Queensrÿche recently released their new album, Digital Noise Alliance, and I spoke with guitarist Michael Wilton about the making of the album, their tour with Judas Priest, and more. 

I’d like to start off by asking you what inspired this album and felt like the right time to release it?

Just like most bands, we were waiting for it to be safe to travel with the immunization and shut-downs and all that. We had just gotten off our last tour when the government shut everything down, so we were just like every other musician wondering what was going to happen. Basically, when it was deemed safe to travel, that’s when this whole thing started, we had a meeting with the band and the producer, Zeuss. That’s when we started what we call “think tank sessions”, where we’d all fly into a certain spot and just start experimenting and coming up with ideas, and Zeuss would archive them, and that’s kind of how it got started. We decided that this album would be better served by everybody being in the recording room and contributing ideas, rather than doing the whole email thing. I think that was something that we hadn’t done in a while, and lo and behold, it turned out to be so efficient and I think we decided to come up with all new ideas, which is not regurgitated songs from the past or anything like that, this is all pretty much improvised. Most of the songs started from a guitar riff, and they were just built up into a song. This is kind of like what we did back in the early ‘80s, before technology, cellphones and internet and all that, we would get together in a room and show each other riffs, ideas, lyrics, and everything. So we did this with Digital Noise Alliance in a modern sense. I think it just gravitated the whole energy of the recording. 

We had, I believe, three or four of these big Queensrÿche get-together think tank sessions, and each time, we’d come in with ideas and just start writing and compiling and building, and we were starting to get on a roll. We were starting to see that, “Wow, this was really working cool”, I’d record a riff, and Zeuss would tell Casey Grillo to put a drum beat to it, and Todd would come up with a melody, and Eddie would come up with a bass part. You know, so we got this momentum and it was so efficient, we were coming up with probably three to five songs a day. We got to a point where we had like, 22 songs, and we had to cut it down to 11 or 12 songs, and that’s when we started to microscope the whole recording and start moving to where we actually start printing. I think the whole idea behind this was just, “let’s let this flow, let’s let this just be organic, and create as we go”. And Zeuss goes, “Michael, do you still have those old Marshall heads that you recorded with?” and I said, “Yeah, they’re in my closet”, and he says, “let’s bring them, let’s record that”. So we set up, I brought six of my Marshall heads in, and I think those things just have such personality, that we would combine different amplifiers, they all have different sounds and everything, and it gave it that whole unique, vintage-y feel in a modern situation.

Absolutely, that’s awesome. And it sounds like there definitely was a lot of great creativity flowing, I mean, 22 songs sounds like you’ve already got another album on deck, which is really cool. But yeah, so many bands did have to go the whole remote writing and recording style, like you said, emailing back and forth for the past few years. So with DNA, that must have been great to get back to your roots in a sense and create everything in person and feel that creativity. 

Right, I know, it’s just a concerted effort that we made. Once it was safe to fly *laughs*, it was like, “let’s do this”. 

And of course you mentioned the classic gear there as well, your Queensrÿche guitar tone and sound was unique in the 80s and it’s unique today. You seem to be someone who’s very open about discussing your gear, what do you think has been the most unique factor to your guitar sound over the years? Something that stands out as a favorite, or a key piece of your tone and sound?

I’ve endorsed ESP guitars for decades, and I think that has a lot to do with it. And I think the amps that I use to record, and I think it’s just kind of the way that I attack my playing, and how I do what I do. Which is, not try to complicate things, just let things flow and just kind of go with whatever ideas in my head. I’ve got Zeuss by my side archiving, and I’ve got the guys giving me thumbs up or thumbs down. I really can’t describe how I play, other than I just do what I do. I write what’s in my head, streaming through my brain.

Well, you do it well. You’ve mentioned Zeuss a couple of times, you had worked with Zeuss on the last two Queensrÿche albums, so was it just natural and par for the course that he would come on board for this album too?

Yeah, there’s such a trust that’s built. He’s efficient, he knows our style, he knows our personalities individually, and he’s a fun guy to be around. He’s great to hang out with as well. So obviously, we give him first shot when we’re doing a record, because everything that he’s done has just really been so outstanding. We hope to use him on the next album, whenever that happens. 

You mentioned that you had so many songs ready for this album, do you think you’ll end up carrying forward any of the songs that you ended up with, or do you want to start fresh for the next album?

I don’t know, we don’t preplan, when it’s time to do the next album, we’ll make that decision and it could be something completely different, who knows.

I also want to ask you about the single, “Behind the Walls”, because of all the singles that came out, I feel that one stands out to me the most because it’s a very intense song, it’s heavy, but it has such a classic, quintessential Queensrÿche vibe and tone to it. I’d love to hear more on the making of that track specifically. 

Right, that song was in the first batch of writing. It’s a riff that I wanted to make powerful, I think that it was something that just kept building and as we put layers on and built the process, Todd came up with great lyrics. We were just in a stream of creativity, right? So we didn’t know that this song was going to have such an impact until we did a video for it that was on YouTube, and it kind of took off, and it was like, “wow, okay”, and consequentially, we’re playing it now on the Judas Priest tour. So it’s great and it kind of fits with the songs we’re playing, and it’s something that the fans are enjoying, but the song has taken on its own life, it’s really a lot of fans’ favorite song off this album. 

And that’s awesome, because that is something that can happen in that stream of consciousness/creativity that you were saying, not necessarily something you’re thinking too hard about, not over-calculating the sound, you’re just like, “you know what? This is a good vibe and we’re going to roll with it”, and it ends up being a hit in that sense. 

Exactly, sometimes there’s just energy in a riff that needs to be unleashed *laughs*.

Definitely. And of course you mentioned the Judas Priest tour, you guys have been touring almost non-stop, with a few breaks here and there, but pretty much for most of the year, with Judas Priest. Can you first talk about that tour and how everything’s going with that creative energy, but also about your connection with Judas Priest, and what was your first experience ever touring with them?

I think that was back…I may be wrong, don’t quote me, but back in 2007, I think we toured with them. So that’s the beginnings of meeting the guys and everything. And this year, after the pandemic, it was a great opportunity to springboard back into the industry and get on the spring tour with Judas Priest. When they announced a fall/winter tour, we said we were available, they picked us again, and we were grateful for that, and it’s going great. This tour that we’re on right now is going to go until December 1st and then probably going to take a bit of time off, maybe do a few fly gigs, and then 2023, end of February, we have a Digital Noise headline tour already booked, so that’s going to be fun. I know they’re already booking shows in Europe again, so that will be great to get to Europe again. So we’re going to be busy for the next few years on this album. 

That sounds like you’ve got a ton of stuff on the horizon for Queensrÿche. Another thing I noticed about DNA, there’s been several special vinyl editions of the album coming out, and I’m sure that was something you did when the classic Queensrÿche albums were coming out. Now it seems it’s back to vinyl again, so I’m curious about your thoughts on that?

Oh, I love LPs, I love vinyl records. I think it’s very cool. I have a turntable at home, although I haven’t tried to play the color vinyl yet, I just play the standard black ones, but they sure look cool, I love them.

I’m also curious because you mentioned the connection between Priest and Queensrÿche, and something the two bands have in common is that dual guitar factor, both guitarists working together on layering and building while still showing each one’s style. That’s something you do in Queensrÿche, but lately you’ve had a returning guitarist with Mike Stone, so can you talk about him being back in the band, and that dynamic?

Yeah, that worked out great for us, because when Parker retired, we were possibly considering going the audition route, but Eddie still had Stone’s phone number, and just on a whim, gave him a call. And he said, “Sure, I’ll help you guys out”. So he’s been with us, he knows most of the songs, so it was a no-brainer. We brought him in to do some recording on Digital Noise Alliance as well, so he’s back with the band in full force, everybody’s digging it.

Another thing about DNA, we were talking about the single “Behind the Walls” and how much that really resonated with everyone who’s heard the album, but for you personally, what did you feel was the track that really stood out to you the most when you finished that flow of creativity and took a step back and looked at what you guys made?

I think probably the song, “Forest”, because it was so different from the other songs, because it was probably the last song that we wrote. I just like listening to that and how we created something a little bit different. 

I think the whole album is definitely something different, it has a classic Queensrÿche vibe while still being very new, very modern, and fits in well in 2022. I think you guys came up with something awesome, and you’ve got some great stuff on the horizon for Queensrÿche, so thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today.

Thank you for having me, thank you for supporting Queensrÿche, and tell everybody to support live music because the bands need their help. 

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For the latest on Queensrÿche, visit: http://www.queensrycheofficial.com.