talon
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Post by talon on Apr 5, 2014 6:51:05 GMT -5
Not sure about that myself but they are talented  Luke Deacon is very talented. Are any of the other Queen offspring involved in Music? The children are all beautiful (Roger's all look like models). Some great family photos family-queen.webs.com/What is the history of Spike with Queen? I have noticed in some of the fan videos he seems to be directing everyone on stage. Everyone seems to watch him to come in at the same time. Does he serve as a musical director for the band? He is especially fun to watch in the fan videos of iheart. Every fiber of his body appears to be feeling the music. The history with Spike is as follows: Up until Montreal 1981, Queen was always a four piece. It was just Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John in the studio (minus the odd bit) and on stage. When they finally added synths to the mix on the album, they decided they needed a touring keyboardist. This also allowed Freddie the ability to move around on stage more rather than being chained to keys. Firstly came friend Morgan Fisher (formerly of Mott The Hoople) for the UK/European Hot Space tour. It didn't really work out and the band let him go and hired Fred Mandel with whom they got along splendidly. Fred also worked a bit on The Works album (the synth solo that sounds like a guitar on I Want To Break Free is Fred). However Fred had other commitments as well and wasn't around to go on the Works tour. THAT is where Spike entered the fold. Spike prepared for an audition of sorts and found it humorous that it seemed at the start he would know the songs better than the band did. Spike toured with them in 1984, 1985, and 1986. He was the first person tapped by Roger Taylor when Roger wanted to form sideband The Cross. He played the Freddie tribute and was then tapped by Brian to head up touring his solo material. Spike really let his Musical Director tendencies loose there as he really helped organize the Brian May band. Of course at that time he also formed Spike's All Star Band which primarily was the Brian May Band with guests from The Cross members and other mostly C-level (in fame) singers, musicians. He really flourished in the MD role. When Queen reunited for a full scale tour with Paul Rodgers, he was back in action and really took over MD role at that point, which is where we are today. While Brian and Roger are in charge and Roger is sort of the one who leads the show...Spike is the really the one who deals with the rest of the band and is the go between between B&R and the band. He helps with arrangements, and setlists, etc. and really takes an active role. His decisions can be vetoed by B&R but they seem comfortable with him after all these years. BUT as always he is a live player only and has only had a few bits on albums (he made a few sporadic appearances on A Kind Of Magic but that's about it). |
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Post by Q3 on Apr 5, 2014 9:42:59 GMT -5
New thread is now up!!!! Had to find it!!! :D Thanks for fixing it! |
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happy
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Post by happy on Apr 5, 2014 11:24:56 GMT -5
As I was watching Chris Daughtry on Idol last night, I was struck by how little he has changed since his time as a contestant -- and that was many years ago! I thought how boring it would be to stan him!!! Same bald head, same face scruff, same clothes, same singing, same holding the microphone, etc. etc I may not have liked all of Adam's looks, but at least, he has switched things up and entertained me enormously over the years! I wonder what's next. I've thought of this often. I can't imagine stanning Kris, P2, or even Kelly or Carrie. They might be talented to more or less degrees, but has anyone been all that interesting? (I know, Kelly is very smart and suffers no fools, but still I am unmoved). I especially remain meh on Carrie who has zero stage presence except the gloss that is added by her singing ability and the Nashville sheen of superstar. But so dull to me--every one of them. (Is it just my perception by association with someone as compelling as Adam?) We have been very lucky fans. We sensed Adam was special from his AI demeanor and humbleness, and just *knew* he was a good, grounded person, and sensed he had a razor-sharp wit and was hilarious and fun. But we didn't REALLY know what he was like at the end of AI. He turned out to be just as interesting as his musical selections. He turned out to be wicked hysterical on talk shows (though seriously underbooked!), he turned out to be beloved among those who work with him (remember all that hogwash about him being a diva early on? we knew it wasn't true, but I think it was prolly a homophobic press who played on society's expectations that the gay guy be all "tantrums and tiaras"), and he has done it all while blazing a new path for LGBT visibility --not grandstanding, as he was reluctant to be seen as doing, but just saying yeah, I'm gay, big deal. Finally the rest of the country seems to be catching up. Also, I was a little worried abt the canned banter during GN tour, but I attributed to him being used to theater and having the same lines every night, but I knew he would loosen up as he became more comfortable (and I know everyone does this, especially the really big acts and extravagant shows) and he turned out to play off audiences fantastically. And, Hoppers, that Feeling Good studio version might still be my very favorite thing he has ever done, and one of my favorite vocal performances of all time from anyone. Fun reading abt the S8. I watched all his performances and the critiques just about a week ago and I hadn't done that in many years, and I read all Jacob's recaps in a toast to all the good times I've had reading TWoP over the years (sometimes wincing, squinting, and scrolling through the lavish praise on the "brilliance" of Kris's performances when he changed up the arrangements on a handful of songs--but anyone who comes up with the description of Adam's voice as "angels ice skating" gets major kudos--has there ever been a more perfect description?) Ok, I think I've made it through a rambling posts without stepping on any toes--unless there are any Kris fans here That's exactly what I was thinking -- only you put it into words! |
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Holst
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Post by Holst on Apr 6, 2014 7:06:52 GMT -5
Luke Deacon is very talented. Are any of the other Queen offspring involved in Music? The children are all beautiful (Roger's all look like models). Some great family photos family-queen.webs.com/What is the history of Spike with Queen? I have noticed in some of the fan videos he seems to be directing everyone on stage. Everyone seems to watch him to come in at the same time. Does he serve as a musical director for the band? He is especially fun to watch in the fan videos of iheart. Every fiber of his body appears to be feeling the music. The history with Spike is as follows: Up until Montreal 1981, Queen was always a four piece. It was just Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John in the studio (minus the odd bit) and on stage. When they finally added synths to the mix on the album, they decided they needed a touring keyboardist. This also allowed Freddie the ability to move around on stage more rather than being chained to keys. Firstly came friend Morgan Fisher (formerly of Mott The Hoople) for the UK/European Hot Space tour. It didn't really work out and the band let him go and hired Fred Mandel with whom they got along splendidly. Fred also worked a bit on The Works album (the synth solo that sounds like a guitar on I Want To Break Free is Fred). However Fred had other commitments as well and wasn't around to go on the Works tour. THAT is where Spike entered the fold. Spike prepared for an audition of sorts and found it humorous that it seemed at the start he would know the songs better than the band did. Spike toured with them in 1984, 1985, and 1986. He was the first person tapped by Roger Taylor when Roger wanted to form sideband The Cross. He played the Freddie tribute and was then tapped by Brian to head up touring his solo material. Spike really let his Musical Director tendencies loose there as he really helped organize the Brian May band. Of course at that time he also formed Spike's All Star Band which primarily was the Brian May Band with guests from The Cross members and other mostly C-level (in fame) singers, musicians. He really flourished in the MD role. When Queen reunited for a full scale tour with Paul Rodgers, he was back in action and really took over MD role at that point, which is where we are today. While Brian and Roger are in charge and Roger is sort of the one who leads the show...Spike is the really the one who deals with the rest of the band and is the go between between B&R and the band. He helps with arrangements, and setlists, etc. and really takes an active role. His decisions can be vetoed by B&R but they seem comfortable with him after all these years. BUT as always he is a live player only and has only had a few bits on albums (he made a few sporadic appearances on A Kind Of Magic but that's about it). Thanks. It must be a great comfort for B&R to have Spike to rely on. |
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talon
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Post by talon on Apr 6, 2014 7:29:08 GMT -5
No problem! It is a comfort to them to be sure. Hell when Roger put together the Queen Extravaganza it was as much Spike leading auditions as it was Roger!
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