Parker Lundgren – guitarist of heavy metal veterans Queensrÿche since 2009 – has announced his departure from the band.
Taking to social media to explain the decision, Lundgren revealed that the move was in order to pursue “new ventures”. His full statement reads as follows:
“For several years, I have been deeply immersed in collecting and selling guitars, as well as rare and fascinating musical instruments. This passion led to the opening of my guitar store Diablo Guitars in 2019.
“Since then, my business has grown and I recently acquired a storefront with a full-service repair shop. In 2020, my wife and I opened Lucky Devil Latte, which has quickly expanded to multiple locations.
“With these new endeavors and ensuing responsibilities, my time to devote to Queensrÿche has become increasingly strained, and I no longer am able to commit the time and focus it deserves. For these reasons, I have made the difficult decision to step down from my role as guitarist in Queensrÿche.
“I want to thank my friends, family, and fans for making the past 13 years an amazing journey. I wish nothing but the best for my fellow band members, crew and everyone who has supported us. I hope to have your continued support as I pursue new ventures.”
In response to Lundgren's statement, the remaining members of Queensrÿche said that “it has been a great pleasure watching [Parker] evolve and flourish as a guitarist”, saying that he would “always be family to us”.
Lundgren has been absent from several Queensrÿche shows in recent years, including some of the band's September 2018 US run. More recently, he missed the group's May concert at the Chiefs Event Center in Fort Hall, Idaho, leaving former Queensrÿche guitarist Mike Stone to fill in.
Since Lundgren's departure on Friday (July 2), Stone once again assumed guitar duties for the band's show at M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, Maryland on Saturday (July 3).
Could this mean Stone is once again joining the heavy metal group as a permanent member? No official announcement has been made yet, but we'll keep you in the loop if we hear more.
Mike Stone was an official member of Queensrÿche from 2003 until 2008, appearing on albums Tribe, Operation: Mindcrime II and Take Cover.
