Search - Queensryche :: Storming Detroit

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 1984 QUEENSRYCHE BROADCAST IN THE 1980 s, Harpos, one of Detroit s premier rock clubs, was known for hosting the cream of upcoming heavy metal and hard rock acts. Thus, on 8th December 1984, Queensrÿche, touring the world in support of their debut album, The Warning , took to the stage and proceeded to unleash a withering barrage of Sturm und Drang, during a show preserved forever via this excellent live broadcast recording. Queensrÿche originally came together in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. The two guitarists, Mike Wilton and Chris DaGarmo first united in a band called Joker in 1979. They subsequently formed the somewhat clumsily-titled Cross + Fire with bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Scott Rockenfield, soon rechristening themselves The Mob - in tribute to the Black Sabbath song Mob Rules. They also obtained the temporary services of singer Geoff Tate - though he was reluctant to join full-time as he preferred singing original material and, at this stage, The Mob were still essentially a covers band - performing material by groups such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, alongside numbers by the mighty Sabbath. Nevertheless, the group did eventually record a demo tape featuring four of their own compositions written by Wilton (Nightrider, Blinded) and DeGarmo (Queen of The Reich), with Tate contributing lyrics to DeGarmo s The Lady Wore Black. This quartet was released on the independent 206 Records, a label formed by the band s managers Kim and Diana Harris. Concurrently, the band decided to change their name to Queensrÿche, and the eponymous EP kicked-started their new career in fine style - garnering much radio play and achieving very strong sales. At this point, Geoff Tate recognized the band s potential and finally decided to throw in his lot with the group on a permanent basis. Great live versions of all four of the EP s cuts were played during this broadcast. After witnessing a Queensrÿche performance supporting New Orleans hard rock act Zebra in late June 1983, the band were signed to a 15 year, 7 album deal by EMI. The label s first move however was to reissue the Queensrÿche EP which again sold strongly in its new guise, reaching number 81 on the Billboard charts. Tours supporting Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister and Dio further strengthened Queensrÿche s fan-base across the USA. Next, they travelled to London to work on their debut album, produced by James Guthrie (who had produced and engineered for Pink Floyd since 1978). The Warning was released in September 1984, three months prior to this gig. This live broadcast includes versions of almost every song on the record, with eight of its nine tracks being performed (the sole omission is No Sanctuary). Take Hold Of The Flame was a particular highlight and was an major international hit when issued as a single, being particularly popular in Japan. N M 156 and the epic magnum opus Roads To Madness, a tour-de-force for vocalist Geoff Tate, are also outstanding. This excellent broadcast recording catches Queensrÿche at an early but crucial formative stage in their development. Within a few short years, the band would go on to even greater critical and commercial success and sell multi-million copies of every record, including the concept album Operation: Mindcrime (1988) and Empire (1990) in a career that continues to this day, some legal fall-out with Geoff Tate notwithstanding.