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Screaming in Digital - Editor's Note

   Hi everyone, and welcome to December. Rockline has come and gone - at
   least for those of you who, unlike me, live near stations that carry
   it. The new single is out, newspapers are reviewing Promised Land, and
   to start off my holiday season right, I've been labeled "crazed" by
   none less than Michael Wilton. As my sister put it, "If the guys in
   Queensryche think you're crazed, that says something." Anyway, on with
   the issue.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Contents - Contributors

   New Single - Paul
   New Single - Diana
   Rockline Interview - Randy
   Rockline Interview - Kevin
   Rockline Interview - Mike
   Promised Land Newspaper Review - Randy
   Promised Land Newspaper Review - Amy
   I Am I Single - Diana
   Turkish Release - Ertan
   Digest in Guitar World - Mark
   License Plates - Colin
   Promised Land Commercial Success - Terry
   Promised Land Comments - Jason
   Japanese Article Translation? - Diana
   European Tour - Michael
   European Tour - Pekka
   Japanese Promised Land - Stephen
   Japanese Promised Land - Brian
   Promised Land Imports - Diana
   Prophecy - Stephen
   Tate and LaBrie - William
   Promised Land Views - Mike
   Favorite Promised Land Tracks - William
   Promised Land Views - Michael
   Damaged - Loula
   Progressive Metal Technique - William
   Lady Jane Whisper - Scott
   Lady Jane Whisper - Michael
   Lady Jane and David Bowie - Christopher
   Lady Jane and Flatliners? - Darren
   London Interpretation - John
   Mary in the Mirror - William
   Vampiric Interpretations - Eric
   Vampiric Interpretations - Loula
   Vampiric Interpretation - John
   Promised Land Lyrics - Christopher
   Promised Land For Sale - Stephen
   Japanese Promised Land Wanted - Mike
   Real World Wanted - Michael
   Bootleg Trades Available - Matthew
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Neue Regel - News & Reviews

   New Single - Paul (gallegos@arizona.edu)
   
   Apparently the latest single released out here was not Out of Mind,
   but rather Bridge. Not surprisingly, it's become quite a popular tune
   here in the southwest. Anyone have access to Billboard Rock Charts?
   
   New Single - Diana (balance23@aol.com)
   
   I had read in one radio journal that the next single was supposed to
   be Damaged, and also read in others that it was going to be Out of
   Mind. But a sympathetic record shop manager just gave me a promo for
   the new single - Bridge. Since it's a promo, unfortunately there isn't
   a b-side. The cover is a photo of an elderly man's eye with a
   reflection of a young boy in it - very "them." The new video should be
   out within the next two weeks.
   
   Rockline Interview - Randy (rcollins@nyx.cs.du.edu)
   
   Other than the new Rockline host having a hard time at the start, I
   thought the interview went well. He read the intro right off the
   paper, but he did get into it some after a while. I distinctly heard a
   lighter being used and someone - I assume it was Geoff - blowing smoke
   in the microphone. It sounded odd and almost intentional.
   
   Some of the questions asked were stupid, but after a few callers, they
   did get a few that were good. It seemed difficult to drag answers out
   of the guys, though - are they getting tired of the same questions,
   have they already answered them in other interviews, or do they just
   want to leave some mystery? One of them did mention the Internet once,
   but I was disappointed not to hear them say anything of the digest.
   
   Rockline Interview - Kevin (laferrie@bashfull.usmcs.maine.edu)
   
   I listened to Rockline, and I also taped it. The callers had some good
   questions, disregarding the fact that some questions were picked ahead
   of time. I did hear Geoff lighting up a couple of cigarettes - so much
   for him not smoking. They guy who hosted the show sounded like he was
   reading everything that he was saying. Although it was his first time,
   it sounded weak.
   
   The band did have some interesting answers, though. When asked who
   killed Mary, Geoff said, "I thought it was clear from the lyrics. I
   guess nobody else got it but me." Maybe we should all go back and read
   the lyrics again!
   
   Rockline Interview - Mike (thorpjm@mail.auburn.edu)
   
   I asked Geoff and Chris a couple of questions on Rockline. If anyone
   was listening, I was the guy who asked about Bridge. I think I got a
   little too personal with Chris, because he seemed surprised that I
   asked about that. I didn't want to ask the same old boring stuff. It
   seemed like a good question to me.
   
   Promised Land Newspaper Review - Randy (rcollins@sibylline.com)
   
   This is a article that was printed in the November 11th issue of The
   Arkansas Traveler, a small student paper at the University of
   Arkansas, for the basketball team. I'm in no way connected to the
   paper or the writer, I don't even know the guy, I don't even totally
   agree with him, but I did think it was interesting seeing it printed
   in such a local paper. I was totally surprised.
   
          Queensryche Enters New Reign
          By: Skip Hudson
          Traveler Staff
          
          *REVIEW - Promised Land by Queensryche
          
          It's really hard to define the sound of the new Queensryche
          album, Promised Land.
          
          For one thing, it's not a concept album - something the band
          has already proven themselves to have mastered. It's also not
          some collection of material whereby they take the liberty of
          indulging in far too many less-than-musical cro-magnon metal
          binges, as did many of their counterparts in the mid-to-late
          1980's. For the most part, Promised Land is yet another
          collection of provocative songs from a progressive metal band
          that undoubtedly has already become a house-hold word.
          
          Queensryche began to gain notoriety in 1988 with the conceptual
          Operation: Mindcrime, their fourth album which incorporated
          themes of betrayal and conspiracy in one man's fight to save
          himself from a world gone mad. In 1990, they released Empire, a
          compilation highly different from any material they had
          recorded previously in that at least six songs on the album
          received regular airplay. It was followed by the first tour in
          which the band headlined.
          
          And now, three years later, it looks as though Queensryche has
          compiled yet another masterpiece, but one that has a strikingly
          more mellow tone than it's predecessors.
          
          Beginning the journey into the Promised Land is the track I Am
          I, a song that typifies Queensryche's ability to employ the
          use of syncopation and altered rhythms in establishing an
          atmosphere for the song's message, which seems to revolve
          around the idea that everyone has a facade behind which they
          hide to avoid contradicting themselves. Following that is
          Damaged, a song that, driven by the unique guitar work of
          Chris Degarmo and Michael Wilton and the powerful vocals of
          Geoff Tate, focuses on the problems encountered in the search
          for oneself.
          
          Those who like funk will probably enjoy Disconnected, a groovy
          little tune about the debilitation of one's mind that results
          after the extensive abusing of some drug that the band opted
          not to name.
          
          Most of the songs on the album are more mellow than anything
          the band has ever done before; however, Lady Jane sounds like a
          sort of mini-opera, highlighted by some intricate piano
          harmonizing and the shrill vocals of Tate. Out of Mind sounds
          like something that Enya could have recorded. Bridge, a song
          that looks at the problems involved when lack of communication
          between a father and son has obstructed what little love their
          relationship may have had, is brought to life through the
          band's exclusive use of acoustic guitars. And the beautiful
          piano work of Someone Else, the story of a lifelong underdog's
          courageous fight to prove his worthiness to society, will
          probably win the album a Grammy by itself.
          
          Despite having a following of devoted heavy metal fans for
          years, Queensryche pushed itself onto a more broad audience in
          late 1990 with the release of the Pink Floydish single, Silent
          Lucidity. But they did so without sacrificing the sound to
          which many of their fans had already grown attached.
          
          Promised Land might do the same thing - every song on the album
          could easily receive airplay and yet anger hard-core fans who
          otherwise might think the band has sold out. For Queensryche,
          making good music is what they seem to enjoy doing.
          
   
   
   Promised Land Newspaper Review - Amy (cottrell@virtu.sar.usf.edu)
   
   This is a review from the Tampa Tribune:
   
          It's no parting of the Red Sea. But for diehard fans,
          Queensryche's latest will be as welcome as manna from heaven -
          the musical equivalent of a journey to the land of milk and
          honey.
          
          Promised Land marks Queensryche's return to the scene after a
          two-year break. Band members had professed a desire to
          re-establish domestic roots.
          
          The disc is an eerie blend of soul-searching, with sound
          effects haunting enough to make Steven Spielberg shiver and
          crisp enough to send surround-sounders into a nirvanalike
          state.
          
          The quintet's fifth full-length album features several tracks
          with potential to rival the previous smash, Silent Lucidity. I
          Am I rocks hard as the CD's first single. And unusually
          dramatic and simple piano-based ballads Lady Jane and Someone
          Else? may make converts out of nonmetal listeners.
          
          Bridge, however, takes expression-through-art to another level.
          An emotional epitaph for the shattered relationship between
          guitarist Chris DeGarmo and his father, listening to Bridge is
          voyeuristic - like watching DeGarmo slice open a wrist , then
          gawking as he bleeds.
          
          Promised Land beckons the not-so-faint-of-heart. So slap on the
          headphones and travel to a place far, far away.
          
   
   
   I Am I Single - Diana (balance23@aol.com)
   
   MTV is now playing a slightly different version of I Am I - it's just
   slightly re-edited. EMI North America and UK have not - and probably
   will not - release a single for I Am I. There may be one released in
   The Netherlands or Germany, but don't count on it unless it's
   promo-only.
   
   Turkish Release - Ertan (kertan@bilkent.edu.tr)
   
   It's been more than six weeks since Promised Land was released, but
   there is no sign of it in Turkey. I think the domestic firm here that
   works with EMI - or EMI itself - forgot that there's a country in the
   world named Turkey!
   
   Digest in Guitar World - Mark (marko@waynar.lcec.lockheed.com)
   
   I just got the January 1995 issue of Guitar World magazine, which
   contains an interview with Chris and Michael. Of course the majority
   of the interview covers Promised Land, but my eyes widened when I
   found this excerpt:
   
   GW: Guitar World just recently went up online on, CompuServe. Is there
          a Queesnryche BBS or an e-mail address?
          
   DeGarmo: Yeah, we have a tap into the Internet, don't we?
          
   Wilton: Yeah, we have this crazed guy, Shag. He's got this whole
          network of all these people engaging in futuristic 'Rychean
          discussion.
          
   DeGarmo: It's all this speculation on Queensryche. It's quite
          entertaining to read. People trying to figure out what the
          songs are about, plugged in all around the world.
          
   Well, that's our moment in the spotlight! Just wanted to share it with
   everyone in case you're interested in picking up a copy of the
   magazine for the interview. Most of the interview is about the working
   relationship of Chris & Michael as guitarists and how they've worked
   as a team past & present. Also some snippets on how Promised Land was
   recorded - Michael and Scott going out with a portable recorder and
   taping seagulls, and other such insights - and also a mention of the
   CD-ROM that's due out (nope, no mention of a release date), which kind
   of segued into the Internet discussion.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Speak - Comments & Questions

   License Plates - Colin (75666.3337@compuserve.com)
   
   My wife's contribution to spreading the disease is a Florida specialty
   license plate on her car that reads "RYCHE-ON."
   
   Promised Land Commercial Success - Terry (terryj@sfu.ca)
   
   How has Promised Land has been doing commercially? I see the I Am I
   video fairly often on MuchMusic, but I was wondering how the album was
   selling around the world. Do there seem to be many fewer fans than
   Empire attracted, or is Queensryche's popularity continuing to
   build? And while we're at it, is my Operation: Empire boxed set worth
   a lot yet? :)
   
          According to a weeks-old Billboard, Building Empires made it to
          the #3 slot on the US charts, and also reached the top 10 in
          Germany and the top 20 in Canada. I Am I hit #8 on the Album
          Rock Tracks chart. Empire, of course, is triple-platinum now,
          and was in the top 30 on the Catalog Albums (older albums
          selling well) chart. -sh
          
   
   
   Promised Land Comments - Jason (ejromero@vax1.acs.jmu.edu)
   
   I feel Promised Land is definitely one of Queensryche's best works to
   date. Never have they written something that has spoken directly to
   me, as this does. In my opinion, Bridge is amazing - it's definitely
   an experience to see feelings that I've felt for so long show up on an
   album from my favorite band. I don't quite know how to express it, to
   actually "connect" with someone who before I have only seen as above
   and beyond me.
   
   I also love the feelings expressed by the band in the title track,
   about what it is, and takes, to "make it," especially the line,
   "Somewhere along the way, friends I once held close fled the fast
   lane. I didn't notice, I just had to make it." I've been singing for a
   band now for about five years and when I heard this it made me look
   back and see for the first time friends that I had made and lost in
   the drive for that "perfect" gig, the one thing to set us apart from
   all the rest. It hurt, kind of, to see that I was so callous to these
   people because of an obsession. I hope there is someone out there who
   understands.
   
   Also with this album, Queensryche reached a new musical level. I agree
   that the album is set with a much darker mood, but that usually
   happens when one is soul-searching. I don't, however, agree that it is
   in any way similar to Rage - this is far beyond Rage, maybe not
   musically, but definitely in meaning.
   
   Anyway, to make a long story short, which I have already failed to do,
   I love this album, literally. It was well worth the very long wait to
   get, as it definitely renewed my dwindling faith in my favorite band.
   
   Japanese Article Translation? - Diana (balance23@aol.com)
   
   Does anyone out there translate Japanese? I bought the latest issue of
   the Japanese Burrn magazine, with Geoff and Chris on the cover and
   what seems to be a great 8 page interview, but I can't read it!
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Roads to Madness - Tours & Shows

   European Tour - Michael (mnoble@bfsec.bt.co.uk)
   
   Personally I'm very happy with the European tour dates - I get to see
   the second date in Belfast!
   
   European Tour - Pekka (pruotsal@snakemail.hut.fi)
   
   I saw the tour dates in the digest, but I hope they aren't final. If
   the list is final that means that they aren't coming to Finland.
   Please do not tell me that this is happening. I have already made a
   promise that if they come to Finland I would wear a Father William
   outfit in the concert and my girlfriend would wear something white to
   make her look like Sister Mary. (If someone has done this before -
   please reply!)
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Spreading the Disease - Info & Resources

   Japanese Promised Land - Stephen (sgorny1@umbc2.umbc.edu)
   
   I just got a copy of the Japanese version of Promised Land and thought
   I'd give a brief description of the disc.
   
   The package:
   The back cover of the CD case is basically the same, except for
   Japanese credits and the listing for the two additional tracks. The
   wording of what appears on the U.S. release is a bit fuzzy, like it
   was a photograph taken of the back cover. Then the titles for tracks
   12 and 13 were added at the bottom in a slightly different type print,
   and are also sharper, as if they were printed on top of the back cover
   photo.
   
   In general, the cover is the same, it has the clear hinge on the case
   through which the title is visible and the main insert is exactly the
   same as in the U.S. release in that it folds out into the full totem
   pole illustration on one side with the lyrics and Mr. Nail Head on the
   other. Nothing additional has been added to this insert for the
   Japanese release. There is no additional booklet as I believe was the
   case with the Japanese Empire disc.
   
   There are two additional inserts. One is a black and white sheet with
   all of the lyrics in Japanese, plus lyrics for Real World in both
   Japanese and English. It also has what appears to be a brief article
   about the band, which is also written in Japanese - my girlfriend can
   read some of this stuff so I will try and get a rough translation
   sometime after finals wind down). The second insert is a cd-cover
   sized decal of the disc cover as it appears when it is folded inside
   the front of the jewel box (i.e. the top of the totem pole and the
   word Queensryche at the top).
   
   The CD itself is also a bit different. Whereas the U.S. release is a
   dark grey disk with a black tri-ryche symbol, the Japanese disc is
   black with a silver tri-ryche.
   
   The music:
   As has been previously stated, this disc contains two tracks not on
   the U.S. release. Track 12 is Someone Else? with the full band. This
   version is completely different than the one we have been discussing
   here of late. To begin with, it runs a total of 7 minutes 11 seconds.
   It features all the guys on their respective instruments including a
   wicked guitar solo and a semi-heavy intro. In fact, this version is
   quite heavy and I would not really classify it as a ballad. Even more
   cool is that a lot of the lyrics are completely different and there
   are more lyrics than appear on the piano version - there are no pianos
   on this version at all. I haven't had time to try and get the lyrics
   down yet, but will try to for next week. All I can offer at this point
   is this: the entire first verse of this version does not appear on the
   piano version, and the song ends with the final "someone else..." but
   without that spoken word "me" at the end of it. It really sounds like
   a completely different song. Track 13 is Real World from the Last
   Action Hero soundtrack. This is not, unfortunately, a re-mix or
   re-recording of the tune.
   
   In my opinion, the second version of Someone Else? is worth the cost,
   although it will probably end up as a b-side somewhere.
   
   Japanese Promised Land - Brian (bps106@psuvm.psu.edu)
   
   A friend of mine picked up the Japanese import of Promised Land at the
   show in Valley Forge this weekend. We spent most of the hour and a
   half trip back to York listening to the full band version of Someone
   Else. It's a definite bonus and it might actually be worth buying the
   import for just that one song - but not at the $38 he paid! With the
   full band behind it, the song definitely takes on more oomph, but
   looses some of the waning mood of the piano version on the US release.
   Geoff's sax definitely adds something. What really threw us for a loop
   was the additional lyrics in the full band version. I think there are
   about 10-15 new lines or lyrics interspersed throughout the whole
   song.
   
   My friend is convinced that Geoff's lyrics on both versions came from
   the same recoring session. He said that the lyrical tracks from the
   full band version were "flown in" and trimmed down to fit the piano
   only version. He insists that even Geoff couldn't sing the song
   exactly the same way twice. He said what really tipped him off was the
   last line, with the dramatic pause and the just "me." I can't tell,
   but I'll take his word for it. The album was recorded and mixed
   digitally so I guess it could be done quite easily. I was curious
   whether anyone else had noticed this.
   
   Promised Land Imports - Diana (balance23@aol.com)
   
   A few of the US metal magazines advertise record stores and there are
   some selling the Promised Land Japanese CD (usually around $35) and
   the UK white vinyl (about $20).
   
   Prophecy - Stephen (nrm2147@dsacrgw.dsac.dla.mil)
   
   I know Prophecy was written and performed before Warning was released.
   I once had a recording of the King Biscuit Flower Hour where the band
   played Queen of the Reich, Prophecy, Blinded and The Lady Wore Black.
   Since I hadn't heard Prophecy before that, I started looking for it,
   but never found it until Decline of Western Civilization and the
   various studio releases. I don't have the old recording any more, and
   I was in junior high school so the quality probably was lacking by
   today's standards.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
The Whisper - Discussion

   Tate and LaBrie - William (wwright@galaxy.galstar.com)
   
   I don't think James LaBrie's voice is already trashed - he sounds fine
   on the album, is singing well on the tour, and is taking operatic
   lessons to get even better. I would say, though, that Geoff Tate is
   the better of the two singers. Give LaBrie some time, however - Tate
   has been around nine years longer than LaBrie. I'll compare the Tate
   of today to LaBrie in nine years.
   
   Promised Land Views - Mike (brownmr@craft.camp.clarkson.edu)
   
   I think that we are all guilty of putting words into the guys' mouths.
   Although I'm a huge Queensryche fan, with the knowledge that they are
   one of the most artistic bands that I've ever had a chance to listen
   to, I can't quite see why we all have to break any given song into the
   tiniest of fragments, searching for something sohidden that we need
   three or four different equalizers to even hear it, let alone
   interpret it!
   
   Despite this viewpoint, I applaud those of you searching for a song's
   general theme, or that of the whole album. I really enjoy reading
   people's general viewpoints on different songs and the album, some are
   quite gifted. I often just listen to the songs for their melodic
   content, for I sometimes have trouble determining just what the
   lyricist is trying to get at, so I really appreciate what some have
   contributed.
   
   I want to talk a little about Bridge. I think the simple fact that
   everyone seems to want to talk about it shows recognition of what an
   interesting song it really is. I wonder how many people would say that
   it's one of their favorite songs, if not their favorite song, on the
   album, had the word "dad" been left out of all those lines, leaving
   something to the imagination?
   
   I feel Someone Else? is a fantastic song in its own right, and a great
   way to end the album. I wish the album went on for another 20 minutes,
   but I'll have to be happy with what we did get!
   
   Has anyone else seen the short album review in Entertainment Weekly? I
   know, I know, I can't understand why I get that either! It's obvious,
   after reading it, that some music critics have no idea what music is!
   A C-minus? This is from the same group of critics that gave Pink
   Floyd's The Division Bell a D. Evidently some albums are just too
   difficult for them to review.
   
   Favorite Promised Land Tracks - William (wwright@galaxy.galstar.com)
   
   In my opinion, Lady Jane and Someone Else? are two of the better
   tracks. I find myself listening to the last four tracks the most.
   Damaged doesn't do anything for me - it's kind of like Rush's Stick
   it Out or Where's My Thing? I want the music to go somewhere -
   progress, if you will - not just repeat the same 4-note phrase over
   and over again. This song seems more in the vein of Ace of Base than
   Metallica. Sure, Ace of Base has made playing notes over and over
   trendy and it sells, but it's got to be the stupidest thing I've ever
   heard. I'm really ashamed that I have to compare Queensryche to Ace of
   Base.
   
   Promised Land Views - Michael (mgranieri@attmail.com)
   
   I found Promised Land somewhat disappointing after so long a wait. The
   overall quality of the songs isn't as good as on the previous three
   albums. My favorite songs are Bridge and One More Time, but I don't
   think any of the songs have single potential, as opposed to seven or
   eight on Empire. No doubt this will curtail sales and keep this album
   from coming close to the popularity of Empire.
   
   According to Rolling Stone's sales chart, Promised Land debuted at #3
   and slipped to #15 the next week. The album must be a bitter pill to
   swallow for the band's label after the incredible success of Empire.
   I'm sure they were hoping for something similar, but they got another
   conceptual album too progressive for FM radio and the general
   record-buying public.
   
   Speaking of Rolling Stone, I've pored over the last three issues
   looking for a review of the album and found none. It's irritating that
   they review countless obscure albums by unknowns bands but won't
   review Queensryche. All they had was a photo and brief blurb on the
   band's listening party to debut the album in Seattle.
   
   Damaged - Loula (lburton@beta.centenary.edu)
   
   I'm amazed that Damaged, the Promised Land track that makes me go
   "Grrr" the most, is described as a "blatant Metallica rip-off." I
   despise Metallica, and don't think their vocalist has a speck of
   talent.
   
          Actually, only the instrumental riff in the middle was
          described as a rip-off, not the whole song. -sh
          
   
   
   Progressive Metal Technique - William (wwright@galaxy.galstar.com)
   
   I'd have to say that Queensryche can't compare to the technical
   ability displayed by Dream Theater. Dream Theater should be
   technically compared to bands such as King Crimson. Sure, King Crimson
   is weird, but they are incredible musicians.
   
   Neither Dream Theater nor King Crimson is as popular as Queensryche,
   but look at any trendy band out there - popularity does not equal good
   quality music. Don't take this the wrong way though, basically my
   point is just that the bands can't really be compared. Not because one
   is better than the other, but because it seems to me that Queensryche
   goes about writing songs in a much more structured way, while Dream
   Theater just starts jamming and then writes down whatever they like.
   Dream Theater's songs are much less structured, and less likely to
   become popular.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
The Killing Words - Interpretation

   Lady Jane Whisper - Scott (aa458@freenet.carleton.ca)
   
   When I hear the faint whisper in Lady Jane, it sounds more like "It's
   time to pay." She's obviously on some hallucinogenic substance, and
   it's time to pay the consequences.
   
   Lady Jane Whisper - Michael (mnoble@bfsec.bt.co.uk)
   
   The whisper in Lady Jane sounds to me like "with me today," which
   provides an alternate ending to the chant from the children outside,
   id est, "says she'll play with me today."
   
   Lady Jane and David Bowie - Christopher (afn08420@freenet.ufl.edu)
   
   Has anyone noticed that Lady Jane sounds obscenely like Space Oddity
   by David Bowie? I just want to start singing "and the Earth looks very
   different today," or "Ground control to Lady Jane." I wonder if this
   is some kind of freudian slip or something.
   
          The general sound of the songs is similar, but I don't think
          the melodies are close enough to interchange the lyrics. -sh
          
   
   
   Lady Jane and Flatliners? - Darren (souter@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu)
   
   I am willing to go out on a limb and say Lady Jane was with the movie
   Flatliners in mind. For those of you who have seen the movie, I am
   referring mainly to the scene in which Kevin Bacon has to confront the
   mistakes of his past. The song reminds me of the scene in which he is
   a young boy and is making fun of a girl I think was named Whinnie.
   
   The movie's scenario bears striking resemblance to the song. They both
   have an eerie quality that inspires a deeper level of thinking. The
   characters have to "atone" for the sins of their past as Kevin Bacon
   apologizes to Whinnie as an adult. Is this Lady Jane all grown up? The
   movie portrays her great relief as she forgives the man who took her
   childhood away from her. "Yesterday seemed very dark, but now it's
   bright, your clouds have gone away." There is also a bit of reverse
   symbolism in the movie that comes out in the song. Whinnie must revert
   to day-dreams, illusions, to escape from the taunting, yet is it these
   illusions that terrorize the main characters of the movie as adults.
   She grows older with the scars that won't let her forget. We find
   ourselves near the end of the song, "calling out to Janie as you drift
   away, Don't be afraid, they're only your illusions anyway." But are
   they to her?
   
   London Interpretation - John (cassidy@cps.msu.edu)
   
   I take London to be about Jack the Ripper. Robert Bloch wrote a tale
   about Jack living forever. Bloch's Ripper concept matches the
   "...streetlights fanned our trail of fame..." line, and "Sometimes I
   wish I could have taken your place..., You know I don't want to live
   forever." It makes the latter line nicely ironic.
   
   Mary in the Mirror - William (wwright@galaxy.galstar.com)
   
   The sample in Dream Theater's Mirror is not the same voice as in Suite
   Sister Mary. The Mirror voice is a tad higher. Mary has a very
   distinct voice, and the Mirror sample isn't it.
   
   Vampiric Interpretations - Eric (baur@ucsub.colorado.edu)
   
   A person could find just about any kind of symbolism in this, or any
   other, music. It doesn't seem to me to be a natural interpretation of
   Queensryche's music.
   
   Most of the songs - if not all - do, however, deal with the darkness
   inherent in mankind. This is the reason that a vampiric interpretation
   fits in fairly well. The legend of vampires is a reflection of the
   darker part of humanity in the first place. It only makes sense, then,
   that the darkness in the music would remind people of the darkness in
   vampires. The two issues parallel, but do not necessarily cross
   intentionally.
   
   Vampiric Interpretations - Loula (lburton@beta.centenary.edu)
   
   The vampire thing certainly is nothing new, Walk in the Shadows is
   very vampiric, probably the most blatant one, but other songs have
   vampiric elements, especially Gonna Get Close to You.
   
   I suppose that since vampires - specifically the Anne Rice ones - are
   so compelling as characters, people are inspired by them. Listen to
   Faith No More's Real Thing album - the whole thing is vampire,
   vampire, vampire.
   
   Vampiric Interpretation - John (cassidy@cps.msu.edu)
   
   With all the talk about vampiric songs, it seems everybody has missed
   Walk in the Shadows, which I believe Geoff has said is about a
   vampire. "We'll walk in the shadows, by day we'll live in a dream."
   
   I'd leave Gonna Get Close to You as a song about stalking. The only
   relation I think it has to vampires is that they are essentially
   violators too. I Dream in Infrared, like Killing Words is a song about
   the dark side of love - you might as well ponder how Surgical Strike
   is about vampirism! "Well, they fly, and they strike..."
   
   Promised Land Lyrics - Christopher (cat@christa.unh.edu)
   
   Not to ruin anyone's fun, but Geoff and Chris explain track by track
   the lyrics to each song on Promised Land in the interview in the
   January issue of Metal Edge.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Anybody Listening? - Advertisements

   Promised Land For Sale - Stephen (sgorny1@umbc2.umbc.edu)
   
   If someone out there still hasn't picked up Promised Land, I'm willing
   to sell my copy of the U.S. version.
   
   Japanese Promised Land Wanted - Mike (brownmr@craft.camp.clarkson.edu)
   
   I'm wondering where the Japanese version of Promised Land can be
   purchased. If anyone has any information on it, please let me know.
   
   Real World Wanted - Michael (mgranieri@attmail.com)
   
   Is there any way to get the song Real World without having to buy the
   Last Action Hero soundtrack?
   
          The Japanese version of Promised Land includes Real World. -sh
          
   
   
   Bootleg Trades Available - Matthew (msj2134@ritvax.isc.rit.edu)
   
   In response to several messages that I received concerning my request
   for hard-to-find Queensryche recordings, I have decided to post a list
   of what I have on CD and video and would be willing to trade copies
   of.
   
   Screaming Laughter (65:49) contains Nightrider, Prophecy, Deliverance,
   Child of Fire, En Force, Blinded, The Lady Wore Black, Warning, Take
   Hold of the Flame and Queen of the Reich recorded at Nihon
   Seinen-Kan, Tokyo, in 1985, and Operation: Mindcrime, Speak, Spreading
   the Disease, Take Hold of the Flame and The Needle Lies recorded at
   the Spectrum, Philadelphia, on March 12, 1989.
   
   Speak the Word (48:38) contains Anarchy-X, Revolution Calling,
   Operation: Mindcrime, Speak, Spreading the Disease, Take Hold of the
   Flame, Breaking the Silence, I Don't Believe in Love and Eyes of a
   Stranger recorded at the Sporthalle, Cologne, on October 26, 1988,
   and Resistance, Walk in the Shadows and Best I Can recorded at the
   Royal Court in Liverpool on November 6, 1990.
   
   Empire Calling (123 minutes) is a video containing Resistance, Walk in
   the Shadows, Best I Can, Empire, The Thin Line, Jet City Woman, Roads
   to Madness, all of Operation: Mindcrime, Take Hold of the Flame and
   Silent Lucidity filmed at the Broome County Arena in Binghampton NY
   on July 20, 1991.
   
   The quality of the first two CD's is pretty good, though no Livecrime.
   Some tracks are better than others. The video was made with a
   camcorder and looks okay but is a bit jumpy at times. All three are
   worth hearing or seeing. I also have CD singles containing live
   versions of Walk in the Shadows and Prophecy and the 1991 acoustic
   remix of I Dream in Infrared. I'd be willing to trade a tape full of
   songs or a copy of the video for other stuff, especially unreleased
   tracks, remixes or live recordings.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   That's all for now - see you all again next week!
   
   'Ryche on!
          -Shag