QUEENSRYCHE NAME DISPUTE SETTLED; JACKSON, ROCKENFIELD AND WILTON RETAIN THE RIGHTS TO THE BAND’S MONIKER
The Seattle Times reports:
Queensryche members Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield, Michael Wilton and Geoff Tate have released the following joint statement:
“We wanted to let Queensryche fans around the world know that an amicable settlement has been reached between Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield, Michael Wilton and Geoff Tate with regard to the future of the Queensryche name. According to the agreement, original members Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and Michael Wilton along with recent members, Todd La Torre and Parker Lundgren, will now be the sole entity recording and touring as Queensryche, performing selections from their entire musical catalog that spans over 30 years of material. Original lead singer Geoff Tate will continue to record, perform and pursue a variety of other creative endeavors and, as part of the agreement, will have the exclusive rights to perform Operation: Mindcrime I and II in their entirety as a unique performance. Both sides wish each other well and are excited about what the future holds. We want to thank the fans for standing beside us through this ordeal and look forward to sharing our music with you for years to come.”
The Queensryche corporate assets will be evenly divided among Wilton, Jackson, Rockenfield and Tate.
Tate will do a brief Queensryche “farewell” tour this summer before launching a new chapter his career.
Both sides say they are relieved to settle the dispute and look forward to moving on.
“It’s the rebirth of Queensryche and the way it used to be,” Wilton said by phone last night. “We’re rebuilding the Queensryche name.”
Tate is especially pleased that the case was settled outside of a courtroom.
“One thing that’s really important for people to understand is that this never went to court,” he said by phone after returning from a show in Louisiana.
“They (Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield) bought the name from me. But I retain ‘Operation Mindcrime.’ It’s sort of similar to the Pink Floyd situation where Roger Waters retained ‘The Wall.’ ‘Mindcrime’ was my thing and my story, so it’s appropriate that I keep that. So they will continue on as Queensryche, and I will continue on as me.”
With the lawsuit resolved, Tate is now free to reinvent himself.
source: seattletimes.com
yawn…These guys egos get in the way of any success that they may have going forward. AMERICAN SOLDIER was a good album but I wouldn’t waste hard earned money on 2 imitation QRs. Cal it Geoff Tate or whatever. DOKKEN and its members are best off as DOKKEN but they choose to be other stuff. 25 years past their prime and the few fans left deserve better. RIP: QUEENSRYCHE, DOKKEN, RATT, LA GUNS, GREAT WHITE………
American Soldier was a bland, crap album.
Don’t forget Dokken was the name of the singer. It would be ridiculous to keep calling them Dokken if Don was gone…but that kind of stuff actually has happened. Past Vandenburg members tried to go on without Adrian, which is almost funny if it wasnt so pathetic. I dont understand these bands. Geoff is the sound and voice. I wouldnt recognize any of the other guys if they were in front of me. Either way, it’s fading, queensryche were in St Louis a few years ago and there were only about 100 people there. They just didnt have whatever it takes to persevere, sometimes its just fate. Its over.
Well, Queensryche with LaTorre just played outside of Buffalo, NY last weekend and sold out a mid-sized theater, so you’re way off base. They were phenomenal, playing nothing beyond Empire except for a couple newer songs. It was classic after classic in an almost “pinch-me, can you believe we’re hearing this again LIVE?” evening. And, as far as Geoff being “the voice” of the Ryche, it’s hard to be “the voice” when you can’t even hit half the high notes anymore. At least LaTorre is singing these classic songs the way they’re meant to be sung, with power and conviction.
The Todd LaTorre led band were scheduled to play in Manchester NH on Easter but pulled out a week before. Care to guess why? I’m guess it wasn’t due to a sold out crowd.
Just saw them last week in NJ- wasn’t a sold out show, but the set list and show were awesome!! Todd can hit the high notes Tate cannot AND they have clearly embraced their older, heavier materia and incorporated it back into their set (Thank you!!!). Tate made it clear through the years that he had no use for metal heads nor the older harder material and other than Mindcrime, we rarely ever heard anything old. Foolish- it was the heavier, harder material that got them their recording contract back in the 80’s and it was the metal heads that kept the sales going to maintain their record contract. Good luck Geoff- maybe there’s a group of fans out there that you HAVEN’T alienated.
It’s not about egos as much as it’s about differences.They happen when people work closely together for decades on end……they settled it without the courts,they’re all moving forward.The best of luck to them.
Uhmmmm, correction…it’s not over. Far from it. I just saw Queensryche play to about 30k fans at M3 and they blew people away. I love Geoff Tate but Todd LaTorre is amazing and their new album is amazing! Why would you give up on bands that continue to put out good music. They need to be supported even if all original members arent there. I have every Dokken album and I will continue to support those bands. This music is not dead and M3 proves it!
I agree with you Eric B….LaTorre sounds amazing and the new album is phenomenal. Queensryche with LaTorre sounds like it did before Empire which is something that never could have happened again with Tate. Queensryche with retaining the name and with an excellent new singer have hit the reset button and they have unlimited potential in the future.
Hey Eric, I then stand corrected. I’m glad you went to M3 and enjoyed their performance, sounds like it was great. If you’re a fan I hope they continue to deliver the goods for ya
Queensryche corporate assets? What is that like $5.00. What do these idiots think? People care about their lousy dated music. What do they do? Free concerts in the Ukraine outdoors in the dead of winter. Take it from Mr. Milkmoney, Queensryche is total shit, listen to MEGADETH instead.
haha, funny milk money; Queensryche’s assets are probably their name, rights to music royalties, master tapes, and stuff like that.
Sorta don’t care anymore. First of all, I haven’t liked ANYTHING they’ve done since Empire. Second, Geoff Tate disgusts me with his actions over the past couple of years. He sunk really low. Third, he should retire. Anyone who’s heard his solo effort can hear immediately that his voice is shot and his talent not really there. Go ahead and do “Mindcrime” all you want. Without the original band, I have zero interest in seeing or hearing that ever again.
In all fairness to the new crew, I haven’t heard more than one song from that album. So, I’ll judge that when I have some inspiration.
Amen Eric, firing Geoff Tate saved the band from a string of mediocre albums. I saw Queensryche back in Dec. 2013 and was amazed at how great they sounded and Todd Latorre nailed every song perfectly many of which haven’t been done live in many years. Theres not enough good to say about their recent album. I am actually excited and look forward to new releases again. I tried to give Tates FU a chance and it was more of the same tired crap that has been churned out the last 20 years. And don’t even get me started on the rerecords he did. Just awful. Thank God Eddie, Michael, and Scott ended up with the legacy that they have actually made progress in redeeming and making relevent again. I wish them every success!