Disturbed bassist John Moyer recently commented on the production of former Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate’s upcoming album. He clarified the ownership of the Operation: Mindcrime franchise in a statement shared in an interview with Mark Strigl on YouTube.
Moyer addressed questions about how Tate could continue the Operation: Mindcrime series independently. He explained the history of the project’s rights.
“Obviously [Geoff is] not in Queensrÿche anymore. ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ was released under the Queensrÿche name years ago, the first two records,” Moyer said. “Well, when the band split up, basically, Geoff got all the rights to ‘Mindcrime’. That’s his story to tell.”
The bassist emphasized that Tate has complete creative control over any future installments of the franchise.
“And so anything that moves forward with ‘Mindcrime’ is his to do with as he wishes. I know some people are, like, ‘How can he do that? That was a Queensrÿche thing.’ Well, ’cause it’s his; he owns it. That’s his baby.”
Moyer recorded the songs for Operation: Mindcrime III during breaks between Disturbed’s touring schedule throughout 2025.
The bassist explained, “I recorded these songs during the summer between tours. [Disturbed] finished [the North American leg of] our ‘The Sickness [25th Anniversary] Tour’ in the spring. I spent the summer in Europe recording a bunch of these songs. Then we went to Europe to tour with Disturbed, so I took a break from the songs. Now I’m in the final stages of mixing and putting everything together.”
The ownership arrangement stems from a significant legal resolution between Tate and the remaining members of Queensrÿche. After a protracted legal battle, the remaining members kept the band name while Tate received solo ownership of the group’s platinum 1988 album Operation: Mindcrime and its sequel, according to Chronicle Let. This 2014 settlement gave Tate exclusive performance rights to both the original Operation: Mindcrime (1988) and Operation: Mindcrime II (2006) albums. It effectively granted him full control over the franchise’s future.
The split resolved years of tension between Tate and his former bandmates. Queensrÿche achieved mainstream success throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, as documented by Wikipedia. The album Operation: Mindcrime became a defining work in progressive metal. However, creative and personal differences eventually led to Tate’s departure and the subsequent legal dispute over the iconic concept album series.
Since the settlement, Tate has continued to develop the Operation: Mindcrime concept independently. Moyer first joined Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime project in 2015 alongside drummer Brian Tichy and guitarist Scott Moughton, forming a dedicated ensemble to bring the concept to life, as noted by Wikipedia. This collaboration has allowed Tate to maintain creative control while working with accomplished musicians who share his vision for the franchise.
The upcoming Operation: Mindcrime III represents the latest chapter in Tate’s solo stewardship of the series. It demonstrates his commitment to expanding the concept album legacy that began with Queensrÿche decades ago.
