Ex-Queens Of The Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri arrested by SWAT team

Bassist Nick Oliveri, booked on felony domestic violence after a five-hour police and SWAT team standoff. © Katy Winn/Corbis License

Nick Oliveri, former bassist for Queens Of The Stone Age and currently a member of Kyuss Lives!, was arrested last night (12 July) after a five-hour standoff with SWAT officers at his Hollywood home.

According to the TMZ, police responded to a call from a neighbor who reported a 'disturbance' between the bassist and his girlfriend. When the police arrived, Oliveri refused to let them enter the duplex, locking himself and his girlfriend inside.

A SWAT team was called to the scene, and after a two-hour standoff, Oliveri agreed to let his girlfriend exit the duplex. Several hours later, the bassist was taken into custody after police officers knocked down his front door.

Oliveri's girlfriend reportedly told police that the bassist struck her during an argument the day before. Tuesday night, she was in the process of collecting her belongings to move out when trouble broke out once again.

During a search of the residence, police reportedly discovered a fully loaded high-powered rifle. Oliveri was booked on felony domestic violence and has since been released after posting $100,000 bail.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.