Queen: Classic Or Dud

Regarding being liked by morons, etc. -- if I had judge all fans based on the majority of those I've encountered, I would have to call Belle and Sebastian fans all a bunch of annoying, stuck-up, blinkered elitist fucks, for instance. That I know a number of fans of said band who do *not* resemble this description in the slightest demonstrates the worth of not being so categorical. ;-)

I don't think of Queen as pretentious. It's actually the flash & entertainment I don't like.

Regarding being liked by morons, etc. -- if I had judge all fans based on the majority of those I've encountered, I would have to call Belle and Sebastian fans all a bunch of annoying, stuck-up, blinkered elitist fucks, for instance. That I know a number of fans of said band who do *not* resemble this description in the slightest demonstrates the worth of not being so categorical

OK this was an exaggeration on my part, although I didn't actually say that all their fans were morons, but that the band appealed to morons (ie they undoubtedly appeal to others as well, but morons - or something approaching that - do form a considerable part of their following).

I should have entered that in the absolving thread, actually ...

As for this moron business: quite frankly, every single band in the world that ever achieved even 10 album sales appeals to morons, because the majority of the world are morons. And I can't help but think that someone who has decided that U2, Tina Turner, and Oasis (plus Queen) SPECIFICALLY appeal to morons - considering Tina Turner is a fantastically good singer, for instance, makes the whole thing a bit odd - falls into the group. What a blithely ridiculous thing to say. It was a thing to say that was SO DUD IT'S CLASSIC. So it fits in the end. Hurrah.

ps-It doesn't hurt to pick up an album besides the greatest hits albums. Try Sheer Heart Attack, News of the World, or Night at the Opera

OK I should never have used the word 'morons' because it's an exaggeration, and because it would seem to anyone on this forum that likes Queen that I'm insulting them personally.

Nevertheless, the artists I listed do have something in common - a rabble-rousing mass appeal that attracts large numbers of a certain kind of person (who is more comfortable with things that lots of other people like).

As to Tina Turner being a "fantastic singer", that's debatable. She has a powerful voice and no doubt puts on a good live show. But that isn't really relevant to my original comments about why I dislike Queen (who are themselves great musicians and have recorded some rock/pop classics).

I'm largely in agreement with Ned Raggett's assessment. Queen's Seventies albums (well, the stuff before Jazz) are something of a guilty pleasure. Lotsa good stuff on Night at the Opera and News of the World. And the first minute or so of "Death on Two Legs" is an indisputable classic -- Sonic Youth would kill (or they should kill) for an entrée like that one; the nasty bitchiness of the lyrics is a plus too. And "39" is the best song McCartney never recorded. Also, anyone who likes the Smashing Pumpkins fan claims to hate Queen is either deaf, stupid, a hypocrite, or some combination thereof.

Minus: overplay of their songs, most of their Eighties output.

p.s.: The back-and-forth on "their fans are morons" is some of the funniest shit I've read yet. LMAO.

As for the morons debate well i think your generalising a bit mate. Dont ask me what i think about metalheads... death metal, country and wester, most r&B, I think you will find morons in any category of music in fact i will back up what a previous post mentioned and say that generally people are stupid. (is that generalising?) and to a lot of people I am but who cares!

Queen Rock... one of the timeless classic bands.. never to be seen again as processed pop (or should I say marketed pop) takes over. Its now sadly a teenage girl industry. Makes me sick!

Much as I like them, not entirely. Listen to those early Sparks records. ;-)

My comments were stupid and I retracted them.

Marcello: Britglam? Absolutely. "You're My Best Friend" RoXoR. But I still can't think of a worse example of 80s fascism of size. Apart from Opus, maybe. Ah, enter Laibach :).

undoubtedly classique, especially period between long hair silver jump suit freddie and suspicious moustache de-closeted freddie aka sheer heart attack => a night at the opera => a day at the races => news of the world => jazz best run of consecutive albums EVAH?

"I don't care much for them fairies... but Freddy Mercury did fuckin rock."

They occasionally make the same comment about the guy from Judas Preist.

It was a mix of bands, but mostly Iron Maiden.

Anyone who dares deem Queen a dud has lost control of his/her senses, and ought to be dunked in a barrel of rancid milk until reason reclaims its rightful iron fist on the steering wheel of their brain bus.

Buy "Hot Space". I'm curious what Tijn would make of that album.

The Bicycle Race/Fat Bottomed Girls is lucicrous, preposterous, beyond words. Also catchy, funny, and genius (or at least crafty).

Hahahahahahaaha

Could very well be, Anthony.

don't wish to dignify them further.

Also, the second "In the year of '39" is a nice, subtle touch...I had always assumed it meant the same year from the perspective of the travellers, but actually I think it means 100 years later from the perspective of the people on the planet (hence the "'" before 39)...

so, queen is to music what scarface is to film?

http://www.dailyvault.com/queen_news.jpg

Doesn't Paul mcartney hold the record for a Concert ?
this was also in Rio

There's a hell of a lot of Status Quo in there too. Especially the earlier years.

Actually, supposedly it's the fabled "Troggs tape" (capturing an especially dimwitted argument between band members in the studio) that was the real inspiration for Spinal Tap. Visually, though, it's all Saxon and Quo (with a dash of Motorhead in the form of Derek "Luke Warm Water" Smalls).

Ev'rytime I get hot
You wanna cool down
Ev'rytime I get high
You say you wanna come down
You say it's enough
In fact it's too much
Ev'rytime I get a
Get down get down get down
Make love

(Get down) I can squeeze - (make love) you can shake me
(Get down) I can feel - (make love) you can break me
(Get down) Come on so heavy (make love)
(Get down) When you take me (make love)
You make love you make love you make love you make
love
You can make ev'rybody get down make love
Get down make love

Ev'rytime I get high
You wanna come down
Ev'rytime I get hot
You say you wanna cool down
You say it's enough
In fact it's too much
Ev'rytime I wanna get down get down get down

Get down make love
Get down make love
Get down make love
Get down make love

Ev'rytime I get hot
You wanna cool down
Ev'rytime I get high
You say you wanna come down
You say it's enough
In fact it's too much
Ev'rytime I wanna
Get down get down
Get down make love

I have things to say about Queen in tandem with the Sweet, coming up in the rolling 1974 blogpost circa November 2010...

Had a dark period from "New Of The World" through to "Hot Space" though, where none of their output was quite up with their best. However, "The Works" was a great return to form, and they also went on to create other great albums such as "A Kind Of Magic" and "Innuendo" before Freddie died.

"GIMME THE PRIZE!"

i love queen so much. was listening to the newish greatest hits, the longer one cuz it was at the wal-mart in my hometown for $5...tracklist is kind of weird, cuz it loses "keep yourself alive" off the old one and now includes "body language" (yuk).

funny i was thinking that geir must love the fuck out of queen...they are so harmonically complex and melodic they make the beatles sound like david banner taking a dump on pissed jeans. also, they probably more than any other band make use of pre-rock and tin pan alley style stuff, broadway show tunes and all...seems like geir rock 2 da extreme.

David Bowie, among others, beat 'em to the Tin Pan Alley/British vaudeville love.

A special on Freddy Mercury on the gay channel makes it seem like it was all his doing, although I suspect this was not really so.

Good lord, did some of the posters upthread/6 years ago seem like miserable people…

At times, I think I love Queen more than I love any musical entity ever…

the gay channel? y'mean Logo?

That's it.

>>they later symbolised all the most contemptibly macho elements of 80s >>corporate / stadium rock

This is so stupidly mean-spirited it's almost amusing. Yeah, as a campy gay guy Freddy sure was one hell of a macho dude in the Eighties. Ronnie van Zant and Ted Nugent, stand aside for Fred!

I'd think a lot can't get over the ubiquitous football cheerization of "We Will Rock You" -- which is not exactly Queen's fault.

I'm so glad to see all the Highlander love here. As ridiculously melodramatic as it is, "Who Wants to Live Forever" totally jerks a tear from me every time.

Queen ruled in the 70s. But they're still nowhere as consistent as Judas Priest.

I think it's important to note that the two greatest male rock voices ever are from dudes that took it up the ass.

anybody who says "dud" admits to being attracted to Dabney Coleman.

Definite classic. and not for their singles. not saying they're bad, but they don't represent their best work.

"Night at the Opera" and "Queen II" are their best works. Pompous yes. Fun? Hell yes.

They started going downhill around Jazz--News of the World is the best of their more "2 minute pop song" era.

Hear, Hear! Altho' I wouldn't assume that either were/are bottoms…Hot Space obviously is where Fred made the kind of music played in the joints he frequented…it's as sleazy as any Patrick Hernandez song evah…

just about every record—barring the Miracle, the only album I don't much like— has astoundingly great hidden gems. You wanna talk "tear to the eye?" Try "Made in Heaven," Fred's "I'm going down swinging" tune: May's clarion harmonized guitar parts are agonizing, and it's much much better than "The Show Must Go On."

well I was trying to say News of the World was better than Jazz but I effed it up with the "--". :) Jazz had some great songs too, but a bit of filler.

Queen rox, u r all Freddie Mercury.

"Prophet's Song".....\m/

Oh, and Matt, I'm pretty sure Geir has said that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is his favorite song ever.

Thanks Veronica. I haven't heard Made In Heaven since it came out... but I recall that parts of it gave me chills in a very grandiose way.

Wasn't trying to say that Freddie and Rob are bottoms. I'm sure they've been on top, sideways, diagonal, backwards, and inverted too.

Oh, and Matt, I'm pretty sure Geir has said that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is his favorite song ever.

-- The Reverend, Tuesday, November 27, 2007 12:13 AM (27 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

good! otherwise i thought i found a glitch in the matrix...

bicycle race is great! somebody to love is great! get down make love is great!

there's something about some queen songs that so amazing, because yr all like "goddang this is SO over the top" and then they go ever MORE over the top and it's like yr not even in the same room anymore.

like "March of the Black Queen" or "The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke" with the hilarious use of a slide whistle at the beginning.

also Somebody to Love is one of the greatest pop tunes e ver....

"Bicycle Race" is as great as they come. All bands without bicycle bell solos can STFU.

Didn't like Queen for the longest time. I've since come to realize the error of my ways. Oddly enough, I got into them after hearing Blind Guardian's cover of "Spread Your Wings". Go figure.

Can't say I'm too taken with most of their 80's material, though.

>>"goddang this is SO over the top" and

You should definitely find a Sensational Alex Harvey Band record, too.

i had to check that i hadn't already commented, because my perspective on this band has changed radically in the last year

really REALLY liking the first three records these days, and am amazed i overlooked them for so many years

The worst, most plodding and groove-free rhythm section EVER. And I don't know whether Roger or John was worse, I just know that the two of them together kept Queen from being a real contender.

"groove-free"??? you're crazy! listen to the drums during the outro of "loser at the end", shit is ridiculously uh, groovy.

as for hidden gems on later albums, i've killed a couple of parties with "cool cat" from hot space recently. a beautiful, beautiful song.

"The worst, most plodding and groove-free rhythm section EVER"

you, sir, are nuts. Deacon and Taylor are singular for a proggy heavy riddim section that played the fuck outta funk and disco grooves from '77 on…

If by "played the fuck outta" you mean "played really, really badly", we agree. Compare "Another One Bites the Dust" to "Good Times", the song John Deacon was trying to play but couldn't remember properly. (Really, I'm not making that up.) If you still think Deacon and Taylor were funky, clean your ears and get thee to a proctologist.

"Loser at the End" is possibly the only time Taylor played with anything resembling a backbeat, rather then simply being late on the 2, 3, AND 4. And occasionally the one.

Well it's settled then. Queen wasn't Parliament, so they sucked.

>>"goddang this is SO over the top" and

You should definitely find a Sensational Alex Harvey Band record, too.

-- Gorge, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 07:08 (9 hours ago) Link

yeah i have one -- tomorrow belongs to me -- i should get more, alex harvey is something else too...but maybe doesn't have the tunes that queen does in the end?

Oh it has the tunes all right.

The worst, most plodding and groove-free rhythm section EVER. And I don't know whether Roger or John was worse, I just know that the two of them together kept Queen from being a real contender.

-- Nubbelverbrennung, Tuesday, November 27, 2007 3:00 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

woah that's retarded! another one bites the dust! under pressure! probably a bunch of other songs i haven't heard!

anyway the liner notes for the greatest hits i bought says that "another one bites the dust" won some kind of award from billboard for charting on the black, dance, and rock charts.

they also say that freddie wrote "crazy little thing called loved" while "languishing in a bubble bath" at some fancy hotel in germany. i thought that was a pretty great way of saying it.

Never said Queen sucked, just that the rhythm section did. They were the first band I ever loved, actually; I bought everything they had up to and including News of The World, which was when they lost me most dramatically (I was a very unforgiving kid). Anyway, with the rhythm section sucking as they did, they were at their best when being deliberately the opposite of funky (the Freddy pseudo-cabaret prog stuff) or when Brian May, a very funky player, went chunka-chunka funkily. It's probably no coincidence that I fell out of love with them when I did.

Mr. Norse/nonsense-sounding word…

Taylor & Deacon are the worst, most plodding, groove free ever? EVER?

Worse than the entire San Francisco milieu '67-72? Worse than Carl Palmer/Greg Lake? Worse than any bog-standard American hardcore band '81-82?

How 'bout "worst, most plodding, groove free rhythm section that ever aspired to grooving and sold millions of records anyway"? I'll stand behind that.

"Worse than the entire San Francisco milieu '67-72?"

You can say a lot of things about the Dead, but you can't say they were plodding and groove free. All about the groove, man.

And Queen=classic.

Also more bands should groove like the Airplane grooved.

And if you listen to "Under Pressure" closely, you realize that it's Freddie's AWESOME staccato piano part that moves it forward, and since there's a convenient electronic drum track, you can here just how late and inconsistent Roger is on the bass drum 1s & 3s in the rocky bits.

Lastly if you don't hear the drum machine on "Another One Bites the Dust", you are clinically deaf and should sell you iPod.

Oh it has the tunes all right.

-- Ned Raggett, Tuesday, November 27, 2007 4:40 PM (34 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

for some reason this seems very threatening to me...i've angered powers i can't imagine...i shouldn't have spoken so freely abt alex harvey....

Dud. Just a buncha half-baked ideas, clumsily (and not charmingly) put across. May had an interesting moment here and there, but the rhythm section was, yes, plodding and groove-free. As a vocalist, Mercury was the Billy Corgan of his day; comically inconsistent, completely unaware that he is not the singer he thinks he is. Queen is the Rolls-Royce aesthetic without the Rolls-Royce.

You can say a lot of things about the Dead, but you can't say they were plodding and groove free. All about the groove, man.

???????

I thought being plodding and groove-free was the point of the Dead. And I don't even mean that as a criticism.

xpost - OK, who's the Rolls Royce?

"you can't say (the Dead) were plodding and groove free"

oh yes I can!

Norse-gobbeldy-gook named dude: its astounding to me you can say that a band powered by the listless Spencer Dryden is one that should aspired to…

"I thought being plodding and groove-free was the point of the Dead."

It's not true at all. I know ILM is (unreasonably) anti-Dead, but once they settled into a nice groove the Dead were off and running. And their rythm section was far from plodding, Phil Lesh was a master of his instrument.

"its astounding to me you can say that a band powered by the listless Spencer Dryden is one that should aspired to…"

I never said that. I was talking about the Airplane, which rhythm section was powered by the amazingly energetic and brilliant Jack Casady.

well, you are being a bit obtuse on that last post, aren't you?

Dud. Just a buncha half-baked ideas, clumsily (and not charmingly) put across. May had an interesting moment here and there, but the rhythm section was, yes, plodding and groove-free. As a vocalist, Mercury was the Billy Corgan of his day; comically inconsistent, completely unaware that he is not the singer he thinks he is. Queen is the Rolls-Royce aesthetic without the Rolls-Royce.

RONG

uhm oh yea and Mercury was one of the best rock vocalists evar.

Seriously though, Queen deserved fellatio from their crowds.

<i>Nobody has yet pointed out that "Long Away" from Day at the Races is one of the great straight power-pop tunes of our time or any other.

-- southern lights, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:10 (2 years ago) Link</i>

OTM. I had forgotten about this song until it popped up on my iTunes a couple of weeks ago. I thought that it was the Raspberries or something.

After learning "Body Language" and "Under Pressure" were from the same album, I suddenly am interested in hearing the rest of Hot Space.

Classic.Doin' Alright from the first one and It's Late from News of the World are two faves.

I wish I could hear exactly how 'Another One Bites The Dust' is so bad - it just sounds immense to me.

For an outrageous, theatrical band though, they do have some of the most boring well-loved hits ever - 'A Kind of Magic', 'I Want to Break Free', 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' are all terrible

Listening to the Greatest Hits box again, feeling like I am in love with the world and all that is Queen and Freddie...gearing up to try to say something smart and cool abt Queen and I read back on this thread and I find this so I can not say a thing and leave such things to the pros:

(LOL, btw)

Anyone who dares deem Queen a dud has lost control of his/her senses, and ought to be dunked in a barrel of rancid milk until reason reclaims its rightful iron fist on the steering wheel of their brain bus.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, March 28, 2003 3:15 PM (7 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

HONOUR THE BICYCLE!
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, March 29, 2003 7:36 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I don't know if Queen were ever really cool, what I like about them is their image and chops. I listened to that "Flash" thing, which was the album everyone laughed at when I was a kid.

I still marvel at something like Bohemian Rhapsody. Sure it's a punchline to a 90's joke but before that, I mean the first time I heard it as a teenager in English class of all things, it knocked me out. Stringing together all of the parts of that song together so seamlessly, it still kind of blows me away.

We had a Queen obsession when I was a kid, then that "Flash" thing came out and everyone laughed at how "dumb" it was "Flash Ah-ah". I listened to it though, it isn't bad.

it's weird how, 9 years ago, almost everyone on ILX was wrong about almost everything. raggett excepted, of course.

flash gordon soundtrack is patchy, but that song is great! damn sight better than "radio gaga".

Love "Flash". I liked parts of the movie (Ming!), but that theme song is still boss.

Yeah ILX was bummer city 9 yrs ago.

Queen were genius, "Flash" was horrible though.

You loveable scamp, you.

Heard an interview with Brian May with Terry Gross the other day (new? old? dunno), and she was he usual daft self.

Terry Gross: So, tell me how you came up with the name "Queen."
Brian May: Really, Terry? Come on.

Whomever upthread was going on about the rhythm section being plodding and groove-free need listen to one Van Halen.

Oh Terry.

it's weird how, 9 years ago, almost everyone on ILX was wrong about almost everything. raggett excepted, of course.

flash gordon soundtrack is patchy, but that song is great! damn sight better than "radio gaga".

― contenderizer, Thursday, December 30, 2010 5:28 PM (40 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah ILX was bummer city 9 yrs ago.

― VegemiteGrrrl, Thursday, December 30, 2010 5:31 PM (37 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

britishes can have pretty weird blinders about native acts that are even more ubiquitous over there than they are the US

Well I went through a phase of disliking Queen because of their ubiquity, then one day I had to have a word with myself. Loads of timeless songs.

Prophet song tape loop middle section on repeat forever

and now I know and now I know and now I know and now I knowwwwwww

I imagine reddie and Ronnie James Dio being bros up in heaven putting up on killer concerts: Ronnie & Freddie trading verses on Prophets Song. IMAGINE THAT

britishes can have pretty weird blinders about native acts that are even more ubiquitous over there than they are the US

― hann am0n tana (some dude), Thursday, December 30, 2010 11:11 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

more like lame poptimists can have pretty weird prejudices against shit that rocks

everybody loves A Night At The Opera and Queen II, but the real litmus test is late 80s Queen. if you can dig Live At Wembley '86 and The Miracle then you're the real deal

What was that Flash Gordon movie like? We weren't allowed to see it, because it violated cool norms of the day (or something). The plot looks good.

Mid-flight, the disasters become progressively worse and the pilots disappear from the cockpit. Flash takes control of the plane, and manages to crash land in a greenhouse owned by Dr. Hans Zarkov (Chaim Topol). According to Dr. Zarkov's research, the disasters are being caused by an unknown physical source in space which is sending the moon out of orbit and toward the Earth. Zarkov had been secretly working on a rocket ship for several years to test his theory, and now intends to go to the coordinates for the source of the attacks. He accidentally launches the rocket during a fight with Flash and all three fly off into space, even sailing into the black hole where they finally land on the planet Mongo. There, they are taken prisoner outside a grand city.

I have the theme stuck in my head, it can't be too bad. You're right though, it's no "Fat Bottomed Girls". 1980 was a weird year.

flash gordon movie is the best, you should see it

Football player goes into space, hijinks ensue

Ming the Merciless is awesome too btw

plus burly hawkmen, wanglike spacecraft, budget sleaze, FLASH! (ah-ah)

seems this is old news, but apparently queen albums getting reissued in 2011

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A71W120101108

The two "Greatest Hits" albums are already reissued, so no wonder the rest follows. About time actually, a lot has happened in remaster technology since 1994.

wonder if they're gonna package any neat extras into it. otherwise, I don't see much need to replace the originals I have.

if I had a state of the art stereo system, though, I would consider it

QUEEN’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION KICKS OFF
WITH DELUXE REISSUE OF
FIRST FIVE STUDIO ALBUMS, PLUS GREATEST HITS II,
“STORMTROOPERS IN STILETTOS” GALLERY EXHIBITION AND MORE

Queen’s 40th anniversary is now upon us, and the band plans to pull out all the stops to celebrate this historic occasion. “2011 is an important year for Queen,” said Brian May “and there will be a lot of activity.” Adds Roger Taylor, "I can’t believe it’s been that long and that we are still around in such a big way. I’m amazed and grateful!” This yearlong event will be marked by a series of releases, re-releases, special limited-edition items and events around the world.

This is a timeless band whose music retains such immediacy and undiminished power that new fans continue to discover and embrace it, along the way inspiring a host of diverse artists from Lady Gaga (who took her name from Queen’s “Radio Ga Ga”), and Katy Perry, through to the Foo Fighters. It’s worth noting that Queen’s videos have collectively generated well north of 300 million views online—a remarkable figure that figures to expand exponentially with the launch of a dedicated Vevo channel this spring, in yet another iteration of the anniversary rollout.

As the centerpiece in the 40th anniversary celebration, Queen’s entire 15-album studio catalog is being reissued in a series of deluxe editions. Every note is being tweaked, every piece of artwork is being cleaned, freshened up and resourced, wherever necessary, with the legendary Bob Ludwig doing the remastering, working from the original source material. The albums will be released in three waves, staggered over the next year, with the first wave—comprising the first five LPs—coming this May.

Each studio album will be released in a new two-CD edition, the first containing the updated, remastered original LP, the second disc packed with rarities—and we don’t use the term lightly. Some of these gems have never before seen the light of day, even in crappy bootleg form. To cite a particularly fascinating example, five first-album demos recorded at London’s De Lane Lea Studios in December 1971 were pulled from the only existing copy on the planet—an acetate from May’s personal archives. Not even his bandmates had a copy.

“A huge amount of work has already been put in behind the scenes to unleash a completely newly mastered set of the original Queen LPs and CDs,” May noted. “I know our fans will appreciate the attention to detail, bringing the early albums closer than ever to the magic of the vinyl originals, but with the benefit of up-to-the-minute quality technology.”

Bonus Tracks on the First Five Studio Albums:

QUEEN (1973)
1. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
2. Great King Rat (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
3. Jesus (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
4. Liar (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
5. The Night Comes Down (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
6. Mad The Swine (June 1972)

QUEEN II (1974)
1. White Queen (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
2. See What A Fool I’ve Been (BBC Session, July 1973 - 2011 Remix)
3. Seven Seas Of Rhye (Instrumental)
4. See What A Fool I’ve Been (B-side Version, February 1974)
5. Nevermore (BBC Session, April 1974)

SHEER HEART ATTACK (1974)
1. Now I’m Here (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
2. Flick Of The Wrist (BBC Session, October 1974)
3. Tenement Funster (BBC Session, October 1974)
4. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (A Cappella Plus)
5. In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited (Live at Wembley Stadium, July 1986)

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1975)
1. Keep Yourself Alive (Long-Lost Retake, June 1975)
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Operatic Section A Cappella)
3. I’m In Love With My Car (Guitar & Vocal Version)
4. You’re My Best Friend (Backing Track)
5. ‘39 (Live at Earl’s Court, June 1977) TBC
6. Love Of My Life (Live Single Version, June 1979)

A DAY AT THE RACES (1976)
1. Tie Your Mother Down (Backing Track)
2. Somebody To Love (Live at Milton Keynes, June 1982)
3. You Take My Breath Away (Live in Hyde Park, September 1976)
4. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (Top Of The Pops, July 1977)
5. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (HD mix)

BBC showed this amazing first part of a 2 night special last night.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011pwd9/Queen_Days_of_Our_Lives_Episode_1/

Christ what a band.

i have a hard time understanding the vitriol this band inspired among rock critics. dave marsh, in a review of jazz (a great album IMO), called them "fascists." this seems all rather incomprehensible now. what was going on in the mid-late 1970s that made this band such an object of derision? just the theatricality? the lack of "seriousness"? were queen victims of rockism avant la lettre? or something else?

i have a v. hard time understanding how anyone could hate this band--what's to hate? i have to say that even the more overtly schlocky stuff in the latter half of their career sort of holds up well.

Have been forced to reasses them, given that my kids love this band, despite my discouragement. Big, bold primary colours, dumb, apolitical (and so right wing by default), but actually so good that they're impossible to hate.

Was listening to some of these reissues and my main reaction was how much I hated the echoey production - made it hard to hear what was actually going on.

Queen II still my favorite

apolitical (and so right wing by default),

explain, plz

i mean you could level that absurd charge at 99.9999% of pop music

actually that's so close to trolling i'm not even sure it's worth chasing after. is that what dave marsh had in mind?

Dave Marsh is also the luminary who said he held Ronald Reagan "responsible" for the death of his father.

Whatever its claims, Queen isn't here just to entertain. This group has come to make it clear exactly who is superior and who is inferior. Its anthem, "We Will Rock You," is a marching order: you will not rock us, we will rock you. Indeed, Queen may be the first truly fascist rock band. The whole thing makes me wonder why anyone would indulge these creeps and their polluting ideas.

Dave Marsh was being his usual nasty self but I can't read this without laughing. I bet at least one person in Queen laughed too -- back in '79. "The first truly fascist rock band" would have been a great line to put on anyone's concert T-shirt, providing they even had a smidgen of a sense of humor.

Polluting ideas.

wow, that's ridiculous. so would marsh object to a funk band threatening to "funk you up" on similar grounds?

i mean it's hard to take anything dave marsh has written seriously after that. has he apologized for it?

"We Will Rock You," is a marching order: you will not rock us, we will rock you.

this dumbfuck has either never attended a sports game or has read too much Adorno.

if you check out google's home page today you're in for a surprise. a fucking awesome surprise.

i have a hard time understanding the vitriol this band inspired among rock critics. dave marsh, in a review of jazz (a great album IMO), called them "fascists." this seems all rather incomprehensible now. what was going on in the mid-late 1970s that made this band such an object of derision? just the theatricality? the lack of "seriousness"? were queen victims of rockism avant la lettre? or something else?

Yeah, this is a perfect example of why so much classic 70s-era rock journalism is so hard for me to relate to. It was like pop music critics really believed they were fighting some sort of ideological battle by reviewing rock albums. It's hard for me to imagine any contemporary band receiving the sort of attacks that Queen or ELP or Black Sabbath received, especially at that level of popularity.

we will rock you sounds kinda nuremberg-y

Classic, of course.

All of the albums from "Queen" to "A Day At The Races" are excellent, "Jazz" is VERY GOOD, "News Of The World" and all other albums they released aren't so good as albums - but consistently fantastic singles.

Innuendo is such a strange, fraught final bow. I think it says something that "The Show Must Go On," seen to be Mercury's farewell number, was actually written wholly by May, where Mercury's own acknowledgement was the seemingly trifling "I'm Going Slightly Mad," which apparently was his take on the frustrations of AIDS-related dementia. Leave it to him to find a way to address the subject in an intentional bout of misdirection.

The points above about the now-distant and apparently utterly deranged pop crit wars came to mind to me too after reading about the Google doodle and thinking about the band some more. I think it's interesting how the subjects which at the time were carefully obscured or relatively downplayed are now in retrospect the most absolutely compelling part of the story -- the idea that a gay/bi immigrant Parsi kid originally from Zanzibar with initial formal education in India would end up becoming this massive, iconic English-language singer seemingly designed for arenas and amplification in combination appears to be right out of fiction, and works now as both endless grist for sociological and academic studies and a fucking true to life Horatio Alger goddamn dream in an English context (and if the UK didn't have the social/art school support system in place for Mercury to fall into and work to the full, would any of it have happened as it did?). Mercury's personal shyness and ultimate stage flamboyance worked in perfect balance as well. As time passes it really becomes a 'how the hell did THIS happen?'

And a lot of the songs are just plain fun. REALLY fun. It's funny to me how "Don't Stop Me Now," just to pick the current song back in the popular consciousness a bit, feels so light and free, when back in the mid-1980s you had Little Steven-and-everyone-else's "Sun City" as the response song to Queen playing South Africa, an earnest outrage. The effect of a good Queen song is to erase both the actions of the band that are questionable at best (it's interesting to me that the two UK acts that seemed to get hit the most on the subject, Mercury-via-Queen and Shirley Bassey, both had direct African if not South African backgrounds) and to make something like "Sun City" seem like the lumpen who'd-want-to-listen-to-that-again thing it is.

Freddie's vocal on 'The Show Must Go On' never fails to astound me, really, especially during the final part of the song where he really seems to give it his all - and it's even more remarkable given the circumstances.

And a lot of their best songs work on several levels - yeah, a lot of their songs are plain fun, but they DO bear up to scrutiny - look beyond the fun and frolics, and there's a musical sophistication there.

re. sun city: the members of queen do seem to have been really politically naïve, like profoundly so. watching that recent BBC documentary reinforced that for me. playing latin america they basically allowed themselves to be used by ruling juntas in a bread/circuses way.

even in that doc and others mercury is a really elusive character. he doesn't seem to have been particularly reflective or philosophical about his own immigrant status, his gayness, etc. -- and the oddness of all his aspects merging in one person. but that just be a symptom of nobody really being able to get inside his head.

was listening to Made In Heaven yesterday - despite much of the songwriting not really being great, it's sort of heartbreaking how incredible his vocals are on that record given the circumstances. You Don't Fool Me is pretty awesome though, and sounds like it should have been on one of their records 15 years earier.

Namely 'Hot Space'.

The worst, most plodding and groove-free rhythm section EVER. And I don't know whether Roger or John was worse, I just know that the two of them together kept Queen from being a real contender.

-- Nubbelverbrennung, Tuesday, November 27, 2007 3:00 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

wha...?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsIOZDUEU6o

A mate had his library on shuffle and this kind of amazing epic electro-style track started playing. We looked and it was by Queen. I think it said the name of the song was "Fahrenheit" (not Mr Fahrenheit). Does this exist?

Man, just read that Dave Marsh passage. That guy's got to be the stupidest man on the planet.

Nice piece by Kate Mossman in the new Word about being a Queen obsessed kid in the 90s. In it, they talk about being hated by critics, but as if no one else hated them.

I despised them as a kid; partly because I hated the way the records sounded (even now, I think the sound of them - that Roy Thomas Baker production - is horrible and hollow, depsite their status as sonic masterpieces. And I can't stand Brian May's guitar tone. I remember Dorian writing somewhere about understanding why people liked Steely Dan, but finding every single sound on their records revolting, and I feel that way about Queen). But also because, like every left-leaning kid in the 80s, I thought playing Sun City was disgusting. I don't think the naivete defence cuts it: the members of Queen were much brighter than the average rock band scrote, and they must have known what they were doing. I just think they a) didn't care that much and b) thought their status would cause it all to blow over.

I think May's tone on the early records was awesome.

I don't think the naivete defence cuts it: the members of Queen were much brighter than the average rock band scrote, and they must have known what they were doing. I just think they a) didn't care that much and b) thought their status would cause it all to blow over.

you may be right and they may have simply been projecting naivete to cover their asses. but that's the way it comes across in the BBC doco.

I'm loving this song at the moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQf3uTbF5Vk

Classic! I will never forget hearing We are the Champions playing loud in the casino of the Stardust Hotel as I stood waiting for a limo with my two best friends. I was wearing a strapless wedding gown and veil and everyone that went by handed me cash. Nothing under $10.That was an awesome moment!

There are two Queen songs that I loathe heartily. "Spread Your Wings" and "We Are The Champions".
Then there are several dozens of their other songs that I love a lot.
Go figure.
Yesterday listened to Jazz from start to finish, for the first time again in probably ...twenty-something years. Blimey. A very good record.

It's not a favorite song of theirs, just fit the ridiculously cheesy moment in Vegas so well. The wait for the limo lasted longer than the marriage. But I do love quite a bit of their music.

There are two Queen songs that I loathe heartily. "Spread Your Wings" and "We Are The Champions".

Really!? In a way I can understand your point of view in regards to "We Are The Champions", it's been overplayed quite a great deal and it is one of those Queen songs it's easy to get sick of. "Spread Your Wings" is a gem, though, and should have been a bigger hit than it was IMHO. Still, I'd easily take those two tracks over stuff like "Party" or some of the lesser moments on 'Hot Space'.

Yesterday listened to Jazz from start to finish, for the first time again in probably ...twenty-something years. Blimey. A very good record.

'Jazz' has aged really well, IMHO, and it's probably their most 'wacky' record overall. Where 'Queen II', 'Sheer Heart Attack' and 'A Night At The Opera' have this more controlled feeling to them, 'Jazz' seems both creative and unhinged at the same time I reckon - like they weren't trying to create a complete statement with it, rather they just took one last creative dump and moved onto more straightforward things, a la 'The Game'. Some classic tracks on it... I particularly like 'Mustapha', and 'Bicycle Race' is a musicologists wet dream.

how can anyone hate we are the champions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qt-Tt04NKg&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/user/rafinha5485#p/u/2/EZy4yPup9kE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZy4yPup9kE

Sheer Heart Attack and Queen II pretty totally "uncontrolled". Jazz an amazing record. Really, 70s record critics hating on Queen instilled lifelong distrust of music critics. and goodnight!

No-one seems to like the debut but I love it, especially the musical-about-fairies-in-three-minutes that is "My Fairy King".

in the whole they hated Sabbath, Zeppelin and Queen. what the fuck were these sick no-fun bastards listening to? jesus christ.

http://myplay.com/files/imagecache/photo_345_square/files/artist_images/billyJoel.jpg

They hated Genesis too! Springsteen was a-ok though.

Wait, which critics touted Billy Joel? It might depend on where you live. Our local papers were rock biased, Genesis and other progressive rockers might merit a lengthy discussion whether it sucked or not.

Sheer Heart Attack and Queen II pretty totally "uncontrolled". Jazz an amazing record. Really, 70s record critics hating on Queen instilled lifelong distrust of music critics. and goodnight!

― Dominique, Friday, September 16, 2011 1:43 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I agree with this. Brighton Rock is pretty fucking unhinged, what starts out as a pop ditty turns into some noise guitar skronk. And Stone Cold Crazy is about as heavy as it gets. Even Tenement Funster is a pretty fucked up song. Those guys were smoking good shit when they made that record.

in the whole they hated Sabbath, Zeppelin and Queen. what the fuck were these sick no-fun bastards listening to? jesus christ.

^they were listening to utter crap, which suited the writing.

Sheer Heart Attack and Queen II pretty totally "uncontrolled". Jazz an amazing record. Really, 70s record critics hating on Queen instilled lifelong distrust of music critics. and goodnight!

― Dominique, Friday, September 16, 2011 1:43 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I agree with this. Brighton Rock is pretty fucking unhinged, what starts out as a pop ditty turns into some noise guitar skronk. And Stone Cold Crazy is about as heavy as it gets. Even Tenement Funster is a pretty fucked up song. Those guys were smoking good shit when they made that record.

― You're a notch, I'm a legend (Bill Magill), Friday, September 16, 2011 1:39 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark

I didn't mean it that way. I meant that 'Queen II' and 'Sheer Heart Attack' as albums, in spite of how 'unhinged' or 'heavy' some of the material may be, flow perfectly well from start to finish, with link tracks etc. You can really tell they paid close attention into getting those albums to feel like whole, complete things. Start-to-finish album length experiences. 'Jazz', on the other hand, feels to me to be more all over the map as an album.

No-one seems to like the debut but I love it, especially the musical-about-fairies-in-three-minutes that is "My Fairy King".

― |III|||II|||I|I||| (Matt #2), Friday, September 16, 2011 8:22 AM (12 hours ago) Bookmark

I love the first album a hell of a lot! 'Keep Yourself Alive', 'Great King Rat', 'Liar'. I love the way that 'My Fairy King' builds up into that outro section, and the way harmonies at the end of 'Doing All Right' slowly rise and rise.

A curious thing, but I miss that kind of journalism where people made ridiculous, inflated, ideological claims about rock music. Nowadays its all just commerce: then it was a matter of life and death. It never did bands like Queen any harm in the long run because people's ears won the battle in the end. But really, who cares that much about music today?

kinda sadly otm. however, the same might be said of most *music* that's being written about these days.

and further curiously, Queen were against the grain in the 70s in that they didn't really "stand for" anything obvious, in the face of what some critics might have expected/wanted. quick, someone do a critical analysis of contemporary rock bands that make big sweeping cultural-statement (or even smaller, political) kind of works, and compare their pfork average scores to bands who, say, don't!

like, what would happen if Neon Indian released a record detailing the economic crisis?

...Neon who?

Classic! I will never forget hearing We are the Champions playing loud in the casino of the Stardust Hotel as I stood waiting for a limo with my two best friends. I was wearing a strapless wedding gown and veil and everyone that went by handed me cash. Nothing under $10.That was an awesome moment!

Classic story!

Jesus christ is this actually happening?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/20/queen-official-tribute-band

"Let's face it," Taylor told Rolling Stone magazine, "we're getting a little long in the tooth, but there are an awful lot of tribute bands, some of them good, some of them not good."

Pretty honest if you ask me! (Also: 1) this doesn't sound at all surprising for Queen, 2) KISS would be even worse at this, 3) fuck, after that Beatlemania touring thing back in the 70s all bets were off anyway.)

Still superior to touring with Paul Rodgers, I suppose.

What's with the little replicants from the Miracle video? They should be fully grown into their new identities by now.

No-one seems to like the debut but I love it, especially the musical-about-fairies-in-three-minutes that is "My Fairy King".

― |III|||II|||I|I||| (Matt #2), Friday, September 16, 2011 4:22 AM (4 days ago) Bookmark

debut is pretty good, "Liar" is amazing

Yeah when I said no-one I actually meant "Geir Hongro"

The group's drummer is recruiting "great-looking guys"

Man, I love Freddie as much as the next guy, but I don't think he was ever "great-looking".

A curious thing, but I miss that kind of journalism where people made ridiculous, inflated, ideological claims about rock music.

As long as these claims didn't rely on cultural and musical assumptions.

i can kinda see how someone who's going to see tribute bands impersonating them running around no matter what would want to at least try to put together the best possible one for the sake of quality control or kind of managing that market themselves a little

Me on A Night At The Opera.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/9dde0bc355a9ce107a4558267e219de7/tumblr_mfth4pNOyY1raxomso3_250.gif

TOLD MY GIRL I HAD TO FORGET HER!
RATHER BUY ME A NEW CARBURETTOR!

TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN! TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN! TAKE YOUR LITTLE BROTHER SWIMMIN' WITH A BRICK, YEAH, THAT'S ALRIGHT!

day at the races! such a great album...

I'm so glad that Google have been archiving all the old posts to Usenet newsgroups (the earliest message archived on there, apparently, is from 1981) ... I've spent about an hour or so on it trying to research actual conversations/responses to various historic events that have happened from 1981 onwards.

Anyhow, I came across this conversation archived from 12th November 1991 (less than two weeks before Mercury's passing) in which people are speculating what's going on with regards to Mercury's health. Here's another conversation from 13th November 1991-21st November 1991 in which people eerily discuss rumours that he might have AIDS.

Also, there's this earlier conversation from 9th September 1991, where there seems to have been a rumour that Freddie had passed away - one user claims to have called Hollywood Records and spoken to a PR man about Freddie's health, another is convinced that the rumours of Freddie's death happened because the Innuendo album was full of hints that Freddie was dying (which in hindsight, he was OTM about), and that the record company were trying to intentionally capitalise on this by intentionally starting a rumour that Freddie was dying in order to boost sales of then-recent Queen reissues (which, it's fair to say, he was nowhere near OTM about) ...

Finally, there's this conversation from 1st September 1991 regarding (again) rumours that Freddie had passed away, but it's peppered with comments such as "In any recent interviews (which would almost all be with Brian May the guitar player) they claim that Freddie is fine. And that these stories are simply rumours and for us not to worry." (it's now known that Brian May was deliberately lying to the press to protect Freddie from media intrusion) and "I strongly suspect Mr Mercury is actually alive and kicking due to a photo of him in a British newspaper last week (Thursday) He looked very thin but alive."

It's weird reading all of this stuff, it has to be said.

lol @ the debate about if ted nugent is gay or not

So what's the deal has Queen always been as big as they are now, or did they experience a dip? They seem to be the most loved rock band (alongside Radiohead & the BeatLEs) amongst Rodditors today, but as a teen in the Early 2000s there couldn't have been an uncooler band to be into... sure, everyone knew their hits but they were on par with Kiss: just another shlocky classic rock band. Have they undergone a revival is this just a case of culture shock?

dud

smh at the thought of anyone ever putting Queen in the same bracket as Kiss.

I love Kiss but yeah, that's insane to me.

> tfw outsnobbed ILM

Some of Brian May's recent posts on his official website have been a bit worrying, with talk of feeling "depleted" and "battling a persistent illness" ... his most recent post mentions switching off from all media and resting in a "safe place" ... here's wishing Dr. May a speedy recovery, whatever it is.

Yeah, get well Dr. May!

Also, Queen=dud. Or at least dud beyond most of the hits (and even half of them are riff-kitsch). I was talking to a friend last night, and he was ripping on Beyonce, saying it took six songwriters or whatever to come up with [name of some song], and then he brings up fucking "Bohemian Rhapsody" and goes, "and that's just one songwriter!" And I was like, first of all, the song may be awesome but it also kind of sucks, and its lyrics suck, and even if you like it it's nothing to hold up as the epitome of anything beyond lots of different well-recorded and arranged parts in one song, and even then, most Queen albums suck (I assume), so yeah, make fun of Beyonce's musical sweatshop, fair enough, but do better than Queen as your counterpoint.

He also defended Journey. But then a few minutes later got all quiet and asked "am I the only one who doesn't like the Eagles?" And I said, "fuck no, tons of people HATE the Eagles!" And he was really relieved, saying "Phew, I thought I was the only one!"

Journey also well worth defending FYI

I'd rather listen to Journey instead of Queen, no question

Brian's spoken recently about suffering from depression, I'm guessing that's what he's referring to

Also, Queen rule. Especially Sheer Heart Attack and Day At The Races.

I mean, Beyonce rules too.

Queen is great. However, the fast version of "We Will Rock You" feels wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekm6WtKwQos

Assuming they are defensible at all, I refuse to believe that Queen or Journey, let alone the Eagles, are "good" beyond their hits. I guess I like Stone Cold crazy, that wasn't a hit right?

Queen are better than just their hits, at least in the 70s. One of the great album-track bands of all time. Not even sure what you mean by Bohemian "may be awesome but it sucks" Rhapsody either. Unless you're actually Dave Marsh from 1979 quantum leap'd onto 2016 ILM, in which case, that's a hell of a story.

Not the biggest Queen fan, but after a dozen years on ILM like to think I know better then to go onto a thread of such a band and put down their entire output. Treading very lightly on the American Music Club thread as well.

Ha, I mostly meant it as a joke. It's a classic or dud thread! I love the idea that anyone can go into a thread and just say "dud." There's always something to like, even with Queen.

xpost I mean I think much of the pleasure of it transcends "good" or "bad." Kinda kitsch, but still seriously rocks, but still can't take it seriously, but still fun. Like a good novelty song, imo. I know I've heard a couple of their albums, but I've never had anything really jump out at me, except some proto metal-esque riffing in maybe Queen II? They just kind of make me feel a little queasy. Too much and yet not enough. Certainly they have their place.

this raised my interest in Queen enough to listen to the In The Studio with Redbeard Interview on "The Game"

and was O_o at not knowing Michael Jackson persuaded them to release Bites the Dust as a single (+ WBLS may've played a role somewhere that July/August)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USXDH5ag4lI

If I was alive in the 70s I'd probably hate Queen as much as I hate Beyonce. Pretty much the same thing if you think about it. Obvious, stupid music.

music kills enjoyment
*dead*

a band can still be "classic" even if they never release a good album

I like Journey's hits a lot more than Queen's

1st Journey album is fuckin rad

I'd rather listen to Journey instead of Queen, no question

― Οὖτις, Friday, October 28, 2016 4:18 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

belongs in the GTFO Hall of Fame it does

Assuming they are defensible at all, I refuse to believe that Queen or Journey, let alone the Eagles, are "good" beyond their hits.

man whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

I'm not big on Queen I (though "Keep Yourself Alive" and "Liar" are good), but Queen II is fantastic almost front to back, as is Sheer Heart Attack and Night at the Opera. you shoulda seen how we were geeking out in the Queen poll about deep cuts.

I'd rather listen to Journey instead of Queen, no question

― Οὖτις, Friday, October 28, 2016 4:18 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

belongs in the GTFO Hall of Fame it does

― Neanderthal, Friday, October 28, 2016 10:31 PM (twenty minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

shit I even silently sided w/ shakey over being callus on the RIP of Anna Nicole but this is just blatent bad taste

There's excellent deep cuts on pretty much all of Queen's studio albums, and a lot of singles that didn't even make it onto either Greatest Hits or Greatest Hits II.

Yeah, I'll give them another shot (for the record: Queen is not dud, they are silly, but so is a lot of music.) It's tough, because like a handful of bands Queen is not really about "hits," as such, but AOR monoliths (a la Zeppelin). Maybe because those monoliths are so, well, monolithic, that explains why I've never been able to get into them as an album act? When you have "Bohemian Rhapsody" on an album, it tends to overshadow things. (That's probably why it's at the end.) Anyway, I know I saw the "Night at the Opera" classic albums doc, which means I've heard a few deep cuts for sure, but looking at the track list I think I recognize (beside "Best Friend" ) "Car" and "39." Will relisten next week. Looks like I even own the records! I recall liking Queen II (which is all deep cuts?) and Sheer Heart Attack.

My opinions about Queen are well documented here: why did rock critics hate Queen so much in the 1970s/80s? for those who care

duke, i deeply care but it's not the destination; it's the Journey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIcdj4UH9u0

(No comment on Queen, someone just forwarded me this trove. I've yet to make it though any of them! Earth Wind and Fire one was particularly rough.)

wow, thanks for introducing me to shittyflute

like a primary school recorder class meets the Portsmouth Sinfonia.

Probably the Queen song I hate the most:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BmL_HZdqbg

'We Are The Champions'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e61lGbGeu8

http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/queen-news-of-the-world-40th-anniversary-5-disc-super-deluxe-edition/

Also - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOZuIV2FZTc

Interesting that this one is getting the anniversary treatment.

Would much rather have deluxe overdose editions of day at the races and sheer heart attack

Yeah, I agree!

hm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y7X6le5qmE

I mean, I've seen worse?

https://i.imgur.com/rMHrPim.jpg

The Freddie in this BBC production isn't terrible, though his moustache is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xipkQboBAE

looks pretty hacky tbh, can't imagine the one-two of a decent mid-length doc and a concert film wouldn't be 10x better

I thought the Days of Our Lives doc was decent, but could have been better. I think the definitive Queen doc is yet to be made and I think the quality of it would be down to how much the band members feel comfortable about revealing and John Deacon's involvement.

As long as the movie's second half covers 'Nazis 1994' and music May wrote for Timothy Spall's 'Frank Stubbs Promotes' then I'll be satisfied

so? I haven't seen it, haven't decided whether I want to, but surely someone here has…

There’s a thread on ILE; I can’t link from Zing.

Come anticipate BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY with me, the 'troubled' Queen biopic starring Mr Rowboat as F. Mercury

I wonder how many times I'm going to have to explain to people that Queen didn't actually split up and were actually in full touring mode by the time of Live Aid...

Haven't seen the film yet but I just know the coverage of that pre-Live Aid period is going to extremely irritating

BE

day-oh

The movie does have some good things about it - the actors playing Brian May and John Deacon are really dead-on, and I was blown away by how they recreated the Live Aid gig at insane levels of forensic detail... that must have taken some serious fucking rehearsing.

However, the script/dialogue is woeful in places, and a lot of the fucking about with the timeline and historical facts is really irritating to me. I'm really supposed to believe that they performed 'Fat Bottomed Girls' on an American tour in 1974? (This is just one example of... well, far too many)

Yeah, I understand that it was supposed to be relatively "family friendly", and that there's so much that would have impossible to explore with any degree of depth over 90 minutes, but this would have been easier to live with if they hadn't fucked about with the facts too much.

My favorite Queen songs not written by Freddie.

Listening to the Flash Gordon soundtrack this morning...wow is that a wacky record. Parts of it would not sound out of place on some of Trans Am's later records with the synth parts.

My favourite Queen songs not written by Freddie:
Keep Yourself Alive (Brian)
Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll (Roger)
White Queen (Brian)
Brighton Rock (Brian)
Tenement Funster (Roger)
Now I'm Here (Brian)
I'm in Love with My Car (Roger)
'39 (Brian)
The Prophet's Song (Brian)
Long Away (Brian)
Sheer Heart Attack (Roger)
Plus various bits of the Flash soundtrack not written by Fred

Not much John there I guess, sorry John.

No love for "Another one Bites the Dust"? That's an all time groove all genres.

He also wrote You're My Best Friend.

Here's ten of fifteen:

[1. “Back Chat” (John Deacon)
2. “A Kind of Magic” (Roger Taylor)
3. “Under Pressure” (Queen/David Bowie)
4. “The Invisible Man” (Roger Taylor)
5. “Hammer to Fall” (Brian May)
6. “Dragon Attack” (Brian May)
7. “You’re My Best Friend” (John Deacon)
8. “Calling All Girls” (Roger Taylor)
9. “39” (Brian May)
10. “I Want to Break Free” (John Deacon)

I'd prefer Another One Bites the Dust if it was actually played by Chic, rather than Roger "Not Funky" Taylor trying to sound like them.

You're My Best Friend is endlessly charming.

Dragon Attack features a brief but monstrously thrilling drum spotlight.

You're My Best Friend my go-to song when I want to demonstrate to someone how a Wurlitzer electric piano sounds different than a Fender Rhodes

Is YMBF Wurlitzer or Fender Rhodes?

Wurlitzer

the Wurlitzer has a gritter "bark" or "growl" (at least when played loud), whereas the Fender Rhodes is more mellow and chiming.

good lord A Day At The Races is great and I don't think I've ever heard any of these songs before? was there a hit?

Somebody To Love was the big single, #2 in the UK (and a totally sublime bit of faux gospel). Tie Yr Mother Down went #31, and Good Old Fashioned Loverboy - which I never liked as a kid but is now the excelsis of Queen's joyous whimsy to these ears - hit #17. It's my favourite LP of theirs after Sheer Heart Attack, and a lot less bitty and uneven than A Night At The Opera. You Take My Breath Away and Long Away are both crazy beautiful, and White Man is like a heavier and more focused Prophet's Song, and Teo Torriate is just wonderful, a big, blousy, over-the-top emotional anthem.

thanks!

i think nowadays Good Old Fashioned Loverboy is maybe my fave queen single

"Drowse" might be Roger Taylor's best song, more considered than his earlier contributions.