Slave to the System (album)

In 2000, the band Queensrÿche went on a break after finishing a 6-month tour in support of Q2K. Drummer Scott Rockenfield and guitarist Kelly Gray, who played in Queensrÿche at that time, were discussing what to do.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oQmDRYHFkM |title=Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche) 2013 Interview on the Signals of Intuition |date=2013-05-25 |accessdate=2013-06-14 |work=The Signals of Intuition |publisher=99.1 CJAM-FM}} Gray had worked with Brother Cane on a project, and remained close to singer and guitarist Damon Johnson and bassist Roman Glick. Gray called Johnson in the summer of 2000,{{cite AV media notes |title=Slave to the System |others=Slave to the System |year=2001 |accessdate= |first=Damon |last=Johnson |type=booklet |publisher=Moontown disk}} suggesting him to give Rockenfield a call. Rockenfield knew of the band, but never met them.

Johnson and Glick flew to Washington, and the group set up a studio in Gray's basement, where they started playing right away. Johnson says: “When we all met for the first time, we were just having a good time drinking coffee and jamming".{{cite web|url=http://www.eaglerockent.com/e-cards/STTS/bio.htm |title=Slave to the System |work=Eagle Rock Entertainment |accessdate=2013-07-03}} He also recalls: "I remember the consumption of much java, cigarettes and grand slams at Denny's." They were joined by former Sweaty Nipples singer and guitarist Scott Heard.{{cite web |url=http://www.laut.de/Slave-To-The-System |title=Laut.de-Biografie: Slave to the System |work=Laut.de |accessdate=2013-07-03 }} In one week, six songs were written, arranged and recorded, followed by another week in December. Three weeks after the band members first met, the writing, recording and mixing of Slave to the System had been completed, which according to Rockenfield is because the band members had great chemistry together. Parts of the album were also written and recorded at Rockenfield's home studio. It was recorded and mixed by Gray.

The band sent demos to various record labels trying to negotiate a record deal. In 2002, they decided to release the album on their own through CD Street.com, to give the fans the opportunity to listen to it, as they had been waiting on it to get release for two years by then. The band played one shows in Tennessee and another Seattle after this release.{{cite web |url=http://breakdownroom.net/stts-03-2006.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130704070403/http://breakdownroom.net/stts-03-2006.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-07-04 |title=Slave to the System Dedicated to the Long Haul: Despite Commitments to Other Bands, Supergroup Pushes Onward |publisher=Anybody Listening |first=Brian |last=Heaton |orig-year=2006 |year=2009 |accessdate=2013-07-03 }}{{cite web |url=http://anybodylistening.net/stts.html |title=Slave to the System |publisher=Anybody Listening |accessdate=2013-07-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011120149/http://anybodylistening.net/stts.html |archive-date=2011-10-11 |url-status=dead }}

Eventually, in 2005, the band got signed to Spitfire Records. The original release was remixed and remastered by Spitfire, before they released it on February 21, 2006.{{cite web |url=http://anybodylistening.net/rockenfield.html |title=Rockenfield |publisher=Anybody Listening |accessdate=2013-07-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726210408/http://anybodylistening.net/rockenfield.html |archivedate=2013-07-26 }} The re-release included two new songs, "Cruise Out of Control" and "Ragdoll", featuring Gray on vocals. It received radio play and its sales got the album up to number 25 on the charts. "Stigmata" was released as a single, and peaked at 33 in both the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock categories. In support of the release, the band performed 19 shows in the American South and Midwest between February and April of that year.

The music is from both the old and new schools of rock and metal, including Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Audioslave, and Velvet Revolver.

The lyrics to the title track "Slave to the System" were inspired by the band name, which describes the effect of corporate minds on an artist's music, and hints at the band members' dissatisfaction with the record industry, It evolved one night, when Gray, Heard, and Johnson were trying to finish two or three things over some coffee. Johnson said: "I'll always remember us laughing at how cool the lyrics were when we were writing them."

"Walk the Line" is darker than the other songs on the album, and according to Johnson "is inspired lyrically by the tragic loss of our friend Tim Saunders".

"Ragdoll" is "about how a woman's last breath wasn't due to natural causes".{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/59620/slave-to-the-system-slave-to-the-system |title=Slave to the System, "Slave to the System" |magazine=Billboard |last=Titus |first=Christa L. |accessdate=2013-07-03 }}

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| rev2 = Billboard

| rev2Score = (positive reaction)

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Slave to the System has received mixed to positive reviews. Greg Prato of Allmusic finds that the sound of Brother Cane dominates over the sound of Queensrÿche, saying: "there are heaps of radio-friendly rock with a classic rock edge", and "there's not much here that you haven't heard before on mainstream rock radio."{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/slave-to-the-system-mw0000215700 |title=Slave to the System – Slave to the System review | accessdate=2013-07-03 |last=Prato |first=Greg |work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation}} Christa Titus of Billboard calls it "a solid album worthy of the radio attention "Stigmata" is already gathering."

All songs written by Johnson/Gray/Heard/Rockenfield/Glick, except "Live This Life", written by Johnson/Glick (1999), "Cruise Out Of Control" and "Ragdoll", written by Johnson/Gray/Rockenfield/Glick, and "Will You be There", written by Johnson/Gray (1997).

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1. "Stigmata" (3:14)
2. "Ruby Wednesday" (3:02)
3. "Live This Life" (4:04)
4. "Slave to the System" (4:34)
5. "Abyss" (4:13)
6. "Disinfected" (3:29)
7. "Gone Today" (4:37)
8. "Will You be There" (3:38)
9. "Leaves" (4:45)
10. "Zero" (3:34)
11. "Walk the Line" (3:35)

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1. "Stigmata" (3:14)
2. "Ruby Wednesday" (3:02)
3. "Slave to the System" (4:34)
4. "Live This Life" (4:04)
5. "Cruise out of Control" (3:54)
6. "Abyss" (4:13)
7. "Disinfected" (3:29)
8. "Gone Today" (4:37)
9. "Will You be There" (3:38)
10. "Leaves" (4:45)
11. "Walk the Line" (3:35)
12. "Ragdoll" (4:53)

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;Slave to the System

• Damon Johnson – lead vocals, guitar
• Kelly Gray – guitar, vocals
• Scott Heard – guitar, vocals
• Roman Glick – bass
• Scott Rockenfield – drums

;Production

• Slave to the System – production
• Kelly Gray – recording, mixing
• Eddie Schreyer – mastering
• Lisa Burton – photography
• Geno – cover design / art

{{Reflist}}

{{Queensrÿche}}

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Category:2002 debut albums

Category:2006 albums

Category:Spitfire Records albums