Queensryche

[Holymagica]

Komodo Rock reports: For the last several years, QUEENSRŸCHE singer and chief songwriter Geoff Tate, along with guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone, bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Scott Rockenfield, have been consumed with recording "Operation: Mindcrime II" and staging an over-the-top live production of the band's acclaimed "Operation: Mindcrime" saga. On stage night after night, performing the same set without variation, Tate says soundcheck became a nice distraction where everyone could play something, anything, not on the set list. "Stone and Michael liked to play 'name that riff,' and sometimes the whole band would join in. It seems like every night they would play a different one of their favorites. That's really the way this album came together too. We got together and started playing songs to each other, and then we picked our favorites."

This summer, the band narrowed the list to 11 songs and returned to the studio to record "Take Cover", an eclectic collection of covers that will be available November 13 from Rhino. Taking a break from recording vocals for an Italian opera — likely the album's most adventurous cover — Tate explained why the band chose each song.

* "Welcome To The Machine" - PINK FLOYD

"PINK FLOYD is one of the biggest influences on us as a band, and we all wanted to play one of their songs. This track meant a lot to all of us growing up. It really captures that feeling of shock at lost innocence when the curtain is pulled back and you realize what the world is really like. We didn't want to mess with the original, so we gave the song a totally different arrangement."

* "Heaven On Their Minds" – JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

"Stone had been playing this to me since he joined the band and, coincidently and so had his predecessor Kelly Gray. I liked the song, but this was one of the rare cases where I thought we could improve on the original recording. Stone put together a really cool arrangement. I think people will be surprised by this song."

* "Almost Cut My Hair" - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG

"I thought this would be a great song for us to do. Musically, the guitar and vocal harmonies are amazing, and lyrically, it's right on the money. It was a lot of fun arranging this song."

* "For What It's Worth" - BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD

"When we're touring, a lot of radio morning shows invite us to the studio to talk about the tour and have us play a couple of songs on acoustic guitars. This is one of the songs we like to throw in every once in a while.”

* "For The Love Of Money" - THE O'JAYS

"This was one of the most challenging and enjoyable songs to record and another track that will probably catch people off guard. The vocal phrasing is impeccable and the whole song has such an irresistible groove."

* "Innuendo" – QUEEN

"Michael brought this song in and the idea about how we should approach it. I love QUEEN, but I didn't know much about this song. I found out later that this was one of the last songs Freddie Mercury recorded before he died. He sang it from a wheelchair like his life depended on it. It's such an impassioned performance. When I was in the studio recording, I pictured Freddie and tried to imagine what it must have been like for him to sing this song facing his own mortality. I could never hope to top it; I just wanted to pay tribute to his performance."

* "Neon Knights" - BLACK SABBATH

"Ronnie [James Dio] took us out on our first European tour and he's always been good to us. He's singing with BLACK SABBATH right now and we're going out on the road together again. With the tour coming up, this seemed like a nice way to pay tribute to him. I hope he likes it, or I'm sure I'll hear about it every night of the tour."

* "Synchronicity II" - THE POLICE

"This is another song I didn't know much about. Not sure how I missed it, because that album was everywhere. Our version has a great dark vibe that I really like."

* "Red Rain" - PETER GABRIEL

"This is another song I overlooked when it came out. One of the guys played it, and I knew immediately that we had to do it. The melody of this song is flawless. It could go on and on and never get old."

* "Odissea" - CARLO MARRALE & CHEOPE

"I really like this song because there is a lot for a singer to sink their teeth into, plus I got a chance to sing in Italian, which was interesting considering I don't speak a word of it."

* "Bullet The Blue Sky" - U2 (Live)

"This is one of the rare times that we played a cover live. I don't remember exactly when or where we played this, but I do remember that we were locked in. Everything came together just right musically, and I evidently had a lot on my mind that night because I wasn't shy with my social commentary."


I am very interested in hearing this cd.
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Don Dokken has been confirmed as the support act for QUEENSRŸCHE on their entire U.S. tour. Don will reportedly play a solo acoustic set consisting of approximately six DOKKEN songs (30 minutes). The dates are as follows:

Jan. 02 - Belly Up - Aspen, CO
Jan. 23 - Fillmore - Denver, CO
Jan. 25 - Harrah's - Kansas City, MO
Jan. 26 - Myth - St. Paul, MN
Jan. 27 - Northern Lights - Walker, MN
Jan. 29 - Potawatomi - Milwaukee, WI
Jan. 30 - Potawatomi - Milwaukee, WI
Jan. 31 - Potawatomi - Milwaukee, WI
Feb. 01 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Feb. 02 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Feb. 05 - Turning Stone - Verona, NY
Feb. 06 - The Roxy - Boston, MA
Feb. 07 - Starland - Sayreville, NJ
Feb. 08 - Nokia - New York, NY
Feb. 09 - Tropicana - Atlantic City, NJ
Feb. 10 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC
Feb. 12 - Tampa Theater - Tampa, FL
Feb. 13 - House of Blues - Orlando, FL
Feb. 14 - House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
Feb. 15 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
Feb. 16 - Palladium - Dallas, TX
Feb. 19 - The Depot - Salt Lake City, UT
Feb. 24 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Feb. 28 - Newmark - Portland, OR
Feb. 29 - Big Easy - Spokane, WA
Mar. 01 - Paramount - Seattle, WA

DOKKEN recently spent time in the studio putting the finishing touches on its upcoming release, "Lightning Strikes Again".

"Lightning Strikes Again" will be released in March/April 2008 via Rhino Records in the U.S. and Frontiers Records in Europe. The follow-up to 2004's "Hell to Pay" will feature the lineup of Don Dokken (vocals), Jon Levin (guitar, ex-WARLOCK), Barry Sparks (bass, TED NUGENT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MSG) and Mick Brown (drums).

Rhino Records in March revisited DOKKEN's early days with a pair of releases packed with previously unissued material. The first release, a CD entitled "From Conception: Live 1981", captures DOKKEN in an early, previously unseen concert recorded before the band signed with Elektra. The second release is the DVD debut of the band's first home video, the platinum-certified "Unchain the Night", which is expanded with unreleased videos and new extended interviews with the band.

[Magica Dragon]

I heard about that covers album. It's got some good track choices on it and I love hearing cover songs for some reason. I might get it at some point.

[ManOnTheSilverMountain_DP]

I lke Queensryche till "Empire", they were more classic H/M than now, and maybe they were Heavier too.
I don't like Queensryche of nowadays.
You talked about Dokken too... I saw Dokken and Kingdom Come the night before yesterday in Rome, great concert!!!! I was in the second raw and I took Jon Levy's pick (Dokken guitarist)!!! Moreover Don Dokken himself signed my ticket and my denim jacket, and I shake his hand at the end of the show... AWESOME!!!
Really great setlists from both the bands:

KINGDOM COME:

GOTTA MOVE NOW
GET IT ON
MOTHER
AIN’T CRYING FOR THE MOON
SLOW DOWN
SHOULD I
WHAT LOVE CAN BE
TWILIGHT CRUISER
LIVING OUT OF TOUCH

Encores:

PUSHING HARD
DO YOU LIKE IT


DOKKEN:

KISS OF DEATH
INTO THE FIRE
DREAM WARRIOR
THE HUNTER
BREAKIN` THE CHAINS
PARIS IS BURNING
ALONE AGAIN
UNCHAIN THE NIGHT
TOO HIGH TO FLY
SUNLESS DAYS
JUST GOT LUCKY
IT’S NOT LOVE
HEAVEN COMES DOWN

Encores:

TOOTH N’ NAIL
IN MY DREAMS
_________________
THEY CAN'T STOP US, LET 'EM TRY, FOR HEAVY METAL WE WILL DIE!

[jaymze]

QUEENSRYCHE are a great band. I was a massive fan for years though became disillusioned with some of their recent studio albums. I think that things have been improving of late again, first with the Operation: Mindcrime II CD and secondly all the touring they have been doing over the last few years. They seem to be trying to re-establish the name.

I can't wait to see them in Glasgow in a few weeks with THIN LIZZY. I have always wanted to see them live and never thought I would. What a great treat this tour is!

Anyone else going along to any of the shows?

[Magica Dragon]

I'm sorry Jaymze but Quuensryche has gone and cancelled the tour. I don't know if Lizzy are still playing but here's the message from the band:

"QUEENSRŸCHE is disappointed to announce the unfortunate cancellation of our upcoming tour of the United Kingdom with THIN LIZZY and other shows in Europe due to a personal emergency. We'd like to thank our loyal fans for their continued support and understanding. We are looking forward to making it up to them and are currently working on a plan to return to Europe in 2008 with a production that fans have been waiting years for!"

Sorry about that. I reckon it would have been a great tour as well.

[jaymze]

[quote="Magica Dragon"]I'm sorry Jaymze but Quuensryche has gone and cancelled the tour. I don't know if Lizzy are still playing but here's the message from the band:

Crap! That really sucks. I'm well dissapointed. Oh well, hope they follow through and tour here next year.

I have not heard anything about LIZZY. I hope it'll go ahead -just hope they can get a good band to support them -not easy this close to the tours debut.

Thats crap news!

Cheers for letting me know -even if it was bad news!

[Magica Dragon]

Yeah, it'd be nice to think that Lizzy will go ahead but it'll be hard finding a fairly big name to play with.
At least Queensryche are in the studio at the moment so they'll probably be back next year. Hope anyway.

[Holymagica]

QUEENSRŸCHE will embark on a UK headlining tour in June 2008. The dates are as follows:

June 13 - Glasgow Academy
June 14 - Newcastle City Hall
June 15 - Leeds University
June 17 - Manchester Academy
June 18 - Wolves Civic Hall
June 20 - Norwich UEA
June 21 - Cambridge Corn Exchange
June 22 - London Indigo
June 24 - Bristol Colston Hall
June 25 - Southampton Guildhall

[BLACKKNIGHT]

This is going to sound like blasphemy being Im from Washington State but Queensryche is one of those bands that hasnt ever done much for me. All their music just kind of gets put in my "close but no cigar bin". Its another band that everyone seems to like that for some reason I dont seem to get.
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[robingraves5]

I liked all the Ryche albums through "Hear in the now frontier" .... became a fan when the E.P. came out .
I have not really liked much that they have put out in the past few years , I think the covers album is pretty bad , kinda a shame .
But i did see them live over the summer & they were great , let's hope the next studio album is killer !

[BLACKKNIGHT]

[Brollachan]

Queensryche's album filled with cover songs (TAKE COVER (2007))is pretty decent. Nothing special, but really listenable. Among other songs, there is their version of NEON KNIGHTS, which sounds pretty solid. They played is almost exactly the same way a certain band with a certain vocalist did it on a certain album. Tate gives his current best, and all in all it's good to hear them in a classic metal tune again.

[Rhonda Ross]

Tune in to the Wild Side this Saturday, February 23, as Queensryche joins Diana DeVille in the studio LIVE at 3:00 PM Pacific Time!

http://www.knac.com
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[Nurse Ratched]

some killer acoustic stuff...

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=92421
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