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.

WITHIN TEMPTATION: More 'Paradise (What About Us?)' EP Details Revealed

 

Dutch symphonic rockers WITHIN TEMPTATION will release a new EP, "Paradise (What About Us?)", on September 27 in Europe and on October 1 in North America. In addition to the title cut, the EP will contain demo versions of three brand new songs: "Let Us Burn", "Silver Moonlight" and "Dog Days". Says the band: "By releasing these demos, we want to invite you in our home studio and show how we capture song ideas at an early stage of creating a new album. These demo versions are far from their final sound on the album, but will give you a hint of what we're working on. It will be fascinating to hear what the end result will sound like, once the album is released. "We hope to make the waiting time for the new album a little shorter and sweeter with this release. "It's so exciting to share the different stages of our music with you." Having recently announced their new label home with U.K.-based Dramatico, WITHIN TEMPTATION has signed a licensing deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment for the North American territory. "There are very few bands out there today who continually deliver on such a high and consistent level as WITHIN TEMPTATION," stated Nuclear Blast Entertainment president Monte Conner. "That is why they have such an incredibly loyal worldwide fan base. I am thrilled they chose Nuclear Blast Entertainment as their U.S. partner. Their fans are in for a real treat come later this year!" Equally excited are WITHIN TEMPTATION's vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt, who comment: "We were looking for a partnership with a passionate and artist-minded company. Monte Conner, Markus Staiger [label owner], and the people at Nuclear Blast exactly fit this profile." WITHIN TEMPTATION members are currently working on the follow-up to 2011's "The Unforgiving", which debuted at No. 50 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, achieved the band's highest-ever chart position in the U.S. and U.K., and landed in the Top 5 on the European Billboard chart. "The Unforgiving" also debuted in the Top 10 in twelve different countries. The Dutch group has amassed four Netherlands Export Awards, more than 30 gold and platinum sales awards, two MTV European Music Awards, two World Music Awards, and numerous international accolades. Westerholt in 2011 announced that he would step down from touring duties in order to focus on taking care of the three children he has with Sharon den Adel. His replacement on stage is Stefan Helleblad, who had been working with the group behind the scenes for a few years.

QUEENSRŸCHE Trial Delayed Until January

 

Singer Geoff Tate — who was fired from the Seattle progressive rock band QUEENSRŸCHE last year after fronting it for three decades — was granted a continuance until January 27, 2014 in his legal battle with his former bandmates over the rights to the group's name. Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit in June 2012 asking the judge to award them the rights to the band's name in exchange for Tate paying Eddie Jackson (bass), Michael Wilton (guitar) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) the fair market value for their interests in the QUEENSRŸCHE companies. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson filed a countersuit against the Tates in which they accused Geoff of creative obstruction and violent behavior, and Susan Tate of questionable business practices. In their August 9 motion to continue the trial date — originally scheduled for November 18 — and amend the case schedule, the Tates requested "a minimum 180-day continuance to provide sufficient time for the parties to continue active settlement negotiations without incurring substantial trial preparation costs and, if such efforts fail, to provide sufficient time to complete discovery and properly prepare for what will be a very lengthy trial." The Tates added that "80 potential witnesses" have been identified for trial and they estimated that the parties will need to collectively take 20 to 40 depositions. Further complicating the scheduling of depositions is the fact that Tate's former bandmates will be traveling for most of September and will be unavailable for depositions. Said the Tates in their motion, which can be viewed on the The Breakdown Room web site: "There simply is not enough time to properly prepare for trial. Discovery is incomplete. Even if the parties only depose a fraction of the witnesses identified, doing so will take 20 to 30 days. Many of these witnesses are located out of state. The facts that underlie this dispute span nearly 30 years. Trial could take three to four weeks with 20 to 40 witnesses." On August 16, Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson filed an opposition to the Tates' motion to continue the trial date and amend the case schedule, claiming that "any challenges [the Tates] face [in preparing for the trial] are 100% the result of their failure to properly prosecute their case and as such should not be able to delay the resolution of this matter to [Tate's former bandmates'] detriment or [Tate's] advantage." "From October 2012 until April 2013 there was nearly no activity in the case," Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson wrote. "In April 2013, [the Tates] propounded interrogatories and requests for production on [Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson]. Responses were supplied in May. Not until July 31, 2013, did [the Tates] raise any objections to the adequacy of the responses to that discovery, more than two months after said responses were served. Other than two related subpoenas for documents, [the Tates] have engaged in no other discovery." Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson also accused Geoff Tate of "continu[ing] to harm the QUEENSRŸCHE brand" since the Tates' original lawsuit was filed in June 2012. "The newest self-titled QUEENSRŸCHE CD release by the [Todd La Torre-fronted version of the band] entered the U.S. charts at #23 and continues to get 9-out-of-10-star reviews and is still selling very well on a weekly basis around the globe," Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson wrote. "In comparison, Geoff Tate released his own QUEENSRŸCHE CD in April of this year titled 'Frequency Unknown' and depicted as F.U. on the cover, which entered the charts at #82, received very bad reviews around the world, and has slowed to almost no more weekly sales. [The Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE's] new CD even outperformed the last two CDs of them with Geoff Tate, selling more in a month than the 'Dedicated to Chaos' CD has since its release in 2010, and charting much better than both that album and the previous one, 'American Soldier'. Thus, the return to the classic sound [Tate's former] bandmates have made with the new CD and live shows has been met with overwhelming success." They added: "Geoff Tate also chose very poorly in hiring live musicians that have shown that they are not capable of representing the correct performances of the QUEENSRŸCHE music legacy, and he was constantly replacing them. He has been offering his low-quality version of QUEENSRŸCHE to the promoters at a much reduced rate, as low as $10,000 per night, when, in fact, [his former] bandmates have done their best to keep the authorized QUEENSRŸCHE at an average of well over $20,000 per show this entire year. However, this becomes harder and harder with Geoff Tate's sub-par band and cut-rate pricing that continues to be damaging to the QUEENSRŸCHE brand and legacy no matter who ultimately wins control after trial." In a brand new interview with The Oakland Press, Rockenfield said said that "negotiations are ongoing between Tate and the singer's former bandmates and "there's still time for anything to happen between now and [the start of the trial]." "I think our confidence is pretty high," Scott said. "There's a lot of legal stuff you have to deal with, but we just feel good and look at it as a light at the end of the tunnel and keep playing shows and making music. I think when you do that, the right decision will be made in time."

OPETH Mainman Says Next Album Will Have 'More Sinister-Sounding Riffs'

 

This coming Friday, September 6, Swedish progressive metallers OPETH will set sail on Melloboat 2013, a two-day cruise between Stockholm, Sweden and Riga, Latvia featuring performances by a number of progressive cult bands and heavy hitters, including Morgan Ågren (featuring a guest appearance by Devin Townsend), SAGA (Sweden), CRESSIDA, ICECROSS, TRETTIOÅRIGA KRIGET, ÄNGLAGÅRD, PANTA REI 2.0 and BADGE. The cruise will mark OPETH's very last show in support of the band's latest album, "Heritage", which came out in 2011. The group will spend the remaining months of 2013 putting the finishing touches on the writing and recording process for its next studio effort, which will be released sometime next spring. According to OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, four songs have already been written for the upcoming CD and three others are in various states of completion. "We've been looking at [tracking the next album at] Rockfield Studios in Wales where QUEEN recorded 'Bohemian Rhapsody', but we haven't made a decision yet," Åkerfeldt tells the Swedish newspaper Expressen. "But it will be an expensive album. There's a lot going on, lots of string arrangements that we haven't had in the past." Will it be heavier or softer than "Heritage"? "Maybe a little bit heavier," Mikael says. "Not death metal heavy, but hard rock/heavy metal heavy. There's also lots of progressive elements and acoustic guitars, but also more sinister-sounding riffs." Who's producing? "I am," Mikael says. "I love the way DIO's 'Holy Diver' sounds, this early-'80s sound where you can still hear the '70s, but the production is heavier. Right now I'm into having a similar production that isn't retro but it still sounds like real instruments and it's heavier than 'Heritage'." "Heritage" sold 19,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2008's "Watershed", opened with more than 19,000 units to land at No. 23.

Ex-NIGHTWISH Singer ANETTE OLZON Praises TARJA TURUNEN's New Solo Album

Former NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has praised the new solo effort from her NIGHTWISH predecessor, Tarja Turunen, calling it "[Tarja's] best album so far." In an August 24 posting on her official blog, Anette wrote: "I am sitting listening to a great album together with my morning coffee and the album is Tarja's new album, 'Colours In The Dark'. I can say that if you like Tarja, go and get this album on August 30th. It's really her best album so far, even if I like them all, but she has definitely found her own style and this album is really great! I especially like the beautiful choirs and her voice is just perfect in all the songs and the guitar sound is great!" Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important." When a female fan commented on Anette's blog posting by saying that she was proud of Olzon for writing about Tarja "so beautifully considering [the] circumstances [under which Anette] became NIGHTWISH's new vocalist," Anette repied, "I have never ever had anything against Tarja and have her albums at home. What the men in NIGHTWISH do and did has never been supported by me." Olzon abruptly left NIGHTWISH last September in the middle of the band's North American tour. She has since been replaced on the road by former AFTER FOREVER and current REVAMP singer Floor Jansen.