Operation: Mindcrime

For the 2006 album, see Operation: Mindcrime II.

Operation: Mindcrime
Studio album by Queensrÿche
Released	May 3, 1988
Recorded	1987–1988 Kajem/Victory Studios, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, USA
Genre	Heavy metal Progressive metal
Length	59:14[1]
Label	EMI
Producer	Peter Collins
Queensrÿche chronology
Rage for Order (1986) Operation: Mindcrime (1988) Empire (1990)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

Operation: Mindcrime is a concept album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Released on May 3, 1988, it is the band's third full-length album. A rock opera, its story follows a man who becomes disillusioned with the society of the time and reluctantly becomes involved with a revolutionary group as an assassin of political leaders. In January 1989, it ranked #34 on Kerrang! magazine's "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums Of All Time".^[3]

History

During the tour promoting the 1990 album Empire, Operation: Mindcrime was performed in its entirety. The stage show featured video, animation and guest singer Pamela Moore as Sister Mary. This live show was successful enough that the band released it as a box set called Operation: LIVEcrime. The story was initially explored in a series of video clips for MTV in the 1989 VHS video, Video: Mindcrime.

Before filming Video: Mindcrime, the band shot a one-off promotional video in 1988 for the song "Speak" which only consisted of performance footage and did not include any of the story concepts that dominated the album.

In the United States, the album was certified gold a year after its release and was certified platinum in 1991.

In 2003, a 24-bit remastered version of Operation: Mindcrime was released that included live versions of "The Mission" and "My Empty Room" as bonus tracks. In 2006, EMI released a deluxe Operation: Mindcrime box set that included the 2003 remaster, as well as an audio disc of a November 15, 1990 Hammersmith Odeon concert, with the band performing the entire album, and a bonus DVD containing Video: Mindcrime and bonus clips.

A sequel, Operation: Mindcrime II, was released on April 4, 2006, with Ronnie James Dio taking over the role of Dr. X. The subsequent tour consisted of the band performing both Operation: Mindcrime and its sequel in their entirety, back-to-back, with actors, props, an elaborate stage set, and a video screen. The live act from that tour also portrayed Mary's death clearly for the first time. It was later released on the 2007 DVD Mindcrime at the Moore, which included a recording of Dio's only live performance of "The Chase".

Story

The album begins with the protagonist, Nikki, in a hospital. He lies in a near catatonic state, unable to remember anything but snippets from his past. Suddenly, Nikki's memories come flooding back in a torrent. He remembers how, as a heroin addict and would-be political radical frustrated with contemporary society, he was manipulated into joining a supposed secret organization dedicated to revolution. At the head of this organization is a political and religious demagogue known only as Dr. X, who by manipulating Nikki through a combination of his heroin addiction and brainwashing techniques, uses Nikki as an assassin. Whenever Dr. X uses the word "mindcrime" Nikki becomes his docile puppet, a state which Dr. X uses to command Nikki to undertake any murder that the Doctor wishes. Through one of Dr. X's probable associates, a corrupt priest named Father William, Nikki is offered the services of a prostitute-turned-nun named Sister Mary. Through his friendship and growing affection toward Sister Mary, Nikki begins to question the nature of what he is doing. Dr. X notices this and, seeing a potential threat in Mary, orders Nikki to kill both her and the priest. Nikki goes to Mary's church and kills the priest, but after confronting Mary fails to comply with the command to murder her. He and Mary decided to leave the organization together, and Nikki goes to Dr. X to tell him that they are out. Dr. X, however, reminds Nikki that he is an addict, and that he is the one who can provide him with his daily fix. Nikki leaves, conflicted and returns to Mary, only to find her dead. He cannot cope with the loss, as well as the possibility that he himself may have killed her and not known it, and begins to succumb to insanity. He runs through the streets calling her name. The Police arrive and attempt to subdue him. A gun is found on him, and they take him into custody under suspicion of Mary's murder and the murders he committed for Dr. X. Suffering from complete loss of memory he is put into a hospital, where he sees a news report on the recent spree of political homicides. This jogs his memory and returns us to the beginning where he remembers what has happened and begins to tell his story.

Other Versions

Film

In April 2006, while doing press for sequel Operation: Mindcrime II, vocalist Geoff Tate told MTV.com that there were plans to make feature films out of both Operation: Mindcrime and its sequel. While details since then have been virtually nonexistent, Tate stated in the interview that he had worked on a script with a screenwriter named Mark Shepherd and that the band was shopping the completed script to various Hollywood studios.^[4]

Broadway musical

Adam Pascal is in talks with Queensrÿche to produce a stage version of the album. Geoff and Susan Tate have reportedly given the go-ahead, though it is still in very early stages.^[5]

Track listing

1. "I Remember Now" (Chris DeGarmo, Geoff Tate, Michael Wilton [2]) – 1:17
2. "Anarchy-X" (DeGarmo) – 1:27
3. "Revolution Calling" (Tate, Wilton) – 4:42
4. "Operation: Mindcrime" (DeGarmo, Tate, Wilton) – 4:43
5. "Speak" (Tate, Wilton) – 3:42
6. "Spreading the Disease" (Tate, Wilton) – 4:07
7. "The Mission" (DeGarmo) – 5:46
8. "Suite Sister Mary" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 10:41
9. "The Needle Lies" (Tate, Wilton) – 3:08
10. "Electric Requiem" (Scott Rockenfield, Tate) – 1:22
11. "Breaking the Silence" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:34
12. "I Don't Believe in Love" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:23
13. "Waiting for 22" (DeGarmo) – 1:05
14. "My Empty Room" (Tate, Wilton) – 1:28
15. "Eyes of a Stranger" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 6:39

2003 CD reissue bonus tracks

16. "The Mission (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo) - 6:11
17. "My Empty Room (Live at The Astoria Theatre, London, UK on 20 October 1994)" (Tate, Wilton) - 2:43

2006 deluxe edition bonus disk

1. "I Remember Now (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo, Tate, Wilton) – 1:12
2. "Anarchy-X (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo) – 1:28
3. "Revolution Calling (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (Tate, Wilton) – 4:51
4. "Operation: Mindcrime (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo, Tate, Wilton) – 4:16
5. "Speak (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (Tate, Wilton) – 3:47
6. "Spreading the Disease (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (Tate, Wilton) – 5:13
7. "The Mission (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo) – 5:50
8. "Suite Sister Mary (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 12:04
9. "The Needle Lies (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (Tate, Wilton) – 3:27
10. "Electric Requiem (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (Rockenfield, Tate) – 1:16
11. "Breaking the Silence (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:34
12. "I Don't Believe in Love (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:29
13. "Waiting for 22 (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo) – 1:12
14. "My Empty Room (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (Tate, Wilton) – 1:27
15. "Eyes of a Stranger (Live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK on 15 November 1990)" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 7:53

Personnel

Band members

• Geoff Tate - Vocals
• Chris DeGarmo - Guitar, background vocals
• Eddie Jackson - Bass, background vocals
• Michael Wilton - Guitar, background vocals
• Scott Rockenfield - Drums, percussion, keyboards

Cast

• Pamela Moore - as Sister Mary
• Anthony Valentine - as Dr. X
• Debbie Wheeler - as the Nurse
• Mike Snyder - as the Anchorman
• Scott Mateer - as Father William
• The Moronic Monks of Morin Heights - Choir

Credits

• Peter Collins - Producer
• Michael Kamen - Orchestral arrangement
• James Barton - Engineer, Mixing
• Jim Campbell - Assistant Engineer
• Bob Ludwig - Mastering
• Paul Milner - Assistant Engineer
• Paul Northfield - Engineer
• Ronald Prent - Mixing Assistant
• Glen Robinson - Assistant Engineer
• Snakemeister - Conductor

Chart performance

Album Chart Peak Swiss Album Chart 21 [6] Swedish Album Chart 25 [7] U.S. Billboard 200 50 [8] UK Albums Chart 58 [9]

Singles Year Title Peak Chart positions US Main UK [10] 1989 "Eyes of a Stranger" 35 59 "I Don't Believe in Love" 41 — "—" denotes singles that were released but did not chart.

References

1. ^ CD with EAN 077774864022, time given without pregap
2. ^ Huey, Steve. "Queensrÿche Operation: Mindcrime review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/operation-mindcrime-r15996/review. Retrieved 2011-10-22. 
3. ^ Wilding, Phil (21 January 1989). "Queensrÿche 'Operation: Mindcrime'". Kerrang!. 222. London, UK: Spotlight Publications Ltd.. 
4. ^ http://www.filmstew.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ContentID=17224
5. ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/130162-Rent-Star-Pascal-Wants-to-Put-Operation-Mindcrime-the-Musical-on-Broadway
6. ^ "Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime". HitParade.ch. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Queensr%FFche&titel=Operation%3A+Mindcrime&cat=a. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 
7. ^ "Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime". SwedishCharts.com. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Queensr%FFche&titel=Operation%3A+Mindcrime&cat=a. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 
8. ^ "Operation: Mindcrime charts [albums]". billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/queensr%C3%BFche/chart-history/5474?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 
9. ^ [1], UK charts page for Operation: Mindcrime by Queensrÿche
10. ^ "UK charts page for Queensrÿche". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/albuminfo.php?id=10039. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 

External links

• Another page explaining the Operation: Mindcrime story in detail
• The official story from Queensrÿche's website