Operation Mindcrime...huh?
I've been having a rolling blog fight with the Corn Beltway Boys about whether or not Queensryche's Operation:Mindcrime should be ranked with such great rock albums as the Metallica Trinity of Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice For All.
OK, to be honest, I've never heard Mindcrime. I wouldn't know a song from Mindcrime if it came out of my XM Radio and slapped me silly. I know maybe two songs from Queensryche, and that's about three too many. Silly Seattle hair band...No wonder Kurt Cobain killed himself listening to their music...not.
Now Metallica, there was a band. Yes, they are still around, but you might as well write off anything after the Black Album as crap. Kill 'Em All is good, but between Ride and Black, you have pure rock genius. Some might say the Black album is the start of the end, because of Bob Rock's production (too glossy and refined), but it still has excellent riffs, lyrics, and you can bang your head to it. Harvester of Sorrow, One, the title track of ...And, Fade to Black...timeless music for any adolescent male.
So, what's the point? None, really. I just like tweakin' the Maize Highway Youths every so often. I'll cautiously await a return salvo.
posted by bgunzy at 12/28/2006 06:56:00 PM
8 Comments:
Alright you know full well that I believe the holy trilogy of Ride, Puppets, and Justice are divinely inspired...HOWEVER...Mindcrime is a brilliant masterpiece.
Incredibly catchy riffs, tight drums, throbbing bass and deep meaningful lyrics. Top it all off with a complex story involving: a revolutionary movement, assassinations and murder, a love story, sex, religion, and drugs.
Educate yo'self:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindcrime
I don't know that I would rank queensryche mindcrime up there with metallicas masterpieces. I am of the opinion that anything queensryche attempted to do dreamtheater did better anyway. Not that I'm a particular fan of either one. Now if we're talking really talented seattle bands there were plenty. soundgarden was one that was very underappreciated musically. Very good. Cornell was one of the most talented of his generation though he rarely gets credit he deserves. it all cobain all the time
Soundgarden? Are you kidding me? "I am looking California, but I am feeling Minnesota?"
Without Mindcrime helping to pave the way, there would have been no DT. By the way, if you don't have DT's cover of Master of Puppets [the entire album live] then I highly recommend picking it up. Also while you are at grab their album "Train of Thought" also...brilliant and their heaviest album by far.
Dream Theater is one of favorite bands, but this war is about the greatness of Mindcrime.
Hey Soundgarden might have been "looking California, but I am feeling Minnesota" but you have to admit that Queensryche's mindcrime is literally slopping over with pretentious lyrics trying to make some sort of half assed socio political commentary. God knows how we just love bands to do that.
I'll take nonsensical lyrics over preachy 20 somethings babbling about crap they have no clue about anytime. As they say – stay with what ya know. Stick the thrashing and singing about sex, wrecked relationships, rebelliousness and substance abuse boys.
I just can't put Mindcrime up there in the greats. They're good. Innovative to be sure and talented but was mindcrime great? No.
Oh and speaking of bands from the wayback machine. I happened across a CD a couple of weeks ago I hadn't heard in years. Drivin N Cryin – Fly Me Courageous. If you haven't heard this one before it's worth a listen. Sort of your heavy early 90s with a southern influence.
No it isn't some masterpiece of epic proportions. It's just one of those good rock CDs full of good tunes. Nothing fancy or epic just good driving music.
Mindcrime is a classic rock opera. I think I listened over and over to it for 3 years straight. Most people that i know don't have the patience to sit through and actually listen to it all the way. They usually just say, oh yeah Queensryche, Silent Lucidity rocked.
Much like Metallica after the Black album, evrything else Queensryche did was a letdown.
Preachy songs? You'll take a nonsensical lyrics about trying to make a point over pure fiction?
Mindcrime had some social commentary sure, but they weren't literally calling for a revolution.
15 songs all tied together telling one story, with no stupid lines like "looking California, feeling Minnesota." Chris Cornell could only do that in his dreams.
For my two cents, Mother Love Bone is the only Seattle band I can stand. A band that barely was and contained a lot of the people who would eventually lead the Seattle grunge scene. However, it was before they took themselves too serious.
Preachy lyrics? Metallica is full of them...
I actually was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to see a lot of those Seattle bands as I spent some time there during the formation of the grunge period and about the time Seattle was hitting the mainstream. One of the coolest times of my life tons of killer performances. Rank right up there with being at Woodstock 94 and of course Woodstock 99 where we pissed all over the hippies peace and love legacy and loved every minute of it. Speaking of wild shows, I was there for the Guns N Roses riot in St. Louis back in 91ish. Now that was a show. Or not. Depending on how you look at it.
I highly recommend being a part of a mob action at least once in your life for purely scientific reasons and for the emotional experience. It's quite unique.
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