Ex-Queens Of The Stone Age Bassist Nick Oliveri Faces 15 Year Prison Term

Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri allegedly got in to a dispute with his girlfriend that escalated to a 4 hour standoff with S.W.A.T last month. Due to the drugs and loaded rifle found on the premises, Oliveri is facing four felonies and possibly 15 years in prison.

As the bassist and occasional vocalist for Queens of the Stone Age, Nick Oliveri brought adrenaline, belligerence, excitement, and unpredictability to the music. It now seems that those same elements are true of Oliveri's personal life as well.

Oliveri was in the midst of a reunion tour with he and Queens frontman Josh Homme's first band Kyuss (Homme did not participate). Due to the incident last month he was replaced for the tour's overseas run and will most likely be permanently replaced by another former Kyuss bassist, Scott Reeder, for the remainder of the tour.

It was July 12th when Oliveri allegedly held his girlfriend (who he is also accused of physically abusing the day prior) captive when she tried to leave him and move out of their apartment. After a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. team became involved, Oliveri began a standoff that lasted 4 hours. He was eventually persuaded to release his girlfriend into their custody and eventually gave himself up.

According to TMZ, the police swept the apartment and found a loaded high powered rifle, as well cocaine and amphetamines. Oliveri now faces 2 counts of possession of a controlled substance with a firearm, 2 counts of possession of a controlled substance, and 1 misdemeanor count of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.

If found guilty on all charges, he could face up to 15 years in prison.