GLEN DROVER Quits GEOFF TATE's QUEENSRŸCHE

Former MEGADETH and KING DIAMOND guitarist Glen Drover has left the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE before playing a single show with the band. He says in a statement: "I am really sorry to say that I have decided to bow out of Geoff Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE. I was very excited about doing this gig initially, but learned in the past week or so that it's in my best interest not to do this right now. I feel really bad for those who were excited about the idea, and to Geoff himself, who, I have to say, was very nice to me on my past trip to Seattle. I, of course, am very disappointed for arriving at this point, and making this decision, to say the least. I sincerely wish the Geoff and the band all the luck on what they do in the future."

Tate, who was fired from QUEENSRŸCHE in June after fronting the group for three decades, recently sought to prevent his former bandmates from touring and operating under the QUEENSRŸCHE name without him. While ruling against Tate, the presiding judge determined that there was no legal hurdle in Tate also using the name with an all-new lineup of musicians. "I don't see any reason that Mr. Tate can't have the benefit, if he gets other members, of whatever name he uses of using the brand," Superior Court Judge Carol A. Schapira said during the July 13 court hearing. "I think [doing that would be] inherently confusing, although I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out," she added.

On September 2, Tate announced that he was launching his own version of QUEENSRŸCHE with RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer, former QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE and WHITESNAKE bassist Rudy Sarzo and Drover. Also on board in the new group are returning QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Kelly Gray — who played with the band from 1998 until 2001 and also produced several of their albums — and keyboardist Randy Gane, who has toured and recorded with QUEENSRŸCHE and Geoff's solo group in the past.

In a recent interview with Screamer Magazine, Geoff stated about how he recruited Drover for his version of QUEENSRŸCHE: "Glen I've known for a while and I came at him more as a fan. I love his guitar playing. He's just a really special guitar player and a very fluid player. And I thought that he and Kelly Gray would be a really interesting guitar team because they're complete opposites in their style. Glen is very fluid and Kelly, every time he picks up a guitar he picks a fight with it — it's just this chunky, kind of forceful style — and I thought that would be an interesting juxtaposition of styles."