Geoff Tate Brings "Operation: Mindcrime" To Tail Winds Fest

Geoff Tate is one of the legendary and most recognizable voices in hard rock. “Operation: Mindcrime,” a Tate showcase, is a touchstone rock album and ranks among the best concept records of all time, in any genre. So when Tate performs the album in its entirety it’s a treat you don’t want to miss.

Tate, who recorded “Operation: Mindcrime” during his time in Queensryche, will perform the album from start to finish at the Tail Winds Music Fest on Saturday, June 29, in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (about an hour from North Jersey). Tate has been performing the 1988 classic album since last year, in celebration of its 30th anniversary. He’s still doing it today due to massive fan demand. Sure, fans already know the story of Nikki, Sister Mary and Dr. X like a well-worn novel, but they keep coming back to it, drawn in by its brilliance and Tate’s incredibly dynamic vocals.

Tate is a busy man these days. In addition to touring “Operation: Mindcrime,” he’s also on the road with Avantasia, German singer Tobias Sammet’s metal opera show. And June 14 sees the debut self-titled release of Tate’s new project, Sweet Oblivion. The two Sweet Oblivion songs released for public consumption so far are vibrant and melodic, with Tate sounding as powerful as he did on Queensryche’s debut EP back in 1983. They say wine gets better with age. Oh yeah, Tate’s also a wine expert and he’s inviting fans to hang with him on a special rock and wine trip experience.

We recently phoned Tate in Tokyo to talk about “Operation: Mindcrime” and much more.

You’ll be playing the Tail Winds Music Fest on June 29 in New York State. It’s quite a diverse lineup, with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Black Stone Cherry, King’s X, Sass Jordan and more. You don’t see such eclectic festivals in the U.S. that often anymore.

I suppose not. They’re typically tailored to a certain genre and marketed that way, so it’s refreshing to see somewhat of an old school approach to putting a festival together with a diversified musical lineup.

At the Fest you'll be performing “Operation: Mindcrime” in its entirety. That there is such a demand for that album to be played live by you after 30 years is a real testament to it being a true classic, both the album and your vocal performance.

I decided to tour it last year for its 30th anniversary. I got so many requests and a year later and 25 countries later I’m still getting requests. I was meaning to stop playing it but the demand is so great. I’m not complaining. I feel very fortunate that 30 years in people still want to hear it and still know the story.

To what do you attribute the album’s staying power?

I honestly have no idea but it is an album that’s based on classic themes, love and love lost and challenge; the little guy getting the power; the haves and have nots. These are classic themes that you find throughout literature so maybe there’s a sense of those themes touching a nerve with people of my generation. I honestly can’t explain it but I'm so happy that people like the story and found some inspiration in it.

You also did the three album trilogy with your Operation: Mindcrime band.

The Mindcrime trilogy was really an idea I had wanted to do for a long time. It’s a three-part storytelling format and it required three albums. It really was a labor of love and I got to work with some great players and wonderful musicians and like-minded people. I’m really proud of those albums. They’re really cutting edge for me.

You’re also involved in a new project called Sweet Oblivion, with a band of Italian musicians (the self-titled debut is released on June 14). What can you tell us about this endeavor?

I spent 30 years working with the same group of people and although we achieved a lot of wonderful things and were very experimental in our music which was my goal working with Queensryche, once that was over for me I wanted to experience life in a big way and do things I’d never done. I wanted to play with different musicians and people from different countries and experience their culture and how they see music and art.

I’ve been opening up my own horizons artistically and recently I hooked up with an Italian guitar player Simone Mularoni and we started making some music together which turned into the Sweet Oblivion album. There are two tracks that are released already on the Internet. It’s a fun project with people that I’ve never worked with before that we hit it off musically. In my book that’s what it’s all about.

In terms of the future, musically speaking, do you think you’ll write another concept album, or series of albums, as you did with the Operation: Mindcrime band trilogy?

I'm constantly working on projects and I was just working on a new song when you called. I never quite know what I’m going to do with something until it hits me. I don’t have any pre-planned idea. I amass a grouping of songs or music pieces and at some point it'll hit me with what to with it. I’ve also been working on some things with my daughter Emily. She has a band called Till Death Do Us Part. I’m writing some songs for them right now. I really love working with her and it’s the first time we’ve composed together. That’s a real treat.

You’re also a renowned wine connoisseur and have you own wine brand, Insania. In October you’re leading a “Rock and Wine” tour in which you’ll be driving fans through wine country in France http://www.backstagepasstravel.com/france-tours/

People are going to come out and I’m going to take them sightseeing around the area, very cool areas mostly around France. We take people wine tasting and there are a few amazing castles and beautiful villages. For people that like culture and maybe are intimidated about traveling on their own or have never been to Europe it’s a great way to see it from the perspective of somebody that’s been there a lot, for 35 years. It’s quite a cool experience.