Queensryche will go on vow bandmates

Queensryche splinter group Rising West disappointed fans last night by refusing to go into detail about their current relationship with singer Geoff Tate.

Last week Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and Parker Lundgren announced they’d hired frontman Todd La Torre of Crimson Glory and would perform material from the prog metal giant’s early years at two show in Seattle this weekend.

Speaking to 99.9 KISW they avoided in-depth discussion about rumoured fall-outs with Tate, and didn’t even elaborate on their statement they’d been banned from Queensryche’s website and Facebook page.

Guitarist Wilton said: “We still very much are Queensryche, and Queensryche will be continuing on. We want to just have some fun, play some old ‘Ryche, bring back some memories and just kick it.”

Asked if he’d learned anything from their current position he replied: “Make a band agreement.”

Drummer Scott Rockenfield revealed they’d tried to make contact with fans by leaving comments on the Facebook page but it hadn’t worked. He added: “It’s part of what we’re dealing with right now.”

Fans were surprised when Tate told a live audience: “You suck!” at the Rocklahoma festival two weeks ago. Rockenfield said: “We had a great show. For us it was a great show. There was some other comments made by other people not in this room who didn’t have a great time.” Asked why not he replied: “We’re still trying to figure it out ourselves.”

Tate’s outburst followed rumours of a violent altercation between bandmates in Brazil. The drummer suggested legal advice had been taken on the subject, saying: “At this point in time the ‘guy with the tie’ told me what happens in Brazil stays in Brazil.”

And he hinted Rising West was connected to the future of the band that formed in Washington in 1981: “There’s some great stuff coming down for us with Queensryche. Until we’re ready to explain what we’re doing, it’s kind of a day-to-day thing. Rising West is a way to go out, get to know Todd, do some music together with no strings attached and see what happens after the weekend.

“It’s a major work in progress.”

He added: “You never know if Rising West will ever do another show – it might be something else that we do. You never know.”

A Queensryche spokesman told Classic Rock: “I have no further comments at this time. As for Rising West, I will not be making any comments on their behalf in the foreseeable future. All I can suggest is listening to their radio interviews.”