Away Team

First on Saturday December 10th we read this update by Jack Russell (original Great White vocalist):

“To all my friends:
Just wanted to announce that I will be coming back with my band, GREAT WHITE, and a BRAND NEW lineup.
“My new bandmates are some of the most incredible musicians I have ever had the privilege to play with: Matthew Johnson, former guitarist for GREAT WHITE; Derrick Pontier, former drummer for GREAT WHITE; Dario Seixas, former bassist for FIREHOUSE and the Stephen Pearcy band; and Robby Lochner, former guitarist for Rob Halford‘s band and Cherie Currie.
“I am very excited about this new beginning.
“I am feeling better than ever, despite any rumors you may hear to the contrary.
“Unfortunately, and as confusing as it will be, my former bandmates and their manager have decided to continue to tour next year under the name I created, GREAT WHITE. I will be touring under the name GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL to try avoid any confusion.
“So now the true fans will know the difference.
“I will be announcing tour dates as soon as they become available.
“Our first performance will be at the pre-NAMM Jam on January 14, 2012. Only shows advertised as GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL will include myself on vocals.
“I have missed all of you terribly and look forward to seeing you all on the road. You have no idea how much your love and devotion has meant to me during what has been one of the hardest periods of my life.
“Happy holidays! Much peace and love to you and your families. Have a blessed New Year.
“Yours, as always, Jack Russell, founder and lead vocalist, GREAT WHITE
“P.S.: JACK IS BACK!!!!!!!!”

Ok, so Jack Russell has undergone several surgeries over the last couple of years, and according to the actual GREAT WHITE band, it is all because of rampant drug use. The ‘original‘ GREAT WHITE released this statement yesterday in response to Jack‘s announcement on Saturday:

“First and foremost, our main concern is our fans.
“We have spent 30 years trying to be the best we can be and bring our fans the top quality of music they have become accustomed to and deserve.
“It saddens us today to have to respond to Jack Russell‘s announcement.
“Jack Russell announced on Facebook on Saturday, December 10, 2011 that he was returning to GREAT WHITE with a new lineup. This was a complete shock to the entire GREAT WHITE family.
“This couldn’t be further from the truth.
“As we all know, Jack Russell has been fighting drug and alcohol abuse for many years. He has had numerous stints in and out of treatment facilities and hospitals.
“In 2010 Jack‘s physical condition deteriorated to the point that he routinely fell on and off stage, forgot lyrics and we had to cancel shows due to his inability to perform.
“In the past two years, Jack has had five major surgeries and has almost died three times. His drug abuse was so bad that his body began to shut down and ultimately resulted in colostomy surgery from a perforated bowel (he nearly died during this procedure). The colostomy surgery saved his life, but vanquished him with a colostomy bag for a year.
“We stood by Jack; we supported his sobriety and eagerly awaited his return.
“Jack was first slated to return to GREAT WHITE this past summer. Unfortunately, his frail body and his drug abuse prohibited this event. In the following months, Jack had three more surgeries that delayed his return. Finally, he chose February 2012 as his target return date.
“We had five clear conditions for Jack‘s return:
1. Jack had to be drug free. Off all opiates, methadone, Valium or Xanax.
2. Jack had to be off prednisone (a steroid that ate away at Jack‘s internal organs that caused the perforated bowl).
3. Jack had to be sober and off crack cocaine and all alcohol.
4. Jack had to agree to weekly drug tests.
5. Jack must attend weekly meetings for AA and NA.
“Last week Jack notified management he would not make it back by February 2012. Jack referred to his doctor’s opinion that he would not be ready. He had just started physical rehabilitation again and his legs and back needed more rehab to handle the rigors of touring. Jack thought he would be ready by May to start the summer touring season. However, he wasn’t sure if he could be off the methadone by then or ever. Management reiterated that he had to be completely drug-free for his return. He owed it to the fans. He owed it to us. He owed it to himself.
“Out of nowhere, we all received an email on Saturday, December 10, 2011 stating that he was coming back now and that he was starting his own (a different lineup) GREAT WHITE. As you can imagine, this was shocking, to say the least. We were saddened and hurt from this shocking announcement.
“We only want to do right by our fans.
“We aim to give the best possible show and have every fan leave the show feeling they got their money’s worth.
“This band is sober and music is our passion. With Jack Russell not being drug-free and unable to physically perform on stage, it will only let down our fans.
“Time and again, Jack Russell has let down his band and fans. His addictions have ruined his life the past eight years.
“We will not sit by and enable our brother to abuse alcohol and drugs to kill himself. We have lost too many loved ones to this madness. After the passing of our dear friend, the talented Jani Lane, it has become more evident that this has to stop. It must end.
“Since Jack‘s departure in August 2010, GREAT WHITE has performed almost 100 concerts. We’ve had no shortened sets, cancelations or song choice limitations due to vocal issues.
“In this struggling economy, fans need and deserve more — not less. We owe it to our fans and the promoters to not to allow Jack Russell and some garage band to hurt GREAT WHITE‘s classic rock legacy and bright future.
“Jack Russell does not have the right to start his own GREAT WHITE or use the name without our names in the lineup.
“We will litigate any promoter that books ‘Jack Russell’s GREAT WHITE‘ or uses any logo featuring the name GREAT WHITE.
“We give you our word, we will continue through 2012 and beyond to provide you with the top-quality musical performances you have been accustomed and deserve.
“We hope and pray that Jack gets healthy, happy and sober. His health and well being is the only thing that matters.”
GREAT WHITE featuring Terry Ilous

The ‘original’ GREAT WHITE currently consists of: Mark Kendall (lead guitar), Scott Snyder (bass), Audie Desbrow (drums), Michael Lardie (guitar, keyboards) and Terry Ilous (lead vocals).

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EDITOR’S NOTE:
Ok, so we have two L.A. Guns which nobody wants. We want one L.A. Guns with Phil Lewis singing. Who cares who the guitarist is? Tracii Guns was never Yngwie, Eddy, or Jimi so who cares if he is in the band or not? We don’t need two different bands playing the same music under the same name. Get that Jack Russell? We don’t need two GREAT WHITE bands! We need one (well, do we really even need one???) band playing the hits we’ve loved for the last 20 years. And if you can’t get your shit straight and get healthy enough to join the actual band that is touring under the GREAT WHITE name, then you don’t need to be touring under another GREAT WHITE band name.

There’s some stupid shit that goes on in the music industry, but this has got to be the dumbest.

Queensryche
30th Anniversary Tour
Tuesday 8NOV11
Lincoln Theatre
Raleigh, NC



I think I’ve said on here once or twice that I am a huge Queensryche fan. If not, here ya go. That being said, I have tried to like their newer albums. American Soldier actually was a good album, their best since Promised Land, but the rest just fall a little flat for me.

I have listened to Queensryche since I first heard the EP in 1984. I first saw them in 1988 when the opened for Metallica on the Damaged Justice Tour in San Francisco. Loved the music but thought they were lost on stage in an arena (I was really high that night too, so it could have just been me).

I wouldn’t have the chance to see them again until Building Empires Tour in 1992 where they blew me away by performing Mindcrime in its entirety! They filled the arena and performed like they deserved to be there too.

Many years have gone by and Queensryche has released several albums that the fans (me included) have debated whether they were Ryche worthy or not. But one thing Queensryche has always done well (at least since 92 for me) is perform well live.

They have made sure that they always have a reason for you to come see their show, whether it’s performing suites (large sections of albums) or albums in their entirety, they always give you a reason to see their next tour (besides being a tremendous live band now).

For their 30th Anniversary Tour they have actually reverted back to the old fashioned tour dogma of playing a little something from everything. And I do believe every album was represented (other than their recent covers album) in the set they performed here in Raleigh.

The band in their infinite wisdom didn’t just come out and perform ‘The Lady Wore Black’ and run through their hits chronologically, they mixed it up, Starting the set with the latest ‘Get Started’ and moved on to a brilliant version of ‘Damaged’. The sole representation of Promised Land was a real treat for me and live was great and no small feat to pull off in my opinion!

‘Desert Dance’ off of Tribe was actually a great tune live. And maybe that’s what their latest studio albums need to bring them to life or more favor to their fans, to be performed live. You can always tell the newer tunes (anything after Promised Land in my opinion is the ‘newer’ stuff) when they’re performed because they just seem to be a little less… connected maybe? It is very difficult for me to describe, but my girlfriend was with me at the show (her third Queensryche show thanks to me) and she would even turn to me during the newer stuff and remark that it must be a newer song because it was missing something. It wasn’t as ‘rich’ as the other tunes and this is from someone who only hears them when I play them and live she can even tell the difference between pre-Promised Land and post-Promised Land material.

The highlight of the night for me had to be ‘The Real World’. I have never seen it performed live and never thought I would considering it was a cast off from the soundtrack to Last Action Hero. And I wasn’t sure they could pull it live considering the heavy string arrangement by the late Michael Kamen (RIP Sir) but it sounded fantastic and had half the crowd shaking their head wondering where the song was from and the other half drooling over it.

Queensryche‘s run from NM 156 to Screaming In Digital was a stroke of brilliance and I’ve often wondered why they haven’t done it before. Geoff Tate’s voice hasn’t lost a step over the years, he may not be able to hold the higher notes as long as he used to, but he still puts on a hell of a show and sings his ass off and does himself and the band proud. In the age of all these 80’s bands trying to sing their old stuff after 30 years of vocal abuse and simple age and mangling their legacy doing so (see Joe Elliot of Def Leppard, Stephen Pearcy of Ratt, Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, etc, etc, etc) it is great to see someone able to still sing their material correctly and not just that, but very well done!

The Ryche may not be headlining arenas anymore but based on their live shows they should be. The theaters we’re seeing them in today makes for an intimate setting but the sound that the band generates should be filling arenas around the world. A live Queensryche show is always something to behold and they always come up with a new reason to go see them, and see them you should. The band has been around for 30 years for a reason, and their live show says everything you need to know about them. Michael Wilton is a great guitarist and Parker Lundgren holds his own with Michael and the band. Eddie Jackson has always been a beast at the bass and there may only be one or two people better on the drums that Scott Rockenfield. The man can certainly go step for step with Mike Portnoy and Neil Peart. And as I’ve already stated, the showmanship and vocals of Geoff Tate are nothing short of spectacular 30 years on!

For more QUEENSRYCHE click here.

Ratt have been forced to cancel their upcoming European tour dates. Vocalist Stephen Pearcy will be undergoing urgent hernia surgery this week. The band regrets missing the European dates on the heels of the release of their first album in 11 years, Infestation, which enjoyed a high chart debut in European territories.
Ratt shares this disappointment with all their European fans who planned to attend the shows at Sweden Rock, Sauna Open Air Festival, UK Download, Hellfest, Grasspop and Gods of Metal as well as their other dates. The band is looking into rescheduling as many of the shows as possible.
Pearcy‘s doctors anticipate a full recovery in time for Ratt’s North American touring schedule, which includes a run with THE SCORPIONS, beginning in July and running through September.

For more information you can go to Ratt’s website here.