Geoff Tate: Kings & Thieves

The singer fired by Queensrÿche bounces back.

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Geoff Tate got a nasty surprise when he was making this, his second solo album. As he explains: “When I started it, it was a side project. When I finished it, it was my only project.”

Tate was a founding member of Queensrÿche and had fronted the band for 31 years. And following his sacking, events have taken a farcical turn with the announcement that Tate has formed a new version of Queensrÿche, featuring bassist Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot/Ozzy/Whitesnake) and drummer Bobby Blotzer (Ratt).

So now there are two Queensrÿches. And with Kings & Thieves, Tate is sending out a clear message: the gloves are off. If there is an accusatory tone to the lyrics in Take A Bullet and Evil, it’s entirely intentional. And the music is equally heavy – classic metal with a contemporary edge, sung as only Geoff Tate can. Half-time score: Old Queensrÿche 1, Geoff Tate 1.

Paul Elliott
Paul Elliott

Freelance writer for Classic Rock since 2005, Paul Elliott has worked for leading music titles since 1985, including Sounds, Kerrang!, MOJO and Q. He is the author of several books including the first biography of Guns N’ Roses and the autobiography of bodyguard-to-the-stars Danny Francis. He has written liner notes for classic album reissues by artists such as Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Kiss, and currently works as content editor for Total Guitar. He lives in Bath - of which David Coverdale recently said: “How very Roman of you!”