GEOFFREY WAYNE TATE

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Born: Jan. 14, 1959
Birthplace: Stuttgart, Germany
Instrument: Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Sax

Geoff Tate really doesn't need much of an introduction. Heralded in rock music for being one of the pre-eminent metal singers of all time (next to Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and Rob Halford of Judas Priest), Tate's four-(and some would say five, in his prime)octave range provides the voice behind Queensrÿche's dramatic musical presentation.

Tate started his musical ventures in the suburbs of Seattle in the late 1970s, fronting bands such as Tyrant and Babylon when he met Chris DeGarmo, Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson and Scott Rockenfield, who had a cover band called The Mob. The Mob had gotten a spot in a local concert, but didn't have a singer. They asked Tate, and the relationship began. The quintet received quite a reaction from the crowds that saw their shows, but The Mob was a cover band, and Tate's heart was more into writing original material.

After gigging with The Mob for awhile, Tate departed the band to concentrate on MYTH, another group he was in that featured Kelly Gray on guitar. MYTH was writing original material that connected with Tate, which resonated for him more than just singing covers. Over the course of a year, Tate changed his name from "Jeffrey" to "Geoffrey," and the guys in The Mob would write a handful of songs and approached Tate to sing on the demo they were going to make at Triad Studios. Enamored with what he heard, Tate convinced his bandmates in MYTH that getting professional recording experience would benefit all of them in the future, and he proceded to cut vocals for The Mob's four-song demo.

The Mob changed its name to Queensrÿche, taken from the song "Queen of the Reich," and once the demo hit the desk of Kerrang's editor and a positive review made its way into the magazine, Queensrÿche took the heavy metal world by storm. The independent success the band's self-financed EP received got the attention of record labels, particularly EMI Records. EMI offered Queensrÿche a seven-album deal and Tate formally left MYTH and joined Queensrÿche, starting a whirlwind career as one of rock's most distinct voices.

Throughout Queensrÿche's history, the band's albums showcased Tate's higher registries, and afforded Tate a musical backdrop to develop his lyric and melody writing. Preferring to write theme-based and conceptual songs, Tate was the lyrical mastermind behind Queensrÿche's landmark concept album, Operation: Mindcrime. As the years went on, Tate's high range began to dip and as a result, his lower end developed a rich tone, which can be heard on Queensrÿche's 1994 release (and Tate's favorite Queensrÿche record), Promised Land.

When DeGarmo first left Queensrÿche in late-1997, Tate flirted with the idea of fronting Journey, which was in search of a singer after the departure of Steve Perry. Although the flirtation was short-lived (with Tate saying he couldn't visualize singing "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"), he did work with Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain on a few songs, including "Walking Away from the Edge," which was subsequently re-written with vocalist Steve Augeri for Journey's Red 13 EP.

In addition to Queensrÿche, Tate has performed as a solo artist, releasing a self-titled solo album in 2002 and touring on it that summer. He continues to review his solo work from time-to-time, touring in 2008 in the Pacific Northwest. He also has an interest in acting and enjoys motorcycles, sailing and spending time with his family.

Photos Further Information AnybodyListening.net's 2002 Coverage of The Geoff Tate Band
GeoffTate.com
Geoff Tate's Official Myspace Page