Kings & Thieves

For the release of the same name by David Hodges, see Kings & Thieves (David Hodges album).
Kings & Thieves
Studio album by Geoff Tate
Released November 6, 2012
Genre Rock
Length 52:03
Label InsideOut
Producer Kelly Gray
Geoff Tate chronology
Geoff Tate
(2002)
Kings & Thieves
(2012)
Frequency Unknown
(2013)

Kings & Thieves is the second solo studio album by former Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate, released on November 6, 2012.[1] It follows his eponymous first solo effort, released a decade earlier. Kings & Thieves sold about 1,800 copies in the U.S. in its first week,[1] and failed to chart. The album was produced by longtime Queensrÿche collaborator Kelly Gray, who also played on the album.

Background

One of Tate's New Year's resolutions for 2012 was to make a new solo record and releasing it within that year.[2] According to Tate, the album took about six months to make, as he started on January 2 and had finished it in July.[2] Tate has described it as more of a rock record than his first solo album.[1]

In April 2012, during the making of the solo album, internal struggles within Queensrÿche resulted in the firing of Tate's stepdaughter Miranda from running the band's fan club, and Tate's wife Susan as the band manager,[3] which resulted in Tate throwing several punches and physically assaulting[4] and spitting on Scott Rockenfield and Michael Wilton.[5] Matters were not resolved in the following months, after which the other band members fired Tate from Queensrÿche in June,[6] leading to a court case that has temporarily allowed both parties to use the band's name.[7] According to Tate, "There probably was some influence about what was going on with my former bandmates because some of what was happening was going on at the same time as the recording. It was mostly completely written before all of the legal stuff came up but there are probably references on Kings and Thieves to certain people and certain situations."[2] Classic Rock furthermore suggested: "it can’t be a complete coincidence that one of the main themes on Kings And Thieves is the notion of friendship, loyalty and social ties."[8]

Songs

Tate described each song on the album in detail in an interview with Classic Rock:[8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[9]
Revolver(2/5)[10]

Kings & Thieves has received mixed to negative critical reviews, though it charted on the number ten slot on Billboard's Top Heatseekers listing.

Paige Camisaska of Revolver gave a negative reaction to the album, giving it a 2/5 rating. She criticized Tate for not capitalizing on his abilities on the album, and described the album as something of a followup to Queensrÿche's much criticized 2011 effort, Dedicated to Chaos.[10]

Kings & Thieves also received a negative reaction from Allmusic reviewer Thom Jurek, who gave it a 1/5 rating. He described the album as feeling "at best unfinished", and critiqued Tate for singing about "the various ways in which he wants to get laid".[9]

Track listing

  1. "She Slipped Away" - 3:37
  2. "Take A Bullet" - 3:47
  3. "In The Dirt" - 4:50
  4. "Say U Luv It" - 4:05
  5. "The Way I Roll" - 4:46
  6. "Tomorrow" - 6:11
  7. "Evil" - 3:51
  8. "Dark Money" - 4:25
  9. "These Glory Days" - 4:54
  10. "Change" - 6:08
  11. "Waiting" - 5:29

Personnel

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Geoff Tate: 'Kings & Thieves' First-Week Sales Revealed - Nov. 14, 2012". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Parks, John (2013-03-04). "Queensryche singer Geoff Tate on the state of the ryche, Mindcrime tour, former bandmates & more". Legendary Rock Interviews. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  3. "Declaration of Michael Wilton" (PDF). Court declaration. 2012-06-09. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  4. Queensrÿche Drummer: We Had 'No Choice But To Move On Without' Geoff Tate. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved on 2012-09-16.
  5. Video Footage Of Geoff Tate Allegedly Spitting At Queensrÿche Drummer. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved on 2012-09-16.
  6. "Declaration of Geoff Tate in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction" (PDF). Court declaration. 2012-06-09. Retrieved 2012-12-01. (Exhibit E.)
  7. "Audio of the Preliminary Injunction Hearing Pt. 2". Court declaration. 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  8. 1 2 Kielty, Martin (2012-11-08). "Geoff Tate: Kings And Thieves track by track". Classic Rock. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  9. 1 2 3 Jurek, Thom. "Kings & Thieves". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  10. 1 2 Camisaska, Paige. "Review: Geoff Tate – Kings & Thieves". Revolver. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
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