The departure of Queensr˙che guitarist and chief songwriter Chris DeGarmo was a significant blow to the band in late 1997. Having relied on DeGarmo to guide the creative aspect of Queensr˙che since the band's inception, it came as a surprise to many fans when Queensr˙che announced its decision to carry on without him.

For months, two questions reverberated throughout the band's fanbase – "how and with whom?"

Initially, rumor spread that the band had discussed adding a keyboard player to its ranks, leaving Michael Wilton as the sole guitarist. Another hot stove discussion had Queensr˙che becoming a four-piece band, re-arranging songs when needed to accommodate the lineup change.

In the end, Queensr˙che broke with its mantra of always looking forward and reached into the past, emerging with fellow Seattle native Kelly Gray. Gray, the former guitarist of Myth (a band that vocalist Geoff Tate fronted prior to joining Queensr˙che) was now a successful record producer and ironically, had been slated to produce the next Queensr˙che album prior to DeGarmo's departure.

At Tate's urging, Kelly sat down for a jam session with Michael Wilton, and the duo wrote the music to "Right Side of My Mind" on the spot – a clear sign to the band that they had found the right man to follow DeGarmo. To gauge fan opinion, Queensr˙che staged two fan events – "Seattle '98" and "Seattle '99" – the latter of which included a live performance that was well received by fan club members who were able to attend.

Gray's combination of guitar playing and songwriting, knowledge of record production, and connections at major record labels (Queensr˙che had finished up a seven-album deal with EMI before the label folded in 1997) was exactly what the band needed at the time. Essentially, Kelly's involvement resurrected Queensr˙che at a time when the remaining members of the band could have moved on to other things (notably, Geoff Tate had considered joining Journey, and spent some time working on songs with band leaders Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain in early 1998 before deciding it wasn't for him).

Taking a much different approach to music than DeGarmo, Kelly focused more on rhythm and groove than the intricate guitar solos and time changes Queensr˙che was known for. The change was a drastic departure for the band, but one that ultimately got them signed to Atlantic Records. For the first time in years, the entire band sat in the studio together and wrote as a unit, reviving the band members' confidence and revitalizing their desire to play music.

With a new record deal, renewed chemistry and an album the band members believed in, Queensr˙che was reborn. The band released Q2k on Sept. 14, 1999, with "Breakdown" as the lead single sent to radio. Initially pushed hard by reps from Atlantic Records, the song appeared on modern rock stations nationwide, but was quickly dropped from rotation.

Undeterred, Queensr˙che launched its 1999-2000 "Electric Shockwaves World Tour" in Boise, Idaho, in late Oct. 1999. Playing mostly sold-out theaters in the United States, the band was received positively early-on, showing a renewed energy on stage. Performing a good chunk of Q2k, along with a generous helping of 1988's Operation: Mindcrime, the Queensr˙che "machine" appeared to be rolling along well.

The band continued the tour throughout the United States and then headed to Europe in early 2000, eventually returning stateside for more dates in the late winter, spring, and early summer. Taking a little time off, Queensr˙che hit the road again in Aug. 2000 as the direct support act of Iron Maiden on its tour in support of Brave New World.

All was not as good as it seemed, however. Fan reaction to Gray's playing style turned sour, and unknown at the time to fans, according to Geoff Tate in the liner notes of the 2006 re-release of Q2k, Kelly led a much different life on the road than the rest of the band. Said Tate:

"We were in a brand-new world, Kelly's world … Kelly lived hard and fast, and the people around him were the same. I have personally never seen as many drugs and as much alcohol consumed as when Kelly was in the band …The toll of indulgence was heavy. The band wasn't speaking, the new manager was fired, we were looking for a new record company, and three of our friends were dead. Road life is tough. It's not for everyone, and some people can't pace themselves, and then they get into trouble."

The chemistry the five band members worked so hard to develop was now ripped apart, and Queensr˙che was faced with an uncertain future.

Not surprisingly, band activity was sparse during the beginning of 2001. Although fans were told that Queensr˙che was writing a new record, no consistent updates were given. In addition, the band had separated from Atlantic Records and was in talks with the independent Sanctuary Records label about a potential deal.

The move was not unexpected. After "Breakdown" had fallen off the radio charts, Atlantic had limited its support of Q2k, as the singles "Falling Down," "Right Side of My Mind" and "Beside You" received little, if any airplay. The lack of support was noticed and loudly criticized by the fans. Clearly, both Queensr˙che and its fanbase felt it was time for the band to move on.

A number of "side projects" from the band members also started to pop-up during this time, including the tandem of Rockenfield and Gray with their new band "Slave to the System" and Geoff Tate announcing plans for a solo album. Rumors spread like wildfire that Queensr˙che was about to break up.

In the spring of 2001, however, it was announced that Queensr˙che would hold another fan club concert in Seattle on June 1, marking the band's first show since a "one-off" January appearance supporting Iron Maiden in Mexico.

The June 2001 Queensr˙che fan club show was followed in July by an announcement that the band had signed with Sanctuary Records and to celebrate the union, Queensr˙che would film two live performances at The Moore Theater in Seattle for the band's first live concert release since 1991's Operation: LIVEcrime. Titled "Live Evolution," the DVD featuring an abridged version of the two shows, while the two-CD set contained at least one version of each song performed on both nights.

Despite the good news and Queensr˙che's announcement that it would tour to support Live Evolution, the band dynamic had clearly changed. Done in an "Evening With" format in limited cities, the tour lasted for only six weeks, with the band playing around 90 minutes each night (a significant reduction from the typical two hours fans had come to expect).

In addition, it was painfully evident that something was amiss between the band members, as Kelly Gray was noticeably ignored by everyone on stage, with the exception of Scott Rockenfield.

From a personal perspective, it was an eerie feeling the night of Nov. 21, 2001, at the Beacon Theater in New York City, N.Y. With the city still reeling from the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, Queensr˙che managed to play for only 95 minutes, disappointing a crowd filled with energy and needing a release. After the final song was played, Tate, Jackson and Wilton walked off the stage, leaving Rockenfield and Gray by themselves. Fans didn't know it at the time, but it would be the last performance of Gray as a member of Queensr˙che.

Eventually, it was announced that Gray had been let go from the band. Fan reaction to this was mostly positive. As mentioned previously, most fans had tired of Gray's approach to guitar playing, which was nowhere near the clean, crisp playing style that DeGarmo and Wilton had featured for years.

Despite that criticism, the importance of Kelly Gray in Queensr˙che's history cannot be denied. In fact, fans of the band owe Kelly a debt of gratitude. Gray's pull at major record labels (due to his career as a producer) opened the door for Queensr˙che to sign with a major record label (Atlantic Records) – a big deal for a band many had considered "yesterday's news" after the grunge scene gave way to "nu-metal" in the late 1990s.

Creatively, Kelly's process of making music was exactly what Queensr˙che needed after DeGarmo's exit. While in retrospect, the band's sound was too stripped down and altered for most fans' tastes, the looser vibe and collaborative environment Kelly fostered had recharged the entire band, instilling confidence in each band member in a time of doubt, disappointment and anger.

While it was a tumultuous time in the band's history, without Kelly Gray, the foundation for Queensr˙che to emerge from the long shadow of its past would never have been established.

Copyright 2007, Brian Heaton. All Rights Reserved.

Releases

Q2k (1999)

Live Evolution CD/DVD (2001)

Special Interviews

"Coming Full-Circle with Kelly Gray" Q&A - June 2001

Photos

Q2k Promo Shot 1

Q2k Era Promo Shot 2

Live Evolution Era Promo Shot

Tour Dates