Event: Bottle Signing/Tasting w/ Geoff Tate
Date: Saturday, January 28th
Time: 12:00 – 2:00pm
Location: Hi Time Wine Cellars
Address: 250 Ogle St. Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Website: hitimewine.net

Date: Monday, January 31st
Time: 6:30 – 7:15pm
Location: Grass Valley Center for the Arts

Date: Tuesday, February 1st
Time: 4:00 – 6:00pm
Location: Leon Bistro, Chico
Website: leonbistro.com

Event: Wine Tasting & Bottle Signing
Date: Thursday, February 2nd
Time: 3:00 – 5:00pm
Locatation: 1313 Main
Address: 1313 Main Steet, Napa Valley, CA
There will be 2009 Three Rivers Insania Red and White featured to taste, as well as to purchase for bottle signing.
Website: 1313main.com

Mark:  Before the inquisition begins, let it be known that I thought I was a Queensryche super fan until I joined our infamous fanclub.  Little did I know that there are those who are crazier than I am about the band, and have put the number of shows I’ve seen to shame.  That being said, I love seeing the Minnesota Vikings try year after year to build a championship team with the Green Bay Packers’ sloppy seconds… how’s that working out for you, Adam?  As a Minnesota fan, you should be working on mono-syllabic words like “one” -as in how many titles you wish you could claim…  [UA:  This is so hurtful that I refuse to fix his grammar in this paragraph]  [RB:  Not to worry…. I will!]

UA:  You’ve been fortunate enough to see Queensryche in every part of the world imaginable.  Where was the best place (or two) that you’ve seen them, and did you have to learn any obscenities in foreign languages to have a good time?

Mark:  I have been fortunate to see Queensryche in several cities around the world and each one brings a different flavor to the experience.  One thing remains the same though – the passion the fans bring to the shows.  My favorite shows are from the good old USA – when I first saw Kiss close for them at the Long Beach Arena in 1984 (Queensryche opens for no one; other bands sometimes close for them) which solidified the boys as my favorite band, and in 1989 when they played Irvine Meadows after they came back from Japan supporting the Operation:Mindcrime tour.  They sold out the place, even the lawn, (12,000+ I believe) and played for close to three hours.  They were huddling up after each song towards the end of the show to decide what to play next.  It was amazing to be there, realizing that this largely unknown band whom I had been devoted to and preaching about for years had finally hit the big time.  The band was totally in the moment – awesome…

And although I do know some obscenities in foreign languages, my accent renders me useless when speaking in tongues.  My co-workers in France cringe when I try to even just pronounce words on a menu….I think I’m speaking well, but I’m pretty much just insulting everyone – I’ll just call it unintentional obscenities.

UA:  What country has the best Queensryche fans at these concerts (and please no sucking up to MathesK; Tennessee isn’t even a country).

Mark:  I’ve been to Tennessee…try to convince THEM it’s not a country!  I had the most fun in Brussels and London outside the USA for shows.  Both times I was surprised about the soccer-style chants that went on – most of the time in their mother-tongue, which I didn’t understand (even in England, I had no idea what they were saying).  Since I may have had an adult beverage or two during the shows, although I thought I was chanting along with them, I could have been chanting that Uncle Adam has an awesome codpiece.  [UA:  He said “mother-tongue”]

UA:  You named your daughter Tesla.   Was she named after:  The band, the scientist, the coil, the roadster, or out of a pure hatred for Albert Einstein?

Mark:  Here is the true story behind that choice – I really do like Tesla, the band.  Maybe even my second favorite behind Queensryche.  I’m also a drummer and a husband, which pretty much makes me deaf (as any wife will attest – we husbands don’t listen very well).  Since I named my son, my wife got to name our daughter.  She liked the name Tesla (and especially Tess for a nickname), and admired, as I do, the accomplishments of Nikola Tesla.  So she approaches me one day and says “What about Tesla for a name?” to which I said “What?”, because I was obviously not hearing her correctly.  She repeats her question, and I give the same strained, quizzical reply.  She says, “TESLA”.  I said, “Like the band?” and she says, “No, like the inventor….. Tesla” (my wife, although liking most of my music, definitely wasn’t on the “band” train of thought).  I said, “Uh….yeah!!!”   I may have never inadvertently loved my wife more than in that moment!!  She chose as Tesla’s middle name that of the artist she admires most, Monet.  So Tesla Monet was born…..no pressure to succeed there Tess.   [UA:  What a nice touching story of inadvertent love]

UA:  I understand there is a rockin’ lip sync contest that featured you as Geoff Tate (lip) singing Take Hold of the Flame.  Tell us about this, and where we can find a link to the video.

Mark:  Oh yes…. this was in high school, mind you, in 1985, so no YouTube….unfortunately.  My peeps and I were into “The Warning” album pretty hardcore by that time, but nobody else knew who the heck Queensryche was.  We formed “Ryche 5” for the contest, complete with a drum kit, tennis racquets for guitars, car ramps for the stage, and me as Geoff Tate with flash paper and a lighter taped to the palm of my hand for our best rendition of “Take Hold of the Flame”.  We had to audition with the Vice Principal before the show and I lit the carpet on fire with the flash paper.  She reluctantly agreed to let us perform if nothing like that happened again.  We had a great time performing, although only five or six people were rocking out while everybody else, we hoped, would be amazed by the constant pyrotechnics spouting from my hands.  The highlight of the performance had to be when I accidentally lit the lead racquet-guitarist’s crotch on fire with the flash paper during his solo.  Ah….the good old days.  [UA:  Note to fans, Mark had flash paper in his hands and somehow lit his buddy’s crotch on fire… Fear Mark]

UA:  So you’ve had the pleasure of meeting none other than Harley (Fan Club Member Of The Month 2/2011) at one of the shows.  Did he hit on you?  Have you washed your hands since?

Mark:  I wasn’t Harley’s type (I look nothing like Taz), so there was no need to panic.  We had given each other crap on the QR.com message boards in the past, so decided to meet up when I took my son, Alex, at the age of four, to the American Soldier tour in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Harley was great to hang out with, although if he stood in front of you during a show, you’d hate his tallness.  He actually looks like the financial-banker type that he claims as his profession, except he rocks pretty hard!!  You could definitely put his Queensryche concert rocker face next to the definition of “Oxymoron”.  He had never met the band, so I was happy to give him my extra Meet and Greet pass that night.  I still have not apologized to the band for doing so.  [UA:  I hate tall people who stand in front of me regardless of them being Harley]

UA:  What’s your current favorite Queensryche Album, Song, Tour, and Hairstyle?

Mark:  The masterpiece from Queensryche, and of all music for that matter, is “Rage For Order”.  Favorite songs are hard to choose as there are so many great ones depending on my mood.  I would have to say, just for its musical ingenuity at the time, “Neue Regel”.  There had been nothing ever recorded like it up to then, or since for that matter.  Best tour was also Rage For Order – they finally had enough material for a solid full-length concert, had that youthful exuberance put into their shows, and I was still able to see them at places small enough to really soak it all in.  And hairstyle?  C’mon, Rage For Order takes the cake again for sure.  Those were some cheesy, pretentious, over-the-top hairstyles on the back of that album.  Can you imagine anybody ever wanting to emulate the Geoff Tate style back then?   Um, not that I ever would have…..um……

UA:  In your work with the Telekinesis Company you get to do a lot of cool travel and wear a lot of interesting gypsy outfits.  What am I thinking right now?  (Hint:  It has nothing to do with the Packers losing their perfect season before even getting to the Super Bowl)

Mark:  Gypsy outfits…..um….where do I work?  What?  I will skip to question #2, what is Adam thinking right now…. besides devising a new plan to entice Brett Favre back to the Vikings to be the savior once again (think cellphone pics), Adam would likely be thinking about new ways to skewer the QueensrychenOObs he finds on the message boards (and in real life too, apparently, from what I hear).  I love watching him stalk and pounce on his unsuspecting prey….even though he’s harmless in the end.

UA:  Tell us a story about meeting the band.  Was it dreamy?  Did you swoon?  Describe the swooning….

Mark:  OK, my first encounter with a member of Queensryche was over the phone during the first month or two after the release of Rage For Order.  Michael Wilton was in the Capitol Records offices in Hollywood with Rob Gordon and Joyce Rooks (both EMI Marketing employees).  Joyce knew what a big fan I was and how much I promoted the band at Musicland (I used to manage music stores), so she called me while he was visiting.  She put him on the phone and I was like a little girl practically squealing as I fumbled over my words and admiration for the band.  Embarrassing, to say the least…. but most of us have had similar experiences with our first encounters, so I’ll wear it as a badge of… well…. embarrassment.  [UA:  Side note:  the first time I met Michael, I commented about how I was taller than him and offered to lift him over my head.  I might have had a drink that night.]

UA:  I was envious to learn that you allowed a horse to poop in your house and yet would not let me even get past the front door.  What kind of septic system do you have over there?

Mark:  It’s true that I used to own a miniature horse (Mimi) as a pet, but she died on Thanksgiving a few years ago.  She was truly a member of the family as she was housebroken (imagine having to build a 4′ x 6′ litter box for the porch) and loved to come in the house to watch TV with the family.  Having a miniature horse is like having a very large dog with the attitude of a three-year old child.  It was nice that she was trained to conveniently poop in one place as opposed to having to search all over the yard to find crap….no need to “scrape the shit off your shoes”.  Adam, as soon as you are certified as potty trained, you are also welcome in my house.

UA:  Let’s play “if Queensryche were mobile phone carriers”; which carrier would each one be, and who would have the lowest rates and best coverage?

Mark:  Jeez, where do you come up with these questions?!?!

• Geoff:  Rogers Telecom – They are a Canadian carrier with offices in Montreal.  I know Geoff wrote the story of Operation:Mindcrime there, and I think of that every time I go to the city, so I’ll stick with that.
• Scott:  Verizon – Fastest network and highest quality performance.  Could there be a better description of ScottRock’s playing?
• Whip:  France Telecom – If I remember correctly, Whip is a fan of the Grey Goose, distilled in France.  High quality (like his guitar playing), but mellow (dude)…..in the few times we’ve met, that’s where I’d peg him.
• Ed:  Sprint/Nextel – Not in the limelight a whole lot, but offers exceptional value.  Without Sprint/Nextel, the cellphone competitive landscape would be pretty bland, just like Queensryche’s music would be without the heart and soul of EdBass’ contributions.
• Parker: T-Mobile – Another great carrier (guitar playing) with great marketing (awesome tattoos), but you don’t know how long they’ll be around, although you hope it is for awhile (he has just the right amount of creativity while honoring the band’s past – like knowing how to play DeGarmo’s parts…)

UA:  Speaking of Hockey, I hate the Red Wings!  Is there a member of your family that you have not converted to a Queensryche fan yet?

Mark:  Nope, pretty much got everyone.  My sisters and I had a bet when we were teenagers.  They bet that I would like Duran Duran or Kajagoogoo before they would ever like Queensryche.  Ask them who won!  My wife, Elise, met Queensryche three times before she ever saw them in concert.  Now she’s seen them nine times – HA!  But my proudest accomplishment was converting my grandma with just a few listens of Operation:Mindcrime.  Of course she heard it several times in a row whenever I was around, so maybe I just wore her down……then again, it is a damn good album.

UA:  You have 3 Jacks, a 6 of hearts, and a 3 of diamonds.  Do you go all in knowing that I’m awesome at everything I do?

Mark:  Yes I do, because I was born in Vegas, and you should never challenge a man from Vegas in a game of Crazy Eights.   Oh, my wife says you were talking about poker….in that case, yes, I’m all in.  [UA:  You win, I’m now topless]

UA:  You bought one of Scott’s drum sets; does this make you a kick ass drummer or a guy who has a kick ass drum set?

Mark:  I used to be a pretty good drummer, but now I’m much more of the latter.  My kids play the kit more than I do, although I do want to settle back into them for about six months and be good enough to pull off a cover gig locally.  That way my kids can see that their dad isn’t a total loser….. or they will have something to laugh at for the rest of their lives.  Either way, it’s a win!  And thanks for the kit, Scott, it is well taken care of and awesome!!

UA:  So, I’m sure you’ve been in jail or have done something that would put you away for a while.  Give us your guilty plea.

Mark:  Well, I have not been to jail, although I have put a down payment on a really nice single-inmate cell with a flat-screen TV for when I kill the first boy who takes Tesla on a date – speak the word.  I have committed a federal crime…. unknowingly.  At the Queensryche show in Brussels, I had nothing for the boys to autograph during the Meet & Greet, so I had them autograph my passport.  They thought it was unique and some mentioned that nobody had ever asked them to do that before.  Later that night, as I was checking out their handiwork, I noticed that it is a federal crime to have unauthorized marks/signatures on a passport.  For the next two years I was in a total panic every time I had to go through customs that I would be whisked away to the gulag, never to return.  I also have a tattoo, Rage For Order design, thanks to MindClot.  So I’ve got that going for me when I’m incarcerated.

UA:  I made up a quote of you saying, “UncleAdam is better than me in every way”.   I enjoy making up quotes of you saying nice things about me.  What are some other nice things you can say about me here?

Mark:  Alright, I’m actually going to say something nice.  UncleAdam’s contributions to the message boards are something I look forward to as they always provide some levity to everyday life – that’s a gift that thankfully keeps on giving, even if you sometimes become the target of his playful attacks.

UA: If you could buy one band member and Uncle Adam lunch, which band member would it be and where would you take us?

Mark:  I would say Eddie Jackson.  I hear he really enjoys golf, so after we played 18 at Pinehurst #2, we would go to Ten-Ya Sushi followed by a night of drinking at Dugan’s Pub in Pinehurst Village.  Now that would be a great day, even with Adam there.

With Fall From Grace, Van Eps, Counterfist and Superfekta. Tickets are $13 ADV / $20 DOS and available through STG Presents. This all ages show starts at 7:30PM. Doors open at 6:30PM.

Hope to see you there!

Scott spent the entire 5 days sitting directly beside Alan and his crew while listening and watching as his team of professional orchestrators and engineers captured this most incredible sounding music score. “I had an amazing time and thoroughly enjoyed his talents and personality. He was most gracious and treated everyone with respect and kindness and has a great sense of humor. I was honored for the opportunity to get to know him and see how much he thoroughly enjoys his work.”

As of this date the Seattle Pink Ultra lounge has poured 1700 pints of Whip Ale in 6 months. I advise you stop by and check this place out.

Pnk Ultra Lounge
600 Pine St 4th Floor
Seattle WA 98101
206-623-2222

www.whipale.com

We apologize for any difficulty you may have experienced when trying to use the code below to purchase Whip Ale.

The issue has now been resolved, and Beerjobber has issued us a new code.

The process is exactly the same as outlined in the original email (below), with the exception that the code is now WHIPALE2011.

Again we apologize for any inconvenience, and appreciate your understanding and support.

Have a great day.

www.whipale.com

By Kevin O’Donnell with Marisa Laudadio

You will get an tour itinerary with your name in it. This will be the same itinerary the band will be using.

A laminate allowing you meet and greet access at every show you attend

Our travel God will assist you to get rooms at our rate at all the tour hotels so you can stay with the band and travel at the same times making us an Insane travel group!

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UA:  So you’ve been busy this past year doing things like getting married, moving, being awesome, and creating crafts out of discarded mannequins.  Why don’t we start with this marriage thing?  How are you digging it and can he beat me at arm wrestling?

KooWull: I actually moved four years ago, that’s old news.  However, I really do dig the married thing.  I found a great guy and consider myself very lucky.  Everyone should try the marriage thing once, it’s like a roller coaster, scary and fun all at the same time and once in a while your breath is taken away.  I’m not quite sure if he can beat you at arm wrestling, though – you are pretty built.  [UA: Four years!  Being a Time Lord has its disadvantages some days.]

UA:  You first saw Queensryche back in 1986; did you know that Voyager 2 made its first contact with Uranus that year?  How was the show and how has it changed in the past 30 years?

KooWull:  I do not recall (remember Reagan?) any voyages to Uranus. I am pretty sure I would have remembered that.  But I do remember the first Ryche show. They opened for AC/DC at the Thomas and Mack in Vegas.  I was really looking forward to it but was sadly disappointed, whoever did the sound check should have been fired, they sounded awful.  However, they made up for it a hundred times over when they returned in ’91 for the Empire tour.  WOW!!  I haven’t missed a tour yet.

UA:  What has been your favorite QR tour/show so far and why?

KooWull:  My favorite tour would be the Mindcrime II Tour.  I had seen more shows and met more Ryche fans than any other tour before.  After one of the Seattle shows I lost my driver’s license while wandering the streets of the Emerald City. Fortunately, I was able to get on the plane back to Vegas with my Sam’s Club card; the TSA approved it as a valid photo ID (true story).   [UA:  Was I at this show?  I don’t think so, but I do collect wallets.]

UA:  I recently visited Las Vegas in the hopes of finally meeting you, only to learn that you have moved away from the City of Sin.  What possessed you to move away before I got there?

KooWull: I was in Vegas for 25 years… what took you so long to visit?  I saw some of the pictures from your Vegas tour and it looks like you had a great time without me.  I miss Vegas, but life sometimes leads you into surprisingly new directions.  My boyfriend at the time (now my husband), had been in the Air Force for twenty years and retired while he was stationed at Nellis AFB (he’s my American Soldier).  He was offered an excellent position as a civilian at Scott AFB, near St. Louis.  So now, I am in the Midwest… there are no palm trees and sunshine, only corn stalks and rain/sleet/snow/tornados.  [UA:  It’s common knowledge that people who live in the Midwest are smarter and more attractive; I can see why you moved.]

UA:  Having been a lurker on the QR.com message boards for many, many years, do you find the grammar has improved or un-improved over the course of the years?  What about the making up of new words?

KooWull:  Grammar?  New words?  I thought the board was all about boobs and UA.  Or… UA looking for boobs in photographs, text or by following links to external websites.

UA:  Having never met me in person, what super hero do you think should play me in the UncleAdam Movie?  (tights optional)

KooWull: Red Mist from Kick Ass would be a perfect UA.  He wears black leather pants instead of tights, which is HOT!  He also completely kicks ass and wears black and red which are my favorite colors.  And he wears a cape, ‘nuff said.  [UA:  It’s ok ladies (and Harley) if you need to take a break to picture me in tight leather pants…. Enjoy!]

UA:  I understand you got married in Hawaii. I have no real question here but wanted to provide an example and warning to everyone that my powers of Internet Stalking are not to be trifled with.  (There is also a “getting lei’d” joke in here, but I’m above that)

KooWull:  ROFL, you are such a stalker which is sexy and creepy all at the same time.  Hawaii was beautiful and fun.  Not only did I marry the nerd of my dreams, but I hiked up and into an old volcano, toured Pearl Harbor, went to a luau and got lei’d in the airport and on the beach.

UA:  What’s your current favorite Queensryche Album and Song?  Are you picturing me singing it in the shower for you?  I bet you are now….

KooWull: My favorite album has always been Rage for Order.  It is dark and menacing, great music and composition.  My favorite song is Suite Sister Mary (Operation: Mindcrime).  After seeing that song performed live I was hooked for life.  When the song was over, the whole arena was quiet and in complete awe.  But now that I have mentally pictured Adam singing it in the shower, it might be even better than before.  [UA: I will never understand how you people consider “Gonna Get Close To You” dark and menacing…]

UA:  Eating bugs and other things for money is a time-honored tradition. What is the most unusual thing you have ever eaten?

KooWull: Although it never earned a cent, I have eaten cow tongue and tripe, but not at the same time.  I was a child and was tricked into eating that crap both times. My family is horrible.  One was offered as beef soup and the other was in Menudo and I didn’t know what it was in it.  Surprisingly, the cow tongue was pretty good, but I cannot see myself eating it again.  The thought of my food tasting me back is kinda creepy.  [UA: Now that you live in the Midwest, we can hit up the big Lutefisk dinners together!]

UA:  I don’t actually play WoW, but I’m fond of yelling “I got a mount!  I got a mount!”  What does this mean to you and what do you mount?

KooWull: WoW, that is a fully loaded question.  The Google definition of mounting is “The action of mounting something.”  To me, mounting in the WoW world is a means to get from point A to point B.  I do not collect mounts, but I know others who do.  My Priest rides a Magnificent Flying Carpet.  My Death Knight has a Swift BrewFest Ram and a Winged Steed of the Ebon Blade.  I call the Winged Steed my Boner Mount since it is a skeleton bird.  [UA:  Just wanted to point out she said “Boner” here on her own without my prompting…. Also, other than the word Boner, I have no idea what she’s talking about.]

UA:  Do you have any PG stories you can share from your travels with Rychadelic?

KooWull: During the Mindcrime II tour my Toxic Twin (Rychadelic) was complaining that her liver hurt after following the band for a week. I thought she was joking and laughed it up, but she wasn’t joking. It took a week to recover from a week of vacation. We survived off of alcohol, Ibuprofen, Rock Star energy drinks, water and bread.  Good times!  [UA: And in Question #3 above, KooWull has identified this as her favorite tour…. Must have been some awesome bread!]

UA:  I like to play the game where you compare the band with other things or people.  Let’s play if Queensryche were Characters played by William Shatner, who would they be and why?

I have only ever seen him in Star Trek, TJ Hooker, Miss Congeniality and the Priceline commercials.  I really like the band members, they are such great guys, and William Shatner is a bit of a joke.  So there is only one character that comes to mind…

Geoff Tate:  Captain Kirk – the fearless leader who breaks all of the rules

UA:  Since KooWull wussed out here, I’ll fill in the rest for you…

Scott:  Denny Crane in Boston Legal – Pure Awesome

Ed:  Ed from Sh*t My Dad Says – I’ve never seen the show, but anyone who teaches UA the phrase “Grocery Snake” clearly would be on this.

Michael:  William Shatner in the Roast of William Shatner – funny, crude, and kick ass all at once.

Parker: Bob Wilson from that episode of Twilight Zone where he freaks out on an airplane. – Not because Parker freaks out on airplanes, but because he has similar hair.

Scurlock: TJ Hooker – Look at all the innuendo this implies!

UA:  See KooWull that wasn’t that hard!

KooWull:  So UA, Now that I am in St. Louis, when are you going to visit me?

UA: Well I had this huge plan to go visit Branson but then MathesK decided to go be with her own age group and I don’t think that Huey Lewis and the News has a pavilion there yet.  So I suppose I’ll get to St. Louis sometime in the next decade, but when I do I’ll make sure I look you up and arm wrestle this ‘husband’ of yours.

UA:  Did you cry when Han Solo was frozen into carbonite?

KooWull:  Han Solo was frozen into carbonite?  That does not sound like a good place to find oneself.  [UA:  I fear that Red Solo Cup song has rotted the brains of the youth in this country…]

UA: If you could buy one band member and Uncle Adam lunch, which band member would it be and where would you take us?

KooWull: Chris DeGarmo. I know that he is no longer with the band, but he wrote most of my favorite songs.  We would go to my favorite little Italian restaurant in Vegas… Ventano’s.  It is away from the Strip, has a great view of the city and the best spiedini  [UA:  I shall order the beef tongue!]

James Durbin sure knows how to kick off a new year.

The rocker and American Idol alum wed longtime love Heidi Lowe on New Year’s Eve, Durbin’s rep confirms. The couple made it official in front of 85 guests – including their 2-year-old son, Hunter, who served as ring bearer – in a chapel at the edge of a redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

“We are so in love and happy that we got to share our special day with our closest family and friends,” the couple tells PEOPLE exclusively.

“This wedding was the perfect way to kick off the New Year. We are looking forward to living happily ever after.”

Guests included Durbin’s fellow Idol Season 10 alums Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone and Casey Abrams.

Lowe and Durbin, 22, who released his debut album Memories of a Beautiful Disaster in November, plan to ring in the New Year with a reception at a local community hall that they describe as a “little bit country, little bit rock ‘n roll.”

One of the highlights of the night? Geoff Tate, the frontman for progressive metal band Queensrÿche, surprised the couple with a performance of his band’s 1984 classic “Take Hold of the Flame” – one of Durbin and Lowe’s favorite tunes.