The Queensr˙che Discography Thread

[Samsara]

I have literally never heard a note, nor watched a clip of LIVEcrime. I remember when it came out and saw it in the store. I definitely would've bought it if it was the full show, but I had no use for a partial show. I was heavy into bootleg trading at the time and a partial show, even a commercial release, did not interest me.


The same for Building Empires. I barely remember it, TBH, but any video that was basically a collection of videos would not have interested me.

Tim, you are missing out. Big time. I hear ya, but it's such an incredible live album. There was a time that I listened to LIVEcrime instead of Mindcrime, just for the energy. You're a classic Queensryche guy, and to not have LIVEcrime in your possession and Building Empires is a travesty. I really recommend you get them. The very cool nostalgia trip you'll go on is worth it.

During the 1991-1992 timeframe, I don't recall getting either of these. I was in high school and consumed with high school life. I was still a big fan, but just didn't know about them. I think I got them in 1994, right before Promised Land came out. I loved and still love, them both. Watching Building Empires was like a history lesson on the band, which really fanned the flames of my passion for Queensryche history. And watching LIVEcrime...man, I was blown away. I hadn't seen the tour (GRUMBLE), and to witness just how AMAZING it looked and sounded was incredible.

My first copy of LIVEcrime (it was 50 bucks, I think, back in 1994) was actually split between myself and a friend. I got the CD and libretto. He took the VHS and the box.  We simply just didn't have a lot of money (1994 was my freshman year in college), and we had booze and women to spend money on.    Ah, college. Anyway, so there was that.

LIVEcrime also started getting me interested in collecting QR live shows, which I started doing just another year later by buying stuff from the local record shops and flea markets. It was all spurred by the greatness of LIVEcrime. What a great time period.

Oh, and for completists out there (TIM, this may be of interest), the entire Nov. 14, 1990 show on audio is available. If you buy the 25th anniversary box set of Operation: Mindcrime, and the 20th Anniversary box set of Empire, the live tracks on both combine to be the ENTIRE Nov. 14, 1990 show if you want to create an iTunes playlist or a compilation CD. It's completely unedited (no overdubs) so you get the full on, live Queensryche performance. It's also a treat because it features one of the very limited performances of "Hand on Heart." So if you can find both those anniversary editions (which are still available), it's worth it.

[robbob]

Big Queensryche fan, mainly during this era. They were the best, hottest band at the time, IMO. "Thinking Man's Metal Band" ( I believe) was what they were known as. Unfortunately, only seen them once back then. On the Empire tour, but is still one of the best concerts I've went to. Besides Tate's voice and the band as a whole, what I thought made them so good was that each release from The Warning thru Promised Land were so different, each Album had it's own sound and feel. Favorites are RFO and Operation Mindcrime, hard to decide which one I like better.

[Samsara]

Has there been a reissue with bonus tracks? What are they?

I came close to getting it a couple of times, but I guess it never really moved to the top of The List. Depending on the bonus tracks, I may consider it. I definitely would've grabbed it then if I KNEW it would be the last decent thing that band would do. 

Here's the thing -- if you want a complete show from Building Empires on audio, do what I suggested above. Yes, there is a re-issue of LIVEcrime (I think I mentioned it in my write up), but it's not the complete show.

But I really encourage you to get LIVEcrime. Even if you decide to skip the audio and just get the DVD. It's essential classic Queensryche.

[bosk1]

Oh, and for completists out there (TIM, this may be of interest), the entire Nov. 14, 1990 show on audio is available. If you buy the 25th anniversary box set of Operation: Mindcrime, and the 20th Anniversary box set of Empire, the live tracks on both combine to be the ENTIRE Nov. 14, 1990 show if you want to create an iTunes playlist or a compilation CD. It's completely unedited (no overdubs) so you get the full on, live Queensryche performance. It's also a treat because it features one of the very limited performances of "Hand on Heart." So if you can find both those anniversary editions (which are still available), it's worth it.

   How did I not know this?

[TAC]

Hmm..Duly noted. 

[cfmoran13]

I picked up Livecrime on release day back in my freshman year of college.  It was about 10 days after my birthday.  So, I used some of my birthday cash.  I remember it was actually a little bit of a chore to get it.  I had to go to the other side of campus and wait for the bus to take it to the mall downtown, pay record store chain pricing, wait for the bus to make its way back to the mall and take it back to campus.  Since I was a freshman, I didn't have a TV in the room.  So, I had to wait until I was home for Thanksgiving to watch the video.  Thankfully, I had seen the tour so at least I could envision what was going on with the live show.

[Stadler]

How did I not realize, all these years later, that the LIVE:Crime (which I have, and love) wasn't from the O:M tour?  Huh.

I have to dig back in to QR.  I'm trying to find the deluxe version of "Sign Of The Times" (the best of), so I have to expand my search a little.   

[Samsara]

   How did I not know this?

 

How did I not realize, all these years later, that the LIVE:Crime (which I have, and love) wasn't from the O:M tour?  Huh.

I have to dig back in to QR.  I'm trying to find the deluxe version of "Sign Of The Times" (the best of), so I have to expand my search a little.   

Stadler -- I would recommend against that. It's really cool, from a packaging standpoint (which I'll eventually get to a bunch of entries from this), but I'd argue it really doesn't do much good from a hits perspective. You're better off getting the 2000 released Greatest Hits package from Capitol/Virgin/EMI -- it has a stone triryche on the cover in gray, with green grass.

[Stadler]

   How did I not know this?

 

How did I not realize, all these years later, that the LIVE:Crime (which I have, and love) wasn't from the O:M tour?  Huh.

I have to dig back in to QR.  I'm trying to find the deluxe version of "Sign Of The Times" (the best of), so I have to expand my search a little.   

Stadler -- I would recommend against that. It's really cool, from a packaging standpoint (which I'll eventually get to a bunch of entries from this), but I'd argue it really doesn't do much good from a hits perspective. You're better off getting the 2000 released Greatest Hits package from Capitol/Virgin/EMI -- it has a stone triryche on the cover in gray, with green grass.

Even if I want the stuff from the second disk?  (I have a copy of the single disk version; someone gave it to me so I took it).

[Samsara]

If you are a completist, then by all means. But if you're a casual fan, not really sure that stuff is worth your time. Again, totally depends on what you are, or what your interest is. If you have the single disc, then disregard my suggestion from earlier.

[PowerSlave]

About 2 or 3 weeks prior to my 18th birthday, I seen the Building Empires tour in Columbus, Ohio at the old Ohio Center. They had Suicidal opening for them, and I didn't really care for them. But I still consider this to easily be one of the greatest concerts that I've ever seen. My favorite all time QR song is Roads to Madness, and I remember being completely blown away when they played it. The stage presentation was worlds beyond anything that I had seen up to the point in my life. Just an amazing show in every sense of the word.

[bosk1]

Yeah, I wasn't really familiar with Suicidal before this tour.  But they put on a great show, so I went and bought Lights, Camera, Revolution.  Despite the gratuitous profanity, it is a great album.  I never got into any of their other albums, but I still dig that one.

[PowerSlave]

Yeah, I wasn't really familiar with Suicidal before this tour.  But they put on a great show, so I went and bought Lights, Camera, Revolution.  Despite the gratuitous profanity, it is a great album.  I never got into any of their other albums, but I still dig that one.

That's one of those things with all the times I've seen QR live. I usually never really got into any of the support bands that I seen them with except for Fates Warning when QR was on that co-headline tour with DT. I seen Suicidal, Type O Negative (twice), Pist-On (I think that's how it was spelled) and Jesse James Dupree. None of those bands seemed like a good fit.

[bosk1]

I wouldn't have cared for any of those others either. 

[Samsara]

If you're looking for really good bands that opened for Queensryche, the best I ever saw (other than Fates) was doubleDrive.

They've got two records - Thousand Yard Stare and Blue in the Face. I highly recommend the former. I saw them in Chicago and Milwaukee in 1999, and they blew me away. Incredible band. Donnie Hamby (vocalist out of Atlanta area) is the singer.

FYI -- I've got Promised Land ready to go. Gonna give the Empire years another week to marinate. If I see it start to really die down, I'll upload PL. It's a long one.

[DragonAttack]

... The stage presentation was worlds beyond anything that I had seen up to the point in my life. Just an amazing show in every sense of the word.

I mentioned earlier that I'd seen them in Auburn Hills with my ex (90% of the show is on youtube).  I agree with the above, even after having seen KISS and Alice Cooper years earlier.  Also, Geoff was an athletic madman.

I purchased the 'Building Empires' VHS tape when it came out.  Very satisfied with it.  My current wife and I last watched it after the DT 'Escape From The Studio' tour.  That is also the time frame that I purchased 'LIVEcrime', as I was disappointed upon its initial release that the entire concert was not included.  If it makes sense, I'm glad I waited, as it was something 'new' to me (and ten tons better than 'The Art of Live').  Worth it to a newbie just for the 'Anarchy Xtra' at the end of 'Eyes of A Stranger', and to hear just how good Scott Rockenfield was as a drummer. 

But......what's the deal with the crowd noise?  It sounds so muffled and fake.

[jjrock88]

I have LIVEcrime and the deluxe edition of O:M, which has another live version on it.  Both are just outstanding live albums and just great energy from the band.  Highly recommended!

[Dublagent66]

I have LIVEcrime on VHS and CD.  Was at the show in Phx on that tour.  Was one of the best concerts I ever saw.

[TAC]

  Gonna give the Empire years another week to marinate. 

Good. Then another week for Promised Land to urinate.

[Kwyjibo]

the fact that they play it almost note for note like on the record makes at least the audio cd kinda pointless to me. I like it when bands shake things up a bit in the live setting, recreating the studio record isn't really my cup of tea. This is obviously different when being there, you feel the energy, the crowd and everything, but as I said, listening to it on cd afterwards isn't that exciting anymore. On the DVD you have the visuals and it's nice, but I think I onyl watched it two or three times.

There are some differences - the tempo on Needle Lies is even faster than the studio album.  They also do the usual stop/start after the solo and little instrumental run in the middle of the song and Geoff showcases his lung power in a few songs with some big-ass sustained notes (the end of Needlie Lies, Eyes of a Stranger, etc.).  But to take the official live recording of such a monumental album and tweak it too much during the performance?  I don't know if I'd agree with that, but different strokes for different folks.  I definitely prefer that it's a very faithful recording and the live sound is enough of a difference for me.

Livecrime is the definitive live Queensryche album/performance for me.  The band was on fire and sounds incredible, and it has a perfect mix of old/new Geoff.  His voice is killer, and he's just starting to embrace his "acting" on stage without overdoing it and becoming too hammy like he did later on in his career.  My cousin's favorite band was Queensryche, and when we discovered our mutual love for the band in the early 2000's and started attending shows together, he commented once about how he loved Geoff doing little things on stage and acting to accentuate the lyrics.  I always just wanted him to sing the songs - but on Livecrime, it adds to the performance for me.

Don't get me wrong, seeing it live would be tremendous, and yes shaking things up wouldn't probably really work for such a complex piece. Sadly I missed out on that tour. And yes, the band was on fire and it's great how they are able to reproduce it live with Geoff at the height of his game.

I just don't listen too often to the LIVEcrime audio disc, because when I'm in the mood for Mindcrime the studio version just has a better sound. More oomph and, as someone else said, the audience noise of the live recording sometimes sounds kinda weird. Like added afterwards to the actual recording or something. But it's still a good record.

[jingle.boy]

Both really good videos, still play them today. Both fell victim to my ex who took a pair of scissors to my vhs collection,

Did she do time for this hate crime?

TAC, I get that.  But Livecrime especially is really worth the purchase. 

Tim, you are missing out. Big time. I hear ya, but it's such an incredible live album. There was a time that I listened to LIVEcrime instead of Mindcrime, just for the energy.

So much this.  LIVEcrime is Top 3 concert DVD for me... Perhaps #1 if I really thought about ranking them.  Flawless... absolutely flawless.  The only (extremely minor) nit I have is at times it's very noticable where they are cutting between the different nights - like how Tate rips his pants at the knee one night.

I still prefer LIVEcrime over Mindcrime.  The two audience participation moments bring chills to me every time - especially the bombastic re-entry by the band both times.  Goosebumps just thinking about them!

I bought the VHS/CD when released (really need to dig out the booklet and leaf through that sometime!), and many a times watched/sync'd the two together for my enhanced listening pleasure.  This was before I had a VCR that could hook into my stereo system, so I was trying to get the full (and loud as shit) listening experience while watching it.  IIRC, the only time the two didn't sync was Tate's commentary between SSM and TNL.  Otherwise, it wasn't too difficult to cue them up together.

Two questions ... is Pamela Moore really singing, or just lip-sync'g?  I always thought the latter.  It just sounds exactly like the studio version, and has that lip-sync feel.  Also, backing vocals... same question for the same reason.  Were the headphone mic's on just for show, or for realz?

[cfmoran13]

Yeah, I wasn't really familiar with Suicidal before this tour.  But they put on a great show, so I went and bought Lights, Camera, Revolution.  Despite the gratuitous profanity, it is a great album.  I never got into any of their other albums, but I still dig that one.

That's one of those things with all the times I've seen QR live. I usually never really got into any of the support bands that I seen them with except for Fates Warning when QR was on that co-headline tour with DT. I seen Suicidal, Type O Negative (twice), Pist-On (I think that's how it was spelled) and Jesse James Dupree. None of those bands seemed like a good fit.

ST was by far my favorite QR support band I got to see.  Lights, Camera, Revolution is good.  I prefer the next album, The Art Of Rebellion.  I got to see Type-O.  Sadly, I wasn't a fan of theirs at the time.  So, I couldn't really appreciate them for what they were.  Much better appreciation for them when I saw them open for Megadeth.

[jingle.boy]

Oh, and for completists out there (TIM, this may be of interest), the entire Nov. 14, 1990 show on audio is available. If you buy the 25th anniversary box set of Operation: Mindcrime, and the 20th Anniversary box set of Empire, the live tracks on both combine to be the ENTIRE Nov. 14, 1990 show if you want to create an iTunes playlist or a compilation CD. It's completely unedited (no overdubs) so you get the full on, live Queensryche performance. It's also a treat because it features one of the very limited performances of "Hand on Heart." So if you can find both those anniversary editions (which are still available), it's worth it.

Sounds like a job for Spotify.

Interestingly, Spotify's version of Empire 20th Anniv includes Hand On Heart between Silent Lucidity and Take Hold.

[bosk1]

The only (extremely minor) nit I have is at times it's very noticable where they are cutting between the different nights - like how Tate rips his pants at the knee one night.

Oh, wow.  I actually never noticed that.  I always actually thought the transitions were pretty smooth to where you couldn't tell which footage was from which night, but I guess I didn't pick up on some of the small details like that.

Two questions ... is Pamela Moore really singing, or just lip-sync'g?  I always thought the latter.  It just sounds exactly like the studio version, and has that lip-sync feel.  Also, backing vocals... same question for the same reason.  Were the headphone mic's on just for show, or for realz?

Samsara might know, but for what it's worth:

I know Pamela Moore was not with them on the whole tour.  During the regular shows, her parts were piped in as part of the backing track while her image was up on screen.  Not sure whether the vocals were separated out from the rest of the backing track, but I would guess not.  Which means that they likely would have then had the backing track with her vocals playing during that show.  And if that's the case, I'm guessing she just lip synched during the taping so the audience wouldn't hear two Pamelas.

Regarding the band backing vocals, my guess would be that the band members were actually singing, but that there were also backing tracks to enhance the backing vocals.  Chris and Eddie definitely can and do sing.  But I know for certain that they used backing tracks for vocals on the PL tour and other tours following.  Given the extensive backing track they had on the Building Empires tour, it would not surprise me in the least if there was a backing vocal track that was part of it. 

[Orbert]

That just seems lame.  I mean, having a backing track because she wasn't go to be there every night makes sense; the part has to be there.  But on the nights she's there, let her sing.  Why go to the trouble of having her there if she's just gonna lip-sync to the track?

[jingle.boy]

The only (extremely minor) nit I have is at times it's very noticable where they are cutting between the different nights - like how Tate rips his pants at the knee one night.

Oh, wow.  I actually never noticed that.  I always actually thought the transitions were pretty smooth to where you couldn't tell which footage was from which night, but I guess I didn't pick up on some of the small details like that.

There's more than a few occasions where the transition between shots puts some of the front 4 at different areas of the stage.  Very minor issue, and if you're not aware/looking for it, it's virtually unnoticeable.  However, at the end of SSM, when Tate goes tumbling down the metal grate/ramp that Mary/Moore is using as a pedestal, he rips his pants (left leg iirc) one of the nights, and from that point on it's blatantly noticeable when they are interchanging clips of Tate.

*snip on vocal topic*

That's kinda what I was figuring.  Thanks for that Bosk.

[Samsara]

Two questions ... is Pamela Moore really singing, or just lip-sync'g?  I always thought the latter.  It just sounds exactly like the studio version, and has that lip-sync feel.  Also, backing vocals... same question for the same reason.  Were the headphone mic's on just for show, or for realz?

It is her studio album take to my ear. She sang live, but I am guessing they just replaced her vocal. As for the background vocals, I don't know. Chris is a very good and consistent singer. So I am going to assume his were on. But while Eddie is a good singer, he can get pitchy, so it wouldn't surprise me if they swapped out his live vocal later with some studio ones. And Michael's headset is a joke. His vocal parts are very minor, so I am guessing they piped his in later too.

Interestingly, Spotify's version of Empire 20th Anniv includes Hand On Heart between Silent Lucidity and Take Hold.

For that gig (which I think is the last one it was played, if memory serves, that is the correct spot. It was in the encore.

That just seems lame.  I mean, having a backing track because she wasn't go to be there every night makes sense; the part has to be there.  But on the nights she's there, let her sing.  Why go to the trouble of having her there if she's just gonna lip-sync to the track?

She did sing at her appearances (which were in Japan, some in Europe, and these tapings if I remember right). But remember, given the amount of money it cost to professionally film live shows back then, if she had an off night (I'd have to go pull the bootleg to find out, I am pretty sure I have that run of Wisconsin shows), they probably just dumped in the album track later.

The band did play to a backing track on the tour (and did from the Empire tour onward) but it was more because of all the animation and film stuff they had synched up. But it was pretty low, and was meant as a guide more than anything. Everyone played/sang live as far as I know.

re: transitions -- yeah, the editing job isn't perfect if you're looking to find fault with it. It's certainly there. But honestly, I never really noticed all that much.

[Orbert]

That just seems lame.  I mean, having a backing track because she wasn't go to be there every night makes sense; the part has to be there.  But on the nights she's there, let her sing.  Why go to the trouble of having her there if she's just gonna lip-sync to the track?

She did sing at her appearances (which were in Japan, some in Europe, and these tapings if I remember right). But remember, given the amount of money it cost to professionally film live shows back then, if she had an off night (I'd have to go pull the bootleg to find out, I am pretty sure I have that run of Wisconsin shows), they probably just dumped in the album track later.

The band did play to a backing track on the tour (and did from the Empire tour onward) but it was more because of all the animation and film stuff they had synched up. But it was pretty low, and was meant as a guide more than anything. Everyone played/sang live as far as I know.

Ah, so the lip-synching is just on the video, it was live at the actual shows?  I was confused.  That's better, I suppose.  But unless she really had an off-night, like so bad that it would ruin the song, I'd still rather hear what went over the P.A. than what they lifted from the album.  And that's why they shoot multiple nights.

[Samsara]

I am assuming it was live at the shows. Pamela is a great singer, so I assume she was live.

I think most should assume a lot of the live stuff recorded in the late 80s and early 90s -- it was all done live, but stuff was taken out and replaced with studio versions later. That's pretty much the way it worked. Nowadays, the vocalists simply go down to the studio and recut it "live in studio" to clean things up if they missed a note or something. Back then, that was probably cost prohibitive.

[jingle.boy]

Interestingly, Spotify's version of Empire 20th Anniv includes Hand On Heart between Silent Lucidity and Take Hold.

For that gig (which I think is the last one it was played, if memory serves, that is the correct spot. It was in the encore.

Gotchya.  It's just that both last.fm and anybodylistening.net (what a hack that guy is!) don't list it on the 11-14-90 setlist.

re: transitions -- yeah, the editing job isn't perfect if you're looking to find fault with it. It's certainly there. But honestly, I never really noticed all that much.

It's only the ripped pants that stand out to me.  It's like Shannon Doherty's wonky eyes... once you see it, you can't unsee it.

But unless she really had an off-night, like so bad that it would ruin the song, I'd still rather hear what went over the P.A. than what they lifted from the album.  And that's why they shoot multiple nights.

[Samsara]

Interestingly, Spotify's version of Empire 20th Anniv includes Hand On Heart between Silent Lucidity and Take Hold.

For that gig (which I think is the last one it was played, if memory serves, that is the correct spot. It was in the encore.

Gotchya.  It's just that both last.fm and anybodylistening.net (what a hack that guy is!) don't list it on the 11-14-90 setlist.

Sheesh that guy, he's such a moron.    That's because I got the date wrong in talking about it here! It's 11/15/90, and yes, it's on the setlist -- https://anybodylistening.net/11-15-90.html

[Stadler]

re: transitions -- yeah, the editing job isn't perfect if you're looking to find fault with it. It's certainly there. But honestly, I never really noticed all that much.

It's only the ripped pants that stand out to me.  It's like Shannon Doherty's wonky eyes... once you see it, you can't unsee it.

I thought I was the only one that couldn't look at her without noticing that. 

[Setzer]

re: transitions -- yeah, the editing job isn't perfect if you're looking to find fault with it. It's certainly there. But honestly, I never really noticed all that much.

It's only the ripped pants that stand out to me.  It's like Shannon Doherty's wonky eyes... once you see it, you can't unsee it.

I thought I was the only one that couldn't look at her without noticing that. 

Woohh boy. I guess I'm in the minority of disliking LIVEcrime for its wonky editing, and really odd audio mix? Maybe it's a live product of its time, and I'm just not used to that sort of editing? I digress.
For official live stuff, I always listen to the 2nd Hammersmith '90 show. That one has a much better audio mix to my ears
Beating a dead horse with this, but it's such a shame it's not economically feasible for the band to dig up the original film negatives, and put out a re-mastered Blu-ray version

As for Hand on Heart, some earlier shows like Nottingham '90, has the song placed much earlier in the set. There's also a Japanese show from Feb. '91, featuring the song (whole show in 1 video on YouTube, just audio).
Building Empires is great, and it flows really well, interspersed with the "interview" footage of the band.

[DragonAttack]

I bought the VHS/CD when released (really need to dig out the booklet and leaf through that sometime!), and many a times watched/sync'd the two together for my enhanced listening pleasure.  This was before I had a VCR that could hook into my stereo system, so I was trying to get the full (and loud as shit) listening experience while watching it.  IIRC, the only time the two didn't sync was Tate's commentary between SSM and TNL.  Otherwise, it wasn't too difficult to cue them up together.

I thought I was the only one who did crazy things like that   I remember doing this with a VHS->cassette made from Queen's Montreal '81 concert, so that I could blast it in my basement den decades ago.  And....'Wizard of Oz'/'Dark Side of the Moon' (if that counts).

[Samsara]

As for Hand on Heart, some earlier shows like Nottingham '90, has the song placed much earlier in the set. There's also a Japanese show from Feb. '91, featuring the song (whole show in 1 video on YouTube, just audio).

Yep, they did it once on that run too. It wasn't something they did regularly after Nov. 1990. My guess is, because they were doing a bunch of shows there (like on the Mindcrime headline tour) they wanted to play everything they had rehearsed and knew up to that point, to give them as much difference as possible. Hand on heart wasn't played at every show in Japan 1991, however. Just one or two.

And yes, on the song changing spots in the set. It debuted up higher in the setlist, right after Best I Can. My guess is, it moved to the encore after it had been decided it wouldn't be regularly played.

I should add as well (I forget if I put this in the write-up) -- Queensryche did soundcheck "One and Only" a bunch, but they never thought it quite came off well live, and the original lineup never played it in concert. The first time they did it was the American Soldier tour, if memory serves (I'm a bit hazy on post-2005 Queensryche live stuff).