Hidden Gems Vol 1

So I've had this idea for a while now, a group of posting called Hidden Gems. It's about bringing to your attention movies, books, music and whatever else I think needs some love. In my mind, these things are usually not as well known to the rest of the world, but (as I found out this week) they might better known than I thought. That being said, in honor of Labor Day, here is our inaugural "Hidden Gem".

Let met take you back, wayyy back. Somewhere in 1988, back after Metallica had released their last great album, "....And Justice For All". They came to Knoxville on tour and I went to see them with some new friends. I remember the opening band was Queens... somebody. Never heard of them, besides, nobody pays attention to the opening band, right? This little band, however, blew me away. I remember thinking it was the best opening band I had ever seen and heard. (And then Metallica came out and I pretty much forgot about the opening band for a while...) Somewhere I'm going to call Summer of 88, there was a new song I was hearing/seeing on MTV. "Eyes of a Stranger" by Queens... somebody. Hey, wait, that was the band that opened for Metallica. Song was really good. I remember come payday, going and picking up the cassette (showing my age here) and proceeding to wear it out until it broke. Turns out, that little "opening band" was much better than I thought.

Operation: Mindcrime by Queensrÿche (1988)
Wiki tells us that Mindcrime was released in May of 88. The story is that this is a rock opera about a disillusioned "angry young man" named Nikki. Nikki, like a lot of us at the time, didn't care for the power structure of our then current government. (being 18 at the time, suddenly the seeing our country/world wasn't the happy little cloud that most kids think, I agreed with him. Though I didn't consider assassination as a productive way to cause social change.) Nikki falls in with a group lead by a man known as "Dr. X". Using brainwashing and drugs, Dr. X brings Nikki under his control and uses him as an assassin. Nikki ends up meeting a former prostitute turned nun called "Sister Mary" and falling in love with her. Nikki is eventually ordered to kill Mary and her priest "Father William". Nikki indeed kills William (mostly because Father William had been having sex with Mary) but is unable to kill Mary due to his love for her. Nikki & Mary decide to leave the group and Nikki goes to tell Dr X. Nikki is reminded by Dr. X that he (Nikki) is an addict and only Dr. X can give him his fix. Nikki "walks around in circles" for a while and when he comes home, Mary has been killed. Strangled with her own rosary and Nikki unsure if he did it. The police find him, arrest him for Mary's and the other murders he had done. They then take him to the hospital, there Nikki looks into the "Eyes of a Stranger".
You know, all typed out like that, it's a bit more predictable than it on an album. Let's just say I don't do it justice in my description. Being a single, angry young man myself when it came out, this album just spoke to me in ways that only one other album had before. (Pink Floyd's The Wall, if you are interested) And it's an incredible album even without the storyline. Geoff Tate has such a great, strong voice as he assumes the role of Nikki. The twin guitar attack of Chris DeGarmo & Michael Wilton with bass by Eddie Jackson bring all the guitars to the fore. And IMO, their other strongest asset, the powerful, complex drumming of Scott Rockenfield. (That has got to be the best name for a drummer, ever!)

I ended up buying 2 cassettes of the album along with 2 cds. A VHS tape with a mini concert and a selection of videos and, different for the time, a dual VHS/Cd box set concert called "Operation: LiveCrime". I tell you, this was one of the greatest albums I have ever heard. I don't think I've ever heard anybody that has listened to it that didn't like it. Yes, it's metal so some people (for some unfathomable reason) don't like metal. And it's a bit political but without not having specific targets (ie no Regan or King George the first bashing). I realize as older man now, it's probably one of those things that hit me at the right time. I think I would have like it no matter what, but given my own political apathy and disgust, it just rang true to me and I identified with it. (again, not to the killing point!) Remember, this was the era of "Iran Contra" and the like. My generation, if they didn't already know it, was seeing that our government could be as corrupt as any other. That we weren't the White Knight Heroes that we thought we were. Or at least, that's how it was for me. Let me tell you, I listened to this album for years. Rock magazine Kerrang! named it the #34 greatest heavy metal album of all time. Very much worth checking out if you have the time, even if it might seem a bit dated. That's ok, because we now have...


Operation: Mindcrime 2 (2006)
Watching VH1 Classic one afternoon, I noticed the fellows from Queensryche talking about their new album. I had lost touch with them musically over the years, so I watched it for a while. Well, guess what? They had recorded and were about to release a sequel to Operation: Mindcrime. As I listened to the interview, I began to question the logic of this. Over the years, we've all seen some really bad sequels to once great franchises. (Yes, I'm talking about george lucas among others here...., though George Romero has yet to equal himself with his original zombie trilogy) I knew no matter what I thought or wanted, it was coming out so I had just better accept it. So as the show wrapped up, they played the first video off the album (for the first time, I think). A song called "I'm American" and it was pretty good. So I had hope...

Operation: Mindcrime 2 (or II, if you prefer) was indeed a worthy successor. This time, the album opened with Nikki being released from prison. Nikki still hates politics almost as much as he hates Dr. X, who has become rich and powerful. Nikki again runs afoul of the law and ends up in a court where the judge and jury remember him from before (crimes from Mindcrime 1). On the run, he has a vision of Mary who ends up giving Nikki the idea to kill Dr. X. Nikki eventually meets up with Dr. X and after a confrontation, Nikki kills X. This, however, doesn't give him the peace he thought it would. In and out of drug highs, he again has a vision of Mary who suggest he kill himself. As the album ends, we hear Nikki & Mary both profess the they only time they were happy was with each other.

The lady who sang Mary's parts is named Pamela Moore and let me tell you, she puts on a show here. In Mindcrime 1, we had the duet "Suite Sister Mary" that was usually left out of live shows (until the Empire tour, that is). Here we have Pamela & Geoff alternating in multiple songs, her voice being on par with Geoff's being no average feat. And this time, the role of Dr. X is played by Metal Legend Ronnie James Dio who also has a duet with Geoff in "The Chase". (and no, it's not a lovey dovey duet. Two great voices in metal going at each other vocally. You might have seen the video I linked to on Facebook of them doing it live. Just simple greatness.) The album ends seemingly with Nikki dead due to suicide (I'm guessing drug overdose) and hopefully, at peace. Maybe with Mary in the afterlife if the last song, "All The Promises" is any reliable guide.
Where as Mindcrime 1 was about angry young men, Mindcrime 2 is more about feeling (Nikki's) life gone wrong by bad choices. Again, this album echoed what was going on in my personal life at the time. Not that I felt that much of my life had gone wrong, but I'm guessing like most people, I expected more from it. And unlike Nikki, at least through most of the album, I don't blame someone (Dr. X) for all the mistakes of my life. All those bad decisions? I made them, maybe with bad advise but I made them. Still, I can see the appeal of that mindset. As Dr. X/RJD sings, "Pride is a handy substitute/when you've only got yourself to blame". While not the barn burner that Mindcrime 1 was, it's more than equal to the original and is not a retread. (ever see those sequels and it's pretty much the same thing as the first? Home Alone 2, Return of the Living Dead 2 and others like that, I hate that being done) So, I'm doing my part to spread the word. Our band lineup has changed a bit. Geoff (vocals), Michael (guitar), Eddie (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums and I just love that name) all return but lead guitarist DeGarmo had left and was replaced by Mike Stone. No, I don't know who he is either but he does a fine job. My understanding is, however, that DeGarmo did have some input on the album. It was also asked if this was the end of Nikki's story to the band. Geoff replied maybe, maybe not. I won't give them a blank check, but given how good the album is, there might be room for Mindcrime 3. Still, I like to think poor Nikki is finally at peace, even if it's only the peace of the grave.
Both of these albums have some great lyrics that tell the story of either album. Descriptive and invoking easy understanding of the story and where it goes. As good as Mindcrime 1 does this, I think Mindcrime 2 does it even better. You've never heard anguish in so few words but conveyed so powerful. The guitars and drums are top notch on both albums also. While you can hear the change from DeGarmo to Stone, it doesn't effect the album negatively. In fact, I think it helps show the distance and difference from Mindcrime 1. 2006 wasn't 1988, things had changed, which the change in guitarists helps show. Geoff does sound a little bit older, which again, consider the 18 year difference, is a good thing. His voice remains strong and smooth as always though. I give both 5 out of 5. They should both be in your collection.

Have a great Labor Day folks, even if you don't have it off. And come on back by for more Hidden Gems and more of my inane thoughts.