Tate on Queensryche Reunion Tour: "It's Been Offered and It Hasn't Happened"

Tate on Queensryche Reunion Tour: "It’s Been Offered and It Hasn’t Happened"

Fans wishing for Queensryche’s original lineup to join forces again are going to have to keep on waiting.

In an interview with Greg Schmitt of 88.1 FM’s weekly podcast, "Noize in the Attic," singer Geoff Tate revealed that the Seattle quintet was approached by a promoter about a reunion, but it doesn’t look like it’ll happen any time soon.

"It’s been offered, and it hasn’t happened," Tate told Schmitt.

Chris DeGarmo, one of Queensryche’s original guitarists and primary songwriters, left the band initially at the end of 1997. He was a key presence in molding Queensryche’s signature sound, and responsible for writing and co-writing most of the band’s hits. DeGarmo tried reuniting with his former bandmates for 2003’s Tribe, but it didn’t work out. Drummer Scott Rockenfield has been on hiatus from Queensryche for the last couple of years. That has left the band with just two original members: bassist Eddie Jackson, and guitarist Michael Wilton.

When asked to comment on Rockenfield, Tate said he didn’t think the drummer left Queensryche "on his own accord." The singer added that "there’s lawsuits involved," and that Rockenfield is "in kind of a really dark place." This further complicates any potential reunion.

"[I]t would be a wonderful thing to give it one more tour, one more good tour where the band was playing well together and it was a good energy… (but) you can’t heal anything if nobody is willing to get in the room together, and that’s been the big problem since 2011," Tate said, referring to his own arduous split from the band.

The news is unfortunate, as 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of Queensryche’s Empire, featuring the Grammy-nominated "Silent Lucidity," along with the hit singles "Jet City Woman," "Best I Can," "Another Rainy Night (Without You)," "Anybody Listening?" and the album's title track. Empire is receiving the deluxe box set treatment next year, which would be a perfect opportunity for Queensryche's original lineup to get on the road and showcase its highest-selling record. Tate previously indicated that he plans to tour next year to celebrate Empire himself, taking his solo band on tour to perform the album in its entirety for the very first time.

Reflecting on the chemistry between the original five members of Queensryche, however, Tate called it "magic," saying it was "a really good run."

"I think we made some amazing music, I think we made some amazing albums," Tate said. "We definitely left our mark as a chemistry; a group, you know. And I’m very proud of that."