Following their debut album, by which time Hernandez left the group, Queens of the Stone Age released the next album, "Rated R", during which the band used a wider range of instruments to achieve a more relaxed, spacious and psychedelic sound. Though it differed from the band's debut, "Rated R" became Queens of the Stone Age's first mainstream hit. The next release, 2002's "Songs for the Deaf", however, would gain even more buzz from the music community and fans alike. In "Songs for the Deaf", Homme continued his filtering of stoner rock and hard rock. The album centers on Homme's memories of uncomfortable rides through the California desert, where he had performed in his days with Kyuss, and where there was little to do but listen to Spanish radio stations.