QUEENSRŸCHE have confirmed that guitarist Mike Stone will continue playing with them for at least the remainder of the year.
Stone has been the second guitarist in QUEENSRŸCHE since May, after longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren announced his departure from the group to focus on “other business ventures.”
When asked by a fan on Instagram under a photo of Stone if Mike has officially rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE, the band replied: “Filling in for the rest of this year and then we’ll see…”
Lundgren announced his departure from QUEENSRŸCHE in a social media post on July 2, which read: “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.”
The remaining members of QUEENSRŸCHE added in a separate statement: “For over a decade, it has been a great pleasure watching [Parker] evolve and flourish as a guitarist, songwriter, and most importantly, a wonderful human being. Parker will always be family to us and we wish him all the success in the world with his new endeavors. Take hold, brother!”
View this post on Instagram