QUEENSRŸCHE's WILTON On Split With TATE: 'Once This Burden Was Lifted From Us, This Darkness Went Away'

Owais "Vitek" Wani of Metal Wani conducted an interview with QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton. You can now listen to the 23-minute chat below.

On estranged QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate's claim that the court battle over the rights to the the band's name is "all about money":

Wilton: "To me, it's bigger than that. It's basically the entity of the name, what it means, the inherent value, creatively, and everything encompassed with the fans. As far as revenue streams, whatever, that's all part of it, but it's what's in our hearts that matters."

On feeling completely free , artistically and creatively, to follow their own path after parting ways with Geoff Tate:

Wilton: "Oh, yeah. Once this burden was lifted from us, this darkness went away and the light came through and everybody just had the freedom to create and take chances and take risks musically and not be squandered because it didn't fit a certain way that someone wanted to sing. So it was just a blessing in that aspect."

On having fun on the road once again:

Wilton: "That's the other faction of the touring now. For so many years, we've been hearing rants and requests, 'Play the old material. Play the old material. Quit playing so much of the new stuff.' And so, ironically, that's what we're doing. And now, they're getting the old material, and now the fans are screaming out the new songs. 'Play the new songs. Play the new songs.' So it's kind of reversed itself now. It's very, very interesting."

Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit in June 2012 asking the judge to award them the rights to the band's name in exchange for Tate paying Eddie Jackson (bass),Michael Wilton and Scott Rockenfield (drums) the fair market value for their interests in the QUEENSRŸCHE companies. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson filed a countersuit against the Tates in which they accused Geoff of creative obstruction and violent behavior, and Susan Tate of questionable business practices.

"This is all about getting rid of somebody so that there would be more money to split between a fewer amount of people," Geoff Tate told Guitar World magazine. "QUEENSRŸCHE is and was an incredibly successful business entity worldwide. And to completely dismantle it is an act of foolishness."