Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime II

[Ksyrup]

Interesting idea, not sure if they can pull it off given the state of their music the past decade or so. Still, they're coming through Tallahassee, so I'll definitely be there.



Queensryche Brings 'Mindcrime' Back To Life




Sixteen years after the release of "Operation: Mindcrime," Queensryche is writing the next chapter to the 1988 concept album that broke the progressive rock band into the mainstream. Tentatively titled "Operation: Mindcrime II," the set is due next year via Sanctuary.

To prime audiences for the event, Queensryche will perform the original "Mindcrime" in its entirety on its upcoming tour, which kicks off Oct. 5 in Seattle and will be presented by VH1 Classic. The finale will be a live preview of material from "Mindcrime II."

Cinematic videos that were shot for "Mindcrime" singles such as "Eyes of a Stranger" and "I Don't Believe in Love" sparked fan demand for a movie to be made of the album. The clips were utilized when Queensryche performed the album in its entirety on a 1990-91 world tour.

On this tour, the album will be recreated in full with enhanced production, including new and expanded video footage. Onstage and off, live actors will help tell the story of Nikki, a street junkie turned into an assassin by an anarchist movement.

Vocalist Pamela Moore, who toured with Queensryche recently, will again provide the vocals of Sister Mary, a tragic nun with a haunting past of her own. Moore provided this character's vocals on the first "Mindcrime" album.

The show will open with a "greatest hits" set and will feature accompaniment from local orchestra string sections in select cities. Michael Igor Delassandra, formerly an official composer for the Vatican, will accompany Queensryche on keyboards.

"The band is so excited to be performing 'Operation: Mindcrime' in its entirety again after not having done this in 15 years," lead vocalist Geoff Tate says. "We are presenting it in a whole new way that finally does justice the intricacies of the story and the personalities of the characters."

Following the fall tour, another run of dates is scheduled to begin in January 2005.

Here are Queensryche's tour dates:

Oct. 5-6: Seattle (Moore Theater)
Oct. 7: Vancouver (Commodore)
Oct. 8: Portland, Ore. (Schnitzer)
Oct. 9: Spokane, Wash. (Big Easy)
Oct. 10: Boise, Idaho (Big Easy)
Oct. 12: Denver (Fillmore)
Oct. 13: Albuquerque, N.M. (Kiva Auditorium)
Oct. 15: Dallas (Nokia Live)
Oct. 16: San Antonio, Texas (Sunset Station)
Oct. 17: Austin, Texas (La Zona Rosa)
Oct. 18: Houston (Verizon Theater)
Oct. 19: New Orleans (House of Blues)
Oct. 21: Jacksonville, Fla. (Florida Theater)
Oct. 22: Pompano Beach, Fla. (Pompano Beach Amphitheater)
Oct. 23: Orlando, Fla. (House of Blues)
Oct. 24: Clearwater, Fla. (Ruth Eckerd Hall)
Oct. 26: Tallahassee, Fla. (The Moon)
Oct. 27: Atlanta (Tabernacle)
Oct. 29: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (House of Blues)

[Franklinnoble]

I can't see the point of making such a big deal over a mediocre rock band.

[Ksyrup]

During the late 80's/early 90's, they were the standard by which all prog metal bands were measured. By the mid-90's, they had clearly slipped, but I still consider Rage For Order and O:MC to be two of my all-time favorite albums.

Plus, I've always enjoyed the theatrical aspects of their stageshows, and this looks to be even above and beyond anything they've done before. Should be a good show.

Also, consider that I live in Tallahassee. I haven't seen a concert in this town since last June (as in, 2003).

[Kodos]

Where does "Last Time In Paris" fit in.

[sachmo71]

I wonder if my wife will let me go. Love Mindcrime.

[Cards4ever]

I've seen Queensryche many times, starting with AC/DC on the Who Made Who tour way back, and saw the Empire tour where they did OMC from start to finish. If you like Queensryche, it should be a fabulous show. Has anyone heard if Chris DeGarmo is back in the fold for this one?

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I can't see the point of making such a big deal over a mediocre rock band.

Don't get me started, don't even get me started....

I saw them back in 94. One of the best live performances I ever saw. For the first 3 songs, I actually sat and tried proving to my friend that Geoff was lip sync-ing. He wasn't, he was just that damn good live.

I am certainly looking forward to whatever they put out based around Mindcrime. Sucks that they aren't coming up here.

Livecrime was filmed in Lacrosse, WI. Go figure.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Cards4ever

Has anyone heard if Chris DeGarmo is back in the fold for this one?

Apparently not ...
Vocalist Geoff Tate, guitarist Michael Wilton, guitarist Mike Stone, bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Scott Rockenfield will open each show with a "greatest hits" set ending with the smash "Silent Lucidity." Local orchestra string sections will perform with the band in select cities. Michael Igor Delassandra, formerly an official composer for the Vatican, will accompany Queensryche and perform on keyboards.
http://www.queensryche.com/news/index.html

Or maybe that's "not yet"? ...
http://www.queensryche.com/band/chris-degarmo/bio.html

[CamEdwards]

please God tell me this isn't true.

[Hurst2112]

Or maybe that's "not yet"? ...
http://www.queensryche.com/band/chris-degarmo/bio.html

Now that is interesting.

I am glad I got to see Chris with the band. I also saw him with Cantrell right after he 'left' Queensryche. I have always like the guy and you can tell that the band misses his writing. Tribe has a couple tunes that he helped write and it's good to hear his influence.

[Draft Dodger]

Geoff Tate makes my ears bleed.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

Geoff Tate makes my ears bleed.

I'm reminded of the end of the South Park movie:

Wendy: Oh Stan, I never cared for Gregory!
Stan: Really?
Wendy: Yeah. Fuck him! Fuck him in the ear!

[EagleFan]

For a price I'd do about anything...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Is this all that's left
Of my life before me
Straight jacket memories, sedative highs
No happy ending like they've always promised
There's got to be something left for me

Quite possibly my favorite lyric ever written.

[Ksyrup]

Man, I could quote QR lyrics all night long. One of my faves:

My face feels the wet, my mind the storm

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

Geoff Tate makes my ears bleed.

Don't make me come over there and kick your ass.

I had a girlfriend in high school who, in the middle of I Will Remember, told me that Geoff Tate had an awful voice. i can still remember the road we were driving on when she said it, as if it was yesterday.

We didn't last.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Man, I could quote QR lyrics all night long.

With that in mind, you might enjoy this site on some night when there's nothing on TV.

There's any number of song lyric sites on the web, but I don't believe I'd ever seen this one before, or if I had it didn't stick in my mind.

http://www.darklyrics.com/

[Honolulu_Blue]

Man! I loved Queensryche back in the day. I saw that 90-91 tour. One of the best live shows ever. They opened with some stuff off of "Empire" and then went straight in to the entire OMC album, start to finish. Great, great stuff.

I doubt they'll be able to recreate the magic, but it's good to see.

[cincyreds]

This should be great! I grew up listening to Queensryche and they were my favorite band at one point.

I hope they can pull it off. OMC was awesome to listen too.

[gi]

I remember seeing them opening up for Def Leppard...wow...good memories. I'd be up to giving them a chance at another Mindcrime...when it comes out.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Don't make me come over there and kick your ass.

I had a girlfriend in high school who, in the middle of I Will Remember, told me that Geoff Tate had an awful voice. i can still remember the road we were driving on when she said it, as if it was yesterday.

We didn't last.

we seem to have pretty similar tastes in music, except that I HATE Rush and Queensryche. I respect that both bands attempt to make music that is more for the thinking man, but, ultimately, the vocal styles of Lee and Tate just make me gag.

[HornedFrog Purple]

I wonder what took them 16 years and a handful of garbage albums to figure this out.

[Ksyrup]

The last good thing by QR was Promised Land - and even that was only so/so. I Am I was one kick ass song that reminded me of Rage For Order. Without DeGarmo, I don't know about this. Hopefully, he'll be back for the new music, if not this tour.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

we seem to have pretty similar tastes in music, except that I HATE Rush and Queensryche. I respect that both bands attempt to make music that is more for the thinking man, but, ultimately, the vocal styles of Lee and Tate just make me gag.

Understood. Still, to me those two voices are miles apart. Tate just has a fantastic voice, although it's on the dramatic/operatic side (which might be your problem with it). Geddy's is just plain odd sounding.

[Ryche]

If they are doing Mindcrime again, they better be coming to Minnesota. Otherwise that's one concert I'd actually make a roadtrip to see.

There are few, if any, comparable voices to Tate's in rock music.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Ryche

If they are doing Mindcrime again, they better be coming to Minnesota. Otherwise that's one concert I'd actually make a roadtrip to see.

There are few, if any, comparable voices to Tate's in rock music.

Doesn't look like they are. Hopefully they will add a 2nd leg.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Doesn't look like they are. Hopefully they will add a 2nd leg.

"Following the fall tour, another run of dates is scheduled to begin in January 2005."

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Don't make me come over there and kick your ass.

I had a girlfriend in high school who, in the middle of I Will Remember, told me that Geoff Tate had an awful voice. i can still remember the road we were driving on when she said it, as if it was yesterday.

We didn't last.

pix plz tnx

But seriously...if a woman said that to me it would be a stark indication of the beggining of the end of the relationship.

[General Mike]

My brother is really into Queensryche. Too bad they aren't touring anywhere near this part of the country tho. Queensryche was before my time tho.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

pix plz tnx

But seriously...if a woman said that to me it would be a stark indication of the beggining of the end of the relationship.

Actually, the first indication that she wasn't the woman of my dreams came when, on another drive together, she told me that King's X sucked during Sometime off of Out of the Silent Planet. At the time, King's X had just released its first album and I wasn't as big of a fan as I am now, but that combined with the QR comment was about all I could take.

A few years ago, before our 10 year reunion, we kinda found each other online and talked once on the phone about old times. When she mentioned that, back then, she always thought we'd end up together, I told her I knew back then it would never happen, and explained about the two comments. I'm still not sure if she knew I was serious or thought I was joking.

And then there's my wife who, shortly after we started dating, heard a King's X song and told me it sounded "cool." Six years later, we got married.

Signs. They're all around us.

[Ksyrup]

QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate has spoken to Billboard.com about the group's decision to write the next chapter to the 1988 ground-breaking concept album, "Operation: Mindcrime". Tentatively titled "Operation: Mindcrime II", the set is due next year via Sanctuary.

With regards to the pressure to top the original album, Tate said, "I think you always fail miserably in that respect, because you can't please everybody. You can only do what's in your heart, what's in your soul, what's in your head. We never set out when we made the first 'Operation: Mindcrime' album trying to create anything else other than making a cool record that we liked, something we felt confident with.

"You can have 10 people standing there listening to it, and they're all going to hear it differently," he added. "Once you've had that happen to you enough, you think, 'Gosh, I wasn't thinking about those people when I made this album in the first place, so why should [i] let that affect me?'"

According to Tate, writing for "Operation: Mindcrime II" began while the group toured this summer. Guitarist Mike Stone, who tours with QUEENSRŸCHE and contributed to their last studio album, 2003's "Tribe" (Sanctuary), is helping write "Mindcrime II". Original guitarist Chris DeGarmo had returned to write and perform on "Tribe", but Tate does not know if he will contribute to the new set. He says that while it felt good to write with DeGarmo, creative differences and tension were apparent. However, he notes that the door "is always open" to the guitarist's input.

[Hurst2112]

However, he notes that the door "is always open" to the guitarist's input.

Translated: "I don't want Mike Stone anywhere near this album."

I know he has toured with them for some time, and worked on Geoff's solo album, but the guy is a dork. That's all. On the DVD that I have(live evolution), he doesn't do Degarmo's parts justice.