March 2003 - 2003/03/xx - Queens of the Stone Age, KROQ, and Anthrax
by unknown
US rock outfit Queens Of The Stone Age and Los Angeles Radio Station KROQ 106.7 made a special appearance in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, yesterday, and it was not for an impromptu performance. A Sydney woman named Kynwynne Gore who is the daughter of millionaire businessman the late Mike Gore, spent the afternoon being de-contaminated after having opened a package from Los Angeles containing white powder sparking a massive Anthrax Alert.

The item, a program from a KROQ Christmas party signed by Queens Of The Stone Age, was sent to her by mistake. She had bid on the book on Ebay but lost the auction. After closer examination upon opening, the package contained a white powder substance. On the advice of a friend she called the Australian National Securities Department and sort advice. The conversation went as follows.

Operator: Australian National Securities Commission
Woman: Ah, hi, I have just received this package from America and there seems to be white powder coming out of it?
Op: White powder? What is in the package.
W: Well it is a Queens of the Stone Age Autographed KROQ program.
Op: Queens of the what? Sorry.
W: Queens of the Stone Age, mam, they are a band. What should I do??
Op: *alarmed* Do not move! What is your location?
W: Ok, I am sitting in my car and I am in the driveway at **-*********,********. This is my best friend's house. She is not here yet.
OP: Miss, you need to not move. Are there any other civilians around you?
W: No, just me.
Op: Miss, have you inhaled any of the powder?
W: Ahh, well, yes, I smelled it to see what it was!
Op: Oh dear, this could be a poison. Ok, what does the package look like?
W: It is a program from KROQ signed by a band.
Op: What is KROQ? What is written on the package?
W: Well its signed by the band, Joshua Homme, Nick Oliveri, and Dave Grohl. KROQ is the station. They didn't send it to me, mam, I got it from Ebay.
Op: A radio station? What type of station? Are they political?
W: Yes, a radio station and Queens of the Stone Age are a band. No they are not political.
Op: Do you know these people?
W: Ah, no, they are a famous band and I don't know them.
Op: Ok, miss, you need to stay calm. Try not to move. Help is on its way. You should be able to hear the sirens.
W: This is pretty scary.
Op: Yes, I know, but you need to keep still. Do not move, do not get out of the car, okay?
W: Ok, I can hear the sirens, are you sure this is normal?
Op: Just stay calm.

Within minutes the car, a 2003 Silver Mercedes Benz Kompressor, was surrounded by Emergency Service Personnel. The young woman emerged after about an hour of being sprayed and proded, visibly upset but glad the ordeal was over. When asked her thoughts on the events she just exclaimed, "This is overwhelming! I cannot believe this much attention for a little book with powder on it. I understand that these days you have to be careful but this is sad that this happens whenever something is suspicious, but hey I guess it is good publicity for the band and radio station!"

Indeed.

Queens of the Stone Age have a song called "Feel Good Hit of the Summer." The fans out there familiar with the track will see the irony in this story.

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