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(Fall 2005) by Dave
Iozzia
Queensryche recently completed their 2005 U.S. tour (photos),
and a few days before it ended, drummer Scott Rockenfield chatted on the
phone with
Rock
Is Life.
Scott and his bandmates were enjoying an off-day in Cleveland, Ohio, as we
chatted about the two Queensryche U.S. tours in 2005 and their plans for
a new studio album, the long-awaited sequel to Operation:Mindcrime. We
also talked about some of Scott’s previous solo recordings, an upcoming
book release that concentrates on Scott’s drum parts throughout Queensryche’s
musical history, and his current side project, Slave To The System. This
four-piece rock band features Scott and ex-members of both Queensryche and
Brother Cane. Slave To The System has a self-titled CD planned for release
in February 2006.
RIL: Thanks for allowing me to interview you for our website,
Scott. 2005 has been a year of heavy touring for Queensryche. This past
summer, the band
supported Judas Priest on their U.S. tour. Now, you’re back on the
road playing in theatres across the U.S. with a full-production show featuring,
in its entirety, the Queensryche classic album: Operation-Mindcrime. Your
fans have had many opportunities to see the band, but I’m curious.
Where on planet Earth has Queensryche NEVER played?
SR: We’ve never been to Russia, southeast Asia, Australia
or New Zealand. We never played in Hawaii and we haven’t been to Japan
since 1995.
RIL: Talk a bit about the reaction, from both old fans and new,
to the full-production performance of Operation-Mindcrime.
SR:
The fan reaction has been really cool since the “Mindcrime” legacy
goes back to 1998 when it generated an immediate following. It’s probably
our most definitive record since most fans say that it really meant something
to them. This tour has brought a lot of our older fans out to see us again,
and they’re bringing their teenage children. A whole new generation
of kids are wearing worn-out Queensryche t-shirts that don’t fit their
parents anymore. We’ve touched a whole new generation musically, and
the show has them walking out saying “Wow Dad, that was really cool!
I can’t wait to go out and buy their records and to see them again
next year.”
RIL: This may seem like blasphemy, but hey, it is my interview.
I prefer the down-and-dirty aspects of a band performing in a club to theatre
or arena
concerts with on-stage theatrics, which I feel take away from the musical
performance. Queensryche has played with and without theatrics, and they’ve
played in clubs, theatres, amphitheatres, arenas and stadiums throughout
their illustrious history. What is your preferred format and venue for Queensryche
to play?
SR: From what we’ve found throughout Queensryche’s history,
all types of formats and the different-sized venues all have their own merit.
Small clubs are cool because we end up in cities and venues that Queensryche
has never played in before. The fans go crazy. The flip-side, playing in
arenas and the big sheds like we played this summer with Judas Priest, also
have their own merit. If I had to pick one type of venue, for what we’re
doing now with “Mindcrime,” the theatre is the best setting.
As far as format, each has its own thing also. On this tour, Queensryche
plays both. We are our own opening act, playing in our street clothes on
smaller sets of equipment. We start off rocking out, playing all of the hits.
Then we strip all of that away and reveal the “Mindcrime” set-up,
as we play on different equipment, surrounded by all the theatrics, the actors
and film.
RIL: How do you, as a musician, deal with the on-stage distractions
and demands of a full-production performance?
SR: To be honest,
it’s so machine-like for us that I don’t
even pay attention. I have to focus on playing and everything else that I’m
doing. I run all of the film. Behind my drumset. I have all of the triggers
and all the keyboards for the computers that control all of the sound effects.
I have to cue and start every scene. I’m kind of buried in my own world
and all of the acting takes place on its own. The production is almost like
a football game. You can’t watch everybody at the same time. But for
it to work, everybody has to be in the right place at the right time. Everybody
has to fine tune what they’re doing, and not pay attention to everybody
else. If they all do that, it works like a charm.
RIL: How was Queensryche received by the fans of Judas Priest
on this summer’s
tour and did the two bands get a chance to jam together?
SR: No,
we never got a chance to jam even though we talked about it. The fan response
was great and the tour was a total success. Queensryche
fans stuck around to see Judas Priest, and their fans came early because
they wanted to check us out.
RIL: What is your favorite Queensryche song to perform night after night?
What is the most difficult Queensryche song to drum on? Why?
SR:
Wow, that’s difficult to pick. My favorite would have to be
something from the “Mindcrime” set. Probably “Suite Sister
Mary.” I don’t know if we’ve done a song yet that I’d
call difficult. It’s so much easier when you write the song. The way
Queensryche creates music, it just flows, it comes from within. Down the
road, when I have to figure out an old song or remember what I did, it’s
already there in my memory. I just have to bring it back and it tends to
fall into place.
RIL: Is there one song, or one live performance, that stands out to you
as the defining moment of Queensryche or is that moment still to come?
SR:
It’s always still to come. Every night presents different problems
and challenges. When we’re done we go straight to the dressing room,
sweaty and tired, and we sit down and encapsulate everybody’s thoughts
on the good and bad moments from the show. Every night has a defining moment
in a certain way, whether something breaks or a guitar goes down at a key
moment, and we get through it. It’s so cool when the audience freaks
out over something and there’s an instant connection. You can take
that and call it a defining moment, so every night there is something that
qualifies.
RIL: Looking ahead to 2006, Queensryche has a new record deal with
Rhino Records, and your fans are eagerly awaiting the new album: Operation-Mindcrime
II. Is that the working title or official title, and has a release
date been set?
SR: That’s a good question and I don’t have an answer. The
record is still a work in progress, so it is technically a working title.
We usually don’t sit down and decide on the title and the artwork until
we’re finished. The plan for release is still sometime in February
or March of 2006.
RIL: There’s an old expression that you can’t get blood out
of a stone. I’m going to try to squeeze some gossip out of a Rock.
I’ve heard two song titles, “I’m American” and “Hostage.” What
is the current status of the recording/mixing, and can you give any more
details on the new album?
SR: I know that expression Dave, and
I knew you’d try to squeeze
me for details. We started compiling ideas last January, brainstorming about
themes and connectivities. Even as Queensryche toured this summer, we were
working on material. After the tour ends, we’re coming home and we’re
about 80% done with the making of the record. Anything could change, but
we want to be done with recording and mixing by late December. We’re
really tight-lipped about details because we just won’t know until
we’re completely done. Things change. You are truthful with those two
song titles. “I’m American” was a song we played in our
set while on tour with Judas Priest. “Hostage” is a recording
that we play at the end of our “Mindcrime” set. It’s a
teaser and it’s our encore. After we finish with a big theatrical ending
and leave the stage, a movie screen comes down. A mini movie trailer plays
with that song in the background.
RIL: Geoff Tate was recently quoted that the new album is “a study
on revenge.” With revenge as the topic and Queensryche’s beginning
years as the timeframe, were you mistreated by any bands then that you’d
like to get some revenge on now?
SR: I’m sure there are one or two, but off the top of my head I
can’t think of one. We’ve had a pretty good run and we’ve
been headlining so long that no one band comes to mind.
RIL: Should Queensryche fans in the United States anticipate a touring hiatus
in 2006, or will you be back on the road next summer?
SR: We’ll be back on the road. Our goal is to release the new record
and put together a presentation for it. Whether we start off in Europe or
the U.S. is unknown. Queensryche will definitely not be off next year; it’ll
be a full year of touring once we start.
RIL: I saw Alice Cooper in concert this summer, and his guitarist Damon
Johnson told me to expect big things from the other band the two of you are
in, Slave To The System. Who else plays in that band?
SR: Kelly Gray,
a guitarist who used to be in Queensryche. He also produced Candlebox and
Damon’s other band, Brother Cane. Roman Glick is the
bassist. He’s in Jackyl, and he also came from Brother Cane. Lead vocals
are handled by Kelly and Damon.
RIL: Slave To The System recently signed a record deal with Spitfire Records.
Congratulations. When will the new record be released?
SR: Thanks
Dave. The release date is February 21. It’ll probably
be self-titled as Slave To The System. But it’s also
a work in progress. It’s mastered and delivered, but we haven’t
decided on the artwork.
RIL: For music fans who are unfamiliar with Slave To The System,
please talk about the band’s musical direction.
SR: It’s a powerful, melodic, riff-oriented rock record and we
all play our asses off. That’s the best description I can give you,
but the music speaks for itself. When we made the record, it was a bunch
of guys who didn’t know each other. I knew Kelly and he knew Damon
and Roman, but I knew neither one. We sat down on the day we met and started
writing. Three weeks later the record was written and recorded! The approach
was to go in, have fun, and not be a slave to the system. That’s how
the name came about, we were tired of the industry and of corporate labels.
Each song has its own strength, whether it’s a melody or a guitar riff.
This record was originally self-produced in 2002, but it was never heard.
We only sold a thousand or so through the Internet. This new record is a
re-master of that, with new material added on. It’s a real good record,
we’ve gotten positive response and feedback, and there’s plans
for more. It’s a multi-record deal. Spitfire had it for a few years
and they finally did something with it. They phoned out of the blue and said
it was time. It’s the beginning of a long haul, and an exciting one
at that.
RIL: Does Slave To The System have any touring plans for 2006?
SR:
We are trying our best to line up agents and get everything in place. The
plan is to get out there and play but we’re slaves to the schedules.
Damon doing the Alice Cooper thing, and me doing the Queensryche thing are
the biggest problem. We have constant commitments. But when we have down
time, we’ll get something done.
RIL: You also recorded two albums under the name Rockenfield/Speer,
titled Hell’s
Canyon and TeleVoid. Please introduce Paul Speer, and
give me a synopsis of each record.
SR: These were my first solo projects, and
they go back to
1996. TeleVoid was an animated film score, and Paul Speer is a guitar
player and buddy of mine from Seattle. We did all the composing and we
played all the instruments. It received a 1998 Grammy nomination for the
Best Long Form Music Video. That was fun, no boundaries, no rules,
recorded in a home studio, and we were nominated for a Grammy! The
follow-up, Hells Canyon, is a progressive, instrumental record with me on
drums, Paul on guitar, and us sharing everything else that needed to get
done.
RIL: You released a solo album titled The X Chapters. Talk
about its musical direction and how Queensryche fans have reacted to it.
SR: X Chapters was music that I’d been composing
for TV scores that never panned out and for video games that I worked on
where the music wasn’t used. I had all this stuff lying around. I’m
a self-taught keyboard player/composer, and I did it a few years back in
my home studio. I composed, performed, arranged, and played everything. I
did the orchestration. It’s a journey of one’s life. It’s
thematic, and each song is inspired by me and my journeys throughout my life.
I love doing my own music, and I had to get it out of my system. The fan
response has been great. I have dedicated Queensryche fans who like what
I do as a drummer and as a composer.
RIL: Describe the production “style” of Scott Rockenfield.
Also, at what point of the recording process do you find the most joy and
satisfaction?
SR: The best phase is the final production stages.
I find the greatest joy putting the final icing on things, but it really
depends on the project.
With Queensryche, we’re all producers, and we all have thoughts on
things because we’ve been doing it so long. We’re all open-minded,
allowing constructive criticism, and we let songs form from that synergy.
I recently engineered, recorded, and produced a band called Totalisti for
their record release on the progressive record label Magna Carta. It was
a total gas being completely in charge of somebody else’s project.
Totalisti was really good in the studio, they’re great musicians and
they have great songs. It was a lot of fun. I always wanted to own a studio.
I’m really into the behind-the-scenes aspects of making records. I’d
rather create than be in the spotlight.
RIL: In my 30+ years attending concerts, I’ve seen some amazing
looking guitars, but a lot of boring looking drumsets. Please tell us more
about
your company, and what it does for drumsets, with RockenWraps and RockenHedz.
SR:
I always wanted to make a statement with a different looking drumset. In
1982, when we started Queensryche, my cymbal stands were made out of welded
chains. Because of my ego, I didn’t want to look the same and get buried
in the back. Those cymbal stands haunt me today, but in a good way. Somebody
asks about them at every show. That was the beginning. The late
great Eric Carr from KISS complimented me once on changing the look of my
drumset on every tour. A few years ago, I was getting tired of my drumset’s
look and nothing good was being offered except expensive paint jobs. Rockenwraps
was born in my office, utilizing plastic lamination and heat machines that
make plastics you can print on. I started making decals for my kick drums
and that evolved over the past three years into creating drum shell material
to wrap the entire kit. It’s cheap and we can make any design.
It’s
completely removable, and it’s held on by the hardware, making it interchangeable
with no glue or tape residue. The company has been public for a year and
a half, with global distribution. Rockenwraps is a mom and pop operation,
just me and my brother. And it’s working like a charm. It’s expanded
to include Rockenhedz, custom kick head drum heads at a much better price
than other competitors. It’s a cool product, both fun and affordable.
We’ve done stuff for Rick Brothers, who drums for country artist Gretchen
Wilson. We did something for Journey’s Deen Castronovo. We’re
in all the big music stores and we advertise in “Modern Drummer.” We’re
starting to make custom drums as well. As for me, other than my Paiste cymbals,
I play on all my own gear. I make everything.
RIL: Your drum parts in Queensryche songs are complex and difficult, with
many odd time signatures. What recommendations can you offer to drummers
trying to learn those parts?
SR: The first thing is that I have a
book coming out in January after receiving an offer from book publisher Carl
Fischer. Joe Bergamini, a drummer
you may know from New Jersey, is helping me put together a history of my
drum playing in Queensryche. It’s a huge transcribed book, covering
my parts from back in the day until now. Hopefully, it will be the first
in a series of books because one can’t cover all the bases. There might
be a book dedicated to “Operation:Mindcrime” or another covering
my solo projects. Reading the book will let people learn my drum parts and
see on paper how I physically do certain things. Hopefully, the book with
teach the drummer reading it something new, or they can spin in a different
direction and learn something on their own from an idea I had. Either way,
I hope they have fun and enjoy what they read and hear. I can’t teach
it, I don’t read or write music. I’m self-taught and I never
took lessons. I’m glad somebody else is spending all the hours transcribing.
RIL: Who is the one drummer that has been the biggest influence on your
playing style? Why?
SR: Neil Peart from Rush. From the early days, he showed me the direction
that I wanted to head. Neil challenges himself on the drums, he takes a different
path.
RIL: Remove lawyers, contracts, and egos from the equation. If you
could create a supergroup for one CD/tour, with guys you’ve never
played with, what two guitarists, bass player, and vocalist would join
you?
SR: I’d take The Edge from U2 to play guitar, and Peter Gabriel
would sing. Naming a bass player is tough because there are so many interesting
guys out there. I’d probably grab Geddy Lee from Rush. It would be
just the four of us and we’d rock! You know Dave, one of them is probably
going to read this somewhere and give me a call.
RIL: The music industry in the 21st century is a lot different from
when Queensryche was breaking in the early 80’s. Record labels don’t
build or support bands like they used to and the Internet has had a big impact.
Please talk about Slave To The System’s efforts to build a band in
the radically different music industry of the 21st century.
SR: It’s a whole new thing, today’s
music industry. Damon and I talk
about this all the time. We’re very lucky because we’ve been
given a
second chance to do something really cool with a record label that
wants to throw us support. But where do we start? We’re going to
start with the legacies that we have as musicians and use that as our
springboard. Selling records is not easy no matter what kind of legacy you
have. Our goal with Slave To The System is to get it out there and get it
heard. To be heard is to be received. I think the record company will get
it into the stores and get us press. We’re confident that the music
will speak for itself.
We can try to get out there on the road to do shows
and get exposure. But we’re not 20 years old anymore, and we can’t
be the type of band to live and travel in a van across the country without
hotels. We won’t do that, and hopefully we won’t have to do that.
We’ll have to draw on our collective experience to help push this thing
forward, but it’s not going to be easy. Damon and I love to give interviews
so that will help. A new Slave To The System website and a Myspace page with
samples of songs will help. I didn’t realize until recently that Myspace
was such a popular hub on the Internet for music and networking.
RIL: I’d like to thank you again for letting me conduct this
interview Scott. Feel free to add some closing comments for Queensryche
and music
fans worldwide.
SR: Life is good, and thanks to everybody who has
given me support over the years. Stay tuned because next year is going
to be very interesting with Operation-Mindcrime
II or whatever we end up calling it, and with Slave To The System.
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SCOTT
ROCKENFIELD
