Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
If you’re a Queensrÿche fan (or you just love those mid-’80s Hit Parader time capsules), this episode is a blast from start to finish.
Robert digs into a March 1985 Hit Parader interview that catches Queensrÿche in that fascinating in-between moment: the EP is already making serious noise, The Warning is still the “current” album, and Rage for Order is still a year away. Along the way, we get some surprisingly thoughtful answers about whether the band even considered themselves “heavy metal,” how seriously they took their craft, and how being from Seattle shaped their identity compared to the chaotic, competitive L.A. scene.
**** SHARE YOUR MEMORABILIA - HERE'S HOW - youtu.be/OfW2RZbCwp8
The biggest jaw-dropper: the article reveals the band’s early EP sales had already surpassed 300,000 copies worldwide by 1985 — before they’d even hit their peak. Robert also connects the dots culturally, comparing the over-the-top hair-metal arms race to the pendulum swing that would soon make Seattle the epicenter of the next wave. Toss in some great context on the bands and albums surrounding the moment (Priest, Maiden, Ratt, Crüe, etc.), plus vintage photos, stagecraft talk, and a little hindsight about the road to Operation: Mindcrime and Empire, and you’ve got a perfect “history nerd” Queensrÿche deep dive.
Timestamps
0:00 – Why this 1985 Queensrÿche article is gold
0:36 – Shout-outs: Gary’s magazine box + Digitech sponsor
1:08 – The Hit Parader cover: Crüe, Ratt, and the scene vibe
2:00 – Where Queensrÿche is in 1985: The Warning era
2:47 – “West Coast rockers seek heavy metal crown” (article intro)
3:55 – Did they even see themselves as heavy metal?
4:16 – The lineup and why it felt different than the L.A. mold
5:06 – “Proud to be metal… but not three chords + the devil”
6:15 – Seattle vs. L.A.: competition, pressure, and image wars
7:05 – Audiomover preservation message + viewer discount mention
8:20 – The pendulum swing: from flash to fundamentals (Seattle’s rise)
10:23 – Why The Warning hit so hard: precision + hooks
11:43 – Producer James Guthrie (Pink Floyd / Priest) connection
12:57 – “We don’t listen to much heavy metal” (interesting reveal)
14:17 – The EP origin story: demo → small label → bigger deal
16:24 – The EP sales number that’ll surprise you: 300,000+
17:20 – Opening tours (Quiet Riot, Dio, Twisted Sister) + sharpening songs live
18:07 – Going over budget (and why the label tolerated it)
20:31 – “We’re determined to be the best band in the world”
21:00 – Hindsight: how close they were to becoming that band
22:51 – Final sponsor thanks + wrap-up
Hashtags
#Queensryche #Queensrÿche #HitParader #TheWarning #RageForOrder #OperationMindcrime #Empire #geoffTate #80sMetal #HeavyMetal #MetalHistory #ClassicRock #VintageMagazines #Digitech #AudiomoverRockShow
If you’re a Queensrÿche fan (or you just love those mid-’80s Hit Parader time capsules), this episode is a blast from start to finish.
Robert digs into a March 1985 Hit Parader interview that catches Queensrÿche in that fascinating in-between moment: the EP is already making serious noise, The Warning is still the “current” album, and Rage for Order is still a year away. Along the way, we get some surprisingly thoughtful answers about whether the band even considered themselves “heavy metal,” how seriously they took their craft, and how being from Seattle shaped their identity compared to the chaotic, competitive L.A. scene.
**** SHARE YOUR MEMORABILIA - HERE'S HOW - youtu.be/OfW2RZbCwp8
The biggest jaw-dropper: the article reveals the band’s early EP sales had already surpassed 300,000 copies worldwide by 1985 — before they’d even hit their peak. Robert also connects the dots culturally, comparing the over-the-top hair-metal arms race to the pendulum swing that would soon make Seattle the epicenter of the next wave. Toss in some great context on the bands and albums surrounding the moment (Priest, Maiden, Ratt, Crüe, etc.), plus vintage photos, stagecraft talk, and a little hindsight about the road to Operation: Mindcrime and Empire, and you’ve got a perfect “history nerd” Queensrÿche deep dive.
Timestamps
0:00 – Why this 1985 Queensrÿche article is gold
0:36 – Shout-outs: Gary’s magazine box + Digitech sponsor
1:08 – The Hit Parader cover: Crüe, Ratt, and the scene vibe
2:00 – Where Queensrÿche is in 1985: The Warning era
2:47 – “West Coast rockers seek heavy metal crown” (article intro)
3:55 – Did they even see themselves as heavy metal?
4:16 – The lineup and why it felt different than the L.A. mold
5:06 – “Proud to be metal… but not three chords + the devil”
6:15 – Seattle vs. L.A.: competition, pressure, and image wars
7:05 – Audiomover preservation message + viewer discount mention
8:20 – The pendulum swing: from flash to fundamentals (Seattle’s rise)
10:23 – Why The Warning hit so hard: precision + hooks
11:43 – Producer James Guthrie (Pink Floyd / Priest) connection
12:57 – “We don’t listen to much heavy metal” (interesting reveal)
14:17 – The EP origin story: demo → small label → bigger deal
16:24 – The EP sales number that’ll surprise you: 300,000+
17:20 – Opening tours (Quiet Riot, Dio, Twisted Sister) + sharpening songs live
18:07 – Going over budget (and why the label tolerated it)
20:31 – “We’re determined to be the best band in the world”
21:00 – Hindsight: how close they were to becoming that band
22:51 – Final sponsor thanks + wrap-up
Hashtags
#Queensryche #Queensrÿche #HitParader #TheWarning #RageForOrder #OperationMindcrime #Empire #geoffTate #80sMetal #HeavyMetal #MetalHistory #ClassicRock #VintageMagazines #Digitech #AudiomoverRockShow
