QUEENSRŸCHE's SCOTT ROCKENFIELD Says Touring Is Fun Again

 

Vinny Cecolini of Jam Magazine recently conducted an interview with QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Jam Magazine: Do you at all regret that your disagreement with Geoff Tate spilled out onto the Internet and into the music media worldwide? Scott: We have always only spoken the truth. We have never avoided any type of engagement on this matter and we're not here to defend ourselves. I'd rather let the music, this band and our chemistry together do the talking for us. There are fans on the Internet, however, who insert themselves into the rhetoric. For what it's worth, this would be an interesting reality show if you trolled the Internet to read about our transition. However, it would be time-consuming, and I'd rather write new songs and focus on what I'm good at. Jam Magazine: When I spoke with Geoff Tate earlier last spring, he said the legal battle involving the band's names is about the dissolution of a corporation. Scott: [Silent pause] My answer to all of that is simple. If the case goes all the way 'til the actual [January 2014] court date, the judge is going to look at the facts and he or she will make a ruling. Hopefully, his or her decision will be based upon what is best for the band QUEENSRŸCHE, the brand QUEENSRŸCHE and the corporation QUEENSRŸCHE. It is an entity, and a successful one at that. I hope that come [January], the judge overseeing this case will do what is right for the band as far as who carries on with the name. I'm not a legal guy, so I do not know all of the details. But I have learned a lot from my attorney. Jam Magazine: You don't seem stressed about the upcoming ruling? Scott: If I worried about everything that was going on right now, it would eat me alive. Whatever happens, Todd [La Torre, vocals], Parker [Lundgren, guitar], Michael [Wilton, guitar], Eddie [Jackson, bass] and I going on as a group regardless of the [January] ruling. We will continue on as a unit of five guys that makes records and plays shows. We have something that no one can take away from us — chemistry and friendship. No one can take that away from us. Jam Magazine: How long did it take La Torre to become comfortable performing as QUEENSRŸCHE's singer? Scott: When we played our first song together during the first RISING WEST show, the four of us knew instantly we were going to be able to do something together. The band felt comfortable on stage and off. We knew that traveling together was not going to be a problem. During the last year, we have gone on multiple tours using a bus. It felt like we were meant to be together. Being on the road was so much fun; we were always looking forward to our next tour rather than dreading it. That had been a case for a while. Now we just count down the days until new shows are booked and we're back on the road performing another show.

Vinny Cecolini of Jam Magazine recently conducted an interview with QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Jam Magazine: Do you at all regret that your disagreement with Geoff Tate spilled out onto the Internet and into the music media worldwide? Scott: We have always only spoken the truth. We have never avoided any type of engagement on this matter and we're not here to defend ourselves. I'd rather let the music, this band and our chemistry together do the talking for us. There are fans on the Internet, however, who insert themselves into the rhetoric. For what it's worth, this would be an interesting reality show if you trolled the Internet to read about our transition. However, it would be time-consuming, and I'd rather write new songs and focus on what I'm good at. Jam Magazine: When I spoke with Geoff Tate earlier last spring, he said the legal battle involving the band's names is about the dissolution of a corporation. Scott: [Silent pause] My answer to all of that is simple. If the case goes all the way 'til the actual [January 2014] court date, the judge is going to look at the facts and he or she will make a ruling. Hopefully, his or her decision will be based upon what is best for the band QUEENSRŸCHE, the brand QUEENSRŸCHE and the corporation QUEENSRŸCHE. It is an entity, and a successful one at that. I hope that come [January], the judge overseeing this case will do what is right for the band as far as who carries on with the name. I'm not a legal guy, so I do not know all of the details. But I have learned a lot from my attorney. Jam Magazine: You don't seem stressed about the upcoming ruling? Scott: If I worried about everything that was going on right now, it would eat me alive. Whatever happens, Todd [La Torre, vocals], Parker [Lundgren, guitar], Michael [Wilton, guitar], Eddie [Jackson, bass] and I going on as a group regardless of the [January] ruling. We will continue on as a unit of five guys that makes records and plays shows. We have something that no one can take away from us — chemistry and friendship. No one can take that away from us. Jam Magazine: How long did it take La Torre to become comfortable performing as QUEENSRŸCHE's singer? Scott: When we played our first song together during the first RISING WEST show, the four of us knew instantly we were going to be able to do something together. The band felt comfortable on stage and off. We knew that traveling together was not going to be a problem. During the last year, we have gone on multiple tours using a bus. It felt like we were meant to be together. Being on the road was so much fun; we were always looking forward to our next tour rather than dreading it. That had been a case for a while. Now we just count down the days until new shows are booked and we're back on the road performing another show.