Headline News
Queensrÿche Splits With Singer Geoff Tate
According to Billboard.com (full article at this location), Queensrÿche and singer Geoff Tate have parted company over "creative differences." Crimson Glory vocalist Todd La Torre was tapped to replace Tate, as prior to this report the remaining band members went on to form Rising West with the vocalist.
Rumors have been circulating about trouble in the Seattle progressive metal band's camp including the band's recent performances in Brazil and culminating with Geoff Tate's statements to the crowd at Rocklahoma 2012.
In an excerpt from the exclusive story with Billboard, drummer Scott Rockenfield was quoted as saying:
"Over the past few months, there have been growing creative differences within Queensryche. We want our fans to know that we hoped to find a common resolution, but in the end parting ways with Geoff was the best way for everyone to move forward in a positive direction. We wish him the best of luck with all of his future endeavors. We can't wait to bring Queensryche to our fans with Todd behind the microphone."
Billboard could not get a comment from Tate through his agent Jeff Albright of the Albright Entertainment Group prior to running its story.
La Torre made it clear that he has no intentions on leaving Florida act Crimson Glory, stating on his Facebook page: "I am not a 'former member' of Crimson Glory. Both bands are fully aware of my involvement. Crimson Glory is still alive and well, and we are continuing to write material for the new record. Queensryche enters a new chapter, buckle up."
Read the full article at Billboard.
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29 Comments on "Queensrÿche Splits With Geoff Tate"
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5. writes:
Promised Land was the last good album they did.
They totally lost it when Chris left.
And they really blew it with PL when they choose Bridge, which was one of the weakest songs on the album as a single.
They should bow out with what little grace they have left. Silent Lucidity was a LONG time ago.
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6. writes:
The Warning was even LONGER ago :)
Tate is fvcking washed up...a career singer with a lost voice beholds a grim and bitter horizon...many such attempt to compensate by campaigning a power struggle with their former collaborators, their sponsors, their audience....
It is an absurd and futile endeavor...but its of equally no use to invest to implore a prima donna....nah, better just hand em a shovel and watch em dig, dig, dig :)
NP---Roads to Madness---Warning
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11. writes:
He sounded great the two times I seen em in the mid- late 80's....long before he slacked off and lost his fitness, closest I can find to what I remember:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWkDP88oNME
its too bad, the dude once possessed the chops to be a frikken legend...ah well, fvck 'im, no fvcking quarter ya know
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13. writes:
Yep, the mighty Sonoran has wilted and withered more than a few divas in the past...and will continue to do so, much to my continued entertainment and perpetual satisfaction...
The Great Desert has reduced and killed many a finer man, that's sure
NP---Blackwater Park Live
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15. writes:
This is great because it's probably been Tates doing that Queensryche has moved so far from thier metal roots over the years. The record they released last year was an embarrassment to thier catalog! Let Morbid Angel off the hook for worst album of the year. Hard to believe with albums like Warning,Operation Mindcrime,they virtually eliminated any trace of metal in thier sound. Now with Tate gone,hopefully they get back to thier roots.
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19. writes:
I've been a Queensryche fan for 19 years and I'm getting tired of all these people saying the band sucks because the albums don't sound anymore like Mindcrime, Warning, or Promised Land. Queensryche is still the most original band left on earth so just because they have a sound alike singer dosen't mean that will bring them back to their metal glory days.
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24. writes:
RIP Tateryche (2005-2012)
This was fun watching what kind of stuff he could come up for each album and all the "fans" or inter-spectators who grouse up on message boards and Facebook (I'm as guilty as anyone) defending Tate and waxing nostalgic for Chris DeGarmo the past oh lets count 1, 2, 15 or so years.
Move on past Chris people. He's not coming back to nu-QR either. DeGarmo only is interested in writing hard rock or alt rock crap as Tribe attributed to. I doubt he wants to go back to the old school 80's heavy power metal sound. I largely doubt this is what Wilton wants the next phase of Ryche to sound like either. It'll be heavy as his demos with Rockenfield for Mosh Pit certainly were promising.
Lets hope it happens. I want to believe just as anyone. Then again, I've tried for the past 15+ years as anyone and see where it got us. Nowhere.
So this brings us to a situation where if Queensryche tries to write a record or fully realized songs where currently the drummer and bass player have written the most songs in the past 15 years, then you'll be waiting a long while.
Tate is extremely lazy with his solo albums but he was "working" on QR material or rather dicTate-ing (ha) producer Jason Slater to write the last 3 Tateryche albums, so if he puts his mind to buying more songs from producers, I'm sure he'll put out a new solo album faster than nu-Ryche.
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25. writes:
Eh, I don't get people who call Queensryche heavy. Not even in the 80's.
The EP is the only thing they've done that's metal through and through. The Warning, Rage for Order, Operation: Mindcrime, while good albums, only have a few songs on them that are metal.
As for post 19 lol. When a band releases a part 2 of an older album of theirs late in their career, that doesn't exactly scream originality or prog for that matter.
26. writes:
Hi guys. Just to make it clear when I said they're the most original band what I meant was a lot of rock bands sound the same every song they do. Queensryche at least always changed their sound. When I said "metal glory days" I got that from other people on other messege boards who said this new singer might bring the band back their glory days of Warning and Mindcrime albums. But as I said they've been my favorite for 19 years so I've stuck with through DeGarmo, Kelly Gray, Mike Stone, and Parker, so I could get used to a new singer. I'm giving up on them.
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28. writes:
I've been a huge fan since The Warning (which I consider a masterpiece). Rage for Order and OMC were also great but very different albums. Empire gave us the first signs that the band was consciously trying to move in a more commercial direction. While Queensryche has shown flashes of their former brilliance since (I Am I for example),they have not produced a solid album in a while. I've seen them live more than a dozen times and have never been disappointed except for the occasional song selection. Their last offering seems to have been the final straw for some in the band. Wilton gave unflattering comments about it just after it was released,and the tensions became obvious. Rumors of management issues (Tate's wife managed the band), and creative differences began flying. The "Brazil Incident" suggested that something was about to go down. I have mixed emotions. Maybe this will result in some good music,but I will miss the Tate of old. Look for Pink Floyd style lawsuits over the rights to the band name.
29. writes:
First off Geoff Tate and all the members of Queensryche past and current are awesome guys. I have met them all and I respect them as artists and people.
I had the good fortune to work with the band for many years and all the statements about them lacking in anyway is way off the mark. As an artist you evolve just as you do in life nothing stays the same.
I am very sad about all of this as I have loved the music since the EP.
I find all the bashing to be childish and so unnecessary. If you do not like them fine do not waist your time move on and support who you do like.
Yes, you have a right to your opinion and to voice it but does it have to be so cruel? These men do have feelings like we all do, just because they are in the public eye doesn't give you the right to attack them.
This is a great site and the people who work their butts off here for all of us music lovers ...Kudo's to MU.com's team!!!!!
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1. Rex_84 writes:
Wow! That's big news. Has Queensryche ever used another vocalist besides Tate? That's what happens when you get old and lose your hair.