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Rock Band Queensryche Sticks It To Bush (Operation Mindcrime Part 2)
Portland Tribune ^ | 10-19-04

Posted on 10/20/2004 3:44:54 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache

Metal men give dystopia a suitable soundtrack;Stick It To Bush

You can’t keep a good concept album down — especially when elements of its ominous story can be found lurking in current events. In 1988, Seattle quintet Queensrÿche released “Operation: Mindcrime,” a dark record that depicts a dystopian future society driven by charismatic — and sinister — demagogues. The central character is a street kid named Nikki who comes under the thrall of Dr. X and turns into his loyal assassin, eliminating anyone who poses a threat. It’s sort of “1984” meets “The Manchurian Candidate” with a dramatic metal soundtrack welded on. “It’s a story about a terrorist,” singer Geoff Tate explains. “It sort of fits in with what’s going on in the world right now.” The band began life in the early ’80s with a sound that owed quite a bit to Iron Maiden, with Tate’s operatic pipes wailing out front. Gradually, more progressive, arty influences found their way into the mix, earning Queensrÿche the tag “thinking man’s metal.” “Operation: Mindcrime” represents the band’s creative pinnacle, selling well over a million copies, though its follow-up record, “Empire” (1990) actually sold a bit better thanks to the top 10 single “Silent Lucidity.” Queensrÿche is revisiting “Mindcrime” on its current tour, with elaborate staging, surround-sound technology, orchestral backing and even actors portraying characters from the album. Careful, guys, remember what happened to Styx on the “Mr. Roboto” tour.

There’s a story to tell

“I’ve always been interested in dramatic productions,” says Tate, 45. “I’ve always thought of Queensrÿche as a very dramatic musical organization, and our music lends itself to that sort of treatment. Especially ‘Mindcrime,’ because it’s a story. “We started on this route because I was writing a screenplay based on the album,” Tate says. “And I noticed there are a lot of holes on the album that you can’t cover musically. … So in true Queensrÿche fashion we started brainstorming and came up with some angles that would make it interesting for us to play it and interesting for an audience to see it.” Tate says that going back to the old album inspired the band members to work on a sequel, titled (what else?) “Operation: Mindcrime II.” And, he says, there’s definite interest in a “Mindcrime” movie from the Hollywood community. “Over the years we’ve been approached by various companies about making a movie, but we never felt quite right about it,” Tate says. “Whether it was the people they wanted to use, the screenwriter or the director, it just didn’t feel right.” Directors Luc Besson, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino are on Tate’s wish list to take the project’s helm.

Sticking it to Bush

“Mindcrime” is an album about devious individuals gaining control over the hearts and minds of impressionable people, and it’s a theme that never strays too far from Tate’s observational eye. “The situation in our country is perfect fodder for an album,” Tate says. “I’m fascinated by marketing, by the commercials the government makes and the ideology they sell us and that we buy so readily. We’re really just a nation of consumers; that seems to be our culture. “They can tell us we need to go to war with Iraq, and we buy it. We don’t question it. We don’t say, ‘Wait a minute, Iraq didn’t have anything to do with the terrorist attacks. Why are we going to war with this country?’ “I’ve come into contact with a lot of people who say they want to vote for George Bush. And I ask them, ‘Why are you voting for someone who has failed on every level as a leader?’ I don’t understand why people who don’t have two nickels to rub together support an administration that has no concern for them.” Queensrÿche’s political stance apparently has ruffled the feathers of some fans who were under the impression that their favorite band was a horse of a different color. “We’ve gotten some flak from fans who say they’re going to burn our records,” Tate says. “We recently played a benefit show … which gathers funds for the Democrats. “People have said to us, ‘How can you do this? How can you get behind this?’ And I say to them, ‘Listen to the records. We’ve always been on this platform.’ ”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: queensryche; sellouts; socialists
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

Queensryche needs DeGarmo to be there or we are only seeing half of what a once great band used to be. Chris actually chooses to fly private jet's now for rich clients...he says he makes more money than he would touring with QR.


41 posted on 10/20/2004 4:28:43 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache (Absalom, Absalom, Absalom....)
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To: My Favorite Headache

"Ask us about our debt-deflation model of economic monetarism."
42 posted on 10/20/2004 4:29:19 PM PDT by Jhensy
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To: Jhensy


Queensryche-Empire



Last night the word came down, ten dead in Chinatown.
Innocent, their only crime was being in the wrong place, at the wrong time
Too bad, people say what's wrong with the kids today
Tell you right now they've got nothing to lose

They're building EMPIRE!

Johnny used to work after school
at the cinema show.
Gotta hustle if he wants an education
he's got a long way to go.
Now he's out on the street all day
selling Crack to the people who pay.
Got an AK-47 for his best friend
business the American way.






Eastside meets Westside downtown.
No time, the walls fall down

Can't you feel it coming? EMPIRE! Can't you hear it calling?
Black man, trapped again. hold his chain in his hand.
Brother killing brother for the profit of another,
Game point, nobody wins. Decline, right on time.
What happened to the dream sublime?
Tear it all down, we'll put it up again. Another EMPIRE?

Eastside meets Westside downtown.
No time, no line, the walls fall down.

Can't you feel it coming? EMPIRE!
Can't you hear it coming EMPIRE!
Can't someone here stop it...??!!


43 posted on 10/20/2004 4:32:52 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache (Absalom, Absalom, Absalom....)
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To: Jhensy

Bong-addled poodle boys in spandex... is there anything they don't know?......

Coke addled too FER SURE!


44 posted on 10/20/2004 4:33:25 PM PDT by dennisw (Gd - against Amelek for all generations.)
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: Jhensy

Queensryche-Resistance


Protests in New York.
Listen to the call of the wild.
Brother, sisters carrying signs.
Breathe deep before it's too late;
The sky is falling, burning your eyes.
Down in New Orleans river's boiling.
Nothing living, nothing to eat.
Thank the Lord, daddy's working 8-5.
Paying the doctor, baby's got cancer.

Give and take.
Has all we've learned been wrong?
Look around at what we've been given.
Maybe we've taken too long.

Resistance- shouts the man on the right.
Can't solve the problem overnight.
Resistance- Listen to the call of the wild.





Burning coal.
Got to keep the company warm as
the rain keeps killing the trees.
Cut 'em down quick.
Pay the man his wage, he's making paper
to fuel the "Information Age".
Out in the midwest,
hear the roar of the plough,
turning grassland into sand.
Got to feed the people more every day
but the wind keeps blowing the land away.

Give and take.
Has all we've learned been wrong?
Look around at what we've been given.
Maybe we've taken too long.

Resistance- shouts the man on the right.
Can't solve the problem overnight.
Resistance- Liberal opposition crying violation.
Stop the madness.
Resistance- Through the din, one voice we should hear.
Resistance- Listen to the call of the wild.

There's no easy solution.
The price is high, and it's time to pay.
Turn of the century vision
focused on a better way.
Resistance- shouts the man on the right.
Can't solve the problem overnight.

Resistance- Liberal opposition crying violation.
Stop the madness.
Resistance- Through the din, one voice we should hear.
Resistance- Listen to the call of the wild.


46 posted on 10/20/2004 4:34:45 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache (Absalom, Absalom, Absalom....)
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To: TonyRo76

Heaven Forbid that Kid n Play or Another Bad Creation come out in support of Kerry. Our only hope is that Vanilla Ice and Jesus Jones declare their allegiance to Bush!


47 posted on 10/20/2004 4:39:54 PM PDT by RUCKUS INC. (Mount St. Helens is just warming up for the impending armageddon should John Kerry win in Nov.)
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To: My Favorite Headache

spoken: Help the human's about to excape
Get Your Paws Off Me You Dirty Ape
( gasp) He Can Talk x7
I Can Sing!!!
Ooo Help Me Dr. Zaius
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius!
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius!
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius!
Oh, Dr. Zaius
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius!
Troy: What's wrong with me?
Dr. Zaius: I think you're crazy
Troy: I want a second opinion.
Dr. Zaius: You're also lazy.
Chorus
Troy: Can I play the piano anymore?
Dr. Zaius: Of course you can.
Troy: Well I couldn't before.
Chorus( 2x )


48 posted on 10/20/2004 4:44:33 PM PDT by Jhensy
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To: My Favorite Headache

What can you expect of people who grow up in liberal laalaa land, aka the Supreme Soviet of Seattle?

These guys are too stupid to pee straight.


49 posted on 10/20/2004 4:46:01 PM PDT by No_Outcome_But_Victory (p4 obliterate *)
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: My Favorite Headache

where is it written that one should give a flying rip about these morons?


51 posted on 10/20/2004 4:48:38 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: Nov3

First two albums were best... 1st- self titled "Queensryche" 2nd "Warning" They used to play Heavy Metal, then they went "concept"... wanted to be the next Pink Floyd... I quit buyin' and listening. Saw first album tour... they opened for Kiss. Warning tour they opened for Iron Maiden (Piece of Mind tour).


52 posted on 10/20/2004 4:51:36 PM PDT by rennatdm
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To: My Favorite Headache
WOW totally rock and roll to support a northeastern elitist billionaire senator!!
53 posted on 10/20/2004 4:57:38 PM PDT by snarkytart
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To: King Prout

As you wish:

No, I didn't lie;
Screw you if you don't "get" my reply.
When asked I've always said,
"We had to oust Saddam
Or we'd be dead."
Your mind tricked you to hear the blame
'Cause when I said "wrong war" it's not the same (at all).
So here it is, my only stance:
Should we be in the Middle East?
Yes, most surely... which is to say, no way!

To this day I've tried and tried
To clue you peons in to my replies.
You know it's not unfair
To vote to for us go to war... and then despair.
When the vote came to my turn
To arm the men, well I had to send
A message loud and clear
That going off to fight a war
Is never right, and I should know:
I fought in Viet-nam!

I- I will never lie to you.
I- I will help you see the truth.
I- I will show you that I'm right.
I- I offer up this ruse, in Nuanced Duplicity.


54 posted on 10/20/2004 4:58:34 PM PDT by pcgTheDestroyer
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To: pcgTheDestroyer

damn! that was fast ;)


55 posted on 10/20/2004 5:08:30 PM PDT by King Prout (yo! sKerry: "Live by the flip, die by the flop." - Frank_Discussion)
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To: My Favorite Headache

You know, you wouldn't have a clue how freaking stupid and ignorant people are half the time - if they would keep their mouth shut about things which they nothing of...


56 posted on 10/20/2004 5:11:17 PM PDT by ApesForEvolution (You will NEVER convince me that Muhammadanism isn't a veil for MASS MURDERS. Save your time...)
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To: rennatdm
Warning tour they opened for Iron Maiden (Piece of Mind tour).

I saw that show and enjoyed it.

57 posted on 10/20/2004 5:12:18 PM PDT by Nov3 (They knifed babies, They raped girls, They forced children to drink their own urine)
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To: My Favorite Headache
They sucked back then and it seems they still suck.


Metallica... Metal Militia!
58 posted on 10/20/2004 5:15:17 PM PDT by myself6 (Nazi = socialist , democrat=socialist , therefore democrat = Nazi)
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To: My Favorite Headache

I'm going to fling my Empire CD out the window tomorrow. I am.


59 posted on 10/20/2004 5:17:57 PM PDT by angcat
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To: SilentServiceCPOWife
RE:

.... a line from the song "Revolution Calling" that I often think of whenever I read about the MSM's latest shenanigans.

I used to trust the media To tell me the truth, tell us the truth But now I've seen the payoffs Everywhere I look Who do you trust when everyone's a crook?

Yep, that was the best line in the best album they ever did. Based on the band's recent comments, they appear to have lost their intelligence.

60 posted on 10/20/2004 5:31:21 PM PDT by The Toad
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