GEOFF TATE On Split With QUEENSRŸCHE: 'The Betrayal Is Immense'

Former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate taped a guest appearance on VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" earlier in the month for an episode which will premiere this Saturday, August 25. A two-minute preview clip can be seen below.

Asked about the cirumstances that led to the split with his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates after nearly 30 years of working together, Tate said, "Well, really, it's kind of difficult to explain, 'cause I'm not in their heads. I can only speculate, really. It came out of the blue for me. We've never had any kind of creative differences, or any kind of a situation where we are at odds with each other. It just happened . . . It was really out of the blue. And I tell you, it's something that I haven't quite come to terms with yet; I'm kind of emotional about it still. We're talking about 30 years of being brothers, people living together, all our decisions were [made] together, our children grew up together, we had camping trips and Fourth Of July [celebrations] together. And for it to all just implode so quickly and all of a sudden out of the blue, it's shocking. These [are] people that I loved, I took care of, I nurtured all our relationships, worked at a very intimate level creatively with these people, [so] the betrayal is immense."

Regarding the claims made by his former bandmates accusing him of assaulting, and spitting on, drummer Scott Rockenfield and guitarist Michael Wilton prior to, and during, QUEENSRŸCHE April 14, 2012, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Geoff didn't deny the allegations, telling "That Metal Show" co-host Eddie Trunk, "Oh, I did it. I don't make any bones about it."

In a sample quote previously posted on the "That Metal Show" Facebook page, Geoff stated about the QUEENSRŸCHE musicians, "I'd like to sit in a room with those gentlemen and have them tell me face to face what the situation is. Explain their actions. I'd like to know and actually understand their point of view. I'd like to see them talk to me face to face rather than through the Internet. Communication is a big part of any relationship, right? If nobody's talking, then nothing's getting settled. My door's open!"

Trunk said after the show taping, "We asked Geoff every tough question and he dodged nothing. He was honest in his assesment of what went down from his perspective [between him and his former bandmates]."

Tate revealed last week that he will support ALICE COOPER on a Canadian tour in November, and will embark on a QUEENSRŸCHE "anniversary tour" in 2013 backed by an "all-star lineup" of musicians.

Tate's personal web site, GeoffTate.com, was recently upgraded with a new banner that reads "Geoff Tate: The Voice Of QUEENSRŸCHE." He is also billed on the web site for booking agency Monterey International as "QUEENSRŸCHE Starring Geoff Tate: The Original Voice." The band's lineup isn't listed.

Guitarist Michael Wilton, drummer Scott Rockenfield, bassist Eddie Jackson and Parker Lundgren (guitar) announced on June 20 that they were parting ways with Geoff Tate and recruiting La Torre of CRIMSON GLORY as his replacement.

Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield defeated Tate's motion for a preliminary injunction on July 13 that would have kept them from touring and operating under the band name,

Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit against Geoff's ex-bandmates on June 22 in King County Superior Court over whether he should be awarded the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being dismissed from the group in June. Their complaint states Rockenfield, Wilton and Jackson wrongfully fired the singer and are tarnishing the group's brand by attempting to move forward without him.

If the case goes to trial, the date is set for November 18, 2013.