Author Topic: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album  (Read 683715 times)

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Offline Stadler

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2695 on: February 12, 2018, 08:36:37 AM »
In all honesty, if I enjoy Empire and Promised Land enough, I'm probably just going to try to listen to all the albums in chronological order like I had planned. I don't want to jump around from album to album; I want to experience the roller coaster of seeing how each album changes the band, I guess, for lack of a better term (or is it the band changing the albums... whoa, man) Of course if they're that bad I won't even finish them, but it won't put me off checking out the Todd LaTorre-fronted 'ryche at the end of the day  :biggrin: I'll make sure to read that FU review.

Mindcrime is phenomenal... wow. I already knew 3 songs on it (the title track, Eyes of a Stranger, and I'm pretty sure I Don't Believe In Love). But jeeze. I thought I had checked this out some years ago but can't really remember; if I did, I don't know why I apparently didn't like it...

I think this is right.   Try to experience it the way we had to.  Fits and starts, ups and downs...  selfishly, it's also more interesting for us (me).

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2696 on: February 12, 2018, 10:01:36 AM »
Lethean's right, I've gone my whole life without listening to the 'ryche, so I have no problem at all taking my time in 2018. Plus, I have made a point not to give any money at all directly to Geoff Tate, so it's all good. I don't care so much if the later albums suck, but if I call myself a fan of a band, I do still enjoy seeing the complete lineup of studio albums on my shelves. Queensryche is the only Q artist I have so the more the merrier :lol (no, I don't own Queen CDs, I am a young millennial baby  :lol)
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Offline Mladen

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2697 on: February 12, 2018, 10:43:24 AM »
I'm also one of those guys that likes to get to know the entire discography, even if a large section of it is dismissed by fans. That being said, it took me seven years to gain courage and check out the albums that came out after Promised land.  :lol

To be honest, there are some fantastic songs in the later half of their career, almost every album has several tracks that are worth returning to. Some of the albums would have been great had they been done differently - for example, had Hear in the now frontier been trimmed down a bit and produced better, it would have been pretty amazing. But still, I think the difference in quality is fairly apparent.

Offline Mister Gold

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2698 on: February 12, 2018, 04:04:12 PM »
The only thing you need to know about Frequency Unknown is wolfking's review in the Tater thread. 

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=36090.msg1565339#msg1565339

That review is the stuff of legends. I still remember my first time reading it back in the day! :lol

Just like a George Costanza voice-mail message  :lol.  At least once a year I go back to it for the giggles.  I've said it before, I'll say it again, my favorite DTF post .... ever.

I love the rapid descent into pure, unbridled hatred happening in real time and it all ending with "I think I might go throw this CD at a clown tomorrow for laughs" :rollin
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Offline TAC

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2699 on: February 12, 2018, 05:40:07 PM »
This always made me laugh.
Also, the lyrics aren't in the booklet, which pisses me off a bit.  I never read them, but I think at least the booklet should have relevent info and lyrics.

 :lol
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2700 on: February 12, 2018, 07:31:11 PM »
Rite?!?  Like he's looking for any reason to be pissed at the album by that point.  :lol
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Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2701 on: February 12, 2018, 11:30:33 PM »
I Don't Believe In Love:  Who the hell is this Martin guy that did the music on these, he should be shot.  Wait, I just heard Tate first couple of lines, is this for real?

THIS SHITS FOR REAL
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Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2702 on: February 13, 2018, 10:25:20 AM »
I'm loving this band so far but I've never really gotten used to Geoff Tate's appearance. I'm sorry but with the head and facial hair the guy's head looks like it was made in Skyrim's character creator  :lol
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Offline Lethean

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2703 on: February 13, 2018, 10:27:18 AM »
I think that review is probably the best thing about FU. :)

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2704 on: February 13, 2018, 10:30:13 AM »
I'm loving this band so far but I've never really gotten used to Geoff Tate's appearance. I'm sorry but with the head and facial hair the guy's head looks like it was made in Skyrim's character creator  :lol

It's better than Cabaret-Geoff.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2705 on: February 13, 2018, 10:42:13 AM »
Oh my goodness, yes!
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Offline DoctorAction

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2706 on: February 13, 2018, 02:38:51 PM »
That review is amazing!

I really miss prime QR. Everything past Promised Land isn't worth the bother, imo. Their descent into irrelevance has/had to be the biggest disappointment in metal.

Good luck to them with Todd. It's mediocre to me but not horrible.

You know, i think it's just that great creative fertility is just really fragile. QR are just another band that were once magical. *shrug* There are VERY few bands like Maiden that out really GOOD albums at the later part of their career.
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Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2707 on: February 13, 2018, 03:15:00 PM »
Samsara has given me the full monty introduction into Queensryche, links and all. Good person, Samsara.  :biggrin:
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2708 on: February 13, 2018, 03:16:40 PM »
Samsara has given me the full monty introduction into Queensryche, links and all. Good person, Samsara.  :biggrin:

Amen, brother.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Offline bill1971

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2709 on: February 13, 2018, 10:51:15 PM »
I'm also one of those guys that likes to get to know the entire discography, even if a large section of it is dismissed by fans. That being said, it took me seven years to gain courage and check out the albums that came out after Promised land.  :lol

To be honest, there are some fantastic songs in the later half of their career, almost every album has several tracks that are worth returning to. Some of the albums would have been great had they been done differently - for example, had Hear in the now frontier been trimmed down a bit and produced better, it would have been pretty amazing. But still, I think the difference in quality is fairly apparent.

I agree about Hear. DeGarmo was hugely important but this album illustrates that DeGarmo does not equal gold.

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2710 on: February 14, 2018, 06:35:24 AM »
What's the consensus on Suite Sister Mary? It's the one song I'm not in love with on Mindcrime. It's really good, just not as solid as the other shorter songs on the album. From start to finish Mindcrime is fan-freaking-tastic. I love it. Not a single below average song on here. Well, maybe The Mission is my pick for weak link, but it's not even bad, I just don't think it's as strong as Speak or Revolution Calling, for example...

Batting 1000 so far... let's see if Empire holds up.
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2711 on: February 14, 2018, 06:48:33 AM »
I don't know about the consensus, but for me the song is fan-freaking-tastic as the rest of the album. It's the centerpiece and a well worthy epic.
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Offline Mister Gold

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2712 on: February 14, 2018, 07:08:05 AM »
What's the consensus on Suite Sister Mary? It's the one song I'm not in love with on Mindcrime. It's really good, just not as solid as the other shorter songs on the album. From start to finish Mindcrime is fan-freaking-tastic. I love it. Not a single below average song on here. Well, maybe The Mission is my pick for weak link, but it's not even bad, I just don't think it's as strong as Speak or Revolution Calling, for example...

Batting 1000 so far... let's see if Empire holds up.

I have had a weird relationship with that song over the past decade. When I first heard it, I loved it for the most part. The cinematic quality of that first half of the song is divine. And then for years, I thought Suite Sister Mary was too same-y for too long, namely in the second half. Nowadays I'm a bigger fan of it. It's not my favorite from Queensryche- that'd be Anybody Listening? off of Empire (though the rest of that album isn't as good imo), but SSM is a top tier song from the band.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2713 on: February 14, 2018, 07:19:46 AM »
What's the consensus on Suite Sister Mary? It's the one song I'm not in love with on Mindcrime. It's really good, just not as solid as the other shorter songs on the album. From start to finish Mindcrime is fan-freaking-tastic. I love it. Not a single below average song on here. Well, maybe The Mission is my pick for weak link, but it's not even bad, I just don't think it's as strong as Speak or Revolution Calling, for example...

Batting 1000 so far... let's see if Empire holds up.

Regarding SSM, it can be a bit much.  It was the first Queensryche song I had ever heard, and I frankly found it offputting.  I Don't Believe In Love was the first song that really got its hooks in me and got me to open up to the rest of the album.  Once I did, I began to appreciate SSM.  But, like you, even though I came to like and appreciate it, I didn't put it up near the top of the album.  It still isn't.  But what I can say is that seeing it live with the entirety of Mindcrime being played on the Building Empires tour, the song took on a new life in my eyes.  Such atmosphere.  Before Empire, you might want to take a detour and watch (don't just listen) to Livecrime.  Take the time to watch it on a decent screen with decent sound, and not just a tiny Youtube window and your laptop speakers.  Seriously.  Despite it definitely being a product of its time, I think you will thank me.

Empire...most people have two reactions to it.  Either they are a bit surprised by the more polished and commercial, yet still layered and complex, nature of it, but immediately love and embrace it, or they are initially offput by the more polished and commercial, yet still layered and complex, nature of it, but gradually come to love and embrace it.  It's a fantastic album.  For me, Empire and Anybody Listening? are the highlights.  But there are amazing moments throughout, and even the sappy "ballads" have a lot to offer.  Della Brown is a surprise sleeper.  I hope you like the album.

It's not my favorite from Queensryche- that'd be Anybody Listening? off of Empire

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2714 on: February 14, 2018, 07:37:06 AM »
Well, maybe The Mission is my pick for weak link, but it's not even bad, I just don't think it's as strong as Speak or Revolution Calling, for example...

The Mission is amazing.  I love the lyrics - "I look around, my room is filled with candles...each one's a story, but they end the same."  Such an amazing vocal performance from Geoff too.

SSM is over-hyped.  Yes, it's their big, epic track.  I loved seeing them play it a handful of times on the Mindcrime 2005/2006 tours, but the Geoff over-acting took over.  Over the last handful of years, I just can't get into it, but still completely lose myself in The Mission.

Offline Mister Gold

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2715 on: February 14, 2018, 07:49:37 AM »
It's not my favorite from Queensryche- that'd be Anybody Listening? off of Empire

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B-bosk!!! :omg: I'll... I'll need time to think it over. :biggrin: :rollin


But yeah, getting back to being serious here for Kattoelox, Anybody Listening? is the band's high water mark as far as individual songs go. My favorite song from the 2013 self-titled album (Open Road) is very similar to AL too musically, even if it is admittedly too short for its good. They both have this magnificent "wind in your hair" vibe about them.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2716 on: February 14, 2018, 07:55:43 AM »
All kidding aside, that is just a total spot-on description of both Anybody Listening? and Open Road.  Couldn't have said it better myself.

To this day, it still makes me ANGRY that when I met Geoff for the first time and tried to tell him what that song meant to me, especially on those dark, lonely nights listening to it on my Walkman in the Saudi/Kuwaiti deserts during the Persian Gulf war, and he was so stuck in his agenda that he just could not get what I was saying and was basically congratulating me for what he mistakenly saw as using that song as an anthem to bash the military and everything about the Bush administration.

That aside, this will likely ALWAYS be my favorite Queensryche songs, and one of my top songs from ANY band ever.  And at the end of the day, a band that could write that song, and write such amazing albums as Empire, Promised Land, and Mindcrime just HAS TO be considered one of my favorite bands of all time, no matter how many missteps they have made since, or how big those missteps have been.  Despite having seriously lost their way, their legacy is amazing, and I always consider Anybody Listening? to be its centerpiece.
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Offline Samsara

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2717 on: February 14, 2018, 08:29:03 AM »
Glad you're enjoying the trip, Kattoelox!

Regarding SSM, put me in the camp that loves it from start to finish. To me, Operation: Mindcrime's weakest full song is ironically the title track. But "weakest" is not really the right descriptor, because I still very much like it. That whole record is pure musical perfection to me.

"Anybody Listening?" is my favorite song from Queensr˙che. It encapsulates everything great about the band in a six-minute or so (not counting the outro, which is cool in its own right) tune. It's like they took the mid-tempo dramatic vibe from "The Mission," let it breathe a bit more, and Geoff wrote lyrics that could connect with pretty much anyone, even if it was written from his perspective as a performer. The whole song is incredible, and really, at least for me, the pinnacle of the band's songwriting abilities.

"Open Road" from the TLT-era self-titled album goes for that vibe and captures it a bit. But like most, I think the song is under cooked. Wish they would have had more time to flesh it out a bit more.

The description bosk1 gave of "Empire" is spot-on, in my opinion. I loved it from the start. I remember seeing that video and hearing the song for the first time. I loved it immediately. It didn't even dawn on me back then that they had gone more "commercial" or "polished." It was still the dark Queensryche, and them doing a song about the drug wars and conflict. All the heady stuff I expected from them.

I didn't hear any other tunes from the Empire album until I got the CD at Christmas that year. Once I did, I did notice it wasn't as "metal" as the back catalog, and more hard rock, but I never really gave it much thought because it was so damn good. Plus, most bands were doing the same thing in the early 1990s, so it just seemed (and still does) a natural progression for Queensryche.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2718 on: February 14, 2018, 08:36:09 AM »
That's right, I had forgotten that Empire was the lead single.  It actually makes a lot of sense for the reasons you posted.  It probably is the single track from that album that best fits with their back catalog at that point.  Really, Empire was marketed brilliantly.  They really had the right music at the right time, and it ended up being marketed just right by the label and MTV.  And the tour really felt a statement that, true or not, was along the lines of, "You all weren't ready to see Mindcrime in all its glory a few years ago, but now we're ready to bring it to the masses, so we decided to put out an album so successful that the label had no choice but to fund a tour that would allow us to show it to you the way it is meant to be shown."  In retrospect, that's probably B.S.  They were just lucky in terms of the timing.  But it sure felt that way at the time.  And they capitalized on the opportunity.
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Offline romdrums

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2719 on: February 14, 2018, 08:40:06 AM »
Glad you're enjoying the trip, Kattoelox!

Regarding SSM, put me in the camp that loves it from start to finish. To me, Operation: Mindcrime's weakest full song is ironically the title track. But "weakest" is not really the right descriptor, because I still very much like it. That whole record is pure musical perfection to me.

"Anybody Listening?" is my favorite song from Queensr˙che. It encapsulates everything great about the band in a six-minute or so (not counting the outro, which is cool in its own right) tune. It's like they took the mid-tempo dramatic vibe from "The Mission," let it breathe a bit more, and Geoff wrote lyrics that could connect with pretty much anyone, even if it was written from his perspective as a performer. The whole song is incredible, and really, at least for me, the pinnacle of the band's songwriting abilities.

"Open Road" from the TLT-era self-titled album goes for that vibe and captures it a bit. But like most, I think the song is under cooked. Wish they would have had more time to flesh it out a bit more.

The description bosk1 gave of "Empire" is spot-on, in my opinion. I loved it from the start. I remember seeing that video and hearing the song for the first time. I loved it immediately. It didn't even dawn on me back then that they had gone more "commercial" or "polished." It was still the dark Queensryche, and them doing a song about the drug wars and conflict. All the heady stuff I expected from them.

I didn't hear any other tunes from the Empire album until I got the CD at Christmas that year. Once I did, I did notice it wasn't as "metal" as the back catalog, and more hard rock, but I never really gave it much thought because it was so damn good. Plus, most bands were doing the same thing in the early 1990s, so it just seemed (and still does) a natural progression for Queensryche.

Agree with all of this.
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2720 on: February 14, 2018, 08:48:07 AM »
For me, Suite Sister Mary is really good but far from the best out of Mindcrime. And it is a song that works so much better in the flow of the album than as a stand-alone song.
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2721 on: February 14, 2018, 09:17:34 AM »
For me, Suite Sister Mary is really good but far from the best out of Mindcrime. And it is a song that works so much better in the flow of the album than as a stand-alone song.

I feel that this could be said about every song from the album.

That said, I do think that it is the perfect climax for Act 1 of the album.  This was the song that I was most drawn to on first listen, and I'd still rate it as (at least one of) my favorite from the album.
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Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2722 on: February 18, 2018, 03:26:54 PM »
Finally got around to listening to Empire today... closing in on the end right now, and I'm floored. Incredible. What else can I say? First impressions are crazy good. First time listening to Silent Lucidity off the radio and it's wonderful hearing how well it's produced (as well as the rest of the record). I will say I kind of don't like the processing of Tate's vocals on the title track but that's a very minor nitpick, maybe I need to clean my ears or tweak my EQ but nothing else bothers me about this one.

Bass work is great, especially on Della Brown, killer tune. This is the Queensryche I expected to hear before I listened to The Warning, and I love it... just a great rock album.  :hefdaddy
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2723 on: February 21, 2018, 12:36:39 PM »
Finally got around to listening to Empire today... closing in on the end right now, and I'm floored. Incredible. What else can I say? First impressions are crazy good. First time listening to Silent Lucidity off the radio and it's wonderful hearing how well it's produced (as well as the rest of the record). I will say I kind of don't like the processing of Tate's vocals on the title track but that's a very minor nitpick, maybe I need to clean my ears or tweak my EQ but nothing else bothers me about this one.

Bass work is great, especially on Della Brown, killer tune. This is the Queensryche I expected to hear before I listened to The Warning, and I love it... just a great rock album.  :hefdaddy

I've heard from a lot of people that Empire was one of those albums that engineers and producers all used to "test" how a room sounds before recording in it. Not surprised. It is so well done by Jimbo and Peter.

As it was described by the band, Empire is certainly a much "warmer" sound in comparison to the previous albums. Queensryche certainly went for, and got, that crossover appeal. But it was, at least to my ears, a very natural songwriting progression for Chris and the other guys. That's the thing about the original band. Whether someone likes the stuff post-Empire from the original band or not, it followed a very natural evolution in my opinion, at least from the writing perspective.

My favorites from that record will always be Anybody Listening and the title cut, but honestly, there's no real bad tune on there. I mean, Hand on Heart and One and Only were clearly meant as album filler, but if you listen closely, they are musically deeper. Which I think is a hallmark of classic Queensryche anyway. Empire was the perfect record at the perfect time.

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Offline Nick

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2724 on: February 21, 2018, 12:44:31 PM »
I'm odd in that Empire is probably in my bottom half of tracks from Empire, but I love Anybody Listening as you do.

Happy that they are playing a favorite venue of mine (Penn's Peak) on May 6th. Haven't seen them in forever (last show I was supposed to see got snow delayed and eventually cancelled), and so it's time again. I accept it'll be a bit of a downer not to have Scott, but this is by far the longest I've gone without seeing them since I first saw them.
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Offline Samsara

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2725 on: February 21, 2018, 01:31:04 PM »
I'm odd in that Empire is probably in my bottom half of tracks from Empire, but I love Anybody Listening as you do.

Happy that they are playing a favorite venue of mine (Penn's Peak) on May 6th. Haven't seen them in forever (last show I was supposed to see got snow delayed and eventually cancelled), and so it's time again. I accept it'll be a bit of a downer not to have Scott, but this is by far the longest I've gone without seeing them since I first saw them.

Nick, was the last time the one we saw together with ShadowWalker? Same venue?

I liked that place. Had an old time country vibe of sorts, but still a cool place to see a show.
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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2726 on: February 21, 2018, 02:29:01 PM »
In the never ending saga of "who is playing drums on Queensryche's new record," looks like La Torre has confirmed that it is NOT Casey Grillo.

On his latest facebook post, La Torre confirms Scott is on paternity leave still, including no touring. He also says Casey is just touring with them. So, that leaves three options -- Scott came in to do the drums (if on paternity leave still, then I find this doubtful), they got a studio drummer to do it, or La Torre himself did drums.

And of course, La Torre couldn't help but wink at the poster who asked if La Torre did the drums. (Not that a wink emoji means a damn thing).

Quote
Todd La Torre Kevin Delery, it's beyond frustrating and makes me want to quit social media all together sometimes.

Richard Dean Wilson, Casey did not play on the record, he is touring with us since Scott informed us he would not be touring.

And thx to you all for the support ;)
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Richard Dean Wilson
Richard Dean Wilson Todd - hmmmm. Did a certain singing drummer we all know play on it? 🤔 You’re just having fun with us now!

You’re welcome bud. See you in Jim Thorpe PA in May!
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Todd La Torre
Todd La Torre Richard Dean Wilson, lol
See ya soon then ;)
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As the tri-ryche turns.  ::)
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Offline T-ski

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2727 on: February 21, 2018, 03:14:31 PM »
if Scott is indeed doing the drums on the new album its not hard to come out and say, "Scott is playing drums on the new album." 

Hence, he is not. 

And it sucks.

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Offline Samsara

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2728 on: February 23, 2018, 09:15:18 AM »
if Scott is indeed doing the drums on the new album its not hard to come out and say, "Scott is playing drums on the new album." 

Hence, he is not. 

And it sucks.

Yesterday, some guy was asking Todd on his FB wall about the drummer situation, and why QR hasn't come out and said anything about who it is. The guy was respectful, but said without Scott, he wouldn't consider it Queensryche. I mean, a lot of fans said that after Chris left, and again when Geoff was canned, so it is a common reaction.

Todd replied calling out the fan, and asking them about whether he considers mindcrime 2, American soldier, and dedicated to chaos queensryche records. The guy said he didn't. Todd then smugly replied that it was "good to know, cuz yeah, Scott didn't play on OMC2, and those songs had outside players and writers." Todd went on to reiterate, rudely, saying "For the 100th time, Scott has not "quit" the band, he told us he's taking time off and we have no time frame of when he will return. Can't get more honest than that, but that does't seem to be good enough for some people when they don't listen to our answer. We thought he would take a few months off, obviously he doesn't want to tour right now so what...we are supposed to call the band something else now? That would be ridiculous."

So I replied, and said this:

"Todd La Torre, so you have said Casey is not on the new record, and Scott is still on paternity leave. That's fine. And good for Scott. Happy for him. So answer the question: who is playing drums on Queensryche's new album? Not hard to give an answer. Just be straight up with people. If there behind the scenes reasons why you're being coy, then say that. People who buy your records will respect that. So either give them the answer, or say why you can't. Pretty simple."

>>>>>>>>>>>That  post was deleted by Todd La Torre, and I was banned from posting or liking his Facebook page.  :lol



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Offline Ben_Jamin

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Re: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album
« Reply #2729 on: February 23, 2018, 09:28:04 AM »
Well, I see nothing wrong with how Todd responded. I see nothing wrong with him not wanting to say. He's likely annoyed by all the posts/comments asking that very same question, when he said all he could or all he wants to say. The way I can tell is him starting with "for the 100th time." Yet fans still ask about the drummer situation and wheter Scotts out.

They have no obligation to tell us at all. They could release the album with no credits, then no one will know.
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