QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate is featured in a new interview with Casey Pukl at AnthologySD.com. An excerpt is available below:

CP: Dedicated To Chaos felt like quite a departure from all of the Queensrÿche music I’ve heard in the past. I feel like it’s got a much stronger melodic focus than previous records.

Tate: "Well, we tend to write records depending upon the subject manner that we’re trying to get across in the lyrics. We flip flop between making really heavy concept albums and very metal records. We made quite a few albums that one might consider pop records, and I think this one may fall under that category. It’s very similar to the Empire record or Hear In the Now Frontier."

CP: What’s the process for you guys when you decide to do a new record? Do you sit down and discuss the concept first or do you have some songs?

Tate: "It starts various ways, really. Sometimes it starts with a lyric line or a short paragraph or story. Usually it starts with an abstract idea. Sometimes it’s just a subject, like I think I’d like to write about the political unrest in Nicaragua. I find that interesting. Sometimes I’ll go in with something like that in mind."

CP: How about this latest album. What sparked it?

Tate: "Gosh, I think it was just trying to make a very singable record that people could put on and sing along to. We also wanted to make a lighter record than what we’ve done in the past few years. We did two concept records back to back, Operation: Mindcrime II and American Soldier. Both are really pretty aggressive records that are pretty dark and melancholy. We wanted to do something that was a departure from that— something lighter."

Click here for the complete interview.

Come meet Tate and taste his wine; Insania before his solo show in Napa, CA on February 2nd between 3pm and 5pm at 1313 Main in Napa Valley. There will be 2009 Three Rivers Insania Red and White featured to taste, as well as to purchase for bottle signing.

Tate's acoustic solo tour encompasses eight shows:

January

26 - San Diego, CA - Anthology
27 - Agoura Hills, CA - Canyon
28 - San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Brew
29 - San Juan Cap, CA - Coach House
31 - Grass Valley, CA - Center for the Arts

February

1 - Chico, CA - El Rey
2 - Napa, CA - Uptown
4 - Snqoualmie, WA - Finapalooza