HTTP/1 .0 200 OK Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:31:43 GMT Server: Apache Cache-Control: private, s-maxage=0, max-age=0, must-revalidate Content-Language: en Vary: Accept-Encoding,Cookie Last-Modified: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:37:07 GMT Content-Length: 137821 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 X-Cache: MISS from sq35 .wikimedia .org X-Cache-Lookup: HIT from sq35 .wikimedia .org:3128 Age: 70940 X-Cache: HIT from knsq30 .knams .wikimedia .org X-Cache-Lookup: HIT from knsq30 .knams .wikimedia .org:3128 X-Cache: MISS from knsq4 .knams .wikimedia .org X-Cache-Lookup: MISS from knsq4 .knams .wikimedia .org:80 Connection: close Queens of the Stone Age is an American Grammy Award-nominated rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997 . Originally formed under the name Gamma Ray by guitarist Josh Homme, following the breakup of his previous band, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age developed a style of riff-oriented, heavy music which has been described by Homme as 'robot rock,' saying that he "wanted to create a heavy sound based on a solid jam, and just pound it into your head." Their sound has since evolved to incorporate a variety of different styles and influences. Queens of the Stone Age began with Josh Homme in 1996. After the breakup of Kyuss in 1995, Homme had briefly joined The Screaming Trees as a touring guitarist, before deciding to form a new band of his own. Originally naming his new project 'Gamma Ray', Homme was forced to change the name in 1997, as German power metal band Gamma Ray was threatening to sue: On why the band chose the name 'Queens of the Stone Age' rather than 'Kings of the Stone Age': .