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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: bosk1 on June 29, 2018, 12:20:07 PM
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First off, this thread is about the official band that started with the EP, released subsequent albums with Geoff Tate through Dedicated 2 Chaos, and then released two albums with Todd LaTorre (the self titled and Condition Human). It is NOT meant to take into account any of the Geoff Tate solo work, including that released under the "Operation Mindcrime" name or his Frequency Unknown album that was released under the "Queensryche" name without the permission of the band.
The question is: forgetting about any of the drama or the disappointments through the years, looking at their catalog as a whole, and considering STRICTLY IN TERMS OF GIVING YOU MUSIC THAT YOU ENJOY, how would you rate this band?
At this point in history, I am curious to know how people feel about the band's entire legacy. And I am curious because, for many fans, it is a difficult question to answer.
For me, it is hard to not classify them as a big disappointment at this stage in their careers for reasons that have been discussed at length in the Queensryche thread (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=263.0) and elsewhere. That is especially true since they were my favorite band from about 1991 to 1999, fell VERY far from that pedestal, culminating in the years of the Cabaret Tour and D2C. We got a new hope with the TLT era of the band, only to see the band squander opportunity after opportunity and look like it is on the verge of folding or, at the very least, fading into being an obscure nostalgia act.
But after a bit of thought, I have a slightly different take when looking strictly at their musical legacy as a whole. Despite some missteps here and there, we got an EP and six REALLY solid albums up through HITNF. With the exception of a few songs here and there, I thoroughly enjoy those albums from start to finish and feel that there are VERY few bands that have 6+ album runs that can touch that run. We also have the thoroughly enjoyable Operation Livecrime live set from that era, as well as the exceptional (and exceptionally rare) Live in Tokyo. Looking at the run of the next five albums (Q2K, Tribe, Mindcrime II, American Soldier, and D2C), the band was VERY hit and miss. I can't say I have a great fondness for ANY of those, except maybe American Soldier, which has great songs, but is deeply flawed by Geoff's subpar vocal delivery and is soured by a sad backstory of not even really being a "Queensryche" record in anything but name. But with the exception of D2C, all of those albums have songs that I enjoy and want to go back to from time to time. Q2K has a very small number. For Tribe, it is about half the album. And for Mindcrime II and AS, I enjoy about 2/3 of those albums, respectively. The "bonus" releases we got during that era were so-so (Take Cover, Art of Live, Mindcrime at the Moore), but I don't overly hold that against them. Then we get to the LaTorre era, and despite the frustrations about the band themselves, the music was mostly top notch and left me very happy.
So when I take a step back and look at the strength of the band's music in the grand scheme of things and forget the drama, I come away with eight albums and an EP that I REALLY like, three albums I listen to only occasionally but have some songs that I really enjoy from time to time, and two clunkers I don't revisit. That's a pretty satisfying record. By that standard, I guess I have to consider the band a success STRICTLY IN TERMS OF GIVING ME MUSIC THAT I ENJOY. And that is really the standard I am concerned with in this thread.
So considered STRICTLY IN TERMS OF GIVING ME MUSIC THAT I ENJOY, I rate them as a great band that had some definite low points. The lows are pretty low and, along with the drama, keep me from really considering them a favorite anymore. But they have given me a LOT of solid music that I really enjoy, and I have to give them credit for that. How about you?
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Something else, not me.
They are a band that had one of the most amazing starts we'll ever see. From the EP through Promised Land the band basically shat musical gold. Very few acts will come close to hitting what they did during that time frame. But starting with Hear in the Now a long string of meh albums started. Then of course starting with O:MII a bunch of really bad decisions started happening that helped chip away heavily at the band's legacy. That still doesn't take away from what they were and make them a disappointment, but rather I'm just disappointed in what they became. And after HitnF up to D2C each album had at least a few tracks I really enjoyed. Then they get rid of Tate and truly squandered momentum out of the gate. Had they release Condition Human out of the gate and really gotten behind it they would have really reestablished some legitimacy.
What is the band to me now? A good nostalgia act I'll certainly enjoy going to watch.
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Kudos to Nick for understanding and answering the question that was actually being asked, and thus starting off the thread in the right direction. We actually aren't really that far apart in our general assessment, I think. That last option is meant to let people basically answer the question on their own terms rather than adopting my classifications, but to keep the actual question in mind. Thanks for your thoughts and for keeping it on track. :tup
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I'm what is probably one of many: those who are mainly Mindcrime fan, and enjoy what else there is to enjoy by association.
Mindcrime is their Jupiter to me. As Jupiter has more mass than all the other planets of the solar system, I probably love Mindcrime more than anything else they've ever done, put together. It's one of those perfect albums that you can never ever get tired of.
What came before (EP, Warning, Rage for Order which is my second favorite) and immediately after (Empire) is mostly good, not "I'm a big fan of this band and I love every song and I listen to them regularly" good (of course these are just my tastes here), but enjoyable. Already Promised Land is so-so for me (I know is a hard to get album, I'm not saying it sucks, I'm just one of those that don't get it), Hear in the Now Frontier is for me Sign of the Times and 13 other songs I never listened in ages, and from Q2K onward is a downard spiral heading for the disaster that were the last years of the Tate tenure.
For when I go to work, I make compilations of all the stuff I really like; the only compilation I ever did of Queensryche was an "early days" one, from the EP to Promised Land - it was filled to the brink with Mindcrime songs, and Promised Land had only 2. I'm not saying that the later albums suck, I know there are some good songs here and there, but go back to my initial statement - it was really more of a Mindcrime thing that a Queensryche thing.
With DT, I'm a big fan so I stick to them through thick and thin (and hey, as divisive as some albums are, can we all agree they never wrote a turd?) - Queensyrche never managed to make me a full, unwaivering fan, so average albums and the quality tummeling to the ground album after album were enough to make me lose interest in them, and reducing them to "Oh, they made a new album, let's hear it once if I have time to see how it is", and that even stopped completely after American Soldier.
So, to sum up: I love Operation Mindcrime to death, I quite like the three albums that came before, don't mind half of Empire at all, and the rest it's just one song or there. They could have been superstars but they squandered away all their potential. They could have been what Dream Theater are now with an even broader commercial appeal than DT ever had - but they're just a nostalgia band by now, and for me they'll always be "the ones of Operation Mindcrime and a couple of albums I dig before that. Also half of the songs on Empire are kinda cool" and nothing more.
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Bosk, I totally understand your OP, I think. After all of this time that has passed, where do they really rank for you(not you actually)?
Like most bands, they have their "classic" period. For me, the last good album they made was Empire, so from '83-'90 (seven years), they were excellent. From '90 -present (28 years), they've been passable at times, but more or less not very good. It's like they literally turned into a pumpkin.
I have no use for Promised Land and HITNF. Enough people that I respect love Promised Land, so there's that, but HITNF should've been their last album. In many ways, it was.
In the grand scheme, if you asked me in 1989, they could have been one of my all time favorite bands, but in the end, they were just another band that happened to make a couple of my favorite albums of all time.
The only list they would top would be The Band With The Most Disappointing Career list.
They are not a good band with some low points. They're actually a not so great band with a couple of high points.
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They are not a good band with some low points. They're actually a not so great band with a couple of high points.
Cool description. I wish I would have included that in the poll.
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I'm with TAC on this one. I think he got it right.
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I had to go with "something else." I'm not even completely sure what that something else is. Initially I might have said "disappointment," but a lot of what Bosk said makes sense, although he seems to enjoy the later albums more than I do. I think almost everything up to and including Promised Land is great. HITNF and Q2K are OK at best, and the rest I'm either indifferent to or dislike until Todd joined. I feel like I should have said "great band with some low points" but couldn't quite bring myself to do so, even if I try to pretend that I don't know about the cabaret or the spitting incident, etc. For me, I only like just over half of their albums - EP-PL yes, except I'm not as big on Empire as some so I'd say 5 1/2 albums there. Then HITNF-Dedicated to Chaos no, so that's 6 1/2 on that side. The Todd albums are pretty good, so then it's more than half that's either great or good. However, it was what, over years of material I don't like? It's not that I think every song is horrible, but I have no desire to listen to those albums and as I'm more of an album listener, I can't remember the last time I've listened to even the tracks I do like, such as Right Side of My Mind. As I type, I'm thinking maybe I should have gone for disappointment after all. I don't know. It's complicated when it comes to QR. I guess the something else vote fits because it could include being conflicted. :)
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I originally voted Great Band with Some Definite Low Points, but I wish I had chosen Something Else.
They were in my top 3 from 89-97. Their run from the EP to Promised Land is one of the greatest album runs of all time. For their first 15 years, they made consistently great and interesting music that was just different enough to garner both mainstream success and critical acclaim. For me, I felt Promised Land offered a great starting point for the rest of their career. Sure it didn't reach the commercial heights of its predecessor, but I felt if they kept moving down the road that Promised Land seemed to point them towards, it would have continued their path of making interesting and thought provoking music with lots of layers and textures. With Hear in the Now Frontier, they seemed like they lost the plot, and abandoned a lot of the elements that made them different enough to begin with. That signature made appearances from time to time, but until the TLT-era albums, it was largely absent. The self-titled and Condition Human are solid records, but the drama and craft that was so present in their classic records is still largely missing.
I will add that the Promised Land show I saw is still one of the best concerts I've ever seen.
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Cool thread. I'm not sure I want to post some long diatribe (you're welcome, lol) explaining how I feel. So all I will say is the original lineup of Queensryche was a GREAT band, but not perfect (no band is) toward the end of its run. But to this day, the original group remains (without any doubt whatsoever) my favorite musical entity of all time for a variety of reasons, most centered on songwriting and attention to detail.
After the original band fractured, they've simply been a good band with some up and down moments, with the last two albums more in the musical direction I think most fans wanted them to return to. And the fact that a lot of people really hold their last album in such high regard is nice to see. Not the same band anymore to me though, for many, many reasons. But that original group...while not perfect, was just a really special thing that most in the industry wishes they had been. And QR managed to keep it together for 16 years. That's saying something.
So I voted someone...thing else...
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Hard to say, so I'll pick an option later, but maybe not, since I haven't heard everything they've done. Public squabbles, shenanigans, and spectacles aside, I think it's hard to argue against the quality of their early works. The Warning might be a bit iffy for some, but Rage For Order, Mindcrime, and Empire make up one of the strongest three-album runs I've ever heard from a metal band. Keep in mind I never heard those until the start of 2018. 30 years later, it's still easy to see how they were ahead of a lot of their peers. Some of that stuff couldn't have come from any other group. Rage For Order makes me sweat, in a good way. And their live shows - spent a lot of time watching their live performances around the Mindcrime era and it's unbelievable how good they were. I envy people who saw them live at that time. Replicating those songs live night after night, particularly Geoff Tate's parts, is not easy, but somehow they did it. Promised Land is where I tap out; I haven't given it long enough to be truly sure how I feel about it but I don't like it nearly as much as the previous stuff. Fast forward to Condition Human which is the only other album I've heard. Very good, but it almost feels a few decades too late.
So from what I've heard: (once) a great band, but overall, from what I've read over the years about the rest of their catalogue, maybe not so much. But I'll have to hear the rest to make a real call.
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I've always looked at them as a great band that self imploded. It wasn't one thing, it was many things that lead to where they are now. (Please read Sam's thread about every album and what went on. It was astounding.
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I'm not sure I want to post some long diatribe (you're welcome, lol)
:lol
Phew..that was a close call. :lol
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Fast forward to Condition Human which is the only other album I've heard. Very good, but it almost feels a few decades too late.
I don't think there's any "almost" about it. It WAS a few decades too late. I mean, they still could have made a better run with that album than they did after it came out. But still.
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They started so well, as well as any band ever, but lost their way.
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I'm not sure I want to post some long diatribe (you're welcome, lol)
:lol
Phew..that was a close call. :lol
:rollin
You're one of the few who would actually take the time to read it. lol. Have a good weekend bud.
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Yes I would. Back atcha!
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No matter how low they have been at points, that can never take away from the incredible high points they had.
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I feel that they were a Great band that ran their course ( most say Promised Land I say MC or Empire at best ). I think back then most bands had 5-10 year vision / goals and no one thought about anything beyond that.
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I went with "something else."
IMO, they had a very similar trajectory to Metallica. From the EP through O:M, they were one of the best bands going. I'm not as much of a fan of Empire as a lot of folks, but it was still strong. After that, however, I have virtually no interest. There are a couple of really good songs on Promised Land ("I Am I" and "Damaged"), but most of the album is below average to crappy, and I lost interest after that.
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So considered STRICTLY IN TERMS OF GIVING ME MUSIC THAT I ENJOY, I rate them as a great band that had some definite low points.
This - and I don't let the post Empire/Promised Land stuff affect my judgement of them as a great band. In my mind the band that recorded HITNF through DTC is a different beast that I treat (probably to make me feel better) as a separate entity :).
Very few bands managed to change with the times and stay relevant in the 90's - I could count on one hand the number of bands that I like that managed to do it well . Many just called it a day and if QR had done the same at Promised Land they would likely be held up as an all time great by more people . In my mind at least the fact that a band (a different band in terms of both personnel/writing) released a whole load of subpar material in the second half of their career doesn't discount their overall "greatness". I do understand why some might though. I apply the same to any number of my favourite bands - DT , Van Halen, AC/DC, Ozzy, Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Metallica......
Otherwise I may not rate any bands as "favourites" or "great."
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I voted "something else". A great band with low moments is like a band that has a clunker or two in their discography. They were my favorite band throughout high school, but ultimately, I only really love about a third of their whole discography.
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Disappointment. Not too many bands have had a bigger fall from grace.
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I think they are a great band with the low points skewed towards the latter part of the year. I only recently got into Queensryche with Samsara's discog thread and taking the drama out of the equation (or at least trying to) listening through their discography is like hearing a band lose direction, get sloppy and lazy in real time.
I started following the thread from inception and I was blown away by how great those early albums sounded, polished in both sound and song writing. As time went on it felt like the writing and recording went from a fine tuned process to more of a "that'll do" mentally.
**Opinions started in this post are from a pretty drunk ReaperKK**
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As much as I love them, I have to go with something else as well.
The heart of the band is kinda gone. And the heart was not DeGarmo, nor was it Tate. It was DeGarmo, Tate AND WILTON all working in tandem that made it work. DeGarmo was the melody, Wilton was the "balls and chunk", and Tate was the weird voice of insanity.
Once they made it big, Wilton and Tate both got sidetracked....and DeGarmo got tired of holding it together. Then when DeGarmo left, Tate became a dictator with Wilton fading into the background with Rockenfield and Jackson. By the time those three stood up for themselves, the whole thing was a train wreck. The upside is that it seemed to bring Wilton/Jackson/Rockenfield together as the new leaders with a new found energy....but you still only had 1/3rd of the original magic "trifecta" that made it all work.
So they went from being one of the single most pioneering bands in metal history....to a joke....and now they are just a really good, but fairly average metal band with some pretty decent songs.
None of the current members are showing me that they are willing to take any risks to try to recapture the heavyweight crown, but they are not devoid of creativity or decent material. It's working, and if it ain't broke don't fix it, because that's a million times better than what Tate was doing.
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I guess i don't care enough to be disappointed.
Their important music for me begins and ends with Chris DeGarmo.
People love the Todd La Torre albums, but I guess for me, they would have had more appeal potentially had they reinvented their sound and actually got a singer who sounded much less if nothing like Geoff Tate, just in the desire to have something new. Now granted, they might not have wanted to call the band Queensryche then, but something else. But from a fan-service and business perspective, it would be like starting from scratch in a way, and killed their reason for making new music.
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From RFO through Promised Land they were my favourite band, taking over from Rush as their star was starting to wane. As QR went downhill DT took over. They are still there.
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To me, "something else" is the obvious answer.
I can't call a band with so much crap in their history great, but on the other hand, I cannot call the band that did Rage for Order, Mindcrime and Promised Land a disappointment.
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I went with great band with some low points, even though the low points consist of pretty much 20 years of music. What helps is that even those years feature some amazing songs. As average or even bad some of those albums are, disappointment would be a harsh word. And since I couldn't come up with any other word for it, I chose not to opt for something else.
Had the band ended after Promise land or Hear in the now frontier, I would probably not only call them a great band but one of the best bands of all time.
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Something else. Not been enough of a fan to be disappointed and I have never considered them a great band, albeit a very good one. The only two albums I really like are OM and Empire. So, they have long been under my radar. The whole Geoff Tate debacle has had me amused rather than upset and the newest albums have nothing in them to get me interested in the band again.
B.Lee
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To me, "something else" is the obvious answer.
I can't call a band with so much crap in their history great, but on the other hand, I cannot call the band that did Rage for Order, Mindcrime and Promised Land a disappointment.
Sub "Empire" in for "Promised Land" and that's me. Those three records, my god. But most of everything that came after? My god.
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Something else, not me.
They are a band that had one of the most amazing starts we'll ever see. From the EP through Promised Land the band basically shat musical gold. Very few acts will come close to hitting what they did during that time frame. But starting with Hear in the Now a long string of meh albums started. Then of course starting with O:MII a bunch of really bad decisions started happening that helped chip away heavily at the band's legacy. That still doesn't take away from what they were and make them a disappointment, but rather I'm just disappointed in what they became. And after HitnF up to D2C each album had at least a few tracks I really enjoyed. Then they get rid of Tate and truly squandered momentum out of the gate. Had they release Condition Human out of the gate and really gotten behind it they would have really reestablished some legitimacy.
What is the band to me now? A good nostalgia act I'll certainly enjoy going to watch.
They don't even appeal to me as a nostalgia band.
When DeGarmo left, they stopped being special. If you held a gun to my head, I'd probably say Promised Land was the best album they've ever done. That tour ended up being an amazing experience. I
Then it started to fall apart for me. Continued to buy out of misplaced loyalty I suppose. Liked small bits of the albums that came after and never enough to see them live after that. Thought American Soldier was the best thing since Promised Land (One of my favorite albums of all-time) and kind of left me hopeful about what might come next. Hell, I still even pull the Take Cover album off of the shelf for a listen sometimes. (I even think Geoff's first solo album isn't all that bad. Never heard the second.)
Mindcrime II I guess was the final nail in the coffin for me. Since then they pretty much have ceased to exist for me. No interest at all. Just don't care, which I suppose is why I almost never click on a Queensryche thread. I don't even care that there was a split. No interest on either side. Complete waste of my time.
Haven't felt any real passion for this band in about 10 years. A part of me thinks it never had to be this way but maybe that was the price that had to be paid for the first 12 years.
A musical footnote for me, but from 1983 to 95.....man what a footnote.
It is what it is I guess.....
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If you held a gun to my head, I'd probably say Promised Land was the best album they've ever done.
People will say the craziest things with a gun pointed at them.
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I’m not sure how to describe QR. Up until Promised Land, amazing band. From there onwards, they spiraled down out of control (I do like Tribe though). Then, with LaTorre back, even though the studio albums have been good, they feel like a nostalgia act since they don’t play the new material. It’s been a weird fall from glory for them.
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I’m not sure how to describe QR. Up until Promised Land, amazing band. From there onwards, they spiraled down out of control (I do like Tribe though). Then, with LaTorre back, even though the studio albums have been good, they feel like a nostalgia act since they don’t play the new material. It’s been a weird fall from glory for them.
Yes and even if I'm not sold on LaTorre QR, not playing new material is strange to say the least. They had a chance to start anew with the line-up change and they blew it away.
B.Lee
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Funny... I've been listening to Empire again for the past two weeks and have realized what an incredible album it still is; Another Rainy Night gets me every time. Just an awesome, awesome song.
I'd have to say "something else" as well, or perhaps a "footnote" as ytserush said. Mindcrime and Empire sucked me in and I actually like Promised Land a lot too (sooo dark and moody), but after PL they fell completely off the radar for me.
But the musical quality of Mindcrime, Empire, and Promised Land put them in a place of great enjoyment when the mood hits me right. I'd honestly lump them in with Winger... an awesome three album run that satisfies me when the mood hits. But I have to be in the mood or wake up with a rhythm in my head; I can't just play the music and be put in the mood by listening to the music itself (like I can with DT or BTBAM or even Al Green or Marvin Gaye). Does that make sense?
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Calling Tim - where are you? :lol
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TELAMUNDO FOR DTF!!!
TIM'S HEAD WITH EXPLOOOOOOODEEEEE!!!!!! :lol
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Oh boy. At first I was like, what are you guys talking about...but then.....I saw IT! :lol
Yeah, I'd lump the two together as well. :lol :lol
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If you held a gun to my head, I'd probably say Promised Land was the best album they've ever done.
People will say the craziest things with a gun pointed at them.
Probably don't even need the gun.
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If you held a gun to my head, I'd probably say Promised Land was the best album they've ever done.
People will say the craziest things with a gun pointed at them.
Probably don't even need the gun.
Tim does it all the time and no one is even looking at him. :lol
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The first 4 albums are great. After that, there's a significant drop off in quality of their work.
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"something else" works best for me too. Think I'm with the camp who LOVES EP- Empire, after that? Meh....
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I voted something else as well, because I think my real choice falls in between the first two options. I used to consider them my third favorite band behind DT and Rush, but with all the stuff they've cranked out ranging from meh to flat out horrid definitely lowered my opinion of them. That's not to say that there aren't some worthwhile tracks on each of their albums (save for DtC - I only really like At the Edge), but from HitNF through DtC, they were definitely hitting well below .500 in my opinion. With TLT aboard, the s/t album was great, and from what I recalled about CH, I liked it, though I never gave it many spins - will have to remedy that soon in preparation for their next album.
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Considering all the drama, the musical decline (and somewhat ressurection), the tate-tisms, the wrong decisions made almost every time etc, they are a great disappointment. They started out so well and promising and then completely blew it.
But strictly musical speaking, I have to vote for great band with some definite low points. There are the classic records that are sooo good and there are some really good songs on almost all of the other records. And the TLT fronted ones are very good too. So, again, if I blank out the drama, there's enough great music to enjoy.
Timeless classics:
Empire
Mindcrime
Rage For Oder
Great records:
Warning
Condition Human
Good ones:
Queensryche (TLT)
Promised Land
Q2K
Queensryche EP
Tolerable:
HITNF
American Soldier
Disappointments:
Mindcrime 2
Tribe
Never listened to:
D2C
Take Cover
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Well. At first I'll say I have very little experience of post CDG-material. I've heard Tribe, OM II, Dedicated to Chaos and Condition Hüman once. So I'm probably not at rights to comment very much on it. DTC was absolute crap and I have no wish to revisit it. All the rest left me quite lukewarm, although I'm willing to give Todd LaTorre era more chances.
But. The Chris DeGarmo era is one of the best series of albums by any band has ever released. Empire has a bit too much commercial hard rock sound on it for my tastes and Hear in the Now Frontier is wildly inconsistent. But EP, The Warning, Rage for Order, Operation: Mindcrime, Promised Land... all amazing. I do think they lost something very important after Chris left.
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The question is: forgetting about any of the drama or the disappointments through the years, looking at their catalog as a whole, and considering STRICTLY IN TERMS OF GIVING YOU MUSIC THAT YOU ENJOY, how would you rate this band?
As a whole... oof... it's just hard to think of the Tateryche years as really being the same band as the one either side, given how marginalised the other three guys were after Tribe until they booted Tate, to the point of being just about a Tate solo project in all but name for several years.
Had QR wound up after Empire they would, hands down, be my favourite band of all time.
Had QR followed up Empire with Promised Land, HiTNF and Tribe then called it a day they would still be my favourite band of all time, just edging out Rush.
However, in between HiTNF and Tribe we get Q2k (two great songs, otherwise shite), then after Tribe we get Mindcrime II (average with a few good songs and one really good one in Hostage), American Soldier (boring) and Dedicated To Chaos (lolful).
Then with Tate gone we get two really solid efforts with LaTorre that are missing their early songwriting magic touch and someone to sort out some of the clumsy LaTorre lines he writes.
I guess they're a great band who suffered a prolonged bad patch.
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Something else for sure. I can't add anything that hasn't already been said. Great to terrible in a very short span (though as Nick and others correctly point out, there are the odd gems stuffed in the steaming turds from HITNF to D2C). Based on the last 2 albums - which I enjoy immensely - I'm mostly disappointed with them for squandering their chance to return to some form of glory.
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I voted “something else” merely because I’m somewhere between “disappointment” and “great band with some low points”. Probably closer to “great band…”. Everything up through PL was magical (and still is). HITNF was when I started pulling away, reluctantly buying subsequent releases hoping for something better and it never really happened. Sure, there were some glimmers of light on some of those albums, but overall it just wasn’t working for me. However, these last two albums with TLT have rekindled my fandom. Especially CH. I absolutely love it and the songs are aging very well. Really looking forward to seeing them open for the Scorpions on Sept 5th.
Overall, considering that I’ll always love those first 6 albums (and the last two), that outweighs the negativity of the sub-par releases in between. Water under the bridge for me. It’s unfortunate that all the drama had to unfold the way it did and I was disappointed for a long time, but we still have Queensryche and all the good memories. So, I will always think of them as a band that has giving me (us) a lot of music to enjoy. I guess the "something else" might be along the lines of "still one of my favorite bands in spite of it all". :biggrin:
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A buddy of mine and I were coming back from a concert Saturday (Blackmore's Night; it was EXCELLENT) and we were talking about QR and specifically Tater. I put on a couple selected tracks from O:M and Empire and man, it was SO good. We just sat silent in the car listening.
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I discovered the band when they had just released American Soldier, and it's quite fascinating to compare a young-listener-who-has-just-discovered-the-band's perspective with the one of a veteran fan who grew up with the band's. Queensryche never really struck as a disappointing to me when they had 10+ years of releasing solid album after solid album. Sure, nothing came close to that after the turn of the millennium and Dedicated to Chaos was awful (The fun kind of awful, though- I had such a great time watching that album get ripped apart on these forums) but after the two great albums they've released since then I really believe They've had more hits than misses and as bosk said, even their more uninspired albums save for D2C have some great songs in them. So yeah, option two
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They have one perfect album in Operation: Mindcrime, and some great songs sprinkled throughout their career. I have EP through Empire, and then the self titled. Empire is mostly good. S/T is good but hard to listen to because of the mastering. They're a disappointment in a way because I know they are capable of greatness, but they aren't a band I actively listen to, so it's not too big a concern.
The Offspring is the disappointment band for me. They lost me 10 years ago.
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I discovered the band when they had just released American Soldier, and it's quite fascinating to compare a young-listener-who-has-just-discovered-the-band's perspective with the one of a veteran fan who grew up with the band's. Queensryche never really struck as a disappointing to me when they had 10+ years of releasing solid album after solid album. Sure, nothing came close to that after the turn of the millennium and Dedicated to Chaos was awful (The fun kind of awful, though- I had such a great time watching that album get ripped apart on these forums) but after the two great albums they've released since then I really believe They've had more hits than misses and as bosk said, even their more uninspired albums save for D2C have some great songs in them. So yeah, option two
For me, as a full album, American Soldier was the best thing they did after Promised Land. They almost won me back as a going concern with that album.
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I discovered the band when they had just released American Soldier, and it's quite fascinating to compare a young-listener-who-has-just-discovered-the-band's perspective with the one of a veteran fan who grew up with the band's. Queensryche never really struck as a disappointing to me when they had 10+ years of releasing solid album after solid album. Sure, nothing came close to that after the turn of the millennium and Dedicated to Chaos was awful (The fun kind of awful, though- I had such a great time watching that album get ripped apart on these forums) but after the two great albums they've released since then I really believe They've had more hits than misses and as bosk said, even their more uninspired albums save for D2C have some great songs in them. So yeah, option two
For me, as a full album, American Soldier was the best thing they did after Promised Land. They almost won me back as a going concern with that album.
I covered American Soldier extensively in the Queensryche Discography thread. But to me, that record was probably my favorite non-original lineup album until the self-titled one in 2013. The problem with American Soldier was that it ran out of steam after Man Down!, and that Tate didn't really convey the entirety of the theme, opting to portray mostly negative emotions of serving. And it sucked that the band didn't actually write it (they did perform all of it, however, and the guitar solos were written by Wilton). Jason Slater and Kelly Gray did most of the writing, and I think they got as close to the classic QR sound as they could with the band at that point, and where Tate was.
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And it sucked that the band didn't actually write it (they did perform all of it, however, and the guitar solos were written by Wilton).
Sam, I was under the impression that wasn't the case. I must've misread someone's post along the way.
I haven't listened to American Soldier in ages, but I remember liking it. It felt focused.
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And it sucked that the band didn't actually write it (they did perform all of it, however, and the guitar solos were written by Wilton).
Sam, I was under the impression that wasn't the case. I must've misread someone's post along the way.
I haven't listened to American Soldier in ages, but I remember liking it. It felt focused.
T,
Yeah, they performed all of it except for some rhythm guitar bits that Kelly did on the two leftover Slave to the System tracks that they used (Middle of Hell and Home Again). But all of the band is on every track for sure, and Wilton did all the solos too (and came up with them).
It was Mindcrime II and D2C where they were missing on a lot of it.
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Thanks Brian. While I never actually have to urge to listen to American Soldier, I should pull it up. I didn't not enjoy it. I thought it was decent at the time.
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As much as I love them, I have to go with something else as well.
The heart of the band is kinda gone. And the heart was not DeGarmo, nor was it Tate. It was DeGarmo, Tate AND WILTON all working in tandem that made it work. DeGarmo was the melody, Wilton was the "balls and chunk", and Tate was the weird voice of insanity.
Once they made it big, Wilton and Tate both got sidetracked....and DeGarmo got tired of holding it together. Then when DeGarmo left, Tate became a dictator with Wilton fading into the background with Rockenfield and Jackson. By the time those three stood up for themselves, the whole thing was a train wreck. The upside is that it seemed to bring Wilton/Jackson/Rockenfield together as the new leaders with a new found energy....but you still only had 1/3rd of the original magic "trifecta" that made it all work.
So they went from being one of the single most pioneering bands in metal history....to a joke....and now they are just a really good, but fairly average metal band with some pretty decent songs.
None of the current members are showing me that they are willing to take any risks to try to recapture the heavyweight crown, but they are not devoid of creativity or decent material. It's working, and if it ain't broke don't fix it, because that's a million times better than what Tate was doing.
I totally agree with this, great explanation of what made them great in their early years.
Went with something else, but think I should have chosen Disappointment, not only because of the obvious, but also because of how they didn't take advantage of how good Condition Human is. The band has been poorly managed for a long time and still are.
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I discovered the band when they had just released American Soldier, and it's quite fascinating to compare a young-listener-who-has-just-discovered-the-band's perspective with the one of a veteran fan who grew up with the band's. Queensryche never really struck as a disappointing to me when they had 10+ years of releasing solid album after solid album. Sure, nothing came close to that after the turn of the millennium and Dedicated to Chaos was awful (The fun kind of awful, though- I had such a great time watching that album get ripped apart on these forums) but after the two great albums they've released since then I really believe They've had more hits than misses and as bosk said, even their more uninspired albums save for D2C have some great songs in them. So yeah, option two
For me, as a full album, American Soldier was the best thing they did after Promised Land. They almost won me back as a going concern with that album.
I covered American Soldier extensively in the Queensryche Discography thread. But to me, that record was probably my favorite non-original lineup album until the self-titled one in 2013. The problem with American Soldier was that it ran out of steam after Man Down!, and that Tate didn't really convey the entirety of the theme, opting to portray mostly negative emotions of serving. And it sucked that the band didn't actually write it (they did perform all of it, however, and the guitar solos were written by Wilton). Jason Slater and Kelly Gray did most of the writing, and I think they got as close to the classic QR sound as they could with the band at that point, and where Tate was.
They sure missed an opportunity with that album. Could have been a lot better than it became.
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I own Warning-HitNF on CD and gave HitNF a listen in the car as it has been ages since I spun it last. I don't have many physical CDs any longer, somewhere between 50-75 I would estimate. And I can honestly say HitNF is by far the worst CD I own. I have no idea why I even have this on my shelf. It isn't to be a completionist. I own less than half of their material.
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I own Warning-HitNF on CD and gave HitNF a listen in the car as it has been ages since I spun it last. I don't have many physical CDs any longer, somewhere between 50-75 I would estimate. And I can honestly say HitNF is by far the worst CD I own. I have no idea why I even have this on my shelf. It isn't to be a completionist. I own less than half of their material.
:lol I'm sure it's not actually the worst CD that I own, but it's down towards the bottom. (But I do own more physical cds). I guess I have a hard time getting rid of something once I have it. And I do like a few songs on that album, so it's ripped to my pc and I feel I should keep the cd to say I legitimately own the mp3s. Or something...
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They sure missed an opportunity with that album. Could have been a lot better than it became.
Yeah, they really did. I still dig half of it a lot, but had the vocals been recorded in a studio (instead of Geoff's house), and it had a bit more quality control and input, it could have been a classic. Great theme, timely stuff, but a few missteps really squashed the potential American Soldier had.
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I have sold CDs in bunches over the years, either due to needing the funds, changing musical tastes, or trimming down before a big move. At this point I also have a hard time parting with CDs. I don't have many and they are organized well without taking up excess room, and I like the look of them on the shelf.
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I still count them as one my top five bands Rush, DT, QR, Living Colour and Yes. Rush has #1 locked the rest rotate. QR has some not so great songs and I can't listen to the the band once Geoff was no longer in it but as the expression goes I'm not going to through away the baby with the bath water. Their best work is top among almost any band, obviously in my opinion.
I actually just saw Tate perform Operation Mindcrime(yes..again) and he was immensely entertaining and sounded pretty damn good. The crowd was with him the whole way through.
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I actually just saw Tate perform Operation Mindcrime(yes..again) and he was immensely entertaining and sounded pretty damn good. The crowd was with him the whole way through.
I am seeing him this week. Looking forward to it. From what I've seen on YouTube, its pretty good. He has his up and down moments, but that's with any show. It'll probably be the last time I see Mindcrime in its entirety live unless the original band reunites (doubtful), so I figured why not. The last time I saw he whole thing was two nights in Seattle in 2006. And it was horrendous. Musically it was fine, but the melodrama was off the charts. This looks more bare bones, and it'll let the music do the talking.
A guitarist friend of mine pointed out to me that Tate's band is doing something interesting. I am not a musician, so bare with me if this is common knowledge. Apparently the guitarists in Tate's band are all running their stuff through some computer program that replicates the settings used on the original Operation: Mindcrime (sorry guitarists, I know I butchered that explanation, PLEASE correct me). So basically, they plug in, and as they perform, the sound comes out sounding like Chris and Michael. Tate's band plays all the stuff, but instead of boards and amps, it is all run through that program that replicates the tones of what Chris and Michael did on Mindcrime (albeit downtuned).
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If it's strictly software, they could be using something like this:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BIASStuPlat--positive-grid-bias-studio-platinum-bundle-plug-in
If it's a software/hardware hybrid, it's more than likely this:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BiasHead--positive-grid-bias-head-600-watt-amp-match-amplifier-head
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProfileRk--kemper-profiler-rack-rackmount-profiling-amp-head
Amp modeling and amp profiling has been a thing for a while, but these products are the current leaders, along with the Line 6 Helix and the Fractal Audio Axe FX. Most modern metal production involves one or more of these. TesseracT used the Kemper on Sonder, and I know Periphery has used the Axe FX stuff for a while, though they may be switching back to real amps soon.
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Thanks! Amp modeling, yes, that's what my friend called it. He just never saw Queensryche ever do it before, so he thought it was an interesting approach for Tate. Yes, Fractal Audio, he said that too. Apparently one of the Tate guitarists (the young one from Ireland, I forget his name) has a rig rundown on YouTube where he explains it (if you're curious at all).
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Thanks! Amp modeling, yes, that's what my friend called it. He just never saw Queensryche ever do it before, so he thought it was an interesting approach for Tate. Yes, Fractal Audio, he said that too. Apparently one of the Tate guitarists (the young one from Ireland, I forget his name) has a rig rundown on YouTube where he explains it (if you're curious at all).
The Axe FX is what brought amp modeling to the next level. Line 6 had brought the idea to market with the POD and AmpFarm, but Fractal really took it to the next level with the Axe FX. I've messed around with it on a Kemper Profiling Amp. Some co-workers of mine and I did a quick profile of a Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier and I couldn't tell the difference between the real one and the profile we created on the Kemper. It was pretty sweet! It's all pretty cool stuff once you get into it. My old bandmates were both really into amp modeling because it was much less expensive than having an amp locker, so they could spend their money on guitars instead.
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I actually just saw Tate perform Operation Mindcrime(yes..again) and he was immensely entertaining and sounded pretty damn good. The crowd was with him the whole way through.
I am seeing him this week. Looking forward to it. From what I've seen on YouTube, its pretty good. He has his up and down moments, but that's with any show. It'll probably be the last time I see Mindcrime in its entirety live unless the original band reunites (doubtful), so I figured why not. The last time I saw he whole thing was two nights in Seattle in 2006. And it was horrendous. Musically it was fine, but the melodrama was off the charts. This looks more bare bones, and it'll let the music do the talking.
A guitarist friend of mine pointed out to me that Tate's band is doing something interesting. I am not a musician, so bare with me if this is common knowledge. Apparently the guitarists in Tate's band are all running their stuff through some computer program that replicates the settings used on the original Operation: Mindcrime (sorry guitarists, I know I butchered that explanation, PLEASE correct me). So basically, they plug in, and as they perform, the sound comes out sounding like Chris and Michael. Tate's band plays all the stuff, but instead of boards and amps, it is all run through that program that replicates the tones of what Chris and Michael did on Mindcrime (albeit downtuned).
I saw Tate's show last Friday night at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA. It's a small venue, and I'd say the capacity is around 1,000 (but I'm probably not good at judging that sort of thing). There was an opening band called Till Death Do Us Part, which is fronted by Geoff's daughter Emily. I was a little worried about wasting time on a crappy opening band, but they were decent, and Emily certainly can sing (sounded a bit like a discount Evenescence). Interestingly, the guitarist and bassist in the band also played with Geoff's band, and the two drummers used the same drum kit.
I was BLOWN AWAY by Geoff's and his band's performance. On a small stage, with nothing but a backdrop, they executed O:M almost flawlessly. If they were downtuned, it wasn't by much. Geoff may have come up short on a couple of notes, but it was very infrequent. There were places where he changed the melody to avoid really high notes, but I have no problem with that. Emily played the "Sister Mary" part during "Suite Sister Mary" (which was honestly a little odd if you gave it too much thought), and that sounded great. The only thing lacking was Chris DeGarmo's backing vocals, but the two guitarists who sang background did a good job. The encore set of songs from Empire was a bit surprising and also really well done.
My friend who went to the show with me said that he came to the realization over the weekend that he'd rather see Geoff with what is essentially a cover band than see Michael/Eddie/Scott with another signer and guitarist, and I'm inclined to agree. I don't know how many more of these shows Geoff is doing, but I highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of the band's early material and O:M in particular.
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Good to hear that Geoff and his band are doing a passable version of this. But for me personally, I just can't muster up the interest in seeing it. Part of it is that Mindcrime has just been DONE TO DEATH over the years, and having seen it in person and on video from the Empire tour, I've seen the "definitive" version. The other part of it is just that I have a VERY difficult time financially supporting anything involving Tate. I just do.
My friend who went to the show with me said that he came to the realization over the weekend that he'd rather see Geoff with what is essentially a cover band than see Michael/Eddie/Scott with another signer and guitarist, and I'm inclined to agree.
I completely get this sentiment. But I also completely disagree. I'm intensely disappointed in what the band has done, and all the opportunity they have squandered. But that said, the new material they have written post-Tate is outstanding, LaTorre's vocals on both the new and old material are usually stellar, and Lundgren has done an exceptional job of integrating himself into the band and bringing some great guitar chops. I have only had the opportunity to see this lineup once, but I would unhesitatingly see them again when they are in town.
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My friend who went to the show with me said that he came to the realization over the weekend that he'd rather see Geoff with what is essentially a cover band than see Michael/Eddie/Scott with another signer and guitarist, and I'm inclined to agree. I don't know how many more of these shows Geoff is doing, but I highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of the band's early material and O:M in particular.
Interesting. I haven't seen Queensryche with La Torre since Dec. 2013. So almost five years. And while I admit that he can hit some notes Tate can't do, particularly on the pre-Mindcrime stuff, I still think Tate does a much better job on the Empire and PL material than Todd could ever do. That stuff was written for a deeper, fuller voice, and Todd's is naturally thinner. In some ways, by seeing Tate on the road, doing a good job with Mindcrime and Empire, and then Queensryche doing some early material, you get the best of both worlds.
To me, Tate is better now than he's been since the American Soldier tour. He was spotty on that tour, but decent. He's back to being at that level or slightly better, and that's fine with me. You can tell an effort has been made to maximize what he is capable of, and as a fan, and a consumer, I appreciate that effort, and that's why I saw his acoustic tour last year (which was great), and bought a ticket to this tour. I hope he has a good night when I see him this week. But regardless, I'm glad I'll get to see Mindcrime sung by the guy who originally sang it, one final (?) time.
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one final (?) time
I dunno. Where there's a dead horse and a stick, Tate will continue to beat it. :lol
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I thought he was doing a 31st Anniversary tour next year? Did I have that wrong? :)
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one final (?) time
I dunno. Where there's a dead horse and a stick, Tate will continue to beat it. :lol
:lol
It's all he has. I do like the fact he's doing guest appearances and tours with Avantasia, and I am assuming he may do more of that with other groups as appropriate. That's a good move for him.
I'm not sure how viable it is to do it again, but his acoustic tour of QR tunes (many of which were deeper cuts) was an absolute blast in 2017. Hopefully he is able to do that again, and change up that setlist.
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Good to hear that Geoff and his band are doing a passable version of this. But for me personally, I just can't muster up the interest in seeing it. Part of it is that Mindcrime has just been DONE TO DEATH over the years, and having seen it in person and on video from the Empire tour, I've seen the "definitive" version.
I guess I get this. I saw QR open for Metallica twice on the O:M tour. The set list was mostly O:M; they skipped "The Mission," "Suite Sister Mary," "The Needle Lies" and the sub-2:00 "filler" pieces. I saw them later on the O:M tour as a headliner, when they did all of O:M, except for SSM. And then I saw them on the Empire tour, where they did the whole thing. But that was nearly 27 years ago, so seeing the whole thing again was really enjoyable.
As far as the band politics, my attitude is meh.... I largely lost interest in the band after Promised Land (which, IMO, had only two good songs), and I haven't heard much of the TLT material, so I can't fairly say anything about the current incarnation of the band. However, since, for me, QR may as well have ceased to exist over 20 years ago, and a band with no Tate or DeGarmo isn't really "Queensryche," Tate performing with a cover band is probably as good as it's going to get (plus, the whole evening was free, courtesy of a co-worker who was "entertaining" a client!).
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I guess I get this. I saw QR open for Metallica twice on the O:M tour. The set list was mostly O:M; they skipped "The Mission," "Suite Sister Mary," "The Needle Lies" and the sub-2:00 "filler" pieces. I saw them later on the O:M tour as a headliner, when they did all of O:M, except for SSM. And then I saw them on the Empire tour, where they did the whole thing. But that was nearly 27 years ago, so seeing the whole thing again was really enjoyable.
So jealous. That Mindcrime headline tour (1989) is my favorite setist from the band. Just incredible. You saw them at their peak for sure. While I've been a diehard since Rage, I never got to see them until PL (1x) and HITNF (2x). But I really liked PL, so that was cool.
What headline show in 1989 did you attend?
As far as the band politics, my attitude is meh.... I largely lost interest in the band after Promised Land (which, IMO, had only two good songs), and I haven't heard much of the TLT material, so I can't fairly say anything about the current incarnation of the band. However, since, for me, QR may as well have ceased to exist over 20 years ago, and a band with no Tate or DeGarmo isn't really "Queensryche," Tate performing with a cover band is probably as good as it's going to get (plus, the whole evening was free, courtesy of a co-worker who was "entertaining" a client!).
Glad you enjoyed the show.
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I was at the Phoenix show of the Mindcrime tour on Dec 4, 1988. One of the best concerts I've ever seen. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Thanks! Amp modeling, yes, that's what my friend called it. He just never saw Queensryche ever do it before, so he thought it was an interesting approach for Tate. Yes, Fractal Audio, he said that too. Apparently one of the Tate guitarists (the young one from Ireland, I forget his name) has a rig rundown on YouTube where he explains it (if you're curious at all).
The Axe FX is what brought amp modeling to the next level. Line 6 had brought the idea to market with the POD and AmpFarm, but Fractal really took it to the next level with the Axe FX. I've messed around with it on a Kemper Profiling Amp. Some co-workers of mine and I did a quick profile of a Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier and I couldn't tell the difference between the real one and the profile we created on the Kemper. It was pretty sweet! It's all pretty cool stuff once you get into it. My old bandmates were both really into amp modeling because it was much less expensive than having an amp locker, so they could spend their money on guitars instead.
I remember getting a PodXT years ago when I first started playing and it was pretty poor at modeling. I got to try playing through an AxeFX a few months ago and jesus christ has the technology improved.
I'd love to get a Kemper for at home.
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I guess I get this. I saw QR open for Metallica twice on the O:M tour. The set list was mostly O:M; they skipped "The Mission," "Suite Sister Mary," "The Needle Lies" and the sub-2:00 "filler" pieces. I saw them later on the O:M tour as a headliner, when they did all of O:M, except for SSM. And then I saw them on the Empire tour, where they did the whole thing. But that was nearly 27 years ago, so seeing the whole thing again was really enjoyable.
So jealous. That Mindcrime headline tour (1989) is my favorite setist from the band. Just incredible. You saw them at their peak for sure. While I've been a diehard since Rage, I never got to see them until PL (1x) and HITNF (2x). But I really liked PL, so that was cool.
What headline show in 1989 did you attend?
The two shows where they opened for Metallica were December 8 and 9, 1988 at the Long Beach Arena. At one of those shows, I got to go backstage and meet both bands because a friend had won a radio contest (he got a guitar autographed by Kirk Hammett). At the request of my band's singer, I asked Geoff what he did to warm up his voice. His answer, delivered without any smirk or indication that he was joking: "I masturbate in the shower." Anyway...the headlining show was May 12, 1989 at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater (and yeah, the set list was ridiculously good). On April 27, 1992, I got to attend the filming of the MTV/VH1 "Unplugged" show. Geoff was much cooler then: When I asked if they were going to do the "Canticle" part of "Scarborough Fair," he "invited" me to come up and do it if I knew it (unfortunately -- or fortunately -- I didn't know it well enough to do anything other than say "nah").
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That's incredible you got to go to that Irvine 89 show. I have the bootleg. So awesome.
But the most incredible story is the Unplugged taping. I wish that would have been recorded. The footage I have starts after I guess a lot of that banter (it has been awhile since I watched it), but I don't recall anything like that. Really cool. Thanks for sharing!
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I guess I get this. I saw QR open for Metallica twice on the O:M tour. The set list was mostly O:M; they skipped "The Mission," "Suite Sister Mary," "The Needle Lies" and the sub-2:00 "filler" pieces. I saw them later on the O:M tour as a headliner, when they did all of O:M, except for SSM. And then I saw them on the Empire tour, where they did the whole thing. But that was nearly 27 years ago, so seeing the whole thing again was really enjoyable.
So jealous. That Mindcrime headline tour (1989) is my favorite setist from the band. Just incredible. You saw them at their peak for sure. While I've been a diehard since Rage, I never got to see them until PL (1x) and HITNF (2x). But I really liked PL, so that was cool.
What headline show in 1989 did you attend?
The two shows where they opened for Metallica were December 8 and 9, 1988 at the Long Beach Arena. At one of those shows, I got to go backstage and meet both bands because a friend had won a radio contest (he got a guitar autographed by Kirk Hammett). At the request of my band's singer, I asked Geoff what he did to warm up his voice. His answer, delivered without any smirk or indication that he was joking: "I masturbate in the shower."
Was this before or after you shook hands?!
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pg, I believe you've told that before, and I laugh every time I hear it. Not at you, but just... that just seems to be "Tater" in a nutshell, to me.
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Just last week I got a Line6 Helix. It is way more powerful than I could ever possibly need, and I have no idea yet how to use it, but it does sound wonderful.
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But the most incredible story is the Unplugged taping. I wish that would have been recorded. The footage I have starts after I guess a lot of that banter (it has been awhile since I watched it), but I don't recall anything like that. Really cool. Thanks for sharing!
I have it on a DVD that I copied from a VHS I recorded when it aired. The footage that aired wasn't even half of what we saw. I recall them running through the entire set once before the cameras ran, and there was a lot of cool banter with the audience. I still have my ticket and one of the set lists signed by I think 4 of the 5 band members.
I guess I get this. I saw QR open for Metallica twice on the O:M tour. The set list was mostly O:M; they skipped "The Mission," "Suite Sister Mary," "The Needle Lies" and the sub-2:00 "filler" pieces. I saw them later on the O:M tour as a headliner, when they did all of O:M, except for SSM. And then I saw them on the Empire tour, where they did the whole thing. But that was nearly 27 years ago, so seeing the whole thing again was really enjoyable.
So jealous. That Mindcrime headline tour (1989) is my favorite setist from the band. Just incredible. You saw them at their peak for sure. While I've been a diehard since Rage, I never got to see them until PL (1x) and HITNF (2x). But I really liked PL, so that was cool.
What headline show in 1989 did you attend?
The two shows where they opened for Metallica were December 8 and 9, 1988 at the Long Beach Arena. At one of those shows, I got to go backstage and meet both bands because a friend had won a radio contest (he got a guitar autographed by Kirk Hammett). At the request of my band's singer, I asked Geoff what he did to warm up his voice. His answer, delivered without any smirk or indication that he was joking: "I masturbate in the shower."
Was this before or after you shook hands?!
After.... :'(
pg, I believe you've told that before, and I laugh every time I hear it. Not at you, but just... that just seems to be "Tater" in a nutshell, to me.
Yup. I've either told it here or over at the purple forum. It was surreal and actually left me speechless. I think I expected him to start laughing or something, but he just kinda said it matter of factly and looked at me like, "any other questions?"
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On April 27, 1992, I got to attend the filming of the MTV/VH1 "Unplugged" show. Geoff was much cooler then: When I asked if they were going to do the "Canticle" part of "Scarborough Fair," he "invited" me to come up and do it if I knew it (unfortunately -- or fortunately -- I didn't know it well enough to do anything other than say "nah").
Where was that recorded?
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On April 27, 1992, I got to attend the filming of the MTV/VH1 "Unplugged" show. Geoff was much cooler then: When I asked if they were going to do the "Canticle" part of "Scarborough Fair," he "invited" me to come up and do it if I knew it (unfortunately -- or fortunately -- I didn't know it well enough to do anything other than say "nah").
Where was that recorded?
Warner Hollywood Studios.
www.anybodylistening.net/4-27-92.html
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Thanks, Sam!
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On April 27, 1992, I got to attend the filming of the MTV/VH1 "Unplugged" show. Geoff was much cooler then: When I asked if they were going to do the "Canticle" part of "Scarborough Fair," he "invited" me to come up and do it if I knew it (unfortunately -- or fortunately -- I didn't know it well enough to do anything other than say "nah").
Where was that recorded?
Warner Hollywood Studios.
www.anybodylistening.net/4-27-92.html
I pulled out my DVD (which I dubbed from a VHS I recorded when this originally aired) and found myself in the crowd during "I Will Remember" (behind Wilton, around the 2:30 mark).
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I've seen Queensryche maybe a half-dozen times. First was when they opened for Metallica (I went to see Queensryche play Operation Mindcrime songs)
Only reason I went on the Empire Tour was to see all of Operation Mindcrime.
Saw The Promised Land Tour too (By far my favorite Queensryche Tour)
My days of seeing Queensryche live would have ended there if not for the co-headlining Tour with Dream Theater in 2003.
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Unfortunately for me, I never saw them in their heyday. First time was the Q2K tour which was pretty bad, then the tour where they did both Mindcrime albums in full which was even worse, then when they were opening for Judas Priest, worse again! I was totally done with them until the first Toddryche album which I really enjoyed despite how awful the sound is. Saw them on the tour for that album and it was literally like night and day from what I’d seen before, immeasurably better. Todd is a phenomenal singer, perhaps the most impressive I’ve ever seen live from a technical standpoint.