The Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Update

[Deathstroke]

The new Heretic CD A Time of Crisis will be out July 26th on Metal on Metal Records.

01. The Divine Inquisition
02. Tomorrow’s Plague
03. Betrayed
04. Remains
05. A Time Of Crisis
06. For Your Faith
07. Raise Your Fist
08. Heretic
09. Child Of War
10. Police State
11. The End Of The World
12. Let Me Begin Again

[DonC]

That is a 1st for a band ..."We tried to do...too large of a tour..." In all ...nothing against Roth and Van Halen but a while back Sammy Hagar claimed the 2 still never got along and it was all a money deal. Since he won't ever tour with the band again.

Bands that don't get along can still tour, though. Motley Crew did a tour a few years back where each member had their own tour bus and stayed at a different hotel. But they made it work for the two hours a night they were on stage. If Roth and Van Halen (especially Van Halen, from what I understand) can't even tolerate each other for two hours a day to make millions of dollars then that's real hatred right there.

[Deathstroke]

The new Fozzy CD Sin and Bones is due out August 14th via Century Media Records.

Here's the track listing:

01. Spider In My Mouth
02. Sandpaper
03. Blood Happens
04. Inside My Head
05. Sin And Bones
06. A Passed Life
07. She's My Addiction
08. Shine Forever
09. Dark Passenger
10. Storm The Beaches

[Deathstroke]

The other members of Queensryche respond to Geoff Tate's lawsuit:

Michael Wilton (VERY LONG): LINK

Scott Rockenfield: LINK

Band: LINK

[DonC]

You know, I kind of have to believe the band's side in this. Having so much of Queensryche's management and operations being run by Geoff Tate's family just didn't seem right to me.

[Deathstroke]

Here's what Eddie Jackson had to say.

And here's stuff from Parker Lundgren.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

The other members of Queensryche respond to Geoff Tate's lawsuit:

Michael Wilton (VERY LONG): LINK

Scott Rockenfield: LINK

Band: LINK

You know, I kind of have to believe the band's side in this. Having so much of Queensryche's management and operations being run by Geoff Tate's family just didn't seem right to me.

Here's what Eddie Jackson had to say.

And here's stuff from Parker Lundgren.

I read one report of this ...the 1st link and its amazing. The fact that for 20+ years Wilton claims he just would allow it with the other band members. Never standing up and never deciding ...hey its our band.

I sit and go , well dude if your recording albums and all ..and touring more ...and more with this asshole Geoff Tate , why don't you do what your one band member did and quit ? He seemed happy to collect his royalties and sit back. Not putting up with bullshit. Yet you guys claim "We hung in there for the BAND" and kept doing it. At what point don't you just quit or stand up to Tate in person and say "Look , we don't wanna do the Cabaret show and we want a hand in the albums."

Part of me thinks it was easier for them to sit back and just agree to it all when money was solid. But once Tate started doing more solo touring with his own band they realized they needed the band to steady tour. Hence what we saw. Because honestly ...you spend years allowing someone to call the shots and complain behind their back and still eat with a spoon...I have little sympathy .

[Deathstroke]

More on the Queensryche debacle:

HERE (Geoff Tate)

HERE (Tate's Attorney)

AND HERE (Tate's A & R guy Paul Gargano

[SUPERECWFAN1]

More on the Queensryche debacle:

HERE (Geoff Tate)

HERE (Tate's Attorney)

AND HERE (Tate's A & R guy Paul Gargano

Ok as much heat as Tate is taking there... this is a statement that stuns me. Do the members really believe that a manager can book them 5 days a week , at $20 grand a spot ?

"In their opposition, Rockenfield, Jackson, and Wilton request a bond of $10 million based on the statements of Paul Geary that he can book five shows a week at $20,000 per show between now and the trial date. That equals $4.8 million a year just on touring for 12 months. Mr. Geary is a band manager. He is not a promoter. The distinction is key since a manager tries to sell the band to promoters and promoters are the ones who decide to book shows for bands. Mr. Geary can only speculate on what the band can do over the next year.

"To my knowledge, QUEENSRŸCHE has never generated nearly that much revenue merely from touring. And I am convinced that, in its current configuration, QUEENSRŸCHE will never generate much interest from promoters, let alone anywhere near the scale stated by Mr. Geary. Furthermore, if QUEENSRŸCHE played five shows a week, every week, between now and the end of the litigation, they will completely burn the market. They will have played every single venue, including the smallest bars and restaurants, which would be remotely interested in booking them. This would be not only in the United States, but around the world. As a result, when the litigation ends, and the Court decides how to distribute the assets of the QUEENSRŸCHE companies, including the band name, the band name will be stripped of almost all its value since the band will be unable to tour."

I have to wonder if they are honestly in this world of reality to expect that type of money to tour now and thinking the manager can book them for that many dates a week.

[DonC]

I think it was Michael Wilton who said the band had offers for three shows, totaling $74,000 with Todd LaTorre as singer. That's close to $25,000 a night with the new singer. Could be bullshit, I know. Him talking the band up. But a claim like that, you're going to need to be able to back up. Not only in court. but also with promoters.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I think it was Michael Wilton who said the band had offers for three shows, totaling $74,000 with Todd LaTorre as singer. That's close to $25,000 a night with the new singer. Could be bullshit, I know. Him talking the band up. But a claim like that, you're going to need to be able to back up. Not only in court. but also with promoters.

Yep...if I was Tate I'd bring in an ex-manager or promoters to discuss the claims made . That one and the claim the band could do shows 5 days a week at $20,000 a shot.

[Deathstroke]

Ex-Queensryche manager (and Geoff Tate's wife) Susan Tate article.

Producer Jason Slater and a session guitarist for the American Soldier CD talk here!

[Deathstroke]

Geoff Tate's preliminary injunction denied.

Ex manager Lars Sorensen speaks out.

[DonC]

In non-Ryche news, Alice Cooper was announced as a guest at Dragon*Con in Atlanta today. No word on if he'll perform, though. Last time Cooper went to Dragon*Con (before I started attending), he appeared at one panel discussion and then apparently left.

[DonC]

Geoff Tate's preliminary injunction denied.

Ex manager Lars Sorensen speaks out.

Sorensen claims there's renewed interest in Queensryche now; the band can give fans what they want, meaning classic songs live. I have to disagree. I have no interest in Queensryche performing with Todd LaTorre. Not if all they're going to do is perform old stuff. If they go and record a new album and it rocks, I'll listen. But the band needs to move forward.