In possibly the year's most surprising news, Sir Elton John has been confirmed to appear on the new Queens Of The Stone Age record.
The legendary musician joins the long list of special guests contributing the Josh Homme-fronted band's forthcoming sixth album, which is due sometime this year.
In issue K!1448, we took a special look into the suspicious activity going on in the Queens studio - including this bizarre letter the band send us. With the Elton news still fresh in our minds, it seems about time to revisit that story for clues...
THE NEW year is barely a fortnight old and things are getting, well, pretty weird already - especially where Queens Of The Stone Age are concerned.
The band have been in the studio since last summer, working on their sixth full-length album, their first in over five years. Since that announcement on their Facebook page (a suitably short update: "recording"), information on the impending release has been slowly seeping out.
First, there was word that Dave Grohl was replacing drummer Joey Castillo for the release, taking up the sticks for the first time since 2002's Songs For The Deaf. Then, whispers about the appearance of former QOTSA man Nick Oliveri and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor were confirmed.
And now... well, now there's this handwritten letter, which dropped into K!'s post box last week.
What does it all mean? If we're honest, we haven't a fudging clue what Queens Of The Stone Age are on about here. The message does, however, continue with their recent Facebook status themes at hinting towards the number nine and the concept of time. Interestingly, the line 'The best trick of all is no trick at all' is also eerily similar to one voiced by Josh Homme to Zane Lowe recently when he noted, "I guess the final trick I have is no trick at all." Hmmm, indeed...
If that wasn't weird enough, shortly after receiving this note, our attentions were pointed to an exclusive behind the scenes documentary that features the band revealing the secrets behind their time in the studio. That, according to the nine-minute-long feature, involves an obsession with a tiny dog, an unhealthy amount of guitars and an, um, severed ear, apparently sent in by a fan so the album can be recorded exactly as fans will hear it.
Thankfully, that bit at least is just an elaborate joke, with comedian Matt Berry hosting the Spinal Tap-style film. Don't believe us? Click here. In the mean time, we're off to dust the above letter for fingerprints...
NIRVANA!
HARDEST QUESTION OVER ;O JOKING XD