In a new interview with WDR Rockpalast, former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate spoke about the lyrical inspiration for the band’s classic third album, 1988’s “Operation: Mindcrime”. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “ Well, ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ was born in the middle ’80s, really. It was a tumultuous time, not just in America, but worldwide. Very extreme things were happening, governments were falling, people were out of work. It was a difficult time economically for millions and millions of people around the world. And the story really came from that, from the struggle between trying to survive, really, in a modern world when so many things were happening. I think at one time in the ’80s there was something like 15 different war wars that were being fought — primarily a lot of them were the United States being part of them. Anyway, the album came from that tumultuous time. It’s a story of struggle between the power and the powerless, really. A classic story, really.”
Regarding the songwriting process for “Operation: Mindcrime”, Tate said: “I had moved to Montreal after a tour, the ‘Rage For Order’ album tour. And I needed some time to sort of reflect in maybe a place to feel creative. So I moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and I was living there in the snow. It was very, very cold, very dark all the time. I’d walked down to the grocery store on the corner to get some groceries, and I heard this church music coming from a church across the street. And I was curious about the sound. And I went to the church. I walked in and there was a choir performing and practicing. And I sat down and I was so cold, I was shivering. But I sat there and listened and kind of closed my eyes and — boom — I had the idea for the album. I rushed out of the church, ran home, didn’t even go to the grocery store, and I spent four days writing and came up with the idea. Some of the songs already started to happen, and I wrote out the whole story. And it was all finished in my head at that time. And then later, a few months later, I took it to the band and presented them the idea and they got on board. And before long we had an album.”
On the topic of his 2012 split with QUEENSRŸCHE, Tate said: ”30 years is a long time to be in a band. I think most bands don’t last that long. And QUEENSRŸCHE, with me, lasted 30 years, which is a lifetime. And I think it’s inevitable that people develop different likes and dislikes. They have different interests, different things that move them and different ways they want to experience creativity. And so I think it was sort of an inevitable parting of ways, really, which I have no regrets. I think we made some amazing albums in 30 years. We wrote so many wonderful songs and had so many great experiences traveling the world — 66 countries, traveling around the world. [It was a] pretty impressive time. And I have no regrets. It was a wonderful experience.”
Geoff also talked about the upcoming third and final chapter in the “Operation: Mindcrime” album series, which he has been working on for at least the past year.
“‘Operation: Mindcrime III’ is the story from the lead character Dr. X — it’s from his perspective,” Tate explained. “‘Mindcrime I’ and ‘Mindcrime II’ were really from the character Nikki‘s perspective. And so that’s what we know. But with the new album, we see why we know what we know and what was the inspiration for Dr. X to create ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ in the first place, which is pretty exciting, pretty intense.”
Originally released in May 1988, QUEENSRŸCHE‘s third studio album, “Operation: Mindcrime” took the quintet to an entirely new level. The concept, revealed through the songs, revolves around the character of Nikki, a recovering drug addict disillusioned with a corrupt society. Drawn into a cult-like revolutionary group headed by Dr. X (voiced by the late and beloved British actor Anthony Valentine),Nikki is manipulated to assassinate political leaders until his friendship with nun Sister Mary finally opens his eyes to the truth. Regarded as one of the greatest concept metal albums of all time, “Operation: Mindcrime” was certified platinum in 1991 in the U.S. and was ranked in the “Top 100 Metal Albums Of All Time” by both Kerrang! and Billboard magazines. Rolling Stone included it on a similar list, noting that “nearly 30 years after its initial release, ‘Mindcrime’ feels eerily relevant.”
The original “Operation: Mindcrime” album weaved themes of religion, drug abuse and underground, radical politics. By contrast, 2006’s “Operation: Mindcrime II” was regarded as an unnecessary sequel that many felt cheapened the original album, despite being a decent record in its own right.
Tate previously discussed his plans for “Operation: Mindcrime III” in a November 2024 interview with “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern”. Speaking about the musical direction of his new solo material, Geoff said: “I would say it has more of an early QUEENSRŸCHE feel. [The new songs are] super heavy, and some of ’em are incredibly technical. They’re like algebra. [Laughs] You need a calculator when you’re listening to the song. [Laughs] And, of course, some of them are very emotional. It’s the last chapter in the ‘Mindcrime’ series. So it’s following the exploits of Dr. X and Nikki and Sister Mary, and picks up at a particular point in their story and kind of does the microscope of what is happening at that particular time with them. And I am just in love with it. I am so happy with everything so far, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Asked if there will once again be “some of those political interplays” within the lyrical themes on “Operation: Mindcrime III”, Tate said: “Oh, I think so. Yeah, I think that people will be able to detect little bits of what’s happening around them. And it’s an interesting time right now — very interesting. Especially next week [after the 2024 U.S. presidential election], it’s gonna be really interesting [laughs] what happens. So, we’ll see.”
Pressed about whether “a familiar voice” will play Dr. X on “Operation: Mindcrime III”, Geoff said: “I can’t tell you, actually. But thanks for asking. [Laughs]”
In a 2016 interview with East Valley Tribune, Tate said that he looked back fondly on “Operation: Mindcrime II”. “I haven’t listened to that album since I recorded it,” he admitted. “However, it was a new story. Overall, it went down well live with the audience. I have no complaints or regrets about it.”
During QUEENSRŸCHE‘s 2012 legal battle with Tate over the rights to the band’s name, guitarist Michael Wilton submitted a sworn declaration in which he said the idea to make “Operation: Mindcrime II” was first brought to the table by Geoff‘s wife and QUEENSRŸCHE‘s then-manager Susan Tate. “The band was hesitant and did not want to lessen the original,” the guitarist claimed. “But Susan Tate and Geoff Tate hired a budget producer and took control without really any other input. Scott Rockenfield [drums], Eddie Jackson [bass] and I were squeezed out of having any input in the musical direction or business decisions, thus the project suffered. During the initial writing phase, I would show up to bring my input to the creative process only to find that the producer, the new guitar player (who were both staying with the Tates at the time),along with Geoff Tate had been up late the night before or up early that morning and had written the songs without me. I was then told my ideas were not needed as the songs were now done. I could, however, ‘bring my own style’ in during the recording after learning to play what they wrote for me. In frustration, I gave up on the writing process knowing that I would at least get to make changes in the studio to bring back the QUEENSRŸCHE sound into these songs that we were known for. The final straw was when they refused to let me to be a part of the final recordings and mixes. I was shut out and they had the nerve to replace some of my parts on my songs. They denied me flying to San Francisco to be a part of my band, telling me that everything was ready to go and I was not needed. Had the communication been better, and had I been aware that parts needed to be recorded or rewritten, I would have been there. It was not until years later that I even became aware of the issues during the final recording and mixing of ‘Operation: Mindcrime II’. It was all under the control of Geoff and Susan Tate. Call it delusions of grandeur, but they were convinced that this was going to sell three times more than the original, and to date (six years later) this album has sold fewer than 150,000 copies. The original album sold over 500,000 copies within a year.”
In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform “Operation: Mindcrime” and “Operation: Mindcrime II” in their entirety live.
Tate‘s replacement, Todd La Torre, has released four albums thus far with QUEENSRŸCHE: 2013’s “Queensrÿche”, 2015’s “Condition Hüman”, 2019’s “The Verdict” and 2022’s “Digital Noise Alliance”.
