Things aren’t fine in Queensrÿche’s camp.
Scott Rockenfield, Queensrÿche founding drummer, has sued the band’s fellow original members Michael Wilton (guitar) and Eddie Jackson (bass). The allegations in this lawsuit include breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge, among others. Rockenfield’s lawsuit was filed on October 11, 2021, in Snohomish County Superior Court. In the complaint, Rockenfield claims that he took paternal leave of absence from Queensrÿche in February 2017 after his fiancée experienced complications during the birth of their son and had to have an emergency Cesarean delivery. According to the drummer, his leave of absence was approved by the members of Queensrÿche and he was to retain an equal one-third interest in all Queensrÿche companies (QR Companies), including Tri-Ryche Corporation, Melodisc LTD., Queensryche Merchandising, Inc., EMS Music, LLC and Queensryche Holdings, LLC. In Scott’s complaint, he claims that “Rockenfield, Wilton and Jackson are the remaining members of the band Queensrÿche, as well as the sole or majority shareholders and members of the entities controlling the intellectual property and contractual rights of said group, to wit the QR Companies.” Scott alleges that about October 11, 2018, Wilton and Jackson purportedly “voted to dismiss Rockenfield from the Queensrÿche Companies due in whole or in part to his taking of approved family leave. Rockenfield was informed of his purported dismissal from the Queensrÿche Companies in a letter dated November 3, 2018.” According to Rockenfield’s complaint, since 2017, Wilton and Jackson “have wrongfully withheld from Rockenfield all sources of income from the Queensrÿche Companies in violation of the various Operating Agreements and Contracts governing the Queensrÿche Companies for no lawful purpose.” In addition, they “have failed to provide Rockenfield with an accounting of the books, records, business and contracts of the Queensrÿche Companies.” Although Rockfenfield says he has continued to receive royalties from Tri-Ryche since February 2017 for the old catalogue, he claims he has “received no payments from Melodisc since February 2017, and no payments from Queensryche Merchandising since early 2018, and no payments from EMS since February 2017.”
Rockfenfield also claims that Wilton and Jackson did not include him in the recording Queensrÿche’s latest album, “The Verdict”, “despite his availability and willingness to participate.”
