_________________________________ | Screaming in Digital
        ________________*________________ | The Queensryche Net Digest
                       ***                | queensryche@pilot.njin.net
        __________*__*******__*__________ | Volume 035, 22Jun92
                 ******* *******          | Edited by Dan 'Shag' Birchall
              *********   *********       | 
        ____************_************____ | Anonymous FTP sites:
          **** ******************* ****   | glia.biostr.washington.edu
         ***   ***  *********  ***   ***  | quartz.rutgers.edu
         **     *     *****     *     **  | 
        _*____________*****____________*_ |   The editor is liable only
                    *********             | for his errors.  Submission
                   ***********            | constitutes license to use.
                  **  *****  **           | Editorial right is reserved
                  *   *****   *           | regarding grammar, length,
        ______________*****______________ | decency, and redundancy.
                       ***                |   Screaming in Digital is 
                       ***                | edited by member 7302 of the
                       ***                | Queensryche Fan Club, who
                        *                 | does encourage membership.
                        *                 | Write Queensryche, Box 70503,
        _SiD_1992_______*________________ | Bellevue, Washington 98007.
        _________________________________________________________________
        _Screaming in Digital______________________________Editor's Note_

                It was early - very early - in the morning of Saturday,
        June 20th.  On an unnamed road somewhere in south-central New
        Jersey, a small blue station wagon sped through the blackness of
        night.  Behind the wheel, illuminated slightly by the pale green
        glow of the instrument panel, a long-haired young man blinked and
        yawned, looking forward to getting home and finishing the next
        issue of a net-digest.  Little did he know this scene would be 
        repeated several times over the next few days.
                
                Hi, everyone!  I'm just finishing out a very hectic week,
        sorry for this thing being so late, but I've just about forgotten
        where I live, what with all the running around I've been doing.
                On the bright side of things, this issue is fairly full,
        including material on almost every topic.  I even had to add a
        new section, for "none of the above."  You may find _that_ part
        amusing, by the way.  The submissions are diverse enough that I
        won't try to describe them all.

        _Speak____________________________________________Correspondence_

        mystii@wam.umd.edu (Mystii) writes,
                I did manage to see the ad that had Chris DeGarmo 
        (although I didn't recognize him, as I didn't think his nose was 
        that big from the side), Michael Wilton, and Nancy Wilson hanging 
        out playing Ovation guitars.  It's a nice ad - kinda classic 
        looking.  I think I saw it in the May or June issue of "Guitar 
        for the Practicing Musician."

        edju@phakt.usc.edu (Eddie) writes,
                A question for SiD readers: The skull inside the 
        tri-ryche on the cover of the 'Empire' single CD bears a lot of
        resemblance to Pushead's style.  Who did the painting?
                                                                        
        Tina.Briones@ebay.sun.com (Tina) writes,
                I received my first (finally, I only had to wait 6 
        months) fan club newsletter and I was wondering, "Who is Sushi?"  
        Is this a silly question, maybe I should know this?
                        {Metal Sushi's the head editor of the official
                        Queensryche digest.  I don't know him personally,
                        despite our similar functions.  -sh}

        _Roads to Madness__________________________________________Shows_

        gallegos@arizona.edu (Paul) writes,
                Back in December '91, I attended the Queensryche concert 
        here in Tucson as a favour to a friend of mine who had an extra 
        ticket.  I'd *never* heard any of Queensryche's songs before, 
        with the exception of 'Jet City Woman,' which had been getting 
        some airplay for the last couple of weeks.  Having only heard of 
        Queensryche from third party and fourth party sources, I couldn't
        say I liked nor disliked them. That changed within the first 10 
        minutes of the concert.
                Queensryche started the concert with 'Best I Can,' which 
        was followed by 'Resistance'. By then the crowd was in a frenzy! 
        I had heard NOTHING similar to Wilton and DeGarmo's guitar 
        playing, and I immediately loved it! (I'm an avid guitar player 
        and I love to listen to some rockin' tunes by just about 
        everyone.) At this point, the lights went out and Jackson's 
        resounding bass was heard throughout the concert hall as he 
        played the opening for 'Jet City Woman' while the pre-made film
        for the song was shown on the screen behind the band, and the 
        laser show began at the same time. It was here that I became a 
        convert.  There was just something mystical about this group 
        that could be so elaborate and yet the music so simple.
                Queensryche played two more songs from "Empire" (most 
        notably 'Silent Lucidity' to a chorus of screaming women) and 
        then Tate got up and declared "Okay, we've played our token five 
        songs from the new album, now let's rock with the old stuff!" and 
        proceeded to go into what I found out later was most of the 
        "Operation: mindcrime" album.  The concert lasted an hour over 
        the 'allotted' time, due to two encores.  (It finished with 
        'Anybody Listening?' with the crowd screaming along with it.)
        I have to admit... of all the concerts I've been to (about a 
        total of 60), this was in the top five at *least*.

        jlee@weird.miami.fl.us (Jason) writes,
                Has anyone heard any more about the "Unplugged" session 
        that Queensryche taped for MTV?  The Summer fan club letter says 
        that they did record one, and expect it "sometime this summer,"
        but someone _has_ to know more.  On another note, it's kinda 
        annoying to see the newsletter TYPED LIKE THIS.  Something about 
        stuff in all caps just gets me kinda angry.  That and the fact 
        that they never even sent a reply to my letter about possibly 
        setting up a door on my board so people could order Queensryche 
        merchandise or become part of the fan club.  Oh well.
                        {I'll try to get in touch with the appropriate
                        people and see what I can find out about a date
                        for the "Unplugged" session.  -sh}

        _Spreading the Disease_________________________________Resources_

        mckinzie@math.wisc.edu (Mark) writes,
                In a recent issue , someone from Canada posted an offer
        to sell an "ultra-rare Queensryche interview cd."  I bought one 
        from them, and thought I'd warn you that the total time on the 
        disc is under 11 minutes.  

        edju@phakt.usc.edu (Eddie) writes,
                Hi Shag, in case no one's mentioned about it, several of 
        those GIFs on the FTP site seem to be damaged.  I downloaded 
        them all and some of them were great but some were damaged.  For 
        example, 'chris.gif' was a duplicate of 'chris.and.geoff.gif' 
        but 'chris.gif' was damaged.  Other damaged GIFs include: 
        empire5.gif, michael.gif, geoff2.gif, mike.gif, scott2.gif, and
        rageback.gif.  I tried to FTP and then download these GIFs again 
        but the result was the same.
                        {The GIFs were fine when I downloaded them - I'd
                        check your transfer settings if they don't come
                        through all right.  Make sure you're using
                        binary mode, both over FTP and the download
                        connection.  -sh}

        _I Will Remember_________________________________________History_

        fsdpj@alaska.bitnet (Don) writes,
                The Rocket, June 1988. "The Ryche's Third: 
                Queensryche is Seattle's Rock Royalty" by Jeff Gilbert
        
                Geoff Tate and Chris DeGarmo are sitting in a corner of 
        an unassuming espresso cafe on Capitol Hill, quietly eating what 
        appears to be a healthy, very un-metal-type meal. In fact, so 
        reserved are they, hardly anyone in the place seems to have 
        taken any real notice of them.  I mean, it isn't every day that 
        a couple of bonafide heavy metal rock stars end up sitting next 
        to you in a health food joint, especially one that doesn't even 
        serve alcohol.  And it isn't every day that a couple of metal 
        rock stars would even quietly sit there without their feet on 
        your table - these guys have sold over a million records, and 
        they can afford to be obnoxious.
                So while there aren't plates of half-eaten, greasy 
        cheeseburgers piled up on the table, french fries in the 
        ashtrays, ketchup splats on the walls and customers around them, 
        they are indeed every bit the type of rock stars that make heads 
        not only turn, but bang up and down as well.
                "I think we're a heavy metal band," offers Tate as he 
        finishes off the last vestiges of some sort of green-looking, 
        broccoli-laced soup.  "We've got all of the basics for being a 
        metal band.  We got loud aggressive drums, rude, grindy guitars, 
        and we write pretty aggressive music, mostly in minor keys.  We 
        got a screaming vocalist and a throbbing bass player, so we must 
        be a metal band!"  Queensryche are not, however, just a heavy 
        metal band with a screaming vocalist and a throbbing bass 
        player - they are, perhaps, one of the greatest metal bands ever 
        to come out of the Pacific Northwest, certainly the biggest 
        selling.
                Since their explosive emergence - with the release of 
        their self-titled, self-financed EP in the summer of '83 - the 
        subsequent fame (and hype) catapulted Geoff Tate, Chris DeGarmo, 
        Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, and Scott Rockenfield into 
        world-wide celebrity, eventually making them an important and 
        driving force among the ranks of metal's upper echelon. 
        Historically speaking, Queensryche's role in Northwest music has 
        provided much ground-breaking and has opened doors which have 
        helped to pave the way for other local metal acts, namely Metal 
        Church, Sanctuary, and Fifth Angel, to follow in their footsteps.
                After the release of their first full-length LP 
        "The Warning" in 1984, the band toured the globe with some of 
        the biggest names in rock, including AC/DC, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Iron 
        Maiden, Dio and Ozzy Osbourne.  It was also during that period 
        that they were able to live up to, and beyond, all the hype that 
        had earlier threatened to overwhelm them.  This was done with 
        blistering performances and critical raves that started showing 
        up in literally every rock publication in the world.
                From the beginning, Queensryche's interests and career 
        were guided by the charismatic management team of Kim and Diane 
        Harris.  Well known for their popular record store on Seattle's 
        East Side that catered almost exclusively to metalheads, they 
        were the two people responsible for capitalizing on the band's 
        growing popularity throughout the underground.  Up until the 
        middle of the band's "Rage for Order" LP and tour in 1986, the 
        Harris', because of their bullish and demanding management 
        practices, were generating almost as much attention as the band 
        themselves.  But as the rock'n'roll rule of thumb goes, the 
        bigger the band, the bigger the problems.
                In the midst of their first headlining tour during the 
        latter months of '86, conflicts between once united forces had 
        escalated to a point where a dissolution was sought by the band.  
        These days band members refuse to take part in any mudslinging, 
        preferring to concentrate on the path in front of them.  Choosing 
        his words carefully, Tate simply explains that there was a 
        breakdown in communications and that their goals were no longer 
        the same.
                Ending a long-time business relationship with their 
        management turned out to be less problematic career-wise than it 
        could have been.  At the time of the split, the band took to 
        managing their own affairs.  Without skipping a beat, they were 
        able to get themselves on a tour with Bon Jovi, proving that they 
        were not only a professional touring act, but capable businessmen 
        as well.
                It was also around the time of "Rage" that the Ryche made 
        yet another surprise maneuver, appearing on their album jacket, 
        rock magazines, and in concert, looking somewhat different from 
        what the fans had been familiar with previously.  Tate explains 
        the move to change their dark, classic image, to one that was in 
        direct contrast to what they were known for, was something that 
        the fans should have expected from them.
                "Each album is so different from the previous one, and we 
        look different on each record.  It's not so much that our 
        emphasis is placed on our images as it is on our music.  And I 
        think that at the time of "Rage," we just went over the top a 
        little more than we should have.  But you don't know until you 
        try, you now?  Usually, we're not influenced by other bands and 
        trends, but at the time, everybody was sort of dressing up and 
        looking a bit more flamboyant.  And I think we were sort of 
        caught by the flamboyant bug," he laughs.
                "On our other albums, we never gave a shit what we looked 
        like," adds DeGarmo.  "And that's an album where we put a whole 
        lot of emphasis on trying to make the photo session something 
        other than boring."
                When you get right down to it, all of this is but a 
        small, insignificant chapter in an otherwise unwrinkled success 
        story.  Besides, Queensryche have more important things to deal 
        with than managerial problems or glam-rock inclinations.  
        They have a new record out.  In fact, it's their first record in 
        about two years.
                Obviously excited to talk about their latest album, 
        "Operation: mindcrime," both Tate and DeGarmo feel that this LP 
        is probably their best.  "The basic premise of the album is very 
        experimental," describes Tate, "sort of a throwback to the '70s 
        idea of a conceptual, like the Who with "Quadrophenia" and later 
        on, Pink Floyd with "The Wall."  It's a complete story all the 
        way through."
                Pushing a way a plate of noodle and veggie remains, he 
        explains the album's rather complex storyline.  "It deals with
        three main characters.  Dr. X is sort of a madman with a purpose.  
        He's bent on taking over governments and instilling his own 
        people in those government positions.  There's a street kid named 
        Nikki, who's a junkie, hired as a hitman for this organization.  
        The third character (played on the record by Seattle's Pamela
        Moore) is Sister Mary, who is a nun, and who's also an ex-junkie 
        and an ex-prostitute.  She's basically a puppet being used to 
        service Nikki and keep him calm and his head straight while he 
        accomplishes his tasks.  There's also a love relationship between 
        Nikki and Sister Mary."
                Because the material focuses on religion and politics, 
        Tate relates a story about the recording of "mindcrime" in which 
        they came close to using a certain timed religious event to their 
        advantage:  "One of the segues on the record deals with the 
        character Nikki, who is witching channels on a TV set, and he 
        turns it from the news to Jimmy Swaggart giving a sermon.  And as
        he is watching this ridiculous man spouting off about all of this 
        bullshit, he takes out a revolver, loads it up, and shoots the 
        TV.  We had this perfect speech of Swaggart's that we were 
        running in the background on the TV, but they said we better not 
        use it because he's probably gonna sue us.  So we yanked it out 
        and hired a preacher from New Orleans to recite this sermon we
        wrote up.  But the day we yanked it out and destroyed it, flash, 
        Jimmy Swaggart is on the TV crying his eyes out saying, 'Forgive 
        me for I have sinned with a prostitute!' And we thought, 'Oh God, 
        let's use it now!' But in the end, we decided that we didn't want 
        to risk getting sued right now."
                Even without the Swaggart piece there's still enough 
        controversy and and classic, hard-hitting Queensryche metal on 
        the album to more than make up for the chance to throw some 
        well-aimed rocks at the "other side."  "We tend to direct our 
        albums at the kind of listener who wants to sit with his CD 
        player and his headphones with the lights out, and just drift off 
        into the depths of what the music is," says DeGarmo as people are
        starting to fill up the restaurant, and obviously need our table.  
        "We've tried to write melodious songs, so that a person can tap 
        their foot in an intense sort of way," he smiles.  "From a 
        lyrical standpoint, some people might think it's a little bit 
        overboard," Tate adds.  The waitress comes over to remove the 
        last of the (unbroken) dinner plates.  "But that's entertainment."

        _The Whisper__________________________________________Discussion_

        fsdpj@alaska.bitnet (Don) writes,
                Hmmm... the latest topic seems to be what non-metal 
        musicians we like.  So, I'll throw in my favorites.  The Nylons 
        (acapella vocal group), UB40 (pop/reggae), Aaron Copland 
        (classical), and The Cure.  How's that for some variety?

        terryj@sfu.ca (Terry) writes,
                Here's what I listen to: Pink Floyd is my absolute 
        favorite band, and Queensryche is second. I also really like Nine 
        Inch Nails, Metallica, They Might Be Giants, Hendrix, Led 
        Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Jane's Addiction, Sarah McLachlan (the 
        most beautiful voice in the world!), Faith No More, Pearl Jam, 
        Soundgarden, Black Crowes, Cream, The Police, Nirvana, Mr. Bungle
        (Faith No More, I realize), ZZ Top, Savatage (Similar to 
        Queensryche), Holst, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Orff 
        (Carmina Burana, anyways), Live, Guns 'n' Roses, Tori Amos, 
        Yngwie Malmsteen, Madonna, Crowded House, Fleetwood Mac, Simon & 
        Garfunkel, Barenaked Ladies (you all will hear of them soon), 
        Public Enemy and, hmmm, let's see. A whole lot of other stuff 
        too.  I have a very wide interest.
                I really go for intelligent lyrics, very amusing (without 
        being horridly perverse (Mr. Bungle exception)) lyrics, and/or 
        excellent musicianship.  A wonderful voice like Sarah McLachlan's 
        and Geoff Tate's helps too, but isn't necessary (strangely, I'm 
        not into Dylan...).

        gallegos@arizona.edu (Paul) writes,
                Favorite bands? Mine include ZZ Top, Def Leppard, REO 
        Speedwagon, Journey, Styx, Foreigner, Boston, and Mike + the 
        Mechanics, just to name a few. I love guitars, and love to 
        listen to Clapton, Satriani (who is a god), and Eric Johnson. 
                I'm also a nut for songs with a message, which is 
        another reason which drew me to Queensryche. (ie. 'Empire,' 'The 
        Thin Line,' 'Della Brown,' etc..)
                Note that there is no rap group among those listed. 
        That's because I don't believe that rap is MUSIC. (Let me 
        explain before the flames come to my mailbox). I have to admire 
        those people that do rap just because they can do the rhymes so 
        well, and so quickly. The problem I have with rap is that it's 
        not MUSIC, at least they didn't write the music, they didn't 
        play the instruments, they didn't do anything creative, other 
        than add a heavy bass line and new lyrics. (In fact, in most 
        cases, rap groups have stolen the melody from someone else and 
        'redefined' it.) When these groups start writing their own 
        tunes, I'll start listening.

        _Anybody Listening?______________________________________Adverts_

        spikep@tau-ceti.isc-br.com (Spike) writes,
                I have a couple of import CD Singles of Queensryche - 
        Jet City Woman that I would like to unload.  The price is $11.99 
        each (plus shipping of course).
                        {And, since Spike didn't note it himself, I think
                        said shipping (UPS) wouldn't be more than $3.50
                        inside the US.  -sh}

        _Breaking the Silence__________________________None of the Above_

        rob@gumbo.noarl.navy.mil (Robert) writes,
                Please post these lyrics, a fine example of our superbly 
        honed senses of humor.  Lyrics inspired by the Dean Markley 
        guitar string ad ('trade up...')
        
                'Umpire'
                Words by Boner & Slim
                Music by Queensryche
        
        Last night the word came down
        10-2 in Dodger-town
        Innocent, their only crime was
        Throwin' the wrong pitch--at the wrong time
        
        Too bad, people say
        What's wrong with the Yanks today
        I tell you right now they got nothing to lose
        Just bribe an umpire
        
        Mickey used to work after school
        At the sporting goods store
        Gotta hustle if he wants to make the majors
        Yeah, he's got a long way to go
        
        Now he's out on the field all day
        Swingin' bats for the people who pay
        Ferrari GT40 for his best friend
        Business, in the American League
        
        White Sox meet Red Sox
        Downtown
        Oakland, the walls fall down...
        
        Can't you see them coming? UMPIRE!
        Can't you see the pitches?
        
        Rich man, up again
        Holds his bat in his hand
        Brother beaning brother for the vengeance of another
        Game point, nobody wins
        
        He throws right on time
        What happened to the catcher's mind?
        Throw them all out then we'll be up again
        To bribe an umpire
        
        White Sox meet Red Sox
        Downtown
        Frisco, the walls fall down...
        
        Can't you see them coming? UMPIRE!
        Can't you see the pitches? UMPIRE!
        Can't someone hear them screaming?
        
        In fiscal year 1986 to 1987, Jose Canseco made a combined total 
        of 60.6 million dollars.  Atlanta Braves' catcher Biff Poccoroba 
        ranked last in absolute dollars earned.  By way of comparison, 
        Pete Rose bet 24 million dollars more on football speculation 
        and over 43 times as much on Tommy Lasorda's belly than on 
        Cincinnati Reds' opponents.
        
        (bitchin' solo)
        
        Can't you see them coming? UMPIRE!
        Can't you see the pitches? UMPIRE!
        Can't someone hear them screaming? UMPIRE!
        Can't you feel them swinging? UMPIRE!
        Can't you hear the crowd noise? UMPIRE!
        Can't someone find another
        UMPIRE!!?
        _________________________________________________________________

                Please send any submissions for the next issue in as soon
        as possible - obviously the time's a bit shorter than usual.  I'm
        off to catch up with the "real world" again.

                                                'Ryche on,

                                                        -Shag