10 Rock Songs You Didn't Know Had Big-Name Guest Stars
4. Elton John - Fairweather Friends
Considering how many lineups Queens of the Stone Age have had, it almost seems silly to talk about the band's albums having guest stars. Though the band has had many stable lineups over the years, the studio version of the band is primarily made up of Joshua Homme along with an ensemble of his friends and collaborators in the rock scene.
On the band's 2013 record ...Like Clockwork, Homme pulled out nearly all the stops to create these tracks, with everyone from Dave Grohl to Trent Reznor to even the return of old QOTSA member Nick Oliveri turning up. Though the personnel may have been stacked from the start, the deep dive into classic rock territory made for something really special.
At first glance, a song like "Fairweather Friends" seems like your typical Queens affair, complete with Homme's seductive vocals and blistering guitar ambience. Once you delve a little deeper, you'll find that the backing vocals and piano are contributed by none other than Sir Elton John.
When Homme was initially cutting the record, John ended up calling him to say he was a fan and asked to be a part of it so the album could feature "a real queen." You might not be able to catch him the first time around, but John's foray into stoner rock proved to be something we didn't know we needed in our lives.