Ex-QUEENSRŸCHE Singer GEOFF TATE: 'It's Very Disheartening To Play With A Bunch Of People Who Aren't Interested In Being There'

Former QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate recently spoke to "Singers Speaking", the new video podcast hosted by Nick Reese of the hard rock band JOYOUS WOLF. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about his current solo backing band, Tate said: "I have all of these very young musicians playing with me, which I love, 'cause they're so into it, and they have so much energy and enthusiasm, which I think is very much needed. It's very disheartening to play with a bunch of people who aren't interested in being there. So I've been really enjoying it, for the last 10 years almost, playing with very enthusiastic people.

"I've been having this really fantastic experience that maybe sounds weird to somebody else, but for me, it's very interesting and different, because I spent 30 years playing with the same people all the time," he continued. "And then, when I left that situation, I've played with all kinds of different people. And it's just refreshing to have these different personalities coming in and out. I've played with, like, four or five different drummers, which is really great too. Different feel for the songs and the music, depending on the drummer. Different guitar players. It's interesting hearing their interpretation of my music.

"I'm always surprised, I guess is the word, when they tell me, or explain to me, how they felt about my music, how it has shaped their musical palette or their musical opinions and how it's been influential," Tate added. "And that's a wonderful feeling, to know that you passed down something that has influenced somebody and hopefully take that and make something unique of their own."

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Original QUEENSRŸCHE members Michael Wilton (guitar),Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Eddie Jackson (bass) responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate has been replaced in QUEENSRŸCHE by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.

Geoff recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Operation: Mindcrime" on European and U.S. tours.

Tate's post-QUEENSRŸCHE band OPERATION: MINDCRIME released three albums over three years as part of a trilogy: "The Key" (September 2015),"Resurrection" (September 2016) and "The New Reality" (December 2017).