Rescued by Eagles of Death Metal

Josh Homme has always been there for Jesse Hughes. Growing up in Southern California in the early '80s, Hughes was often bullied.

"I remember getting hassled when I was 12 by a bunch of kids and all of a sudden everything would stop and get quiet because this Viking monster that towered over everyone rescued me."

That monster is Homme, who grew to 6 feet 5 inches.

"The thing about Josh is that he's all about justice," Hughes says, calling from Montreal. "That's why he saved me. He's hardwired to do the right thing. I love the guy."

Homme saved Hughes a decade ago when the latter's life was falling apart post-divorce.

"Everything was going wrong," Hughes says. "My life was shattered by the breakup and child custody issues. I hadn't talked to Josh in years, but after my marriage fell apart, my mom suggested that I call him, and I did."

Homme, the Queens of the Stone Age's vocalist-guitarist, dropped by Hughes' house to catch up with his old pal.

While hanging out, Homme noticed that the former music journalist was working on some songs.

"Josh asked if I wanted to work with him," Hughes says. "He rescued me again."

Homme plays drums for the Eagles of Death Metal, while Hughes belts out the tunes and plays guitar.

"Here you have a guy, who is a great frontman and guitarist, among other things, playing the drums in this band," Hughes says. "The guy can do it all."

The Eagles of Death Metal, which will perform tonight at the Lincoln Theatre, is a misnomer. The group is all about searing garage rock, delivering primal, visceral guitar-driven sounds. The act sounds and looks like a band a generation ago.

The retro sound is balanced by that '70s look. Just check out the growth under Hughes' nose. "The only people that wear a mustache today do it as a form of irony, and that's lame," Hughes says. "Is there anything as rad as [actor] Sam Elliott's mustache? I don't think so."

"Heart On," which dropped three weeks ago, is the band's third release and features Eagles of Death Metal's most catchy songs. However, the familiar sludge factor is intact.

"We still get down and dirty," Hughes says. "We still rock. That's what we're all about."

There are plenty of big riffs and hard edges on "Heart On."

"We do what we like," Hughes says. "It's that simple. We're not following anyone else's plan. This is all what Josh and I want to do."

Eagles of Death Metal, which is augmented by guitarist Dave Catching and bassist Brian O'Connor for shows, stands out in contemporary rock circles, because it is uncompromising in the studio, outlandish and unpredictable. The charismatic Hughes, who enjoys getting involved with the fans, is an over-the-top, old-school performer.

"I try to connect with the crowd," Hughes says. "It's a natural thing for me. It's so exciting being up there with Josh and playing our stuff. I love it."

Hughes still has to pinch himself when he thinks about how he happened upon an extremely fortuitous situation.

"This is a fairy tale," he says. "I didn't try to get into a band. It all arranged itself around Joshua. I owe him everything.

"I thought I sucked early on in this band, but Joshua put a protective bubble around me. He had faith in my musical ability. When I became a drug fiend, he checked me into rehab. When you have a friend like that, you're incredibly fortunate. I thank God for him and for the Eagles of Death Metal."