Cosmic Egg

Mention of a follow-up to the band's 2005 debut studio album Wolfmother began shortly after its international release in 2006. In August, music magazine NME revealed that the band were discussing ideas for their second album, quoting Stockdale as saying "I feel like we've got a lot more to say".[13] In January 2007, MTV reported that "Wolfmother celebrated the news of their Grammy nomination last month by writing a new song, which they've since recorded."[14] The song, then known as "Love Attacker" and "about people who use love as a weapon to manipulate and get their way through desire",[14][15] later evolved into "Pleased to Meet You" and was featured on the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack released on 1 May 2007.[16] In revealing the news, MTV also suggested fall 2007 as the beginning of the recording process, quoting Andrew Stockdale as saying:

We do have a lot of jams, like incoherent pieces of music, that at least could get the ball rolling [...] And I have a few ideas I've been working on in hotels and stuff, which is kind of the way half of the record was written last time. Sometimes it can be a long process and sometimes it happens really quickly, so you just have to keep the fishing net open for ideas and hope that you catch a few.[14][15]

In February NME reported that Wolfmother "[felt] good about the second record", explaining that the band wanted to make their follow-up to Wolfmother sound "more relentless and in your face."[17] After more touring and a brief period of inactivity with few updates regarding new material, American magazine Rolling Stone reported in November 2007 that "Wolfmother [were] hard at work on a new album".[18] Speaking on the upcoming album, Stockdale explained that "It's kind of cinematic, and it's kind of epic", going on to suggest that "there's also this fully aggressive side that's undeniably explosive".[18][19] Among ten songs "ready to go", Stockdale first revealed the name "Back Home",[18][19] which would eventually evolve into "Back Round".

The first new original material, since the release of "Pleased to Meet You" in 2007, appeared during the band's first performance in nine months at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (QGMA) on 12 April 2008 in the form of four new songs:[20] "Back Round", "The Violence of the Sun", "Monolith" and "Inside the Mountain".[21] With increasing discussion of Wolfmother's second album, rumours began to emerge in August 2008 that the band was due to split up; various sources suggested that the trio were experiencing tensions after their performance at Splendour in the Grass on 3 August and that a statement to be released by their management was imminent.[22][23][24][25] The following statement was released to radio station Triple J upon the band's lack of appearance at a scheduled interview:

The band is dealing with some internal issues at the moment. They're hoping to resolve them in the next few weeks but in the meantime it just wouldn't be appropriate for any member to be doing any interviews – even with Triple J.[26]

The statement made by manager John Watson at the time was as follows:

Unfortunately I can't make any comment other than to say that as soon as the band has clear future plans they will issue a statement and we hope to be able to do that in the next week or two.[24]

Within days of the rumours surfacing, reports were updated to make the breakup official; bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett departed Wolfmother immediately due to "longstanding frictions".[5] Universal Music Australia released a statement explaining that Ross departed the band first due to "irreconcilable personal and musical differences" and was followed almost immediately by Heskett who was not willing to continue as part of a new line-up.[5][6][27] Stockdale, however, promised fans that he would continue the Wolfmother moniker by finding new members to replace the departed co-founders.[5][6][27] It was subsequently reported by the band's record label, Modular Recordings, that "Wolfmother Phase II" planned to record their first album with producer Dave Sardy ready for an "early 2009" release.[28]

The second lineup of Wolfmother performing for the first time at The Valley Studios, Brisbane on 6 February 2009.

After a number of rumours regarding new members, Wolfmother re-appeared in February 2009, performing under the alias "White Feather"; two low-key gigs were played on 6 February at The Valley Studios, Brisbane and 8 February at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney with new musicians accompanying Stockdale.[29][30] Following the performances the new members of Wolfmother, who had officially joined the band on 5 January 2009,[31] were confirmed as guitarist Aidan Nemeth, bassist and keyboardist Ian Peres and drummer Dave "Acosta" Atkins, and a new song called "Pilgrim" was mentioned.[4] Other songs debuted at the two low-key comeback performances included "White Feather", "Phoenix", "Far Away" and "10,000 Ft.", complemented by the previously performed "Back Round" and "The Violence of the Sun".[32][33] In an interview with Triple J in February, Stockdale mentioned a number of songs being considered for the new album, namely "Pilgrim", "Phoenix", "Back Round", "The Violence of the Sun" and the previously unmentioned "Sun Dial".[34] He also revealed that there were 17 new songs written for the album, recording for which was due to begin in March, which he described as "heavy" and "riff driven".[35]

Stockdale began recording early versions of the new Wolfmother songs in his home-based studio before the new band members were officially unveiled.[36] With subsequent comeback performances made on 14 and 22 March at Sound Relief and Clipsal 500 respectively, the first official material released by "Wolfmother Phase II" was a studio version of "Back Round", made available as a free digital download on the band's official website on 30 March.[37][38][39] Stockdale began using his Twitter profile in April, with his first update on 9 April confirming recording progression by revealing that the band were "Onto the 9th song tracking drums", hinting that it "looks like this will be a double album spectacular."[40] On 11 April, Stockdale revealed that they had "Tracked the 14th song,"[41] and by 15 April the band had tracked the drums on all 18 songs.[42] The title of the album was revealed as Cosmic Egg by NME in April, who also revealed that the album would contain 18 songs including "White Feather", "The Violence of the Sun" and a title track.[3][43] On 1 May, Wolfmother performed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, debuting new songs "Cosmic Egg" and "California Queen".[44] Beginning in late-April, confirmation began spreading that ex-Guns N' Roses and current Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash was to join the band in recording their new album,[45] although it later turned out that the collaboration had resulted in "By the Sword", a song which would later appear on Slash's self-titled debut solo album.

On 9 May, Stockdale reported on his Twitter page that the band had "3 more songs to go, of 17 songs", adding that "this is an endurance test, though the horizon seems closer".[46] Later, he notified readers that he was "About to shred the solo on White Feather", describing it as "possibly the greatest song written since Womac[k] and Womac[k]'s "Foot Steps" Yes!"[47] On 15 May, Stockdale reported that the title track "Cosmic Egg" had been completed, describing it as "a rollicking viking song".[48] On 16 May, Stockdale hinted at the prominence of a string section on the song "10,000 Feet" by revealing that "Dave [Atkins] has done some amazing string arrangements for 10,000 feet, he's a talented guy!"[49] Shortly after this update, a link was posted on the Twitter page to a montage video of the band recording and mixing some songs on the album, including "Back Round" and "Pilgrim".[50][51] On 20 May, Stockdale reported that the album was near to completion, stating that there are "Ten songs down, Seven to go", adding "we're in double album territory now. It's a vast album".[52] On 22 May, another Twitter update revealed that "tomorrow [23 May] we may well be finished! Then 4 weeks of mixing!"[53] On 30 May, Stockdale reported that the band were "leaving L.A tonight [...] with Album in hand", confirming that recording for Cosmic Egg had been completed.[54]

Cosmic Egg was mixed in Pasadena, California shortly after the recording of the album by Stockdale, producer Alan Moulder and Joe Barresi.[36] On 18 June, Stockdale reported that he had "Just heard a mixed and mastered version of Cosmic Egg the song", describing it as "of[f] the Richter Scale".[55] In the tweet, he also revealed that the album would be released on 13 October 2009.[55] On 3 August, Stockdale revealed that he had "Just recorded some B Sides at Electric Ladyland, Jimi Hendrix's studio in N.Y.", adding that the recordings "Sound[ed] amazing" and had a "great vibe".[56]