Queensryche Interview

QUEENSRYCHE is a legendary presence, and pretty much a household name in the Rock and Metal scene, selling over 20 million albums Worldwide. Since their landmark 1984 debut The Warning, Seattle’s Queensryche has released 15 studio albums, including Metal classics Operation: Mindcrime, widely regarded as the greatest Metal concept album ever made, and Empire, which spawned massive hits including “Jet City Woman”, the top 10 smash “Silent Lucidity”, and the title track.

In 2012 original vocalist Geoff Tate was replaced by Crimson Glory vocalist Todd La Torre, and with a revamped lineup recorded and released the eponymous Queensryche LP, followed by 2015’s Condition Human, and their current release, 2019’s The Verdict.

Rock N’ Roll Industries had the chance to catch up with La Torre about Queensryche, and his upcoming time on the boat.

Todd, hey brother how you doing? Todd La Torre: Good, man. Just got home last night from playing some shows, and now I have 10, 11 days until I leave for the cruise.

So are you stoked? Queensryche I believe has done a bunch of cruises before, so you kinda know what to expect. Todd: Yeah, we’ve done Monsters of Rock Cruise like 6 or 7 times probably. We’ve done the YES cruise. Yeah, we’ve done a lot of cruises.

That’s awesome, man. What have you guys been doing this year? Just touring a lot? Obviously the new album The Verdict came out this year, and was really well received, I assume that has kept you guys busy. Todd: Yeah, it’s been really good. I think we’ve done maybe, 100 shows this year. We just did 4 years in Europe, and then we’re doing more fly dates, and then going back over to Europe for another 19 shows I think, and then more fly dates through the year. And then we have a six week tour in January. We’ve done a ton of shows this year. We went out for like a month or so, Fates Warning was out with us, earlier in the year, so I haven’t been home very much.

Todd: Yeah, we go back out for the cruise, then we have a show in Mexico, and then I think I have a few weeks off before the second European tour.

I think you’re gonna do some jams on the boat, too, from what I’ve heard. Todd: Yeah, David Ellefson gave me a call, and we talked about doing some stuff together for the cruise. I think one of the nights is all KISS songs, and I’m actually gonna play drums, for one song. I think Chuck Garric is playing bass on it. I don’t remember the whole lineup for the song that we’re gonna do, I think we’re gonna do some Iron Maiden stuff, and Dave will play bass on some of that. One of the other ones, I think Frank Bello and Charlie Benante from Anthrax are gonna play. Maybe Alex Skolnick is gonna be on one. So that’s gonna be a lot of fun. And I talked to Mike Howe from Metal Church, and he asked if I’d be interested in doing “Fake Healer” live with them on the boat. We did a re-recording of that song, and put a video out for it. So, I’m gonna be quite the busy little body on that cruise.

Look, you’re at sea for what, seven days? You gotta stay busy, right? (Laughter) Todd: As a singer, you wanna always have your voice, especially for doing stuff like Iron Maiden covers, ya know. But I’ll give it my best shot, and it’ll be a lot of fun. I’ve never jammed with any of the Megadeth guys, or the Anthrax guys, so that will be fun to share the stage with those guys, and I think that the people will enjoy what everybody’s got in store.

I mean look, I’m sure it’ll be epic. I’ve seen Queensryche many, many times, and you just pull it off flawlessly. And those are some pretty big shoes to fill, vocally. Todd: Ah that’s why I wear boots. (Laughter) But I always say, I don’t have shoes to fill I just wear my own booths. But I appreciate the compliment, but it is what it is. I mean when I was given the opportunity to join Queensryche, I certainly felt like I was capable, to do it, having sung in Crimson Glory, singing a lot of high stuff. Queensryche and Iron Maiden, those were influences of mine growing up, and it’s in my wheelhouse. Hopefully I’ll do a good job doing the Iron Maiden material with those guys.