Ruben Mosqueda of the Oregon Music News spoke with Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield. Portions of the interview appear below.
OMN: What’s your take on the current rift in the fan base? It seems like the majority of the fans have chosen sides.
SR: It has caused confusion having two bands out there using the same name. We feel very confident that we have done the best thing for the band and also what the fans have been wanting from the band. We feel so good about what we’ve done and the response that we’ve had with the record. It was just released the day before yesterday and the response has been overwhelming. The fans are really enjoying what we’re doing—whether they want to choose sides that’s not really important. We just continue to get more support and people really seem to enjoy what we’re doing. We feel good about that.
OMN: I don’t foresee this taking place but if you lost the right to use the Queensryche name would you revisit Rising West at that point?
SR: [long pause] We don’t focus on that possibility—we’re living in the now. If that were to happen I don’t have a confirmation of what we would do in terms of what we’d call ourselves. I can tell you no matter what happens we’ll still continue to make music because the five of us have something—we feel so great about it and we’re having such a great time. That can’t stop us and nobody can take that away from us. That’s a confirmed thing that we own now—which is our chemistry together. We know it so well. I do believe that the right choice will be made in November which will be the best decision for Queensryche. Hopefully that’s the case, right?
OMN: Scott, I’m going to run down the Queensryche back catalog of studio albums and I’d like you to give me one word that describes each album.
SR: Okay let’s do it!
OMN: The Warning
SR: I’d probably have to say “energetic.”
OMN: Rage for Order
SR: Vampires!
OMN: Operation:Mindcrime
SR: Epic.
OMN: Empire
SR: Success.
OMN: Promised Land
SR: The best.
OMN: Hear in the Now Frontier
SR: Transition.
OMN: Q2K
SR: Transition.
OMN: Tribe
SR: Unique.
OMN: Operation:Mindcrime II
SR: Pass!
Take Cover
SR: Fun!
OMN: American Soldier
SR: Interesting.
OMN: Dedicated to Chaos
SR: [long pause] I’ll give you four words for this one: “Time to move on.”
OMN: Queensryche (2013)
SR: Rebirth.
Read more at the Oregon Music News.
8 Responses
I have been a Queensryche fan for many years, ever since the mid 80’s. I was very disappointed when an every album after Promised Land with one exception: American Soldier. I have purchased the new albums by both recent versions of Queensryche and I do not like either of them!
The two bands continue to rant obscenities at each other through the Internet and I am going to say that it is really time to move-on. In other words, “YOU ALL SUCK,”
The band I really loved hasn’t even existed since Chris DeGarmo left.
I wish they would all retire or simply put together some new projects and both drop the Queensryche name!
The REAL Queensryche died a long time ago!
Sorry for the bad grammar, I was a bit rushed earlier this morning.
I meant to say I have been disappointed with every release Queensryche put out after Promised Land except maybe American Soldier. If the musicians would all drop the Queensryche name and move on to other musical projects, they would all be better off. At least artistically.
Oh Eddy, I watch TMS all the time and love it! None of you people suck!
Mike
I came in around ‘EMPIRE’. Sorry and sad to see what is happening to the original QR. I liked all of the QR albums and the many concerts I attended except for that Cabaret deal…..didn’t go and didn’t quite understand what that was all about…….probably the worst idea. Not taking sides but I’m sure you guys will do well with Todd La Torre.