New QUEENSRŸCHE Guitarist: 'I'm Gonna Play Every Song Note For Note'

QUEENSRŸCHE's new touring guitarist Parker Lundgren is featured in the band's fifth video podcast talking about his new role in the group. He states in the clip: "Well, coming into... Joining QUEENSRŸCHE, I know that I definitely have some big shoes to fill, because every guitar player they've ever had has been amazing — incredible guitar players, really great songwriters. I guess the main thing that I'm gonna try to do is to recreate what they've made on their albums — I'm gonna play every song note for note; the lead stuff, the rhythm stuff — and I'm actually working on finding all of their guitar tones. So I'm gonna get the amps and the guitars and just really try to recreate the record. I think that's what the fans would like and I think that's what I would like. I know that when I see a band and I have heard their music, I like to hear a song a particular way and so I don't like it if bands change their music around when they play live. So I'm just gonna try to play it exactly how the recordings are."

Lundgren was previously a member of QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate's solo band. The guitarist (pictured below),who is apparently engaged to Tate's daughter Miranda, played several shows with the QUEENSRŸCHE frontman last September and joined Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton for a rare all-acoustic set at KISW's annual Holiday Hangover Ball on December 12, 2008 at Showbox SoDo in Seattle, Washington.

Guitarist Mike Stone announced his departure from QUEENSRŸCHE on February 3. He said in a statement, "After much consideration, I will not be joining QUEENSRŸCHE on the 2009 American Soldier Tour. I feel now is the time to focus on other musical endeavors, including my new band SPEED X with Nick Catanese of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. I would like to thank all of the QUEENSRŸCHE fans around the world for being nothing less than amazing to me during my time with the band. You have treated me like gold, and I will never forget it. It has been an honor to be a part of the QUEENSRŸCHE family, and I wish Geoff, Michael, Scott and Eddie nothing but the very best."

QUEENSRŸCHE added in a statement, "We will miss [Mike]. He is a wonderful player and has contributed to our lives musically and spiritually. We wish him the best and hope to see him succeed in everything he chooses to participate in."

"If I Were King", the first single off QUEENSRŸCHE's upcoming album, "American Soldier", is available for streaming on MP3.com.

QUEENSRŸCHE's twelfth studio release, the epic concept album "American Soldier", will be available from Atco/Rhino on March 31 for a suggested list price of $18.98 (CD) and $9.99 (digital). The ambitious album encompasses a dozen songs inspired by numerous interviews with veterans conducted by Geoff Tate, the group's singer and chief songwriter, who was intent on telling their story using their words. After speaking with soldiers who served in various conflicts — from World War II to Iraq — Tate turned their firsthand experiences from the frontlines into an unflinching musical examination of the life of a solider and the consequences of war.

"American Soldier" was written by Tate and producer Jason Slater, along with drummer Scott Rockenfield, and contributors Kelly Gray and Damon Johnson. Slater returns to the QUEENSRŸCHE creative process in the same capacity that worked for the band with the writing and recording of "Operation: Mindcrime II", which was released in 2006 and debuted at #14 on The Billboard 200, selling more than 40,000 records in its first week. The album was QUEENSRŸCHE's highest chart debut since "Promised Land", in 1994. Both "Promised Land" and "Operation: Mindcrime" (1988) have been certified platinum, selling more than one million albums each in America alone, and "Empire" (1990) has reached triple-platinum status. The band's first three albums–their self-titled EP (1983),"The Warning" (1984),and "Rage For Order" (1986) — have all been certified gold, selling more than 500,000 copies each.

In a first for QUEENSRŸCHE, all of the guitar tracks on "American Soldier" were recorded by Michael Wilton.

"American Soldier" track listing

01. Sliver
02. Unafraid
03. Hundred Mile Stare
04. At 30,000 Ft.
05. A Dead Man's Words
06. The Killer
07. Middle Of Hell
08. If I Were King
09. Man Down!
10. Remember Me
11. Home Again
12. The Voice