Reporting for Canada’s The Metal Voice, Scott Wark sits down and talks to former singer of QUEENSRYCHE Geoff Tate at the end of Operation Mindcrime’s final tour date in Ottawa, Canada  at The Brass Monkey.

On how far along the recording process they are for Part 2 and 3 of The Key trilogy

“Part 2 is primarily finished we just have to mix it which we will do when we get home next week. We have to turn the album in June 1, 2016. Part 3 is pretty far along, again it’s just doing overdubs and  a lot of mixing.”

On the Musical direction on The Key Part 2 and 3

What we try to do for each record in this trilogy was to advance our perception of music to a different level each time kind of get more progressive as we go. For instance on the second album, that is coming out, there is longer arrangements on the songs, more movements, separate movements, rather than it being kind of being a standard arrangement that maybe people are used to. We kind of went more with are early influences of  YES and King Crimson, early Genesis as a kind of model  but infuse that with the modern technology, modern instruments that we have now.”

On whether he would consider going back to Queensryche

“No. When you betray somebody so badly, when you hurt them so badly, it’s really hard for the other person to forgive to the extent where hey everything is fine let’s make music. Making music is very personnel and you just don’t do that with everybody.”

On if he would ever release the demos by his first band MYTH

“A lot of those tracks turned into Queensryche tracks. No Sanctuary, Take hold of the flame, Walk in the shadows. Actually the intro to the show that we are doing now is taken from that demo from a song called LET US PRAY. Maybe, to answer your question. There are a couple of tracks that I really still quite like.”

On his thoughts on AC/DC touring without Brian Johnson

“I don’t know everything about it, just through Simon our Drummer who played with AC/DC for years that Brian can’t tour and they have this massive tour booked and the need a replacement singer and I heard something about Axl Rose.”

“Brian is one of the nicest guy that I ever met in the music business. When we toured with him every night he would hold a party in some local pub and basically packed with people and he would buy everybody drinks all night long, you weren’t allowed to take your wallet out. It was awesome.”

On Operation Monderime’s future tour plans and release date of the new album, The Key part 2

“We are going to Europe in June 2016 for a festival or two. But we won’t be touring again until winter with the release of the new album.”

Watch the interview here: