GEOFF TATE ON PLAYING WITH NEW BANDMATES: “IT’S A LOT MORE ORGANIC..AND THERE’S A REAL CAMARADERIE IN THE BAND NOW”
Kevin Wells of The Washington Times spoke with singer Geoff Tate about his new album, performing Operation: Mindcrime live and whether he has experienced any fan backlash since the splintering of the original Queensryche. Portions of the interview appear below.
KW: What kind of response have you gotten from Frequency Unknown, which was released last April?
GT: I don’t know. I don’t typically pay attention unless I’m talking with somebody and they bring up something specific.
KW: You also celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Operation: Mindcrime earlier this year by performing the album in its entirety. What was it like playing that album again?
GT: It’s great, yeah. I love that album. I love performing it. It’s challenging because you’re playing an entire record, so it’s challenging live to present it in a way that keeps the flow of the record, which I think is really important. When you’re presenting music live, you have to think a lot about how to present it, the pacing of it, the song order that sort of thing. So that album brings its own set of challenges to a live performance. It had some really great shows. We didn’t play the southeast yet and we’re playing there in January. So we’re gonna be presenting the Mindcrime show to the southeast in January.
KW: Did you feel when you were writing that album that it would end up being so well received by fans and critics alike?
GT: No. Never do, really. That album was really critiqued heavily when it came out [laughs], as all our records are, I guess. It takes people a while to, I guess, understand our music. That’s the thing with most music. You have to live with it a while. You have to have it playing and part of your life, you know? For it to truly affect you, you have to spend some time with it. In our kind of pop world we’ve constructed in our society, we don’t give music much of a chance to sit with us. We kind of judge it immediately and music isn’t like that. It’s something that is a personal experience that kind of accompanies you on your own personal experience.
KW: Has the legal battle over the Queensrÿche name been resolved?
GT: No. we have a court date that was set for November originally, but recently got pushed out to January. So, by January, we should have it all wrapped up.
KW: Have you noticed any sort of fan backlash due to the split with the other original members of Queensrÿche?
GT: I hardly have noticed a difference, really. It’s been really kind of smooth sailing. The shows have been well-attended and the energy at the shows is really intense with the band and the interaction with the audience. It’s probably actually a little more emotional now than it has been. I think change is probably a good thing.
KW: Have you spoken recently with any of the other original members?
GT: Uh, no. No.
KW: Is it strange playing Queensrÿche without the other guys?
GT: Oh, not at all, no. Actually, it’s a lot more organic now and there’s a real camaraderie in the band now. This group of people, we have a real positive kind of energy surrounding the band now that I find really very pleasing. I think that translates to an audience when you’re up on stage together and everyone in the band is happy and excited to be there. That translates to the audience. They pick up on that energy too, you know?
Read more at The Washington Times.
source: washingtontimes.com
I’ve listened intently to these albums and both of them have something missing; it’s like they were rushed out and cobbled together just in order to stamp their individual mark. So as far as I’m concerned both parties need to get their act together and produce something of value or there’s no point in carrying on under the banner of Queensryche.
Exactly. Tate will always bee the voice of Queensryche. Always. Maybe he is an ass, but who cares? It’s a rock band, not brain surgery.
Both releases sound hollow. I don’t understand the hate that Tate-Queensryche album gets. I know there are some mix problems here and there, but it certainly is not worse than the non-Tate version. Live, they sound great as well.
In fact, Queensryche without Tate, sounds nothing like Queensryche to me. In fact, one could argue, that without DeGarmo, Queensryche stopped being themselves a long time ago.
Everything since he left is marginal, except for a few songs here and there, including the new LaTorre version. It’s probably time to hang up the Queensryche name.
Spot on about DeGarmo. Perhaps a third QUEENSRYCHE? How bout QUEENSRYCHE + PAUL RODGERS.
I’m speechless…
It’s so clear that DeGarmo was the glue to the band. With his departure came a change to the albums and live shows (though I’ve seen many excellent post Chris shows) However, they played a disastrous show at NYC’s Irving Plaza about 3 years ago and it was clear things were way off.
The LaToure album is solid, but you know it’s not Geoff singing. The Geoff version album is not listenable from a production standpoint. I’ve tried but it’s so unpleasant I’ve turned it off and just couldn’t comment on the quality of the songs.
I happened to like some of the experimental/jazz/proginess of the the last real album and thought Tribe was among their best, however, as with much prog rock, the albums especially American Soldier (good concept, bad execution) had no direction, same with Dedicated to Chaos, some funky interesting songs like Drive and Got it Bad, but then the center of album is a lost 15 minutes of sullen, the world sucks, meandering (again, decent political messaging, bad execution) note to all bands: to do left-side political messages and rock only Green Day and Rage can do it and have good music to match.
Back on track now, its clear Chris knew how to balance the band’s politics and make badass music: Hence “Mindcrime.”
What clubs will Tate play….the same as Jack?
I saw the LaTorre version of ‘Ryche earlier this year and have to say I was blown away by the way he sounded. He sang the songs just like Geoff but still had his own sound too. I havent heard either new album from both Queensryches. I do think its silly that there are two versions and have to agree with Eddie that just from a numbers standpoint, the LaTorre version has 3 original members while Geoff has…well himself. So I think in fairness the LaTorre camp would win the name. About Geoff’s comments regarding the reception of his new album. He doesnt pay attention?? Really? Then why was there a video that he put together with clips of numerous people ripping his new album apart. I actually thought it was funny. These people were trashing his album and then it would cut to Geoff and his facial expression. So that right there tells me he pays attention. Geoff has always struck me as arrogant and his comment to the fans last year at Rocklahoma was uncalled for. He still we always be one of my favorite vocalists though.