Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album

[bosk1]

but QR just has no draw at all to me

We know. You don't have to keep sharing your opinion every time there's a bit of activity on this thread to get that point across 

Its what we do   

No, it really isn't.  And you've been warned already, many times, so this is the last one.  Just repeating the same opinion over and over again is simply trolling, not discussion.  There is a difference between the two, and it is a fairly significant one.

[EPIC Outro]

I saw Geoff Tate a few nights ago at a great little venue called The Warehouse in CT. It was a blast. His voice sounded a little thin at times, but he went for most of the high notes and seemed to be having a great time. The place was packed too, and the crowd was very into it.

[Samsara]

Tate didn't hold back on what he thinks the prospects of DeGarmo and Rockenfield returning are.

I wrote up a blog on the QR-specific news and added some additional info and insight. Check it out here - http://anybodylistening.net/tateondegarmo-2020.html

Original Q&A here - https://www.metal-rules.com/2020/02/25/geoff-tate-discusses-the-empire-30th-anniversary-tour-operation-mindcrime-avantasia-trinity-and-much-more/

[Ben_Jamin]

That was a good interview.

[Samsara]

That was a good interview.

Agreed. They covered a ton of ground. The only thing I wished they asked was WHAT IS IN the Empire box set. Tate probably can't say anything yet, but doesn't hurt to ask anyway.

I know it was mostly joking on Tate's part, but I hope he does seriously think about doing a Promised Land/American Soldier tour. I'm not sure such a tour would sell, however. They aren't exactly popular records. But PL is one of the tops in QR's catalog for me, and I dig American Soldier, its missing perspective aside. I'd be all over that if he did it.

[bosk1]

The hardcores love Promised Land, but I'm not sure how many of the casual fans even know it, so I don't think PL/AS would be a draw, unfortunately.  I think he'd be smart to pair it with maybe "selections" from a couple of the more popular classic albums.  But I dunno.  The problem with these nostalgia tours is that you saturate the market with the most popular albums, and then aren't left with anything to draw from that people haven't seen recently.  He just did Mindcrime, and is now doing Empire and Rage.  He could still pull from those albums, but can't rely too heavily on them again so soon.

[ShadowWalker]

That was a good interview.

Agreed. They covered a ton of ground. The only thing I wished they asked was WHAT IS IN the Empire box set. Tate probably can't say anything yet, but doesn't hurt to ask anyway.

I know it was mostly joking on Tate's part, but I hope he does seriously think about doing a Promised Land/American Soldier tour. I'm not sure such a tour would sell, however. They aren't exactly popular records. But PL is one of the tops in QR's catalog for me, and I dig American Soldier, its missing perspective aside. I'd be all over that if he did it.

Pick your album as the anchor (He has a long way to go to beat Empire to death as he has O:M) and swap in PL for Rage. Or just do a set 50-minute set of post Empire stuff. There are a lot of songs from the back end of the catalog that still deserve some exposure.

But in all reality, given how well he is singing these days, he can really structure a tour that doesn't need an album as an anchor. The show right now is 24 songs. I think he could come up with something similar in scope and depth to the acoustic tour.

[Samsara]

Published a comparison review of the Queensryche and Geoff Tate tours this morning on AnybodyListening.net. Get the tale of the tape between these two acts here:

http://anybodylistening.net/taleofthetape-2020.html

Great balance by the writer. Cool take on how to do the review, given he was seeing both acts in a span of just over a week.

[Ruba]

I don't know man... As far as I know Scott has kept a complete radio silence since he went on hiatus from the band. Sure it seems like that he's having hard times in his personal life, but if he's not willing to talk about it, leave him be. Geoff talking like that makes him seem even a bigger jerkass he already is to me.

[Samsara]

I don't know man... As far as I know Scott has kept a complete radio silence since he went on hiatus from the band. Sure it seems like that he's having hard times in his personal life, but if he's not willing to talk about it, leave him be. Geoff talking like that makes him seem even a bigger jerkass he already is to me.

Agreed. I did question that too. Tate could have just said that he "doesn't know" and added that "you'd have to contact Scott directly." Not sure why he needed to share that medical info, and previously, when he said Scott was in a "dark place." I'm no fan of Queensryche saying Scott is on "parental leave," because that's obviously not really the case any longer either. But at least they aren't putting out negative info on the man. Here's hoping Tate fixes his answers moving forward.

[cfmoran13]

[I'm no fan of Queensryche saying Scott is on "parental leave," because that's obviously not really the case any longer either. But at least they aren't putting out negative info on the man.

TI don't think they've used the "parental leave" angle for a while.  The last radio interview I heard with Todd (either on The Classic Metal Show podcast or Eddie Trunk's Volume show, I can't remember which it was), he basically said, they don't know what the deal is because he hasn't communicated with anyone in the band for a while.  Truly bizarre.  I wish he would simply speak with someone to put out there why he's no longer in the band.  Hopefully, what Tate has said is not the case and he's doing okay.

[TAC]

The hardcores love Promised Land, but I'm not sure how many of the casual fans even know it,

I'm hardcore, and I've never heard of it.

[Ben_Jamin]

Well the state won't allow big events, so our local Blarney Bash was cancelled. Queensryche was playing along with Vixen. They announced it in the afternoon, the band was there at the casino, my uncle who works there said 2 of them went to eat.

[Samsara]

I don't think they've used the "parental leave" angle for a while.  The last radio interview I heard with Todd (either on The Classic Metal Show podcast or Eddie Trunk's Volume show, I can't remember which it was), he basically said, they don't know what the deal is because he hasn't communicated with anyone in the band for a while.  Truly bizarre.  I wish he would simply speak with someone to put out there why he's no longer in the band.  Hopefully, what Tate has said is not the case and he's doing okay.

You're right. They've said "personal" leave for the last year, I think. My mistake. Which is...the perfect term for it when any sort of answer (which I firmly believe they know EXACTLY what's going on with Rockenfield) would create more questions.

The hardcores love Promised Land, but I'm not sure how many of the casual fans even know it,

I'm hardcore, and I've never heard of it.

Dick. 

Promised Land is an AMAZING album. You're just too  to appreciate it. Or is that just plain OLD?   

[bosk1]

It's not that he's too   He's just myopic when it comes to musical tastes.

[pg1067]

The hardcores love Promised Land, but I'm not sure how many of the casual fans even know it,

I'm hardcore, and I've never heard of it.

Dick. 

Promised Land is an AMAZING album. You're just too  to appreciate it. Or is that just plain OLD?   

Promised Land was the album that killed my QR fandom.  There's only two songs I have any interest in listening to (I Am I and Damaged).

[bosk1]

Our Constitution absolutely protects the right to hold objectively bad opinions about music, P.G.  We don't hold it against you. 

[Samsara]

Our Constitution absolutely protects the right to hold objectively bad opinions about music, P.G.  We don't hold it against you.

Exactly. Although we can say PG and TAC both have incredibly shitty taste. 

 

 

[bosk1]

That's okay.  More Promised Land for me that I don't have to share.

[pg1067]

Our Constitution absolutely protects the right to hold objectively bad opinions about music, P.G.  We don't hold it against you.

Exactly. Although we can say PG and TAC both have incredibly shitty taste. 

 

 

[jammindude]

Promised Land is amazing. It has the dark experimental vibe of RFO.

It’s like Rage, but with a better budget.

[TAC]

Promised Land is amazing. It has the dark experimental vibe of RFO.

It’s like Rage, but with a better budget.

The hardcores love Promised Land, but I'm not sure how many of the casual fans even know it,

I'm hardcore, and I've never heard of it.

Dick. 

 

[Samsara]

Promised Land is amazing. It has the dark experimental vibe of RFO.

It’s like Rage, but with a better budget.

Yep, it has that vibe for sure. It's less technical and more moody, but has those RFO echoes for sure. And it's distinctly Queensryche at the end of their peak.

TAC - that Brady gif is a low blow my man. LOW.

[bosk1]

Promised Land is amazing. It has the dark experimental vibe of RFO.

It’s like Rage, but with a better budget.

Great description.

[TAC]

TAC - that Brady gif is a low blow my man. LOW.

 

I was looking for a gif to respond with, and as soon as I saw that..Bam! That's the one!

[Lowdz]

Promised Land is amazing. It has the dark experimental vibe of RFO.

It’s like Rage, but with a better budget.

Great description.

PL is a very good album. The only thing letting it down is Dis.con.nec.ted. Hated it then, hate it now.

[jammindude]

Oh man I ***LOVE*** Dis. Con. Nec. Ted.!!  In fact that was the song that made me appreciate the album as a whole. Because up until that song, I hadn’t heard anything “creepy and weird” yet, and I was going to be really Dis. A. Poin. Ted. if I didn’t get it.

[Samsara]

I've always found Disconnected to be "average" as a standalone song (which is why I always questioned why it was a promotional single). But I totally dig in the context of the record. It fits the vibe completely.

I only had two wishes for Promised Land -- that "Real World" was included on it (it would fit, and was written in 1993, so its in the same timeframe), and that the record had another banger on it like Damaged. Outside of that, just an amazing record. I have the 24x36 poster of the record framed and displayed at my office. Everyone thinks the artwork is amazing, and those who dig hard rock have always said the album was good, just "kinda depressing." 

[bl5150]

I love the art and I could say I think it's "good" - I enjoy a number of tracks - but for me it was a big disappointment after the legendary run of albums leading in.   Real World would improve my rating and One More Time is a Top 20 QR song for me but Promised Land was the first time in my life I used a thing called the Skip button on a Queensryche album and it just got more and more work from there 

[wolfking]

I love the art and I could say I think it's "good" - I enjoy a number of tracks - but for me it was a big disappointment after the legendary run of albums leading in.   Real World would improve my rating and One More Time is a Top 20 QR song for me but Promised Land was the first time in my life I used a thing called the Skip button on a Queensryche album and it just got more and more work from there 

One More Time is definitely one of my fav Ryche songs too.

[jjrock88]

Damaged is a kick ass tune and Real World is awesome. I was glad to see when it was included on those rereleases in 2003. That along with a live version of Damaged made it a must buy and an improvement over the original.

The title track for Promised Land is one of my personal favorites; awesome atmosphere on that one and I think it could have been a bit longer, make it even more epic!

[KevShmev]

I always thought Real Word was an extension of the Empire sound, rather than a lead-in to the Promised Land sound, but that could be my experience talking since I was largely unfamiliar with their 80's material until right around when Promised Land was released.

As for the song Promised Land, that is my favorite QR song by a pretty wide distance now.  It's a perfect song.

[Cintus Supremus]

I always thought Real Word was an extension of the Empire sound, rather than a lead-in to the Promised Land sound

This. Empire's producer Peter Collins produced Real World too, so I always lumped the song in with the Empire album as well. Even though Real World was recorded during the Promised Land sessions, it always felt strange to include it on the Promised Land CD.

[Samsara]

I always thought Real Word was an extension of the Empire sound, rather than a lead-in to the Promised Land sound, but that could be my experience talking since I was largely unfamiliar with their 80's material until right around when Promised Land was released.

This. Empire's producer Peter Collins produced Real World too, so I always lumped the song in with the Empire album as well. Even though Real World was recorded during the Promised Land sessions, it always felt strange to include it on the Promised Land CD.

If memory serves, it was written and recorded in early 1993, with Michael Kamen. Collins was QR's producer from 1988-1997 (Mindcrime through HITNF), so anything they were involved in, he produced at the time. And unlike a lot of producers nowadays, Peter was a more hands-off guy. It was about scheduling, making sure the band had what it needed, and 40,000 ft. level stuff. He didn't work with them on their sound. That was, generally speaking, Jimbo Barton on the dials.

I've always taken it that Real World was the start of the Promised Land era, with a song written specifically for the Last Action Hero soundtrack, and not specifically PL. But it was certainly post-Empire, and not surprisingly, a similar vibe to a degree, because it wasn't written and recorded at Big Log. For me, the lyrical content of Real World seems like a nice bridge in what goes on in PL. I always thought it was a great choice to include on the PL tour, because it fit so well...

[KevShmev]

Hmmm, I don't recall Real World being played at our show on the PL tour.  Setlist.fm shows that it was, but that set list is wrong.  For one, I know that Out of Mind was played early in the show.  Two, I know that NM 156 was played as a combo with Screaming in Digital.  And three, Neue Regal was played (I would bet my life savings on it).  Lastly, I don't think that much of Mindcrime was played.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/queensryche/1995/kiel-center-st-louis-mo-73d122d1.html