The formation of Queens of the Stone Age grew out of a series of pick-up concerts between 1997 and 2003 that were documented in a series of 10 albums called Desert Sessions.  Josh Homme organized the concerts at a ranch near Joshua Tree, California after the breakup of his band Kyuss, and the rotating line-up of musicians who were in Queens of the Stone Age mimicked the large number who were involved in the Desert Sessions.

Josh Homme is quoted in Wikipedia as having said of the Desert Sessions:  “At Desert Sessions, you play for the sake of music.  That’s why it’s good for musicians.  If someday that’s not enough anymore, or that’s not the reason behind you doing it — that’s not your raison d’être — then a quick reminder like Desert Sessions can do so much for you, it’s amazing.  It’s easy to forget that this all starts from playing in your garage and loving it.”  

(April 2015/2)