TOURNIQUET Drummer Offers Update On Label Search, New Album

Drummer Ted Kirkpatrick of the Christian metal band TOURNIQUET has issued the following update:

"Many people have been asking us, 'When are we going to get a new TOURNIQUET album? 'Where Moth and Rust Destroy' came out in 2003.'

"We are really encouraged to know so many people are looking forward to more music from us.

"Here's the deal: When our contract with Metal Blade was up after 'Moth', we started seeking a new label. Since 2003 there have been some major changes in the record industry. The online music phenomenon has created havoc for labels who are now scrambling to restructure, massively downsize, etc. Just like when cassettes replaced LPs and CDs replaced cassettes, the industry was unprepared and unwilling to accept change. As a result, the industry is nothing like it was even five years ago, and a lot of people believe that labels as we've known them up to now will soon no longer exist. As a result, it has gotten harder for even established acts to make headway in the current marketplace, but we are still committed to finding a new label home, or allowing a label to find us.

"In looking for a label, we have a few criteria:

1) We will not sign for peanuts. Sure, you see many new bands getting signed, but many are signing for almost nothing. This may be understandable if a band is just starting out, but for a band like TOURNIQUET, who has sold over 300,000 albums, it is not only not an option, it is simply not fair or reasonable. We also refuse to give up any portion of our publishing rights, which many labels try to negotiate for when signing. We are not looking for millions of dollars — just a fair deal. So far, no label has offered us that.

2) We will not present a prospective label with demos, which I have several times been asked to provide. I currently have at least a full album finished in my head. It's super-heavy, intricate, simple, melodic, abrasive, full of extremes, with new and old influences — you would instantly know it's TOURNIQUET, but I do not waste my time creating polished demos. If a label can't see our 10 or so albums as proof that we can write some decent music, they can forget working with us.

"One of my favorite movies is 'Amadeus' (what a surprise). There is a great part where all the local composers and music teachers are invited to submit a sample of their work to see who will get the job of giving beginning piano lessons to the emperor's niece. The emperor's scribe says: 'Young man, the issue is quite simple. You must submit your stuff with all the rest of the applicants to be considered for the position.' Mozart replies, 'Must I? Well, I won't.' Likewise, I will not waste our time just to give a record label a demo as a sample of our work.

3) Most labels, understandably, only want to sign bands that are willing to go on tour. While we love to do shows, we have never been a touring band, and we never will be. The reason labels want their bands to go on tour, obviously, is to gain more fans who will then go out and buy the band's product. A band like TOURNIQUET already has a worldwide fan base that continues to grow without doing tons of shows every year. This translates to thousands of fans eager to buy the newest TOURNIQUET album. No new label thus far has chosen to embrace this simple reality.

"So — here's what we plan to do for now. 'Collected Works' has been sold out for several years, so we are going to re-release it as a double album with TWO NEW SONGS — just like the original 'Collected Works' had two new songs. The second CD will also have a really cool 'vocal up' version of 'In Death We Rise', as well as some live tracks, etc. Release date? Sometime in 2008… We still intend to do a new full-length album in the near future. In case we cannot find a suitable label, we are exploring how to release the album ourselves and still have it in the usual stores and online retail outlets.

"Thanks so much for you patience, your prayers and your support through the years. We hope this clears up some of the reasons for the delay.

"TOURNIQUET is about music – always has been, always will be. As long as people continue to enjoy our music, and more importantly, reach out to the living God of the bible through our music — we plan to be around…

"Thanks again to our fans — you guys are truly awesome."