One thing unfortunately about old shows is that they are all pretty much terrible quality if it's not an official release.
Not true. Yes, there are some bad ones. But trust me, there are many pristine recordings, even from as far back as 1984. The Harpo's show comes to mind from back then, A couple gigs from Europe, one or two from Japan. And there were some good ones in 1985 too. They just aren't as commonly known by people.
Regarding the band's situation, DeGarmo, etc.:
Queensryche, more than most bands, was very much a total sum of its parts. Each of those guys brings/brought something irreplaceable to the band. Scott Rockenfield's drums are VERY noticeably missing. Casey Grillo does a fabulous job -- but he doesn't play those songs or have the same feel as Scott did. You can tell something is "off" even if it is well performed.
Chris' role in QR - TAC, imo, is wrong. Chris was very much responsible for the band's musical growth. He also did a lot of song arrangement. Take a look at the songs that Michael wrote in the original lineup. The ones that are credited solely to Wilton (just Deliverance) or by Wilton/Tate (which there are more). There is one thing that many people gloss over. The arrangements are very straightforward and simple. Damn good riffs, great songs, but a pretty basic arrangement.
Then look at all the songs Chris was involved in, particularly the ones where it is DeGarmo/Tate/Wilton. Notice anything? Usually, the arrangements are more complex and interesting. Take "Roads to Madness." Michael just explained how that song was wrote the other day on The Metal Voice. He had the first part of the song. Chris then came in and did that whole killer outro section that starts at the 6:45 mark and goes through the end at 9:54. The part that takes the song to another level.
Those contributions from Chris, and then his own songs that he wrote, really took Queensrÿche to a different plane of existence. He was able to really be a muse to grab Tate's attention and inspire Tate to deliver some of those iconic performances.
Here's something in my new book. In it, I talk to the band's first roadie, Davey Morris. He was at The Dungeon (Scott Rockenfield's parents' basement) where the band was rehearsing. He was in the room when Chris explained "Take Hold of the Flame," and tells Tate (paraphrasing) "I hear you doing this lead into a statement note." So Chris basically guided Tate into one of his most signature moments. ANd Chris did that on a lot of the vocals -- working with Tate to try different approaches.
Chris' impact was much, much more than JUST a songwriter. He was the guy that made the music different. That made it interesting and adventurous. His loss has never been overcome.
Then Tate. An iconic talent. One that was spoken of in the same breath as the greats in rock. And in some ways, more talented. He was never the same after Chris left either. But his voice still had this deep resonance and character that was never replaced.
All five of them made Queensryche what it was. With just two of them now, and other guys in the band, they do a good job, and I like their new music. But it just isn't the same. People will ignore everything and say how great they are, and that's cool. Enjoy what you enjoy. But it's not the same.
Topic: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album (Read 707136 times)
