|
|
 |
Queensr˙che |
|
|
Imagine this: you’ve got everything to become the “next big thing”. You fuse together elements from hardrock, symphonic rock and new wave, like it’s the most normal thing to do. You don’t fall for the ruses of the music industry, there are no drug addicts in your band, with Geoff Tate you have a unique, charismatic singer on board as well, and, last but not least: you’re from Seattle, the city where it all happened since the start of the 90s. But then some really shitty garage bands that don’t have an ounce of the talent you possess overtake you left and right.
By Hans van den Heuvel
The grunge wave has not been easy for Queensr˙che. Swimming against the stream even became so hard on Chris DeGarmo, the band’s major songwriter, that he couldn’t muster the energy anymore and had to quit. This made the band drift away from its source and the audience further and further, and the majestic atmosphere that their songs used to emanate could hardly be captured again.
In the year 2006 things are a lot different. Thanks to the cd Operation Mindcrime II, the successor to their successful concept album from 1988. It was for a good reason that Queensr˙che performed Part I during their last European tour, as singer Geoff Tate whole-heartedly admits in the webzine Aardschok of April 2006. ‘We did that to get the audience back into the mood of the whole Mindcrime experience and to reacquaint the public with it…’ Their research goes further than that. ‘We thoroughly investigated Part I, analysed the master tapes, listened to the individual tracks of the songs to hear how we built up the songs at the time – we even used some of the recording equipment from the eighties, to create the same ambiance. But this time we made use of several guitar and drum sounds, to make it sound less one-dimensional. This way it has become a beautiful mix of the old and the new.’
Nobody other than Ronnie James Dio is co-operating on the sequel. He takes on the role of Dr. X. The timing for the release couldn’t have been better. At the moment the music scene is going through a revival of the 80s. And that was not only the era of Joy Division, The Cure and Duran Duran, but also of Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden and – oh yes – most definitely of Queensr˙che.
|
|
|
|
|
