10 Hard Rock Bands That FIRED Members

There was always an initial idea of Queens of the Stone Age being an ever-changing lineup of musicians with Josh Homme at the helm. However, the band had settled into somewhat of a consistent lineup with Mark Lanegan and Nick Oliveri as primary contributors from the band's debut through Songs for the Deaf. However, things started getting ugly as the tour cycle went on.

After various shows, Oliveri's behavior became much more aggressive among his bandmates, and rumors started circulating that he had been physically abusive to his girlfriend. One particular occasion at soundcheck in 2003 led to him lashing out at Homme when he brought up his suspicions of abuse. With tensions mounting, Oliveri was quickly fired as the band finished the tour and went into the recording of their next album Lullabies to Paralyze.

Oliveri was vocal about his bitterness at first, but has since made his peace with his dismissal in recent years. After a while away, Oliveri has expressed a desire to return to Queens, but nothing has been announced outside of a few contributions to the album ...Like Clockwork. The band may be a different animal than it was in the 2000's, but is still thriving despite losing the visceral energy of Oliveri.