Really the best concept album according to me... more than the wall from pink floyd... i do really appreciate them but queensryche are a little bit more powerfull '!
I see that your comment is 2 yrs old. However, it's not so much the time that matters but the fact that you discovered this brilliant singer and what you felt from it 🙏🏼
That first time you put on a great pair of headphones, closed your eyes, and just listened to the whole album in one sitting. Especially if it was the first time you had ever heard of the band. . . The word "epic" gets tossed around pretty liberally these days, but that experience truly was EPIC for me. I'll never forget.
I still remember the first time I heard them, back in '88. My first thought was "who is this", the voice, the sound, I was hooked. I've seen them a few times, listen to them all the time ♫ ♪ ♫
rmcdaniel423 My experience was similar I saw them open for Metallica on the the And Justice for All tour so back then I used to buy the cassettes or CD's of the opening act so I could familiarize myself with the material before the show instead of not knowing anything about what I'm hearing. I recall putting on the headphones and jumping/ being startled by some of the effect .The story is great the delivery is better and the fact that alot of what is in that album is like prophecy .
I also saw them when they opened for Metallica. In my opinion they were better than Metallica and still are to this day. Queensryche is my favorite band and I have had the pleasure to meet them on a few occasions. They are really nice and humble. I still follow them to this day , with Todd singing for them.
If you are alive in 2021, you can almost see this album...Story come to life around you. This album ranks in the top 10 of all rock albums ever produced. Queensryche should be inducted into the RRHOF just for it alone.
He actually left to become a Lear jet pilot😃. His daughter has an album out and he played on that. It was good. He also played with a band called Spies for Darwin. Not on par with Queensryche tho….
I would not expect a reunion of the original band - ever. The band had a classic Rock-n-Roll meltdown that culminated in the expulsion of Geoff Tate, and a descent into interpersonal toxicity and lawsuits, primarily due to Tate's behavior at the time, and issues related to intellectual property within the band. Also, as others here mention, DeGarmo quit rock-n-roll to become a pilot, with little to no interest in returning to the scene. I read something about 10 years ago that his last gig was to fly into Seattle for a day to play at the funeral for one of the other band members family(?).
I saw Queensryche on every tour they had through the Promised Land tour. A buddy of mine knew the band from their earliest days and got us backstage passes for the Building Empires show in Nashville. We watched the entire show from the side of the stage. It was absolutely mindblowing and to this day, the most amazing concert experience of my life.
I'm with you J S, what else even comes close? 30 years old but sounds brand new, it's timeless, it could have been released last week, it wouldn't be out of place just amazing
One of the best singers in the world, a miracle and high art. I've been listening to Queensryche for 25 years. One of the best concerts I've experienced.
There have been only two shows I have seen that were better than this one, Rammstein and Iron Maiden. I'm 63 now and I have been attending live shows for close to 50 years so I know whereof I speak.
This is one of the best progressive rock songs I've ever seen performed live. This was taken from the Building Empires Tour 1991. I saw them in Portland Or. They played a few songs from Empire then started playing the entire Operation Mindcrime album start to finish. After this song, Geoff Tate came out and looked over the audience with the house lights on. He said "if your a new Queensryche fan your probably wondering the the fu** is going on right now! This is Operation Mindcrime!! The place went totally crazy, the entire place shook from the roar of the crowd. They played for almost 3 hours. One of the best performances I've ever seen.
why is this progressive Rock/Metal? Just becuase it's long ("November Rain" is long too, but it's not prog). I have never understood why Queensryche are considered Prog. I like this album (and this song) but it's no Prog Rock (or Metal). It might havr influenced the Prog Metal genre but it for the most parts it's good but "normal" Hard Rock.
Makes you wonder how they knew! They were trying to tell us long before it actually started. Other artists did the same, such as, Dio, Savatage, etc. Did they have a crystal ball?!?
Queensryche is one of the very few bands from my hair band / teen age years who I've never been embarrassed to admit I loved! They were actually very good musicians who produced quality music.
beansandcornbread Me too. In Pensacola and New Orleans. An amazing night indeed. If I only had a way back machine to experience that one more time, oh boy!
I got to see them do this album in it's entirety at the then Dodge theatre in downtown Phoenix. Saw them in Shreveport in 90 or 91 and it was my generation both times. In Phoenix it was 2006 and felt like an aarp convention.. lol... The only. young there was the sons and daughters who were accompanied there by their parents. Good parenting and awesome show
Such a great album. I'm 27 so I didn't get to see Queensryche at their peak but I thank my dad for sharing his music taste with me. And it's sad to say that this album is more relevant now in 2023 with all that's happening. Definitely will keep my dads album CDs and records to show my kids if we survive long till then.
The whole album is one story... exraordinary ... the lyrics are top... the story line is top... the metal is top... each time now nearly 30 years after it .... i get set back to my time at moms and my life there. Its like traveling back in time and reviving emotions of ages ago.
This album was an album ahead of it's time. Discussions about hostility toward Governments and mistrust of the institutional Media, are commonplace now. But they weren't in 1988 when Operation:Mindcrime was released. Listening to this sounds like it could be describing life in 2020, not 1988
I agree. When I heard the lyric below again, all I could think was "Daaaaayyyyuuuuummmmm!" Fighting fire with empty words While the banks get fat And the poor stay poor And the rich get rich And the cops get paid To look away As the one percent rules America
Going to see Jeff Tate in January 2023. Can't freaking wait! So many memories of me and my buddy from 30 yrs ago. Surely will bring some tears im sure for the right reason
I still have the first EP with Queen of the Reich on it from way back when - saw them on the Empire tour where half the show was Mindcrime.... I have not listened to his in years - I'd forgotten how breathtaking this is....
My story and take. I saw this tour in the Rock & Roll Capitol of the World, Cleveland, OH back '91. I'm 56 years old now and the album speaks to me as much today as it did back then. Let me be clear, I'm not some metal head stuck in the 80's either. Although I feel today's rock and metal pale in comparison (mostly garbage) to that of metal back in the day, I have evolved with it over the years concurrently. Starting with Kiss and moving onto Rush with other icons like VH, Journey, Kansas, Styx etc along the way. I then moved on to more prog rock.... now enter Queensryche. I then progressed into Dream Theater only to soon transition into grunge with groups like AIC, STP and Pearl Jam. then into the industrial alternative bands like NIN, Manson and Rob Zombie while continuing to listen to popular and political and political bands like Creed and Rage Against the Machine. I then continued my path into post grunge rock with bands like Disturbed, Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin and have kept the same trajectory all the way to new rock of today like Foo, Nothingmore, Badflower and Mammoth WVH to name just a few of the better ones (IMO). Of course there's countless other great bands along the way as well, all deserving their own reverence. The one band I didn't mention, intentionally, is my favorite band of all time and I can't group them in any genre or time period with others cause I feel they stand alone for me....Tool. Won't go any further with that note. So I'm not stuck living in the past when talking about music and artists like Queensrychë and Mindcrime's impact on me and the metal music industry as a whole. I have no bias take here, only reverence. That being said, every single time I put on Operation Mindcrime to this day, I'm reminded what a masterpiece this album is on all levels...musically, vocally, lyrically, delivery. It is by far one of the top metal albums of time and in my overall top 5 albums of any genre....with good reason. When this album came out, Rock and metal Publications compare this concept album to the likes of Pink Floyd's The Wall. There was literally a sticker on the lp from some major music publication like Rolling Stone magazine that said this is the best concept album since Pink Floyd's The Wall. To this day, I concur with that assessment and I absolutely love Pink Floyd The Wall. That too is a masterpiece of epic proportions. So the point I am trying to make by giving you some background of my musical journey (which i'm sure i'm not alone in), is to say this album has stood the test of time. It's musical conviction is second to none and its content is as relevant today as it was back then and I'd argue even moreso today. If you listen to every nuance of this LP (uninterrupted with phones on) and not grasp the intelligence and craftsmanship of its work, then I urge you to keep listening till you do cause you're depriving yourself of something special if you don't.
The first time I ever heard this album straight through. I was mesmerised by the fantastic music, horrified by the story, and enraptured by the whole experience. I just sat in silence for about 45 minutes and could not move. My brain was racing, trying to put the story together, and just blown away by the musicality. This is truly a heavy metal Opera!
Reminds me of seeing The Wall in cinema when it was released. At the end of it the whole audience just sat there stunned for a good two minutes before anyone moved. This has a similar effect, and it shows the quality of the album.
I saw Queensryche in the early nineties on their Empire tour. They played the entire Mindcrime album. Plus, they had the Suicidal Tendencies as their opening act. It was an amazing show.
I am 62, still young and a true rock and roller at heart! I still have my cd copy of this concept albumn....although it is my 5th copy! Just saw Geoff a couple weeks ago when he was touring with Ace Frehley....both those guys can still rock!!
Saw Geoff and his band a couple years ago when they did this whole album front to back. He sounds just as good now as he does here. Keep killin' it Geoff!
I Agree And Even Though Both Black Sabbath And Iron Maiden Are My Favorite Bands I Have To Say That Queensryche From The L.P Album To Operation Mindcrime Were As Great Or Better Than Any Band, I Liked Empire But Not Loved It, And Promised Land Was Good But That Is It, After Promised Land I Hate To Say This But They Went Downhill Very Bad As Bad As Any Band.
I remember going to see Metallica and these guys opened, performed mindcrime and not only gained a fan for life but one upped Metallica. man the 80's were great!
Got this CD and listened to it many times. Took it over to a fellow Airman's apartment and told him that he had to listen to it. He asked me "who the heck is Queensryche" (back in 88 days after it was released.). I just said put it on and you'll see. Beginning to end with no pauses. Not one. Blew him away. Almost every album is that way. Listenable from song 1 til the end with no pauses. For me that is up to and including Q2K.
This band was truly next level metal in the 80's. Here at the top of their game, there simply wasn't anything else in their league. The songwriting, the technical abilities, the PERFORMANCE was top notch. Very few could match them in the arena as a band - perhaps Rush, but nobody else comes readily to mind. Their work ethic is evident; you don't hear many miscues or mistakes. Special shout out to Chris DeGarmo here - yes, he was an amazing songwriter and a player with talent AND feel, but his stage presence as lead guitarist was unique and excellent as well. Top that off with vocal abilities to back up Tate and just wow... The man was a perfectionist and no note was underplayed or glossed over - he nailed every single one, in the manner it needed played. No less. When he left the band, my interest left with him. -Ed on the Ridge
people don't give much credit to drummer that dude was excellent.This song is freaking epic try to think in the past 30yrs if any band have done it like this only Pink Floyd comes to mind.
Incredible.... this band was truly at their Prime and Geoff Tate.... my Heaven's Sake.... the Apex of singing technique... quality.. control and plain just awe inspiring..... magnificent
Out of words and feeling shivers down my spine, I've been listening to Queensryche for the first time in this past week, I feel like a fool for not doing this sooner x.x
They are brilliant songwriters and performers. Ahead of their time, who could have imagined that what they’re singing about is happening in our world now.
Operation MindCrime ... I can remember waking up at like 1am to 3am to feed my now 30+ year old son his bottle ... I had this in the VCR and played it for over 2 years 8) ... bring sooo many memories flooding in , TY Q
I was fortunate enough to see this album performed in its entirety twice in the early & late 90's. This is such a masterful piece of work musically & lyrically, to see & hear it live from start to finish is one of my very favorite & blown away concert memories.
Best album hands down. Can’t compare any music to this chilling experience. Sounds amazing while under the influence of some sort of drug or alcohol. I’ve been listening to this album for decades and won’t stop listening to it.
Amazing! All boys are so amazing, Geoff is a real artist. Everything looks like today....and we are in 2022....wow! I wish to be there. Queensryche still holding up! Great talent, great show.
The year was 1988 and I was off with a few of my friends to see the mighty Met on there and justice for all tour with Queensryche as there opening act. Of course we got there early and pushed are way eventually to about 5th row back center stage standing room only I had heard of the ryche but I was there for Metallica. So these guys come out open the show with take hold of the flame and tear it up for an hour. I remember Geoff Tate belting his sick vocals about 15 feet in front of me I could see every vein in his neck . I was blown away have been a big fan ever since operation mindcrime definitely one of my favorite. Metallica played about three hours so four hours of music for I think my ticket was 27 bucks.Never will I ever forget it. I believe it was one of my first shows.I was fifteen. I know now that I am so lucky for growing up in my opinion the best years for Rock /Metal . Nowadays is so different there is still some great bands around to all of you trying to find one may I suggest Avenged sevenfold.Rock on and stay up and OK in this crazy world
New Orleans UNO Lakefront Arena, 1991. Right about here I was wondering if I was ever going to let Queensryche give me my mind back. A musical and visual masterpiece. 2 weeks prior I had just been released from a long hospital stay, and I grew up Catholic. This show was relevant.
