I was able to talk with M3 festival headliners Queensryche (Todd LaTorre & Michael Wilton) before hitting the stage.
Angel Alamo: How is the new album coming along?
Todd La Torre: It’s going well actually; it is in the mixing stages right now.
AA: How is playing at the M3 festival different from some of the other festivals?
Michael Wilton: We have a variety of festivals that we play. Like in Europe there’s all different kinds of festivals. We play Rockin the rivers music festival which is more heavier bands I guess, this is more kind of traditional 80s style of music. It’s a different genre it’s a different flavor. But that’s cool that we can play in Rockin(the rivers music festival) and M3 festival.
TL: I think it’s probably one of the only festivals in the states that hosts this type of event with the lineup that you have where some of the other festivals have a lot of new bands and some of the older bands and across as a lot of different genres. This is a little more what’s the word that I am looking for a little more of the same era. Which is fine.
AA: Todd you wear originally a drummer in the future would you ever do a side project as a drummer?
TL: Sure I mean it would be fun. Not for a touring thing because Queensryche is what I do with the band full time.
I can’t imagine any time that would be able to do that but as a drummer I would love to drum with a side project recording or video or maybe a couple live shows as the drummer where I’m not the front guy that would always be fun.
AA: What songs are the most difficult to play live?
TL: We kind of nail them all. It’s a hard question
AA: Which album or band made you want to go into music?
MW: The first Van Halen album and there’s Black Sabbath, Never Say Die tour
TL: For the rock genre early Ratt and Dokken. Those were two of my all-time favorites Stryper outside of that genre when my ears really started to pay attention to music really want you started to pay attention to Fleetwood Mac Billy Joel stuff like that. As a young child I started playing guitar when I was 10 and then that took a backseat to drunk when I was 13 and that was more of the rock influence took place with the bands that I just mentioned.
AA: Once the new record comes out what are the bands touring plans?
Normally we would tour europe twice a year this year we decided to take some time off because of the new album we want a really hit it hard once the new record comes out so we don’t want to saturated any markets prematurely or anything like that, there are some potential shows in South America we just came back from India a few days ago surely a North American tour. We will definitely be going overseas once the new album comes out.
Angel Alamo 