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The Geoff Tate Situation

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:25 pm
by cineman74
This may have been covered before, but how widely known is it that Tate had written a song with Cain and was considered as a possibility for Journey? I'm astounded to have just learned this. Heck, I'm amazed Tate can even still hit the notes with QR, as it had always been my understanding he's been a longtime chain smoker, but the idea of him joining the band is intriguing as far as the pedigree is concerned. Van Halen mach 2 seemed to thrive because Sammy already had an established career, maybe this would have worked as well.

QR's glory days were already fading, sadly, although I can't see really Tate jumping that ship. Then again, according to Schon (as I'd heard it, anyway), the band made the decision to not hire him, not the other way around. Anyone have any more specifics?

Makes me wonder how many other famous names were at one time possibilities for the band.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:11 pm
by ddregs
My opinion wrgds/Tate:
he is an amazing singer. Very theatrical and emotional, moving in certain songs (Suite Sister Mary, The Mission, Silent Lucidity) and aggressive in other (I Don't Believe in Love, Revolution Calling).
His pitch and tone is quite different from Perry. I think he could hit Perry notes with his different voice, but my opinion is he wouldn't have worked well with Journey. Too much ballads don't suit Tate so well. And the flawless soaring high notes Perry had are not Tate strong point.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:14 pm
by rdekker
I have read that before SA was in the picture Geoff Tate was asked to audition and during that time he wrote some tracks with Cain and Schon. Hopefully these tracks will see the light of day sometime, I'm curious to what it would sound like.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:42 pm
by Ratgirl
Geoff Tate singing Journey songs? :shock: Interesting to say the least.
I think Journey's catalog has too many ballads for Geoff. Queensryche's
music is in a totally different genre of music than Journey.

Anyone shed any light on this? Or was this speculation? I think this topic was
touched on here before.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:13 pm
by NealIsGod
Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible. I like him in QR, but not a good fit for Journey.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:18 pm
by Matthew
NealIsGod wrote:Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible.



I agree...and I've always thought his voice sounds silly and pretentious.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:21 pm
by NealIsGod
Matthew wrote:
NealIsGod wrote:Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible.



I agree...and I've always thought his voice sounds silly and pretentious.


Hmph. I thought British people love those qualities. :lol:

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:23 pm
by SteveForever
have Perry record in the studio and not tour, include a copy of their "tell all" book and call it a day 8)

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:24 pm
by Ratgirl
NealIsGod wrote:Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible. I like him in QR, but not a good fit for Journey.


agreed.. (once again, this is a record) :P

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:27 pm
by Matthew
NealIsGod wrote:
Matthew wrote:
NealIsGod wrote:Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible.



I agree...and I've always thought his voice sounds silly and pretentious.


Hmph. I thought British people love those qualities. :lol:



Typical American...still thinks we all belong in Monty Python or something... :roll: :)

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:30 pm
by NealIsGod
Matthew wrote:
NealIsGod wrote:
Matthew wrote:
NealIsGod wrote:Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible.



I agree...and I've always thought his voice sounds silly and pretentious.


Hmph. I thought British people love those qualities. :lol:



Typical American...still thinks we all belong in Monty Python or something... :roll: :)


Or Benny Hill. :)

Nah, just kidding. I want to visit England one day. Nothing sexier than a woman with a British accent.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:19 pm
by conversationpc
Matthew wrote:
NealIsGod wrote:Geoff Tate singing Journey would be horrible.



I agree...and I've always thought his voice sounds silly and pretentious.


I think even Tate would admit that in the early years, at least through "Rage for Order", he probably did sound pretentious. However, his vocals starting with "Operation: Mindcrime" are more relaxed and it doesn't sound like he's trying to hit those stratospheric high notes just to show off. It could be argued that he even started to tone it down on RFO. Regardless, the guy had the tools back in the day.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:28 pm
by jrnyjetster
Geoff Tate supposedly wrote Walking Away from The Edge, which is a track on the EP Red 13, but there are no writing credits to the contrary.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:57 pm
by Socratic Methodist
Tate sucks, and has since 'Empire'.....


And 'looks' has nothing to do with who should be singer.....saying JSS didn't have the look is shite. The guys are lucky anybody wanted to sing with them AT ALL.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:43 am
by conversationpc
Socratic Methodist wrote:Tate sucks, and has since 'Empire'.....


He's definitely lost some range, but then again, who hasn't at his age? Very few male rock singers can keep up what he was doing for that long. Anyway, he still sounds awesome in the lower part of his range. Very unique voice.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:31 am
by SuiteMadameBlue
I love Geoff Tate!! GREAT voice!!

I was looking up who Cain wrote with over the years (sorry, but I don't every detail about Jonathan Cain- LOL) and found that he wrote with quite a few musicians! I'm sure 99% of this board already knew all of this 8)

Michael Bolton & some of the members of Loverboy

Of course he's good friends with John Waite and Jack Blades

so those could be more possibilities - LOL

I doubt any of these were considered, but you never know................ LOL