PAUL CHAPMAN Quits WAYSTED: 'The Fans Have Had The Piss Taken Out Of Them'

Guitarist Paul Chapman (UFO, WAYSTED) has issued the following statement regarding his status in WAYSTED (the reunited semi-obscure mid-'80s British heavy metal outfit led by UFO bassist Pete Way):

"OK, I think it's time for me to speak up!

"As of November 12, 2004, I would like to say I'm no longer a part of WAYSTED. I recently heard the sound clips of the new album on the WAYSTED 'official site' and I want to express my bewilderment as to why [singer] Fin would take it upon himself to replace my guitars (that took weeks of work to get to that point) with those of Chris George, who evidently did his within a few days.

"My last conversation with Fin ....'We don't want to sound like BOSTON! More like ZZ TOP, a bit more MELLENCAMPish.'

"Who, 'we' Mr. Fin? I thought WAYSTED was a democracy. WAYSTED had a sound. It's called WAYSTED. Apparently not any more. Why compare something in 2004 to something from 1979? Anyway without too much mudslinging, I'm putting up a few long sound bytes of a few of the rough mixes on my website, just to show the WAYSTED fans that I think they've been had! According to Pete [Way, bass] (who at the moment is very neutral through all of this, by the way) nothing has been signed. *NOTHING HAS BEEN SIGNED* with Majestic. Hey, doesn't sound kind of stupid. Whose record is this? Majestic's?

"They say possession is 9/10ths of the law. Well I have a copy of the masters right here! I feel the true WAYSTED fans have had the 'piss taken out of them'. So, consequently. I do not want anything to do with 'Back from the Dead', or WAYSTED, because I think it's not the real record."