GEOFF TATE 'Would Like To Learn How To Cook More': 'I Love Food. I Love To Eat.'

During a recent appearance on "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate was asked if there are things on his "to-do list" creatively that he hasn't had a chance to get to that he would like to pursue if suddenly there was free time and he was home for more than three weeks a year. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, you mean creatively? Well, I don't need to be home, so to speak, to be creative at all. In fact, this latest record, [Tate's recently released third chapter in QUEENSRŸCHE's classic 'Operation: Mindcrime' album series], '[Operation:] Mindcrime III', was recorded all over the world. I think it was recorded in around 14 different countries, in hotels, backstage at venues, even in a castle in France, Italy. Parts of it were recorded in the North Pole [laughs], in a wonderful cabin in the middle of winter in the snow. So anywhere works, because it's all imagination-based. And luckily we live in the 21st century, which gives us the technical ability to record and create without having to be in a specific place. But I would like to learn how to cook more, 'cause I'm terrible. I love food. I love to eat. I love fine food and I enjoy the talent and the creativeness of a chef, like a Michelin star-rated restaurant and what they can do. I love that, and I would like to try my hand at that, learning more about it, the mixing of things. It's kind of like music in a sense, 'cause you mix notes together and rhythm patterns to form music. Well, you do the same thing when you're preparing a dish — you're seasoning it and you have to know the basics of how things work, the chemistry of it all. So there's a similarity there that I think I could relate to."

Tate also talked about the continued lyrical relevance of QUEENSRŸCHE's original "Operation: Mindcrime" album, nearly four decades since its initial release. He said: "Well, people tell me all the time how relevant the album is to the present. And they've been telling me that for 20 years. And I think it's because the world doesn't really change that much in the sense of people in power versus people who aren't in power, the incredibly wealthy who pretty much call all the shots to the working class people like the rest of us who live paycheck to paycheck, and we go to work and do our thing. And we don't have a lot of world choices, in a sense. It's just been that way. And that's what the story is based on, really. So it always remains relevant because the big picture doesn't really change. It's always us against them. The rich trying to eat the poor. It's the same old story, so to speak. Only the names change."

"Operation: Mindcrime III" was produced by DISTURBED bassist John Moyer, who has worked with Tate on four of the singer's albums, starting with 2015's "The Key". "Operation: Mindcrime III" also marks the recording debut with Geoff of guitarist Kieran Robertson, who co-wrote many of the songs on the album with Tate. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, Kieran moved to America nearly a decade ago from Glasgow to join Geoff's band as one of the guitar players.

Originally released in May 1988, QUEENSRŸCHE's third studio album, "Operation: Mindcrime" took the quintet to an entirely new level. The concept, revealed through the songs, revolves around the character of Nikki, a recovering drug addict disillusioned with a corrupt society. Drawn into a cult-like revolutionary group headed by Dr. X (voiced by the late and beloved British actor Anthony Valentine),Nikki is manipulated to assassinate political leaders until his friendship with nun Sister Mary finally opens his eyes to the truth. Regarded as one of the greatest concept metal albums of all time, "Operation: Mindcrime" was certified platinum in 1991 in the U.S. and was ranked in the "Top 100 Metal Albums Of All Time" by both Kerrang! and Billboard magazines. Rolling Stone included it on a similar list, noting that "nearly 30 years after its initial release, 'Mindcrime' feels eerily relevant."

The original "Operation: Mindcrime" album weaved themes of religion, drug abuse and underground, radical politics. By contrast, 2006's "Operation: Mindcrime II" was regarded as an unnecessary sequel that many felt cheapened the original album, despite being a decent record in its own right.

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Guitarist Michael Wilton, drummer Scott Rockenfield and bassist Eddie Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate's replacement, Todd La Torre, has released four albums thus far with QUEENSRŸCHE: 2013's "Queensrÿche", 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance".