The Queensryche vs. Scott Rockenfield Feud Heats Up

The ongoing saga between Queensryche and estranged drummer Scott Rockenfield continues to get stranger by the minute.

To recap: in 2017, Rockenfield went on paternity leave from Queensryche, the band he co-founded in 1980. He’s hardly communicated with his band members or fans since, while Kamelot’s Casey Grillo filled in live, other than a cryptic message this past January in which he simply said he was still in the band and would explain more soon. In April, Queensryche singer Todd La Torre said in an interview that he has no clue what Rockenfield has been up to for the past four years (“I have no idea what he’s doing” were his exact words). Then, a little over a week ago, Rockenfield launched a website at Queensryche2021.com — teasing “a brand new world” and “a brand new experience” — that seemingly did not have the blessing of the rest of the band; Rockenfield linked to it on his own social media profiles, but the band didn’t.

Now Rockenfield has made use of that new website to release an early demo of “Toxic Remedy,” a song from the band’s 2015 album Condition Hüman. Again, only Rockenfield spread the news; the band’s official channels haven’t said a word.

Which makes the already fishy situation even fishier. WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?

But wait, that’s not all: earlier this week, La Torre launched an eBay auction of drum sticks that Rockenfield used for the recording of the band’s 2013 self-titled album. This time it’s Rockenfield who made no effort to promote the news.

Two days later, Rockenfield posted the following on Facebook, seemingly directed at La Torre:

“As a corp brand business owner for over 40years now, I was once asked: if an ’employee/hired hand/sub contractor/or other similar employed individual’ is engaging in unacceptable and disparaging remarks towards their so called ‘EMPLOYER or BENEFACTOR'(?), then more than likely this person still needs to be educated and nurtured to gain some much needed experience and to hopefully then have some respect and gratitude?? ….

“On a side note: remember ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest’ ? amazing film….fresh popcorn tonight “

What’s more, some fans commenting on the above post have accused La Torre of deleting comments and blocking fans who take a critical stance towards his role in the situation.

So many questions. Is Rockenfield still in the band or not? If so, why is he acting on his own with a new website? Is La Torre’s auction some kind of passive aggressive taunt or is he just hard-up for money like so many musicians right now? Why is Rockenfield essentially doing the same? We need explanations.

Former Queensryche vocalist Geoff Tate, who split from the band in 2012, said in a 2019 interview that he believed Rockenfield and the band were embroiled in a lawsuit, then in 2020 he said the drummer has “a lot of medical problems.” There has been no confirmation of either of those assertions, although it’s looking more and more like at least the first one is true.

We’ll post an update when we know more.

[via Blabbermouth]