QOTSA frontman Josh Homme.

We’ve known it was coming for some time but Queens OF The Stone Age have finally confirmed the name for their latest album: “…Like Clockwork.”

Not only that but the band also released small snippets of tracks from the album which are available right now at QOTSA.com.

You can refresh the page and click on the ‘Q’ button to hear different clips – although don’t expect to get a good feel of what the record with ultimately sound like as the clips are unabashedly abstract and ambient. It obviously looks like the band is simply looking to pique interest with a small tease.

… Like Clockwork is set to feature tons of guest appearances from artists all over the spectrum along with a few QOTSA veterans. So far, the list includes Elton John, Dave Grohl (who once again takes the helm on the drum kit), Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees), industrial rock legend Trent Reznor, Scissor Sisters vocalist Jake Shears and even former QOTSA bassist Nick Oliveri.

The band also confirmed that they will be announcing their live drummer shortly since Grohl will not be joining QOTSA on the road.

And in other rock news, Rush frontman Geddy Lee says the soon to be inducted rock hall of famers are not even close to thinking about retirement – and that they are enjoying their recent surge in popularity.

The Canadian legends, who next month will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, broke the habit of a lifetime when they hired a string section to join them on stage for their Clockwork Angels world tour.

Although they were initially worried about how fans might react to the move, the results have pleasantly surprised the band.

Lee tells On The Air With Eddie Trunk: “We had orchestration on four or five of the songs, and we thought it would be a little more authentic bringing real strings as opposed to using our technology.

“We rehearsed with the technology and we could have done it without the live thing. But we’d always talked about doing it, and it was like, ‘Let’s stop talking and just do it.’ It expanded from those four or five songs to all the songs in the Clockwork Angels part of the set, plus it bled over into some older songs we’d always wanted to do with strings.”

The frontman admits Rush were “a little bit nervous in terms of whether fans would like having all those people on stage with us” – but that it’s “turned into quite a positive.”

And he’s delighted at how it’s opened up new possibilities for his own live performance, because he doesn’t have to carry out additional duties such as playing keyboards. “At first they were like, ‘Do you want us to sit quietly?’” he recalls. “We said, ‘Knock yourself out – have fun!’ They’ve really taken that to heart. When the band comes in they join in and rock it up.

“It’s a big help to me. I have more fun – and that’s the idea. It’s nice to have the freedom.

Guitarist Alex Lifeson agrees. “They love the fact they’re on this tour together, playing with more freedom that they normally wouldn’t have,” he reflects. “We connect with them and have a lot of fun.”

With a renewed energy alongside fans’ excitement over their Rock Hall induction, Lee says it would be futile for Rush to consider winding down any time soon.

He says: “I think it’s foolish to look too far into the future with a band like us. We really dig each other as friends and writing partners. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Neil as happy as he is on this tour. It demeans the whole thing to try to predict the end. Let’s say we’re happy right now and we’ll see how it all goes.”