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.
OK, I definitely acknowledge all of that. I'm not sure what I was wrong about.
Here's the quote I think I made recently that you may have been referring to.
My two main draws to Warning...the singer and the drummer are not there. And I don't think Chris Degarmo is this musical genius that he's made out to be in this thread, but the band was never the same after he left.
Queensryche to me were about the interesting drumming and the amazing vocals. That's what appealed to me. Sure, I liked the music, but the drumming and vocals are the things that made their music stand out..to me. This is all my opinion.
Remember, I LOVE Warning and O;M, but I'm extremely casual about RFO and Empire (which I feel like the production has definitely given it a lift...)
In fact, it looks like Wilton and Degarmo had a relatively even breakdown of songs I like on O:M.
My comment about Chris Degarmo not being the musical genius he's made out to be...probably snarky...ok definitely snarky, but a gentle push back for sure. At least for me. A matter of taste. I did not like the direction of RFO when it came out. Empire scared me a bit, and both PL and HITNF I just don't think are strong enough. Again, my opinion.
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.
Well, yeah, that's what I was alluding to when I said..
My two main draws to Warning...the singer and the drummer are not there. And I don't think Chris Degarmo is this musical genius that he's made out to be in this thread, but the band was never the same after he left.
I also think that Degarmo leaving coincided with Tate's range leaving as well. Tate was already diminished on Promised Land, and after that, his voice just wasn't enough to separate them from the pack, and I don't think DiGarmo coming back would've changed that.
Topic: Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album (Read 713859 times)
