after a New Year's party, trying to remember what exactly he had consumed that evening leaving him so intoxicated.

Homme has hinted that the song is a direct reference to the band's stoner rock label: ["Feel Good Hit of the Summer"] might be like a knife in the neck of stoner rock. It's hard to tell, and I think that's the good part about it. Look, you're always going to get labeled with something. Stoner rock is kind of a dumbing-down label, and that's why I don't gravitate toward it.

On multiple occasions, Homme has also referred to the song as a "social experiment" in regards to how the public would approach it. He has also stated that despite the heavy drugs content in the track, the band's stance was left ambiguous, stating that "there's no endorsement" and that "[the song] doesn't say yes or no". Chris Goss, who co-produced Rated R with Homme under the pseudonym The 5:15ers, later stated that the track was intended to be a "joke" and a "funny song". He also commented that it was originally recorded as a chant at the end of the album, but its effectiveness resulted in its expansion into a full song and usage as the opener.

Though it was Josh Homme who provided lead vocals, there are several other vocalists present on the track. Judas Priest lead singer Rob Halford was in a neighbouring studio when this song was first recorded and ended up singing backing vocals at the band's request, calling the lyrics a "rock and roll cocktail". Halford's performance was only used in the final chorus of the track, though this was enough to have him credited alongside Nick Oliveri, Wendy Ray Moan and Nick Eldorado as providing backing vocals. The song features again on Rated R as a reprise after the eighth track "In the Fade".

Following the theme, "Monsters in the Parasol", which originally appeared on The Desert Sessions album, Volume 4: Hard Walls and Little Trips, is about Homme's first experience on LSD, kicking in just as his friends' father and sister came home leading to a bad trip. The song "Better Living Through Chemistry" offers an opposing stance on prescription drugs, while Homme's favorite song from the album closer, "I Think I Lost My Headache", is described as being about "Paranoia... when you think something strange is going on, and everyone around you is so adamant about telling you it's fine... but then you start thinking 'Wouldn't that be exactly what you'd say if you didn't want me to know, and there is something going on?' And so it's kind of about that paranoid mentality which maybe I have sometimes." The song is also notable for its unconventional intro and outro in the 15/8 time signature, with the outro culminating in several minutes of an incessantly jarring and repetitive horn part, added to punish those who may have fallen asleep listening to the album.

Rated R features the debut of bassist Nick Oliveri and guest vocalist Mark Lanegan, who both made vocal and songwriting contributions to the band. In addition to providing backing vocals for "Auto Pilot" and "I Think I Lost My Headache", Lanegan sang lead vocals on "In the Fade", a song about clarity following a comedown/sobriety, while Oliveri sang "Tension Head", a re-recording of the song "13th Floor" off Mondo Generator's 2000 debut album Cocaine Rodeo, and "Quick and to the Pointless", which follows the singer's experiences on heroin and speed, and cocaine and meth, respectively. "Quick and to the Pointless'" drum, bass, guitar and vocal tracks were recorded simultaneously in just one take. Oliveri's vocal performance was originally intended to be a scratch vocal, but the band liked it so much that this original recording remained on the finished song including the two verses in Dutch.

One of the few songs not involving drug use is the acoustic instrumental "Lightning Song" was penned by touring keyboardist, second guitarist, and lap steel player Dave Catching. Also skewing from the drug theme is the albums' lead single, "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret", which is a response by Homme to people who had lost his trust, particularly involving trysts. The song was featured in the films Sound City and Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball, the TV series Numbers, Nip/Tuck, Entourage and Daria, and in the video games Tony Hawk: Ride, Driver: San Francisco and Gran Turismo 5.

Packaging and Release

The 70s-era MPAA "R" rating bumper features on the album's cover, along with the text "RESTRICTED TO EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME". The album's liner notes contain further warning messages for each song, in the style of the warning messages given to parents on video and DVD boxes: "Auto Pilot", for example, contains "Alcohol and Sleep Deprivation". The title and subtext was meant by the band as a jab at record label Interscope, whose persistence that the album's themes would be too controversial and would warrant a parental advisory sticker circumvented the issue and allowed the band to sell the album without one.

Rated R was released by Interscope Records on 6 June 2000. A UK-only special edition of the album included a bonus disc, titled Rated U, which was also separately issued as the "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" single. Along with "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" and its video, it featured three newly recorded songs. The vinyl edition, re-labeled as "Rated X", would feature a then-exclusive bonus track in "Ode to Clarissa".

Rated R was the band's breakout album in the UK. It peaked at number 54 there and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry in 2001 and later certified gold in 2013. In the U.S., however, the album did not chart on the Billboard 200, instead peaking at number 16 on the Top Heatseekers album chart. Notably Rated R would chart in Australia (#56), Scotland (#55), Germany (#72) and Norway (#35).

Rated R included the hit single "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret", which was released in the summer of 2000 and became arguably the band's most recognizable and popular song at its time of release. Not only did its music video receive mild airplay on music television, the song was featured in the Entourage episode "I Love You Too" (from Season 2). It was also the only single from the album to get a chart position, reaching number 21 on the Mainstream Rock chart, #36 on the Modern Rock chart, #35 on the Scottish Singles Chart and #31 on the UK Singles Chart. The Lost Art would also chart in Australia (#75), The Alternative Airplay Chart (#36), The US Mainstream Rock Charts (#21) and The UK Rock and Metal Chart (#2).

Reception and Accolades

Rated R was critically acclaimed, with many critics and fans citing it as their best album to date. Steve Huey from AllMusic said "R is mellower, trippier, and more arranged than its predecessor, making its point through warm fuzz-guitar tones, ethereal harmonies, vibraphones, horns, and even the odd steel drum. That might alienate listeners who have come to expect a crunchier guitar attack, but even though it's not really aggro, R is still far heavier than the garage punk and grunge that inform much of the record. It's still got the vaunted Arizona-desert vibes of Kyuss, but it evokes a more relaxed, spacious, twilight feel, as opposed to a high-noon meltdown. Mark Lanegan and Barrett Martin of the Screaming Trees both appear on multiple tracks, and their band's psychedelic grunge - in its warmer, less noisy moments - is actually not a bad point of comparison."

Notable other review sites that would praise Rated R would be among the likes of The Guardian (4/5), Mojo (5/5), NME (9/10), Pitchfork (8.6/10), Rolling Stone (3.5/5), Spin (4/5), Q Magazine (4/5) and Uncut (4/5) among others. Hard Noise, an off-shoot of The Hard Times, would review the album for it's 20th anniversary.

Stonerrock.com would name Rated R as the best album of 2000.

Rhapsody called it the best rock album of the decade on its "Rock's Best Albums of the Decade" list.

Rolling Stone named it the 82nd best album of the decade.

Reissue

In an interview with NME, Josh Homme revealed plans of a re-issue of Rated R which would feature B-side recordings and live performance from Reading Festival. It was released on 3 August 2010. The reissue would chart in France (#134), Ireland (#89) and The United States (#22, Tastemaker Charts).

Added to the original album is a second disc with six B-sides and the band's summer 2000 Reading Festival concert—featuring nine previously unreleased songs, including live versions of Rated R's "Feel Good Hit of the Summer", "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret", "Better Living Through Chemistry" and "Quick and to the Pointless".

The B-sides are "Ode to Clarissa", "You're So Vague", covers of Romeo Void's "Never Say Never" and The Kinks' "Who'll Be the Next in Line", a live version of the album's "Monsters in the Parasol", a song originally from Josh Homme's side project, The Desert Sessions, and a re-recording of "Born to Hula", an early song from Kyuss/Queens of The Stone Age. The other Reading Festival tracks are concert takes on "Ode to Clarissa", three songs from the band's debut album ("Regular John", "Avon" and "You Can't Quit Me, Baby"), and "You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire", another track originally by The Desert Sessions, which was also present on their third album, Songs For The Deaf.

Tracklist

All songs written by Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, except where noted.

Rated R

• 1. Feel Good Hit of The Summer (2:43)
• 2. The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret (3:36)
• 3. Leg of Lamb (2:48)
• 4. Auto Pilot (4:01)
• 5. Better Living Through Chemistry (5:49)
• 6. Monsters in The Parasol (3:27) (Homme, Mario Lalli)
• 7. Quick and To The Pointless (1:42)
• 8. In The Fade (4:25) (Homme, Mark Lanegan)
• 9. Tension Head (2:52)
• 10. Lightning Song (2:07) (Dave Catching)
• 11. I Think I Lost My Headache (8:40)

Rated X Bonus Track

• 12. Ode To Clarissa (2:40)

Rated U Bonus Tracks

• 1. Feel Good Hit of The Summer (2:43)
• 2. Never Say never (4:22) (Benjamin Bossi, Debora Iyall, Frank Zincavage, Larry Carter, Pete Woods)
• 3. You're So Vague (3:40)
• 4. Who'll Be The Next in Line (2:29) (Ray Davies)
• 5. Feel Good Hit of The Summer (CD-ROM Video) (2:43)

2010 Deluxe Edition Disc Two

• 1. "Ode to Clarissa" (B-side of "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret") (2:40)
• 2. "You're So Vague" (B-side of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer") (3:40)
• 3. "Never Say Never" (B-side of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer"; Romeo Void cover) (4:22) (Benjamin Bossi, Debora Iyall, Frank Zincavage, Larry Carter, Pete Woods)
• 4. "Who'll Be the Next in Line" (B-side of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer"; The Kinks cover) (2:29) (Ray Davies)
• 5. "Born to Hula" (B-side of "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret"; re-recorded 2000 version) (5:53) (Josh Homme)
• 6. "Monsters in the Parasol" (B-side of "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret"; live in Seattle)  (3:32)
• 7. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" (live at the Reading Festival 2000)  (2:59)
• 8. "Regular John" (live at the Reading Festival 2000) (5:12) (Josh Homme, Alfredo Hernández, John McBain)
• 9. "Avon" (live at the Reading Festival 2000) (3:23) (Josh Homme)
• 10. "Quick and to the Pointless" (live at the Reading Festival 2000) (2:34)
• 11. "Better Living Through Chemistry" (live at the Reading Festival 2000)  (5:19)
• 12. "Ode to Clarissa" (live at the Reading Festival 2000) (2:52)
• 13. "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret" (live at the Reading Festival 2000)  (3:33)
• 14. "You Can't Quit Me, Baby" (live at the Reading Festival 2000) (10:37) (Josh Homme, Alfredo Hernández)
• 15. "Millionaire" (live at the Reading Festival 2000) (4:37)

Personnel

Queens of the Stone Age

• Josh Homme - Guitar (All except 4, 10); Lead Vocals (1 - 3, 5, 6, 11); Percussion (3, 8); Lead Guitar (4, 7); Backing Vocals (4, 8); Drums (4); Piano (10); Producer, Mixing, Concept
• Nick Oliveri - Bass (All except 4); Backing Vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 11); Lead Vocals (4, 7, 9); Guitar (4); Percussion (8); Concept, Art Conception

Additional Performers

• Chris Goss - Grand Piano, Percussion (1); Noise Piano (2); Bass (4); Backing Vocals (4 - 6); Producer
• Dave Catching - Electric Piano (1, 2, 8); Lap Steel (1, 11); Guitar (6, 7); B3 Organ (4); Piano (5); 12-String Guitar (10)
• Gene Trautmann - Drums (1, 6, 7, 9)
• Nick Lucero - Drums (2, 3, 5, 8, 11); Percussion (3, 4)
• Barrett Martin - Vibes (2, 5); Percussion (5, 10); Steel Drum (11)
• Scott Mayo - Baritone Saxophone (2); Horns (11)
• Fernando Pullum - Flugelhorn (7), Horns (11)
• Reggie Young - Horns (11)
• Rob Halford - Backing Vocals (1)
• Nick Eldorado - Backing Vocals (1, 7)
• Wendy Rae Fowler - Backing Vocals (1, 7)
• Pete Stahl - Backing Vocals (2)
• Mike Johnson - Backing Vocals (3)
• Mark Lanegan - Backing Vocals (4, 11); Lead Vocals (8)

Production and Artwork

• Bradley Cook - Engineer
• Martin Schmelzle - Engineer, Sequencing, Assembly
• Trina Shoemaker - Engineer, Mixing
• Dan Druff - Guitar Technician
• Marek - Noise (8); Mixing
• Robert Brunner - Pre-production Assistant
• Francesca Restrepo - Art Direction

External Links

• Discogs