[UA] UA Songs (okay a whole freaking album)

[Arthur McMahon]

Okay, I figured I could delurk!

One album I have not seen mentioned is:
Queensryche's
"Operation: Mindcrime".

The is a concept album around what I would think of as an attempt to
become the 'True King' of a city, thrown in with someone who would be
heading down the path of the 'Assassin/Killer' and a WECHBY.

The album starts with Nikki (the main character) in a hospital
listening to a new broadcast about someone that had killing
'Religious and Political leaders'. His only comment: "I
remember now. I remember how it started. I can't remember yesterday.
I just remember doing what they told me...."

Characters and plot:
The main character (Nikki)a drug addict.  Down on his luck and willing
to do almost anything, "Except pull the trigger, for that I'd need a
pretty good cause".  He meets one Doctor X who preaches a revolution
of the masses overthrowing those on charge, government and big
business.  He convinces Nikki that this is a cause worth 'pulling the
trigger' over.  Nikki is given a code word for when he needs to work,
and we get the title: Mindcrime.  Doctor X sends Nikki out on what is
hinted at to be several jobs, but being an addict Nikki still needs
his fix (some opium derivative).  This introduces the last main
character, Sister Mary.  She is a runaway.  Ex-hooker, now a 'nun'
at one Father William's church.  He uses her, hard and I would assume
introduces her to Doctor X.  The good Doctor makes her into a
delivery service, to bring Nikki what he needs.  When she shows he
gets his fix and more instructions.  At some point Nikki falls in love
with her, but Nikki still doesn't get her.  This appears to go on for
a while, till Doctor X sends Nikki on a new mission to "Kill Mary, and
get the priest as well".  Nikki goes, kills the priest, confesses his
love to Mary and finally "has" her, "Your precious cross is gone, it
made me wait so long, for what you gave to everyone".  This bodes ill
for Mary.  She agrees to leave the cause and do the fight or flight
thing: "There's one thing left to see will it be him or me?"
He confronts Doctor X and threatens to leave, of course the Doctor
near the height of his power, makes light of this and pronounces that
Nikki won't really be able to leave.  Some time passes and Nikki
returns to the hideout to find Mary dead.  In the video for this it
shows Doctor X paying Mary a visit before she dies.  The police show up
suddenly, like they were tipped off and arrest Nikki for the crime.
They blames Nikki for killing her, and apparently find evidence
linking him to the deaths of the previously mentioned 'Religious and
Political leaders'.  As for how Mary dies there are clues in two songs
as to what happened (I leave this up to you to figure out).  In UA
terms, her death is pretty much because she broke off of the WECHBY
path.  Nikki is confined to a Psychiatric hospital for evaluation.  In
the video for the last song, Nikki looks up and sees Doctor X, as what
I've always assumed as the head of the facility.  The album ends with
Nikki, repeating the beginning: "I remember now".

There is a lot of additional stuff, between most songs we get actual
dialog between characters that explain more of what is going on.  Also
remember that this was released on May 3, 1988.  so this is dated,
with a few references:
"Politicians say no to drugs, while we pay for wars in South America"
Okay not all that outdated, but a sign of the times, so to speak.  And
this is a Heavy Metal band, so if that isn't your thing, well you've
been warned.  Though I would suggest at least giving it a listen
through.

So is the UA enough material??

                                        * Art *


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