Yeah, would a full blown Queensryche reunion send them back playing large arenas again? I wouldn't think so, but could be wrong.
I don't think you are.
We saw the band on the Promised Land tour. which immediately followed Empire, and there was literally no more than 3,000 people there, in an arena where they could have filled up 4x that many seats. I remember looking around and being shocked at how small the crowd was; tours following an album that successful usually do well just on the strength alone of that smash hit. And that was 22 years ago. A few weeks ago, Silent Lucidity came on Pandora at work, and I was literally the only person who knew the song. Queensryche just doesn't have name recognition.
Kev -- totally spot-on, unfortunately. Queensryche was an arena band for one tour cycle really, that's it.
Would be funny if Chris joined the current lienup with Todd, but that's just me talking shit.
Why would it be funny? I really don't think it'd happen -- it would have already if Chris wanted it to. He has an open invitation from Wilton to do so, and never has. So while it could happen, I think at this point, in my opinion, Chris pretty much isn't doing anything with them unless it is the original band. Which sorta sucks for some people, but I get it to a degree.
I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in Geoff's return. Ever. His vocals have been ragged for a long time, his stage presence has been lazy post-Promised Land and the guy is a two-faced bell-end who had a damn good go at running the band into the ground through a series of egotistical missteps that would've all been avoided if he'd just been true to his word and buggered off after the Promised Land tour.
Cruithne -- great post overall. I hear ya regarding Tate. I decided to go see him soon, just because he sings better over an acoustic backdrop these days, and he's doing a few songs I'd like to hear that I highly doubt Queensryche will ever play live again/at all: Some People Fly, Chasing Blue Sky, Out of Mind.
But I agree, his vocals haven't been right since that 2005 summer tour with Priest, although some would still give him through 2006. But to me, he really sounded great in summer of 2005, and after that, a decline and nose dive.
Aside from the very early QR songs, where I genuinely think Todd sings them better, Todd isn't, and never will be, as good as Geoff was in the late-80s/early-90s in any way (Geoff's lyrics, stage presence and vocal prowess were all better than Todd now... though one can never be sure how much Geoff's lyrics were helped by having DeGarmo around to massage them into shape), but Todd is a big upgrade on Tate now, he's a good guy who gets on with the rest of the band, he actually likes metal, and he's probably about as good a fit they could've managed to find at this stage of their career without ending up with a revolving door of singers.
That's a completely fair statement. I don't agree Todd sings the old songs better than when Tate did them in his prime, but I do think Todd brings a metal edge to them that really takes them to a different level. I was lucky enough to see the Rising West debut of Todd, and a bunch of shows with him...the early stuff really is in his wheelhouse.
As for Tate and his lyrics/vocal melodies, it's pretty common knowledge at this point that Chris helped him with the vocal melodies. Wilton told me that, as did Ed, and even if they hadn't, you can hear it in the quality of the vocal melodies post-Chris -- they are much weaker.
In regard to Todd being an upgrade over Tate, yeah, for sure. I mean, it's really no contest at this point. I think Todd doesn't sing the post-Rage stuff as well as he does the early material. In particular, I'm not fond of his rendition of the Empire and Promised Land tunes. But that's mostly because his voice is thinner than Tate's. Those tunes were written for a much fuller and warmer vocal delivery.
I'd love to see DeGarmo do a guest slot (either on an album or at a live show), but I'm not sure he ever will. From the online interview with him conducted circa 2011 he implied he was still on good terms with Geoff and, whilst I'm almost certain he's privately on Whip/QR's side of the post-split fence, I'm not sure he'll ever make a public statement/endorsement that's an indication he's chosen a side and thus compromise any good will that's left between him and Geoff. Besides which, DeGarmo seems quite happy to be out of the industry. Sure, he's doing a bit of pottering about with his daughter, but were that to take off I seriously doubt he'd be packing in the day job and going out on tour with her.
I think you're spot-on. I know for a fact DeGarmo is kept up to speed by Wilton on everything, and has heard all the music. But as I said previously, DeGarmo has been very cautious about anything, and I think that's probably wise. Had he really wanted to play, he has an open invitation to do so. But he never has, and I don't think he will unless it is the original group.
As for his day job -- yeah, he's doing just fine. And the father-daughter thing is just that...a music hobby and something they've bonded over. His daughter has a professional job during the day.
And anyway, DeGarmo's twice left the band in part because of Geoff, so why on earth would he subject himself to it all a third time? I don't get the impression he's pissed away a big chunk of his QR money either, so I can't imagine he's got an eye on one last big pay day.
Really good point. But as I mentioned in my original post on the subject, Tate said something along the lines recently of making a big change in his life. Depending on what that is, and where Tate is mentally, if he ever does come out and talk with his bandmates again, and admit some of the wrongs, perhaps it would make them come full circle, even if on a temporary basis. Is it likely? Absolutely not. But time does have a way of healing.
In regard to the money, DeGarmo does just fine.
Regardless, I don't think the current and historical standing of QR means there'd be enough public appetite for a full reunion for it to be worth their while and as such I see nothing good coming out of it for the band as exists in 2017.
Fair enough.