NBA meets QotSA: Michael Shuman breaks down references on debut GLU EP

Capital Artist Group

If you're a fan of both Queens of the Stone Age and basketball, then GLU may be the band for you.

GLU is the hip-hop-influenced solo project of Queens bassist Michael Shuman. The rapping vocal style Shuman adopted for GLU required a whole lot of lyrics, which he filled with various pop culture references, including to the NBA.

"I always wanna make sure that I'm not taking myself too seriously," Shuman tells ABC Audio. "Even though the topics might be heavy, I always want some kind of wink or comedic element in it. And I think being able to use these references and joke around in it is really, really important."

Lyrics on the debut GLU EP My Demons mention Shuman's beloved Los Angeles Lakers, and also include a seemingly random shout-out to Indiana Pacers great and current TNT game commentator Reggie Miller.

"Maybe I was watching TNT the night before and [Miller] was on my mind," Shuman laughs. "I can't remember the exact reason why. But, you know, gotta rhyme stuff, too."

While QotSA fans may be surprised by Shuman's rapping, some of the instrumentation on My Demons might sound familiar to followers of the "No One Knows" rockers. As Shuman explains, "there's no getting around" how playing in Queens has impacted him, even in something as different as GLU.

"That's been my band for 16 years now, which is crazy," Shuman says. "It's a part of me."

"It's in your bones, it's in your hands, there's nothing you can do about it," he continues. "And I don't wanna lose sight of that, too. ... That's who I am, and I don't wanna fake it. So inherently it's gonna come out in whatever riffs I write or play."

My Demons is out now.

Monday, February 27, 2023 at 6:00AM by Josh Johnson Permalink