Me and Mrs Sven are taking in Queensryche tonite as they (what’s left of the band anyhow) perform Operation MindCrime in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the album’s release. At least Geoff Tate will be doing the vocals.
This album was the band’s high point altho the next one, Empire, may have sold better due in large part to that insipid Silent Lucidity song.
MindCrime is a concept album with an angry tone. Nikki is a frustrated political radical and addict pining for the revolution that never comes. He gets recruited by Dr. X-a more serious revolutionary-and becomes a hit man for the cause. Brainwashed, strung out on heroin, Nikki falls in love with another radical, Mary, and attempts to leave the group-but that doesnt happen. Too late, Nikki realizes he’s been used up for another’s cause and his life is over. It’s kind of a cautionary tale in that regard.
Lyrically, this is a great album, and Chris DeGarmo’s guitar work is top notch: loud, hard, driving, intricate.
I’ll just give you the bookends. It opens with Revolution Calling:
I used to trust the media
To tell me the truth, tell us the truth
But now I’ve seen the payoffs
Everywhere I look
Who do you trust when everyone’s a crook?
Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Revolution calling you
[There’s a] Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Gotta make a change
Gotta push, gotta push it on through
And it ends with Eyes of a Stranger which was some of the strongest lyrics ever written:
All alone now
Except for the memories
Of what we had and what we knew
Everytime I try to leave it behind me
I see something that reminds me of you
Every night the dreams return to haunt me
Your rosary wrapped around your throat
I lie awake and sweat, afraid to fall asleep
I see your face looking back at me
And I raise my head and stare
Into the eyes of a stranger
I’ve always known that the mirror never lies
People always turn away
From the eyes of a stranger
Afraid to know what
Lies behind the stare
Is this all that’s left
Of my life before me
Straight jacket memories, sedative highs
No happy ending like they’ve always promised
There’s got to be something left for me
How many times must I live this tragedy
How many more lies will they tell me
All I want is the same as everyone
Why am I here, and for how long
Hey, you all want to know who won last weeks Caption Contest?
Well, I’ll tell you tomorrow. At 9:00 pm (ET), when we have a NEW CAPTION CONTEST. And it’s not politics this time. Nor yet are there any mimes involved.
Thanks for the birfday wishes, y’all.
I think I need to download “Operation Mindcrime”. I currently don’t have any Queensryche in my mix and I should.
I swear I’m going to blow the speakers in the Hyundai with Korn’s “Coming Undone”. Haven’t yet … maybe because it usually comes on when I’m in town, and the noise violation is 50′.
😉
Speaking of Hello Kitty, why don’t they make Hello Kitty sunglasses for adults and sell them at Wal-Mart, hmmm?
Oh, oh, oh! And, and, and! Rush (the band) is getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tonight, so I can remember this as that anniversary instead of the 107th of the San Francisco quake.
HAPPY BIRFDAY 1/7, TeX!!!11!!!
You haz extra-fun cake for being a diligent Thread Lass:
Sure Happy It’s Thursday, Gerbil Nation!
Happy birthday, one of VII, TeX!
Happy Birthday to TeX- and to those I missed
Fatwa, BrendaK, BMe, Sven, (Kate?)
Hiya, RabBeet (and BW, too) as well as Paddy!
Also, Happy Birfday 3/7, Sven!
Jerry --
I see that I’ve missed a couple of linky threads the past couple of days; thanks for the extra content!!1!moarstufftoread!!
Happy Birthday X!
Happy VII BrendaK! Happy III, Sven!
Lots to celebrate today!
Happy birthday, Tex!
Thoughts and prayers for those in West, Texas.
Indeed…criminy.
Happy birthday, Sven Three-of-Seven and Tex!
Tex -- I got something for you, for your next pond:
Flying Koi!
Koi vey!
(signed)
Mr. Goldfisch
Me and Mrs Sven are taking in Queensryche tonite as they (what’s left of the band anyhow) perform Operation MindCrime in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the album’s release. At least Geoff Tate will be doing the vocals.
This album was the band’s high point altho the next one, Empire, may have sold better due in large part to that insipid Silent Lucidity song.
MindCrime is a concept album with an angry tone. Nikki is a frustrated political radical and addict pining for the revolution that never comes. He gets recruited by Dr. X-a more serious revolutionary-and becomes a hit man for the cause. Brainwashed, strung out on heroin, Nikki falls in love with another radical, Mary, and attempts to leave the group-but that doesnt happen. Too late, Nikki realizes he’s been used up for another’s cause and his life is over. It’s kind of a cautionary tale in that regard.
Lyrically, this is a great album, and Chris DeGarmo’s guitar work is top notch: loud, hard, driving, intricate.
I’ll just give you the bookends. It opens with Revolution Calling:
I used to trust the media
To tell me the truth, tell us the truth
But now I’ve seen the payoffs
Everywhere I look
Who do you trust when everyone’s a crook?
Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Revolution calling you
[There’s a] Revolution calling
Revolution calling
Gotta make a change
Gotta push, gotta push it on through
And it ends with Eyes of a Stranger which was some of the strongest lyrics ever written:
All alone now
Except for the memories
Of what we had and what we knew
Everytime I try to leave it behind me
I see something that reminds me of you
Every night the dreams return to haunt me
Your rosary wrapped around your throat
I lie awake and sweat, afraid to fall asleep
I see your face looking back at me
And I raise my head and stare
Into the eyes of a stranger
I’ve always known that the mirror never lies
People always turn away
From the eyes of a stranger
Afraid to know what
Lies behind the stare
Is this all that’s left
Of my life before me
Straight jacket memories, sedative highs
No happy ending like they’ve always promised
There’s got to be something left for me
How many times must I live this tragedy
How many more lies will they tell me
All I want is the same as everyone
Why am I here, and for how long
Kilt. Heh. Mr. Arbuckle aint got nuthin’ on me!
Oh noes!!1!
We can’t let today’s joint Sven/TeX birfday thread just get kilt…ergo random content!!1!
WTH…Porn-Stache Hello Kitty lunchbox??!!?!
Okay…probably ought to go start dinner now.
You’re a good gerbil, Fatwa.
Just because I love her outfit.
And a good patriotic offering:
Hey, you all want to know who won last weeks Caption Contest?
Well, I’ll tell you tomorrow. At 9:00 pm (ET), when we have a NEW CAPTION CONTEST. And it’s not politics this time. Nor yet are there any mimes involved.
Thanks for the birfday wishes, y’all.
I think I need to download “Operation Mindcrime”. I currently don’t have any Queensryche in my mix and I should.
I swear I’m going to blow the speakers in the Hyundai with Korn’s “Coming Undone”. Haven’t yet … maybe because it usually comes on when I’m in town, and the noise violation is 50′.
😉
Speaking of Hello Kitty, why don’t they make Hello Kitty sunglasses for adults and sell them at Wal-Mart, hmmm?
Oh, oh, oh! And, and, and! Rush (the band) is getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tonight, so I can remember this as that anniversary instead of the 107th of the San Francisco quake.