Heavy metal rockers Queensryche stunned fans around the world in when the five-piece announced the end of its iconic lineup. What many listeners didn't know was that members of the three-time Grammy nominees and Billboard chart toppers behind "Jet City Woman" and "Silent Lucidity" were at odds for years, with the final straw coming in the form of a pre-show altercation. While backstage at a gig in Brazil, as various members of management and the road crew had just been fired all of whom were members of vocalist Geoff Tate's family , Tate confronted the band about rumors that he too was about to get the boot.
He added: "The fans have certainly voiced that opinion. That's my opinion, and that's a lot of opinions we hear every night. And the energy of the other members of the band is way healthier, way happier with [ Geoff ] gone and me in the band. And that's just the facts. There's no stifled creativity, and there's no kind of leader and followers, if you will, in the band. We all talk and try to make decisions the same, and it's very democratic.
I'm never gonna tell Michael Wilton that his guitar riff is too heavy, for example, and that had happened in the past. Susan Tate began managing the band in In , guitarist Mike Stone was fired without the consolation of Wilton and Rockenfield.
Lundgren was hired "for cheap. They later married. I started sending copies to Eddie Jackson and Scott Rockenfield of all business expenses and chargebacks that were coming to be. Susan Tate and Geoff Tate were already receiving these so they already had their copies.
At the request of Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and myself, we asked for more documents from our accountant and began looking at the upcoming tour budget. We saw that Susan Tate had the income and expenses for her new band, The Voodoos, being run through our accounts without ever telling any of us. Since they did not have work visas, they had to run all of their business income through our tax ID and checking accounts!
We were told only that they were touring for us as an opening act for a small fee. I was furious about this! This is illegal, and she put our business at risk because she didn't have the right legal paperwork for her band to perform in the States! She had no right to run anything other than Queensyrhce-related expenses as our manager through our accounts. About the Tate band, it is not really a band. It's a bunch of hired hands who will go out and play Operation Mindcrime.
The new Tate album "Frequency Unknown" was written by producer Jason Slater and session musicians recorded it. It's similar to the last three QR albums where that band feel is all but missing. I think that Simon Wright has played drums on 1 or 2 tracks and Sarzo has played a little bit bass.
Most bass was played by producer Jason Slater. The new song "Redemption" very much sounds like a Wilton song and a lot of the old QR elements are present, along with a more modern heaviness.
They sound like the band should have sounded after Promised Land, and they are once again a band. Thanks for stopping by, Al. I agree with you, many bands have suffered with "Lead Singer's Disease" over the years, Queensryche is only the latest.
I can not believe how uneven the vote was of which Queensryche to support! I am absolutely blown away. As I read the comments after the article, I see that many people's reasons are things like they feel Geoff Tate is strange or unappreciative of his success. That's what makes them all so great. But, he was the ultimate frontman, and an awesome singer for their music at the time.
Geoff Tate is Queensryche. As a TRUE fan, this sucks! I get how hard it is to be around someone day in and day out, but what happened to the love of music. All this drama is disappointing is all. The break up of Queensryche, and whether or not Geoff Tate was in the right or wrong does show one thing to consider Look at the band he put together.
Do any of you REALLY think that musicians of their caliber would get with a "dictator", a "tyrant", a "diva", a "has been", and I could keep going with the things I have read that people have said about Geoff. Because guess what people? They aren't hurting for money or playing opportunities.
Yet, Chinese Democracy still went platinum. Yes it disappointed in sales but Better singers have flopped as solo artist or fronting their version of a band Steven Tyler, Paul Stanley, Vince Neil and Mick Jagger come to mind and it seems only David Coverdale can reinvent the all-star band line-up and succeed.
So hey, I'm gonna buy both CDs cuz one of them will be a collector's item sooner or later! X - please let us know if Mr. DeGarmo responds to your plea. I'd love to hear what he has to day. Thanks for allowing me to comment about this silly band drama fatfreddy. I just added Mr. DeGarmo as a friend on face book and sent him the following plea. For the sake of us fans who absolutely love the "DeGarmo" version of Queensryche, can you please find a way to help put an end to the new dual Queensryche drama?
I understand why you left the band in Due to the size of Geoff's ego there was no room on stage, nor on the tour bus for any other band member. There are those of us fans out here that know who made the Original band so good.
I think that it is sad that there are now two bands, using the same name basically making a living off of doing covers that you wrote and performed so well. In November the courts decide which of the 2 camps legally gets the name. Does that mean if Toddryche wins, they inherit the rights to FU? Or vice versa if Tateryche wins do they claim rights to the upcoming Toddryche album? Given both camps are tied to the same QR band name 'brand' this looks like it has the potential for being an issue.
Hi OpenRiverTech - I just took a look at Cleo's web page out of curiosity and wow, "basic" isn't even the word for it. I did find it funny that L. Guns is listed on their page, as they're another band who also recently went through the "two bands, same name" legal drama that Queensryche are currently experiencing.
Hi Dr. De Garmo must feel about the whole thing. I'm sure somebody has probably approached him for a comment at some point, but it appears that he's been keeping his mouth shut, which is probably for the best. Thanks for stopping by. FatFreddysCat Cleopatra's reputation is not at all what it used to be.
It does not help that they list artists on their page to make it seem as if they hold a recording contract when in actuality in some cases they just gained rights to reissue a record that has been out of print as in the Case of B. I may be nit picking but geez, lol. I've owned several releases on that label usually multi-artist compilations or tribute albums and their booklets are shoddy and full of spelling errors and other goofs. Donna Deist - thanks for stopping by, it'll be interesting to see how the duel between the two QR camps plays out, once both sides release new music Last time I checked the poll that's included with this article, the LaTorre line up was kickin' the Tate version's ass by a margin of nearly 3 to 1.
While Todd is definitely not Geoff Thank God!!! I think it is funny that TateRyche signed with Cleopatra Records I mean That company is really shady looking Have you seen the artist page? When you clink on some of the artists it just takes you to a shop page to purchase a shirt. I mean c'mon if you have a deal with these artists living or not, wouldn't you want to promote them better. This almost constitutes proof of the damage he has done to the QR brand.
I can see Geoff trying to pull off some virtual duet with Miles Davis That is if Cleopatra Records actually had anything to with the Jazz Great other than selling a poster or CD they got off of amazon. Hey Ex-Seattle I agree with all of your points. We'll see how this mess all turns out later this year when the two sides go to court, of course.
I've been watching this whole soap opera from first report of a fistfight and at this point I think it's pretty clear what happened over the last decades and what is going to happen. Tate ruled QR with an iron fist. He is a legendary voice and I'm sure the band felt that they could not replace him and continue, so they let him.
DeGarmo left because of Tate. Tate didn't allow the band to contribute to music and after a while they stopped trying to contribute. Tate bled the band dry by hiring his family. Other singers have hired their wives and led bands to destruction in similar fashion. NEVER hire a wife as a manager. Chris Cornell? Tate's first solo album was great. I love it. He should just be a solo act, but he seriously needs to hire a good song writer, take some time off touring and figure out who and what he is and what the music should be.
Todd is super. He is not Tate, he is Todd. He can sing the old music, but the new music is what matters. Redemption is a great song and I think that people will embrace the band for what it is today. Geoff hasn't been able to sing worth a squat since Empire and even then you could hear his home made wine whine?
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