Vocalist GEOFF TATE (QUEENSRŸCHE) is featured in a new interview with Über Röck discussing the break-up of the band. An excerpt from the chat is available below:

Über Röck: Hypothetically, if you were stuck in an elevator with them, who do you think would speak first?

Tate: "If we were in a situation where we were put together who would speak first? Oh, it would be me."

Über Röck: And who do you think would throw the first punch?

Tate: "Throw the first punch? Well, probably me. Those guys can't fight their way out of a paper bag. I've never seen such a bunch of... How can you be a man and not, like, defend yourself? How can you do that? I don't understand it. I probably shouldn't talk about that… I could get in trouble. [laughs] You know, Americans are really touchy about that stuff. I spit in Scott's (Rockenfield/drums) face and that is an ancient act of defiance and contempt: it's a symbolic gesture. It's ancient, people have been doing that for centuries and Americans can't wrap their head around that. They think it's juvenile, like it's something a kid does. They can't understand guys getting in a punch-up. They fear that, they're appalled by it. In other countries, Ireland for example, the Irish don't see anything wrong with it at all."

Über Röck: If it all ended now and Queensrÿche, in whatever form stopped right now, how would you like the band to be remembered?

Tate: "I had a different idea of how I wanted things to end than the way they have. I've always tried very hard to take care of the name and present the band in an elegant way — since I'm the one that does all the interviews and TV appearances and radio appearances and all that, and I've always tried to communicate to the world that we are a bunch of friends who make music together and that we care about each other and always stand by each other’s side, and that we were out to, ultimately, make music for as long as we possibly could. The whole way the other guys have handled the breakup thing really saddens me because it's in direct opposition to what my belief system is. I think that we could easily have sat in a room and talked about our problems, we could have addressed things in a real civil manner, we could have come to conclusions easily without dragging our laundry through the public, so to speak. The way that they've gone about firing everybody in our organization is just cold-hearted, you know, very cold and ruthless, and honestly it's not the way I envisioned the band ending its days, to be honest... I'm really humiliated by their actions, actually…"

Click here for the complete interview. Watch the infamous spitting incident below at 3:57.

Further laying down the gauntlet and keeping the music he's created over the past three decades alive, Tate will be taking the newly-announced line-up on the road next year to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the band's epic 1988 release, Operation: Mindcrime.

The tour - with dates slated to begin in April (see below) - will feature the arsenal of bassist Rudy Sarzo, drummer Bobby Blotzer, guitarist Kelly Gray (Queensrÿche/MYTH) and keyboardist Randy Gane (Myth) along with special guest appearances and plenty of surprises.

"It's great to be performing with all of these guys who have been true friends for years," comments Geoff. "Kelly, Randy and I formed Myth more than 30 years ago and I've known Rudy and Bobby for several years as well. I think we are all inspired by the collaboration and couldn't be more excited to bring it to our fans next year."

In 2006, Queensrÿche brought the theatrical interpretation of the Mindcrime saga to audiences all over the world.

A year later, the band would release Mindcrime at the Moore, a double DVD featuring the theatrical performances of both Operation: Mindcrime I & II albums that debuted at #1 on the Billboard Music DVD Chart.

The DVD set would mark the band's first #1 chart debut, quickly achieving gold status, selling over 50,000 units.

The performance of Operation: Mindcrime next spring will cover all fifteen songs from the album including such fan favorites as 'Revolution Calling', 'Operation: Mindcrime', 'I Don't Believe in Love', and the closing track, 'Eyes of a Stranger'.

It will also feature other selections from the Queensrÿche catalog including songs from Operation: Mindcrime II.

The news of the 25th Anniversary Mindcrime Tour comes just a few weeks after Tate's eagerly-awaited sophomore solo release, Kings & Thieves, was released on InsideOut Music.

His first solo release in more than a decade, Kings & Thieves is a journey into the mind of one of rock's most dynamic vocalists.

"My goal with this record was to make a solid rock album," says Tate. "I wanted it to be an album that I could play live that would be both satisfying and fun because, as a singer, you need to create a show that has a lot of dynamics to it and takes people on a ride."

25th Anniversary Operation: Mindcrime Tour 2013

April

6 - Peppermill Casino in West Wendover, Nevada
11 - Paramount Theatre in Denver, Colorado
12 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico
13 - Chrome in Las Vegas, Nevada
14 - Marquee Theater in Tempe, Arizona
16 - Rialto Theatre in Tucson, Arizona
18 - The Canyon Club in Agoura, California
19 - 4th & B in San Diego, California
20 - Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California
21 - Fillmore in San Francisco, California

More dates to be announced.