I have never been one to say “You HAVE to listen to this group…It’s my favorite band in the whole wide world!” and then a week later say the same thing about a different band. Actually, nothing had really impressed me to the point I could say I had a favorite musical group, movie, actress/actor, etc. That scenario all came to an end in 1991.
I had been hearing Silent Lucidity playing on my Top 40 radio station for a few months and decided I wanted to buy a copy. I had done this before…bought a tape or album for just one song. I was usually burned by doing this because the rest of the album usually sucked.
I lived in the country, still do for that matter, and we didn’t have cable. We did own a six foot dish that got everything in the world before they invented scrambling. In fact, that same dish is in the same spot it was back in the day; although, we have upgraded to digital (it sucks when it rains). For one reason or another MTV and VH1 were never choices when watching television…we received them, but I think Dad usually controlled the remote. For whatever reason, music videos just weren’t a part of my adolescent years, so the only Queensryche song I had been exposed to was Silent Lucidity.
I grew up on country/western (YEE-HAW!). When I was nine my sister converted me to an 80’s child. I have never grown out of that phase. I was never one to listen to hard rock unless it was mainstream, which was played on my station.
One thing I want to get across – I don’t consider Queensryche metal…never have…never will. They are rock…maybe hard rock, but rock all the same.
So anyway, one day after school my sister and I went into town (we lived in the country – only two miles into the country, but the country just the same - so this is how it was said). That afternoon I decided it was high time I spent my money on the tape which contained only one song I knew and loved. When we got home I dropped the tape into my dad’s dual deck player, turned the stereo on, and waited to listen for Silent Lucidity.
Of course everyone knows the tape I was listening to was Empire. I was even reading the lyrics as I prepared to listen. I was taken aback with the intro music to Best I Can. The back of my mind was asking the question “What the hell is this?” The rock part of my mind was overshadowing that question with “Hell, Yeah!” The music continued and the lyrics kicked in and I decided I liked two songs on this tape. This continued until I liked the WHOLE tape. You have to understand…this is just not right…for me to like a whole tape? Something was very wrong with this picture.
I was on my second go around with the tape when my parents came home from work. The first reaction from my mom was “How can you sleep through that? Turn that down!” My dad’s reaction was “What kind of noise are you playing on my stereo?” Opps! I must have had the speakers shaking a little too much. Yes, I did fall asleep during the second listening…I had finally found the perfect album…My life was complete.
I had NEVER purchased a music recording I could listen to without fast forwarding through at least one song, if not more. My quest was over. The songs spoke to me. At that time gangs had started to get heavier in Omaha and there was always something on the news related to them…shootings, drug busts, etc. Everyone around the area felt pretty helpless about the homeless. I was pushing myself in school because I knew college was just around the corner. I just didn’t think anyone was listening to me, let alone understanding me. When it comes to my feelings for Queensryche, I find myself still not being understood. Although I didn’t have anyone I would do absolutely anything for, I could relate. What can I say? I’m a helpless romantic when it comes to shit like that.
Anyway, Empire was my tape of choice for what seemed like an eternity. Something that helped that was the fact rap has never been my music of choice and that is what was clogging the mainstream radio waves. Between my Empire tape and Oldies, I was set for music.
I can’t exactly remember the sequence of events, but I landed up finding out about Promised Land and the tour at roughly the same time during my third year of college.
You see, the Empire tour was sold out in Omaha by the time I found out I loved the music. There was no way on God’s green earth my parents would take me any where else for a concert.
Once I found out about the new release I was out buying it. I am able to say I connected as well to this one as I did to Empire. In fact, I would have to say Promised Land is my favorite Queensryche release. It really surprised me a group would take on such a serious issue as mental health as a concept for an album, but it was exactly what I needed at the time.
I wasn’t diagnosed with depression until I was in my late twenties, but I should have been diagnosed and treated since age 14. Yes, you could say I could REALLY relate to the tone of Promised Land.
Anyway, at that time I had a friend whose boyfriend liked Type O Negative. It turned out they were the opening act for Queensryche on the Promised Land tour. It was pre-internet days at that time, so you really had to do some legwork to find out about something back then. We found out the tour was going through Omaha – brilliant! The Omaha date was May 3 – even better! Omaha is near my hometown and May 3 was my birthday…my 21st birthday. Needless to say, we bought three tickets through Ticketmaster and waited for the day to come.
I had dubbed a tape for my walkman from my CD and started working out to Promised Land. I had the words down by the time the concert FINALLY rolled around.
I have always had the curse of having a birthday either during dead week or finals week. Nothing is more important than Queensryche to a college student, well, at least this college student!
We took off just as soon as we were out of class the afternoon of the concert and went directly to the Civic Auditorium. We were there pretty early, but we got great parking spots and were able to enter the auditorium and stake our claim on front area spots for this general admission show. We sat down and waited for the show to start as we talked.
I can’t remember all of the show. I can remember being able to sing all the Promised Land songs and Geoff looking at me weird. I can remember Geoff getting thirsty and breaking open a bottle of water and “sharing” with the crowd…I got a pretty healthy dose of that bottle, probably because I gave him the “you-won’t-dare” look. I can remember Chris breaking out his guitar for Silent Lucidity. I can also remember the look of disappointment I received from Geoff because I didn’t know the words to I Don’t Believe in Love, or any of the older music for that matter.
Oh, the SHAME! To receive the look of disappointment from a member of your favorite band! I felt like I should be drawn and quartered. That’s one of the lowest points in my life. I HAD to vindicate myself!
To tell the truth, I didn’t know there was Queensryche releases prior to Empire. Believe me, I would have been out there looking for them during those hell radio days if I knew they were out there to be found.
When we arrived back in Ames, although I should have been studying, that’s exactly what I did. I went to Wal-mart…found Rage for Order and Warning there. I hit every second-hand CD shop in town. You have to understand, Ames in a Big 12 college town…there are A LOT of second-hand CD shops. I did it. I bought everything they had out to date…including the Ford Fairlane soundtrack with Last Time in Paris. Not that Geoff or any of the other guys know I have everything, but it made me feel better.
I was able to attend the Des Moines show during their last tour in September 2005. While waiting by the tour busses for autographs I was able to talk with Stone. He was waiting for his brother to take him home to Wisconsin. It was a complete BS conversation, but it was really nice to be able to just chat with one of the guys. I had never had the opportunity before.
During the current tour Geoff Tate and Mike Stone are riding specially designed Buell motorcycles at/to some of the cities. When they reach Seattle the bikes are to be auctioned off. These events are part of Rock ‘N’ Ride which has the purpose of raising money for VH1’s Save the Music program. One of the Rock ‘N’ Ride locations was in Grandview, Missouri before the Kansas City concert. Do you really have to ask if I was there? Come on!
Those of us who were already there watched as Geoff and Stone drove through the parking lot into service. Geoff had already shed his helmet and was shaking hands by the time we walked through the service bay doors. He walked right up to me, shook my hand, and said, “Thanks for coming out.” He was real excited to see everyone there. Stone was laid back, as usual. The group of 25 set out on their ride around 11AM and didn’t return until 2:30PM after 156 miles. Pictures were taken, memorabilia was signed, and lunch was served.
I have a collection of over 700 pictures from the Rock ‘N’ Ride, the Kansas City and St. Louis shows, and the meet and greet in St. Louis. Yes, that’s right, I said meet and greet. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of playing chauffer to St. Louis for one of the Rock ‘N’ Ride participants and I was given one of his meet and greet passes as a thank-you.
I knew I was going to meet the guys in St. Louis and I didn’t want to go empty handed, so the weekend prior I was busy making each of the guys and Pamela Moore a gift. I was able to talk to each of the guys for a very brief time. I am most proud of being able to snag Scott Rockenfield before he disappeared. The guys are all so great. I was in such a hurry during the meet and greet I didn’t even think of getting pictures WITH the guys. I hope I have the chance at a later date.
The story of Mindcrime II is so brilliant it moved me to tears during the Kansas City show. I already had a ticket for the Saturday show in Seattle (who can NOT see the boys at home!). After Kansas City I decided one concert in Seattle was not enough…I have a ticket purchased for Friday as well.
The friends you meet through Queensryche music can be financially harmful…one talked me into seeing them in Washington, DC and Baltimore in November. It isn’t like he had to push very hard for me to go. You could say I’m seeing Queensryche from sea to shining sea.
The CD’s I bought in Ames have been played for the last decade plus, and new CD’s have joined the old. I even have plans to get a triryche tattoo. I love it when I go to concerts and sing along and no one else around me knows the words. It’s also sad to say the same…more people should know Queensryche music. The world may be a better place if they did.