Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime – 1988
This album rejuvenated the concept album and showcases Queensryche’s amazing talent. Nikki is the confused and drug addicted young man who gets involved with a revolutionary group as their assassin. The song I Don’t Believe in Love was even nominated for a Grammy. When on tour for Empire in 1990, they performed this album in its entirety, and released it as Operation: Livecrime. This album is a MUST for any rock fan!
1988 fun facts –
*Cost of a new house - $91,600.
*Cost of an existing house - $61,020.
*Cost of a movie ticket - $3.50
*First class stamp - .24 cents
*Cost of a new car - $10,400.
*The first major computer virus infects computers connected to the Internet
*The Hubble Space Telescope is put into operation
*Mystery Science Theater 3000 debuts
Movies released –
Die Hard
A Fish Called Wanda
Akira
Beetlejuice
Big
Young Guns
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Music released –
Cinderella – Long Cold Winter
King’s X – Out of the Silent Planet
Metallica – And Justice For All
Game released –
Final Fantasy II
And why is 1988 special?
It’s the year Sandra Almazan graduated from high school!
Sandra is a speculative fiction author and a mother. She’s also a science geek and sharp as a whip. Sandra regularly features other author at her blog, which you can find HERE
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With Marvel and DC set to go head to head on May 6, 2016, one finally flinched. Batman Versus Superman will come out on April 29 instead. (Captain America 3 will maintain a May 6 release.)
A reboot of The Mummy comes out April 22, so it will be a busy three weeks at the box office.
"When it returns, Face Off will have quite a few new faces to hang out with on the schedule, with shows like Dominion, 12 Monkeys, Ascension, The Expanse, Z Nation and Olympus all in different stages of development — not to mention unscripted fare like Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge, Opposite Worlds, Heroes of Cosplay and Ghost Hunters."
Fan of Queensryche? Following Sandra? Picking up RaShelle’s new book. (She rocks, you know!) Wonder which studio will win spring of 2015? See any new shows you want to catch? And what do you remember about 1988…?
And everyone have a wonderful and Blessed Easter!
118 comments:
It is a shame the fans are not there for DC. I personally can't wait for this movie and I loved MoS.
RaShelle's book looks fascinating. Thank you - and her.
HI, Alex,
Happy Easter to you as well! 1988 had some really fun movies and music...
I was modeling for six months in Europe that year, so life was hectic and exciting!
Congrats to Rashelle! She is doing AMAZINGLY WELL!
COOL... Batman vs. Superman comes out on my Birthday! That's some present!
Oooo, the MUMMY... Great film! Loved it!
Warner Brothers needs to do a lot more blinking. I have no real hope that Batman vs Superman will be any good, even with Affleck.
Happy Easter Alex!
Am I a geek for putting those Marvel dates on my calendar already. haha.
Hi Alex - this was the year of my first trip to the Okavango Delta - a real treat .. We did see A Fish Called Wanda .. but you mention many other things that passed me by.
Good luck to RaShelle ...
Happy Easter and a blessed time to everyone .. Hilary
Have a very Blessed Easter, Alex!
I'm back on my A-Z track for the moment. Yesterday was all family but now I can concentrate on my cyber family whom I love just as much. I'm proud to know you.
Something you mentioned in a previous post resonated with me. I don't read much fantasy at the moment. Perhaps because I'm really busy but more probably because I'm immersed in building my own world. I am so grateful to learn of Misha and her 5 year project. She's an inspiration.
A Fish Called Wanda is top notch comedy.
I haven't met Sandra, so thanks for the introduction.
A wonderful, blessed Easter to you, Mrs. Ninja and Mini-Alex.
xoRobyn
They're rebooting the Mummy? Awe. I liked Arnold Vosloo in the role. :-/
Sandra's an awesome lady.
Good luck to Rashelle I'm sure her book will be a well deserved success.
Happy Easter to one and all.
Yvonne.
Hope you're having a wonderful Easter, Alex!
In 1988, I was fortunate enough to visit Paris (and a few other places...)
Not sure if I've met Sandra...
Love Queensryche! Happy Easter to everyone.
Love Queensryche, but don't own any of their albums. They're on my to buy list for sure. I still buy CDs so one day I will get to theirs!
Love Die Hard and Beetlejuice. I am pretty sure I love Wanda but haven't seen it since I was a kid so can't remember it. :P And Young Guns - such a dorky classic!
Diehard rocked for its time. Totally following Sandra's writing, science fiction and fantasy!
Any of the Final Fantasy are awesome, but I have never played this one. To own one would be classic!
I brought a puppy home in 1988 and hubby said, "I hope you know what you've let yourself in for."
- Lots of fun, love, walks and heartache.
Diehard films are great.
I'm going to visit Sandra, she sounds interesting (science and speculative fiction).
Thanks for the shout-out, Alex, and "hi" to everyone else. 1988 was a good year. We had our 25th high school reunion last year, and it was great.
The cost of going to the movies sure has changed. I hadn't heard about the reboot of The Mummy. A wave to Sandra and congrats to those with books releases. Wishing you and your family a safe and Happy Easter.
Hi Alex.
I totally forgot about Cinderella. WOW. My husband took me to a Metallica concert several years ago and I wasn't expecting much since it wasn't my thing, but wow they were amazing.
And I'm still obsessed with a Fish Called Wanda.
I recall a lot from '88. It's interesting Supes and Bats are only a week off from Cap'n 3. I wish they'd space those movies out a bit more.
And The Expanse novels are some of my favorites to come out in the last few years. I'm looking forward to the show. I've read they're trying to make it amazing - not going campy at all. So stoked.
I was 21 in 1988. It seems a long time ago, but I'm probably less grown up than I was then.
Have a special and blessed Easter with your family.
1988 was the year I was 50. It was also the year we moved to North Carolina for a while.
I saw the first two films, Die Hard and a Fish Called Wanda.
You quote house prices, but they weren't as expensive as that in the Bogue area of NC.
I just heard on the radio that Queensryche is coming to our town.
Is it 26 years ago already? A Fish Called Wanda is one of my absolute favorite comedies EVER! It's still as fresh as it was when it first came out.
Brandon, I'm excited for it.
Michael, that's a great birthday present.
Sydney, yes. But that's all right, they are on mine.
Fe, thank you! And glad that stuck with you.
Huntress, you rock.
Trisha, it was dorky.
Fanny, puppies are great.
Sandra, you're welcome!
Mina, they are really good in concert. Saw them twenty years ago.
Rusty, maybe they will space them more as time draws near.
"The system we learn says we're equal under law,
But the streets are reality - the weak and poor will fall,
Let's tip the power balance, tear down the crown,
Educate the masses - we'll burn the White House down!"
"Don't ever trust...don't ever trust the needle - it lies!"
"There's a revolution calling...revolution calling...revolution calling you"
Mindcrime is a brilliant album! I saw the Empire tour in Tulsa and heard Mindcrime live from start to finish!
Forgot all about A Fish Called Wanda. Loved that movie!
Wishing you a Happy and Blessed Easter too, Alex!
Queensryche is one of my all time favorite bands in all the land! Jeff Tate's voice is absolutely amazing! Those high notes that he can hit? Wow! And, the story that the album tells, I love it. I have the VHS of it. Seeing this made me want to pop it in…great pick, Alex.
Elsie
AJ's wHooligan in the A-Z Challenge
1988-I had the biggest crush on this football player. He liked my best friend:-) I reincarnated his ice blue eyes in my WIP. Loved Young Guns! Have a Happy Easter.
The debut of Mystery Science Theater 3000 makes 1988 undeniably awesome. Since I was a toddler in 1988, I don't remember a whole lot. Life was simple for me then.
I'm a new follower of Sandra's. Thanks for pointing us her way!
I got a copy of Operation Mindcrime a couple years ago on recommendation of you and L.Diane Wolfe. It's a good album.
In 1988 I was off the road and living back in Tennessee for a couple years.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
You had me at "Mystery Science Theater 3000"
1988 memorable for the year I started my FAA career.
Die Hard, back when Willis actually acted and didn't sleep through things. Knew Warner bros would cave. And mummy reboot, uggg.
Hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter. Sunday! Yay. I get to sleep in tomorrow. . .a little.
Thanks for telling us about 1988. I'm enjoying that little blast from the past every day.
Will check out Sandra's blog. So many new people to connect with! Yikes. No sleeping in tomorrow after all.
So the Hubble Telescope has been up there for all these years! Cool. :)
What was I doing in 1988?
Listening to hair bands, and trying to figure out how to scare up 10k to pay for a new car! :)
Great movies coming out that week...I didn't know they were rebooting The Mummy! Very cool. I also graduated HS in 1998, I knew I liked Sandra lol
Gosh, times were good in 1988!
Have you heard that there is going to be a Beetlejuice 2 with Tim Burton back on as director and Michael Keaton?
1988. The first virus hit the Internet. I didn't even know there was an internet in 1988. Or, if I had heard of it, it was so Futuristic that I couldn't really imagine it. I was still in college stumbling along using a word processor at that time. My first computer connected to the internet didn't happen until the mid-90s and it was dial-up. Oh, the misery of dial-up...
First time hearing about that band. You never realize how old a song or movie is until you see it listed like this.
Never heard of Queensryche! Going to you tube now! thank you!
It seems I don't remember a thing about 1988, which is pretty weird as I have a very "photogenic" memory.
Happy Easter to you and your family Alex, from us. jean
Charlie, awesome you saw them on that tour!
Elsie, go jam and enjoy. Shame a rift had to come between Tate and the others.
LG, you make me feel very old...
Lee, glad you enjoyed it! That's two bands we have in common now.
Dean, one of the greatest shows ever.
Pat, yeah, like we need a reboot.
Kirsten, there were a lot of hair bands then.
Chrys, no, I hadn't...
Robin, it was awful, wasn't it?
Happy Easter, everyone!
Hi Alex!
It's Jen. I'm off my little blog hiatus and scribbling at the new site linked to this comment. I'm just now dipping my toes into reading some of the A-Z posts. They've been great so far!
1988? Well, I was 11 which would put me in sixth grade. Awkward would be the one word I'd attach to that time period. Of course, the music and movies you listed make that year sound marvelous :)
Happy Easter to you!
Jen
A Fish Called Wanda . . . .loved that movie. :)
Happy Easter, Alex!!! Have a blessed day with your family.
A Mummy reboot? Why? :/
Have a fantastic weekend, sir! :)
1988 looks a good year for movies and music alike! Have a great Easter!
Nice time trip back to '88! I was in high school. Loved "A Fish Called Wanda"--such a funny movie. :)
I remember reading about that 1988 compute virus, a worm, in A Vanity Fair article on the history of the Internet and just being intrigued. It was a great article.
I don't know Queensryche, but I love Queen! :)
MST 3000 - yay! So funny! Great comedy movies that year too.
Congrats to Rashelle!
Wishing you and your family a Happy Easter.
Wanted to make sure you had the response I posted to your comment, Al:
Alex, I really hope you come back to read this response. I may post it to your blog, too.
Another author I really enjoyed last year, JoJo Moyes, wrote a book I recommended to about five other readers and they all loved it. It was a word-of-mouth sensation. Funny thing was, she'd written and published like a dozen novels before that one and they stayed under the radar until this, her break-out hit. Well, this summer she's releasing another and an early reviewer stated it's so strong, they believe 'a magnum opus is still in the offing' for her, which I thought was really cool!
Sometimes an author will nail it out of the gate because that particular novel or narrator really comes from somewhere within the writer. Other times, skill is honed and honed and honed and honed for a decade until a gem of unsurpassed worth is produced and stuns a readership. Ya never know. :)
I love Queen. Those were the days. Anyhoo, I'm behind on comments for IWSG because I just got my Mac home and Mavericks isn't running well. Keeps flashing password window. Driving me crazy. Of course, it's a long weekend and the tech people aren't answering. Just wanted to let you know that I'll catch up. Have a wonderful Easter.
I wore out my Queensryche tapes. Operation: Mindcrime was, and still is, my all time fave! Good post, Alex. :D
Was that the first Hubble or the fixed one? :)
Love Queen! Love most of the movies you mentioned (Die hard I just shake my head at and still watch it but too funny). 1988-OK laughing because I always feel like the years you pick seem to suck for me:) I think of 1988 as the best of years and the worst of years. My dad died that year of brain cancer (April 30th) and the last 6 wks he was in the hospital we took shifts-mine was 1 to 6. The best was actually the summer because my best friend came home from Greece and we had a blast-probably needed that
Jen! Good to hear from you. Glad you're back and new site noted.
David, that's what I said...
Suze, I wish I found more authors who maintained or improved. Most of my favorites used up all their ideas early.
Joylene, no worries!
Mel, rock on!
Melanie, not sure. I think the first one. Although in a scene from the MST3K Movie, Mike broke the Hubble...
Birgit, I'm sorry.
Everyone have a great Easter!
Mindcrime, Die Hard, Wanda, Beetlejuice, Young Guns, and the last great Metallica album - what a year!
Die Hard, woooo! Best Christmas movie ever. And the Hubble Telescope. Things would be so boring without it.
Multiply 1980s' prices by three, do you think? Am enjoying the retro!
the whole marvel and dc battle of movies is going to be very good for fans i think...ha....the line up the next couple years is going to be fun to watch...
what a great year for music too....i had all of those at one point...Queensryche rocks...empire still rings in my head...
Go! I know nothing of Queensryche, now I get to look at Spotify!
Yes, Heavy's good!
RaShelle does rock! I will have to go meet Sandra :D
I love this band-off to play their music-thank you~
Happy Easter to you and Mrs. Cool~
Ha, 1988. I was into punk rock by then, but I saw Cinderella open up for Bon Jovi in 1986. It was a great show. RaShelle's cover is absolutely stunning.
1988 was a BIG year for me too.
I'm totally stoked for RaShelle! I think I've got one of her books waiting to be read--now that I have a new kindle. Yay!!! (Yeah, the old one died. Sad, sad day.)
True Heroes from A to Z
It kind of feels like they are overegging the pudding with all the superhero sequels/remakes/reboots. We've got Spiderman 2 at the moment when it doesn't feel like long since the last Spiderman 2! I'll reserve judgement on these.
1988, started primary school. Hmm, I think the main song I remember from that year is Kylie's I Should Be So Lucky! :P
Bob, yes it was!
Brian, that makes you uber cool.
Leovi, glad you like them! And Spotify is cool, isn't it?
Ella, glad you are a 'ryche fan!
Crystal, she has a lot - load up your Kindle!
Hey Nick! Good to hear from you.
I remember A Fish Called Wanda and Diehard. Yay! I usually don't remember anything.
Happy Easter to you.
That was a good movie year! I think the only one I didn't see was Akira. Loved a Fish called Wanda. And Big...and Die Hard! I own Baron VonMunchausen; Robin Williams is hilarious in it.
A reboot of The Mummy? Finally...
mood
Moody Writing
a Fish Called Wanda is a great fun movie!
It's amazing how much the cost of movie tickets has gone up!
Have a very Happy Easter!
Hi human, Alex,
Coincidentally, Beetlejuice was on TV here earlier today.
Nice mention of Sandra.
1988 was the year my human brother, Tristan, was born.
A peaceful Easter to you, my kind human friend.
Pawsitive wishes,
Penny, the friendly host of the Alphabark Challenge! :)
1988....where was that new house? Definitely not where I live...in 1986 my husband and I bought a house that had been rented to drug runners for the past 10 years...every window was broken and there were 8 separate telephone lines...the bathroom was a meth lab- every door was scratched by the pit bull guard dogs. It was all we could afford...it was 28 years old and cost us $200K. Worth a mill now!
Thanks for hosting A-Z!
Happy Easter!!
I am not familiar with Queensryche at all. I saw half of those movies though.
You too have a blessed Easter!
Not familiar with Queensryche. Have a wonderful Easter, Alex. =)
~Patricia Lynne~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, YA Author
'88 was an interesting year but I don't remember the prices being that low. I remember interest rates being very high. Happy Easter, Alex!
I have no doubt that The Captain will win in 2016. Happy Easter to you and yours.
1988 was one of our favorite years, as that's when our oldest son was born! A Fish Called Wanda was the first date movie we saw afterward! Looking forward to meeting Sandra! Happy Easter, Alex!
Julie
One of the few good things I remember about 1988 is that that was the year I memorized all the presidents. I can't remember why I did this, but I must've been interested by the election, and wrote down all their names in order, until eventually I knew them cold. I still know them in order, without any silly songs or mnemonics like some other people I've met. I kind of felt like I hd my thunder stolen on my first trip to Israel in 2005, when one of my roommates said she knew all the presidents, and sang some stupid song several times to prove it. I didn't have the nerve to say I knew them too, without needing to sing a song to remember.
Queensryche - nice! And, they're rebooting The Mummy again?? I liked the Brendan Fraser version.
Happy Easter, Beverly.
Penny, what a wonderful year then! Have a Blessed Easter.
M, that is really scary...
Julie, great year for you!
Carrie-Anne, that's impressive.
Happy Easter, everyone!
I love Queensryche. I love how you give a little of everything that happened in 1988. I wish movies would be 3.50 again! I would go to the movies a whole lot more. Thank you for posting!
Stopping by from A-Z
http://brokenwings1313.blogspot.com/2014/04/q-is-for-quippet.html
Have an Awesome Easter Alex!
Happy Easter, Alex! Christ is risen!
1988 was so busy that I would rather not remember it.
Altho, Die Hard...Bruce Willis. Yes.
After the Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads "Tribute" live ablum, maybe "And Justice for All" was the biggest music changer for me.
Some cool movies released that year! I love Beetlejuice, though for unknown reasons, I still have weird dreams every time I watch that film!
Vanessa, you rock! Yeah, even the matinee showings are six-seven dollars now.
You as well, David!
Amen, Susan!
Eco, it was a game changer.
Kyra, because the film was weird...
I was still stuck listening to commercial radio, so albums from groups like Queensryche often bypassed my radar completely.
I think there was only one other song from that album that got some radio airplay and it was called either "Another Rainy Night" or "Without You" (not sure which anymore).
A-Z Challenge at Father Nature's Corner
Batman v. Superman sounds like a great idea for a movie. It also comes out on my sons' birthday. They'll love that!
Play off the Page
Love the cover of RaShelle's book. Have a Blessed Easter Alex.
1988 espcially remember my trip to Egypt! What good memories!
I don't think I should confess how old I was in 1980... So let's just say my memories from that year are a bit young! ;) I love A Fish Called Wanda!
pretty nice blog, following :)
I've never heard of that band before ... although maybe I have and I've just forgotten. Congratulations to Sandra on graduating high school! (lol) And Happy Easter, Alex!
By the way, Dave and I started watching Justified, on your recommendation, and we're hooked! Great show, Alex, thanks for the tip.
So many good movies listed and I vaguely recall listening to Queensryche.
Happy Easter.
GB, those came from their biggest commercial album, Empire, which came out in 1990.
Mary, they will!
Rachna, same to you!
Leovi, what a great trip.
Skyline, thanks.
Cathy, glad you are digging it!
Happy Easter, all.
how can any decade compare to the 80s??
i graduated in 86 - big hair, baby!
what a blast!
happy easter and happy a to z!
Even though I have already commented, I just wanted to wish you a Happy Joyous Blessed Easter! Christ is risen! He who was dead is now alive!
Happy Easter! I've not met Sandra before, but now I'm following her. :)
Wishing you a wonderful Easter. I am continually amazed at your music knowledge, among other things. DC vs. Marvel - Can't we all just get along? Bat Caves - Hulks, it's all good.
The cost of a new car in 1988 jumped out at me. Hard to believe when we see what new cars cost now.
Happy Easter!
I was a sophomore in high school in 1988, but I don't really remember anything else.
Congrats to RaShelle!
A reboot of The Mummy? Really? I hadn't heard of that yet. For the most part, I tend to see the word "reboot" as a cuss word. ;)
Batman vs Superman? Why vs? Aren't they on the same side? Or is this an ego thing like Avengers?
I loved the song "Silent Lucidity" from back in the day, and I still have that song on one of my old school CDs that I sometimes play while I'm driving.
Sorry I missed this one before. I was out of town for Easter. But DIE HARD!!! Best action movie ever.
I agree with SL, Die Hard was excellent!
1988 I graduated from college and started my teaching job. It was a major life-changing year...
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
Hope you had a wonderful Easter. I never heard on Queensryche before today. And I am surprised at the price of a movie. Can't really remember them being so cheap, yet at the time I am sure we thought it was a lot.
I feel like I've heard of Queensryche but damned if I can identify any of their songs.
I haven't followed Sandra, but I will be now!
Congrats to RaShelle!!
And here's hoping your Easter was joyous!
Batman Versus Superman? I hadn't heard of that, but that's something I'm going to have to go see with my sis-in-law. Batman's her favorite, where I've always been a Superman fan.
Me, I'm just looking forward to Godzilla next month. Sure looks like its going to rock!
Queensryche is one of those bands I can only take so much of. Their music is impressive but I'm not fond of the lead singer's voice. I guess I don't have to hear Mr. Tate anymore because of the big split.
I just had a discussion with the 8yr old about Batman vs. Superman. Is it really a fair fight?
Heather
Hope you had a great Easter, Alex. Rashelle's book looks good, and congratulations to Nicole Zoltack!
Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2014, My Latest post
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge
Alex ~ you seriously rock!!! Thanks so much for posting about VAMPIRE LIES and thanks to everyone who congratulated me. Cyber (((hugs))) and cupcakes all around.
A Fish Called Wanda! I love that movie!
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