Kickstarter for a new Tourniquet album - 2022 release

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Not interested.

In what? A new Tourniquet album?

Exactly.

No problem. I was just curious. I can definitely see why if you’re a fan of the classic era. The recent stuff is like a totally different thing. I could still call them Tourniquet when they had Luke, but now it’s a revolving door of guest spots and if you like a singer, there’s no telling if that voice will return.

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Not interested.

In what? A new Tourniquet album?

Exactly.

I'm cautiously interested, but after the last two I'm heavily vetting this one first. Gazing at Medusa is such a great song that I bought it and...that was it. One song pony.  Same with Onward to Freedom which only has a couple good songs. 

So I'm waiting until I can listen on YouTube.

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Not interested.

In what? A new Tourniquet album?

Exactly.

No problem. I was just curious. I can definitely see why if you’re a fan of the classic era. The recent stuff is like a totally different thing. I could still call them Tourniquet when they had Luke, but now it’s a revolving door of guest spots and if you like a singer, there’s no telling if that voice will return.

For me, I was a Luke fan.  I liked a lot of what they did during that time while still not being a huge fan.  I liked a little of the early stuff, but I never really got into them.

Nowadays, though, it isn't even Tourniquet.  It is Ted with guests.  There isn't a band and he is, in my opinion, just milking the name to help sell his music.  It would be like Sammy Hagar having a band called Van Halen without any other members in it or Peter Criss trying to be KISS if the other guys retired and he somehow got control of the name.  It just isn't a band anymore.  Thus, I just am not interested.

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Not interested.

In what? A new Tourniquet album?

Exactly.

No problem. I was just curious. I can definitely see why if you’re a fan of the classic era. The recent stuff is like a totally different thing. I could still call them Tourniquet when they had Luke, but now it’s a revolving door of guest spots and if you like a singer, there’s no telling if that voice will return.

For me, I was a Luke fan.  I liked a lot of what they did during that time while still not being a huge fan.  I liked a little of the early stuff, but I never really got into them.

Nowadays, though, it isn't even Tourniquet.  It is Ted with guests.  There isn't a band and he is, in my opinion, just milking the name to help sell his music.  It would be like Sammy Hagar having a band called Van Halen without any other members in it or Peter Criss trying to be KISS if the other guys retired and he somehow got control of the name.  It just isn't a band anymore.  Thus, I just am not interested.

Another Luke fan! I always preferred his voice over Guy’s. Vanishing Lessons was AWESOME.

scottmitchell74 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Not interested.

In what? A new Tourniquet album?

Exactly.

I'm cautiously interested, but after the last two I'm heavily vetting this one first. Gazing at Medusa is such a great song that I bought it and...that was it. One song pony.  Same with Onward to Freedom which only has a couple good songs. 

So I'm waiting until I can listen on YouTube.

I love G@M. I think it’s their strongest since Where Moth and Rust Destroy. But it had to grow on me for a few listens. Once it did, though, I came to love it.

Pethead wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

TZ75 wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Not interested.

In what? A new Tourniquet album?

Exactly.

No problem. I was just curious. I can definitely see why if you’re a fan of the classic era. The recent stuff is like a totally different thing. I could still call them Tourniquet when they had Luke, but now it’s a revolving door of guest spots and if you like a singer, there’s no telling if that voice will return.

For me, I was a Luke fan.  I liked a lot of what they did during that time while still not being a huge fan.  I liked a little of the early stuff, but I never really got into them.

Nowadays, though, it isn't even Tourniquet.  It is Ted with guests.  There isn't a band and he is, in my opinion, just milking the name to help sell his music.  It would be like Sammy Hagar having a band called Van Halen without any other members in it or Peter Criss trying to be KISS if the other guys retired and he somehow got control of the name.  It just isn't a band anymore.  Thus, I just am not interested.

Another Luke fan! I always preferred his voice over Guy’s. Vanishing Lessons was AWESOME.

Guy is my favorite! He’s very unique and a bit quirky. And he also has the ability to tap into emotion. Luke is cool too.

Just share some moments from an interview that I did with Ted in 2018 and we talked about line-up changes and more

- - -



Metal Na Lata: The band has had some stability in their formation since 1997, so a good part of the fan base was surprised when in 2015 Luke Easter was no longer in the band. Being the oldest member in the band besides you (Luke entered the Tourniquet in 1993), was it a bit complicated to work on songs and vocal structures for a vocalist other than an old roadmate?


Ted Kirkpatrick: For Deen and Tim – they had absolutely no trouble killing the vocals. In fact, they learned the vocal parts by hearing my terrible (but pretty much on pitch) scratch vocals, just as we have done for many years. They are not only great singers, but true talents as they expanded on the vocals significantly without being shown what to do, while staying true to the melodies I’ve written and where the lyrics go. Listen, there are not many Deen Castronovos or Ripper Owens – or Michael Sweets or Dug Pinnicks out there. After working with all these guys – I can say that when they lay down their tracks – they OWN the songs – they put their unique and awesome stamp to every tune I invite them to sing on. For example, Michael Sweet’s added screams and harmonies on “Onward to Freedom”. Or Ripper – I give him one harmony on the scratch track – he sends back three – plus more tracks with different octaves – and with feel. Ditto for Deen on the title track. That’s totally different than simply singing the parts. And the key is they do it on their own. That’s talent. I always tell the singers “I want you to be you”. And I always want them to feel glad and proud that they chose to be a part of it.

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Metal Na Lata: Many people have been saying that Tourniquet is now just a “Ted and Friends”, that the band has lost the real essence of being a real band. What do you have to say about this and how do you see the evolution of the band from the beginning to the present day. Can fans expect more albums making use of heavy elements and creativity in the future?


Ted Kirkpatrick: Looking back to the very first album, Stop the Bleeding, you can start to see the things Tourniquet is now well known for: inventive guitar riffs, classical music influence, multiple tempo changes, crushing rhythms, weird sections, ethnic instruments, interesting drumming, beautiful passages, dissonant harmonies. Then the lyrics: Edgar Allan Poe type descriptive horror, allegorical life lessons, made up words, medical terminology, Christ centered lyrics, social issues no one else tackles. Starting from the very first song I ever wrote, The Test for Leprosy – and into Ark of Suffering, Psychosurgery, Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance, Gelatinous Tubercles of Purulent Ossification, The Skeezix Dilemma, Vanishing Lessons, The Hand Trembler, Claustrospelunker, Twilight, Melting the Golden Calf, Antiseptic Bloodbath, 86 Bullets, Gazing at Medusa, The Crushing Weight of Eternity, and on and on – you will hear all those things we are most known for. Bottom line: where all those things came from has never changed from day one of Tourniquet. Plus as band members come and go – we have never lost our spiritual compass. And we have been blessed with the fact that even non-believers and many serious musicians are into our music.


So as some fans see the band as simply “the members”, which I can appreciate, I see – and often do – things differently. The band to me is also hugely about the total catalog of MUSIC. With each album, we strive to make it better than the last.


As many know, I’m hugely into classical music. I could never fully put into words what that music, and the composers who wrote it – means to me on an ongoing basis. It’s been a decades long passion for me. I’ve been to literally hundreds of symphonic concerts, operas, solo performances, chamber music recitals, and more. I’ve seen some of the world’s greatest living pianists and violin players from the front row – watching in amazement. So I don’t really expect everyone to “get it” when I share my thoughts on what to me constitutes a “band”.


To expand on that, one of my absolute favorite composers is Mozart. He wrote music of all kinds in his brief life of only 35 years – like no one else in history. 41 symphonies, 23 piano concertos, violin concertos, some of the greatest operas ever written (Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro), solo violin sonatas, string quartets, a requiem mass, clarinet concertos, and so much more. He didn’t limit himself to what he wrote. And… he never limited himself by using less than the best soloists if the best in all of Europe were available to him for the incredible music he had written. When I say “the best soloists – I mean the best FIT for the music he had written. As for opera – there are many singers heard throughout the performance of operas. Basses, baritones, tenors, sopranos, male, female. Or in the case of his piano concertos, he often just played them himself. Why would he compromise? Why would he allow his music to be represented in any other way but the best it could be? It would be like a brilliant artist using cheap paint and a mediocre quality canvas, or a world ranked tennis player using a 1960’s wooden racquet to try to win Wimbledon. Why do it?


Part of moving forward with Tourniquet involved not compromising on what a Tourniquet album can be, and that sometimes involves a change. So when I write music, I hope to bring it to life with the best personnel – who best fit the music – I possibly can. Why? Because that way, it speaks to people in a manner that is the most powerful – whether that power is in the form of heaviness, emotion, mellow beauty, or technical expertise.


Take the song “The Slave Ring” from Onward to Freedom– a song about the heartbreaking, maddening world of organized dog fighting. You think you can use just any screamer to do the verses to express the anger and horror? You can’t. That’s why Mattie Montgomery did it. You think you can have a mediocre lead player do a minute long soul-searching guitar solo to convey the sadness? You can’t. That’s why Chris Poland played it. By the way, if you think Aaron would want to play a one-plus minute long guitar solo on a Tourniquet album – he wouldn’t. Although Aaron is a really good lead player, he expresses himself best in shorter sections. Aaron has other strengths which he uses to the fullest: his fantastic rhythm guitar playing and his effective shouting voice.


Or take the heavy bluesy “No Soul” off OTF. You think anyone can do that song justice on vocals? No – they can’t. That’s why Dug Pinnick sang it – and killed it.


Think you can use a “pretty good” singer to convey the importance of having compassion for all of God’s creation? You can’t. That’s why Michael Sweet sang the title track off “Onward to Freedom”.


And all of this holds true for the songs on Gazing at Medusa. The final say goes to the fans, who have already overwhelmingly shown their positive response.


You CAN use other musicians who may not be as good of a match to bring the music to life, but your music will be less than what it could be – compromised. If you do it on a full album or albums, and even other people start to notice the music is less impactful than what it could be, it may be time for a change, even if it’s difficult or painful. Because trying to fit a round peg into a square hole just doesn’t really work. It doesn’t mean either one is bad or lessened in any way.


I don’t do anything flippantly – without thought and care. I try to think of all the people who will be affected by a change. This same scenario plays out in literally thousands of situations every year: with sports teams, bands, symphony orchestras, opera productions, the film industry, Broadway productions, on and on – often times when there is a long history and deep friendships involved. And during the entire history of Tourniquet, these changes in personnel have ALWAYS – as in every single time – been discussed, prayed over, and supported by multiple band members – never, ever just by me alone. Many times, these changes give the departing person the freedom to try and thrive in an environment that’s more suited to them.


Of course, there’s always a few people who will just see this part of making difficult life decisions as backstabbing, betrayal, ego-maniac, jerk, etc. And usually these same few people think they know the “inside info” and understand what’s going on, when in truth, they may know like 5% of the whole story, have little understanding of the issues involved, and hear all 5% from one side only – sometimes a very bitter or envious side. And the biggest part is they know nothing of my heart, character, thought process, God’s individual guidance in my life, seeking input from others, the departing member’s behavior, etc. Add the giant piece of the puzzle – what direction is God leading this band? Of that, these few people of course know precisely zero. “Armchair fan band judgement”. Totally lame.


I guarantee you these same fans would be shocked, and even disgusted by some of the things that have been said or done – some of it in plain sight, staring them right in the face. I have, as people know, said very, very little about any of these matters through the years. I’d rather move forward with the positive – and do so with positive people.


And in these situations of change, something is often overlooked: the fans. THE FANS. I truly care about our fans. I always want to give them the best that Tourniquet can be. I feel they deserve it. Is it fair to give them less? They’ve supported our efforts for years, bought our albums and other merch, come to our shows, sent and posted endless encouraging words, shared our music with their friends, used our lyrics in sermons, even sung our songs in church. I also want to give God what is my very best, as far as I am able. And I can rest in the thought that I feel we’ve given our best on Gazing at Medusa.


The bottom line for me – and what fans have told us for years is this: “All Tourniquet music can quickly be recognized as Tourniquet”. That’s a huge compliment. That makes it TOURNIQUET, not “Ted and friends”. And one of the biggest compliments I get for my drumming is similar: “Even if the rest of the music was missing, and only the drums were playing, I would know it’s Ted Kirkpatrick on drums.” That means a lot to me.


As for your original question: “Can fans expect more albums making use of heavy elements and creativity in the future?” Yes. Music is not just what I do, it’s who I am. I can’t envision a time where I won’t write and release music – share it with the world. And as long as it comes from me, I guarantee you it will be called Tourniquet. I also plan to release more “non-Tourniquet” solo stuff. Like what Mozart did, who knows what kind of music it will be?

- - -

Complete interview here: http://metalnalata.com.br/site/exclusive-interview-with-ted-kirkpatrick-tourniquet/

He makes a great point about lineup changes, but I think the metal scene will never accept/understand this unless they had to deal with lineup changes themselves.

On paper, Ripper seemed to be the perfect fit for a band like Tourniquet. I just did not feel it (personally). Some other fans did… and then others only liked the song Deen Castronovo sang on. The very definition of a “mixed reception”. 

Of coarse Ted is a great salesman. He’s very intelligent. He knows how to convince people with his explanations. But let’s be honest. To ignore the fact that using a hired gun is not financially motivated to some degree is misleading. I just don’t buy into reinventing a band with a different style vocalist every album. It’s inconsistent and confusing. I actually think it drags the legacy in the mud. Just my opinion. 

If Ted did these things for his solo album (under his own name). I totally welcome it! 

I feel the same about Deliverance. But Jimmy figured it out and separated his styles by creating Eraserhead. Doing everything under the Deliverance name wasn’t a good choice. Too many extreme changes in styles. Of coarse we all know why they do it. An established name will sell more albums than a brand new band or solo release. It’s about money and sales. 

Historically, drastic changes have never been well received by fans. There needs to be a familiarity that resembles why you loved the band to begin with.

New update...

From the studio: The new album is likely looking to be 10 songs. I realize many want to know what the music is like. Is it heavy? Is it progressive? Can you compare it to any previous album? Yes, yes, and no. I have no desire to try and recreate the past. For Tourniquet, it's about moving forward - not backward for the sake of nostalgia. The material is heavy, it's progressive - and the main reason it's taking longer than expected to finish: it's complex. 
The songs are full of allegorical themes not explored before. No watered down messages. No shying away from God and the things in life that matter. 
Thank you for hanging in there and waiting until it's finished in the way that we want: so you will love it and be blessed. - Ted

I have no doubt the music will be good. I’m just anxious about the choice for vocals. The wrong singer can ruin it.

The big surprise…


Turntable-kit (former known as Tourniquet)

Featuring: DJ Teddy K