Interesting statement from Queensryche guitarist Michael Wilton.
During an appearance on the Tunestiles Podcast, Michael Wilton talked about the band parting ways with its classic singer Geoff Tate 2012, and replacing him with Todd La Torre.
He said:
“I think it’s a shot right in the arm. The band was getting stale and it needed to reinvent itself and drastic measures were taken. We’ve been rebuilding the whole process with Queensrÿche for eight years now, and it’s all for the better.”
On the musical evolution throughout the years, he said:
“With Queensrÿche recordings, we’ve always tried to not tread in the same water. So we’ve always tried to evolve from each recording. And I think that’s pretty evident in the early days.
“And as far as the new Queensrÿche, we’ve put out three albums, and each one has progressed in its songwriting style to a point where you see a mature songwriting confidence in the band.
“I think the key aspect now is that we’re a band again, so it’s kind of a democratic process – everybody throws their ideas into the pool; everybody works on everybody else’s music; there’s not one guy that’s saying, ‘This is how it’s gonna be.’ So I think that really shapes a fertile ground for creativity for recording albums with Queensrÿche.”
Wilton also pointed out the group has no intention to slow down anytime soon, saying:
“Queensrÿche has basically been going for 38, 39 years now, and I think that we’ve done it our own way. We’re kind of unique in our style of writing and our music, and it’s just stood the test of time.
“We’re a band that tours relentlessly, we put albums out, and we’ve been doing that ever since the early ’80s. So I think it’s just something that… If there’s a demand for Queensrÿche, we’re still gonna keep bringing it.”