On this slow Sunday I'm skipping around through various threads, including Queen!
Excellent! That's one reason I'm doing it chronologically so you can always come back to where you were and keep progressing forward even if you don't come back for a bit
Absolutely. To me Brian was the most consistent songwriter in the band. John wrote some great pop tunes but just didn't do it enough. Roger also wrote some great, albeit for the most part straight forward rock tunes. Freddie was the enigmatic one. Freddie was probably the greatest songwriter as musically he wrote the greatest and most well loved tunes overall, but Brian was the most consistently good. Every song of Brian's is generally a great song, with very few clunkers.
My Melancholy Blues Written by: Freddie Mercury
Love love love this!!
and yes, I SERIOUSLY want to hear Adam singing this. Preferably RIGHT NOW.
I think Adam could be very playful with this one
and
Re.
It's LateOk,
talon... you kind of answered my previous question, but I didn't know Brian was "having issues" back in '76 or 77 when he wrote It's Late. It was another 10-11 years before he and his wife separated.
Gosh... that's a lot of years to be conflicted and drowning in angst.
The lyrics to
It's Late are really poignant.
I did touch on it before but let me see if I can add a bit to it. Brian and Chrissy were together pre-Queen. When the band started touring it became more and more difficult what with temptations and them living such a different life. In fact Brian met a girl during the first tour of the US (the "Peaches" girl in
Now I'm Here). Now at this time it wasn't really angst but there was some guilt and some unsureness.
It's Late was written at a time where tensions increased a bit but the children kept them together. The band began having their own difficulties between 1980-1985 or so and then Brian met Anita and of course that whole thing blew up his marriage, he lost his father, and Freddie was sick so between 1987-1990-91 was when Brian was at his worst. Brian wrote a lot during that period, some of it reflecting his life at the time and others not so much. I honestly think the most personal ones went towards his 1992 solo album,
Back To The Light. That album was really written sporadically between 1988-1992 and is fairly personal
Although there are others we will get to from Queen as well that at least touch on it all - that's for sure
I'm an old blues fan, and this is awesome!!
:4OMG: Love it.
OT....
Talon, when Queen asked the fans (during pre-Sonisphere QAL) which Queen songs they would like QAL to perform, can you share with us the setlist you requested?
Sure! I actually have gleaned a lot more of Adam since the project (with being here and reading the news daily (I still do! Even I don't comment all the time), so I'm kind of curious if I would change my mind after doing the leg work I'm doing here. Perhaps when I complete the Queen Project here I'll go back and reanalyze.
I didn't write a setlist per se, but I thought the best way to get through to the band was to give more suggestions in a compartmentalized form. I also tried to take into mind the views of the band that I did know.
For example one of the criticisms of the QPR tours was the regurgitated setlists that rarely changed, and the fact that there are little obscure songs. If you take the band's 1986 tour and the two QPR tours you'll find a TON of greatest hits and very little in experimental outings. Hardcore fans would want to see a little less of GH. BUT for whatever reason I do think the band feels that for the more casual audience they need to do a lot of their greatest hits. Add to that the fact that I knew the band would have their own solo sections for Brian and Roger, I tried to think of that as well...
So with that in mind I gave them a small suggestions for four different parts of the gig:
For Roger's songs: Instead of doing I'm In Love With My Car (which he had done during QPR and I fully expected it during QAL so I was surprised at it not being there), do:
Tenement Funster
Drowse (Queen purists would lose their minds)
Rock It
These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Heaven For Everyone
----1-5 :( I kind of knew A Kind Of Magic would be played as it's one of Rog's fav Queen songs - sometimes he sang it, other times PR did so I thought Adam might sing it to give Rog a different number.
For Brian's songs - I knew he was going to Love Of My Life. He just always will now. But instead of 39, or perhaps in addition he could do:
Long Away
Lost Opportunity
Too Much Love Will Kill You (perhaps wtih full band...and perhaps with Adam)
Sail Away Sweet Sister (with Adam on the bridge -- on the studio version Brian sings the song and Freddie does the bridge)
Greatest Hits to play - The hope was that there were still many greatest hits that the audience (UK especially) would know but for whatever reason were less played or not played (due to not fitting PR's voice or other unknown reasons):
Save Me
Somebody To Love
Innuendo
Breakthru
Who Wants To Live Forever
Let Me Live
Under Pressure
It's A Hard Life
Seven Seas of Rhye
Keep Yourself Alive
4-9:)
Finally section 4 - The obscure Queen songs for Adam to sing:
White Queen
Was It All Worth It
Princes Of The Universe
I Can't Live With You
It's Late
In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited
Stone Cold Crazy
Keep Yourself Alive
1-7
Oh well. At the end of the day, I was...satisfied with the set list. It could have been better but it was a step in the right direction. The first part of the set was everything I could have wanted. Towards the end it started getting a bit more predictable...The band is getting up there though and they are definitely a bit more set in their ways!
I was very happy to see the beginning medley, Dragon Attack was a surprise to me (even though QPR did do it in their North American tour in 2006), and I was very happy to see Somebody To Love, Who Wants To Live Forever, and Don't Stop Me Now. I think Queen purists would be very happy to have seen Brian do more of those acoustic treats he did.
After I'm done we'll come up with a setlist together!
:wub:
Another OT...
Talon, during Live Aids in 1985, was Freddie already aware of his ailment? You mentioned that he had some nodules in his throat and was advised by his physician not to perform but he did it anyway. In spite of his throat problems (which nobody can tell) he did a phenomenal performance and so did the band. I wonder if those nodules were an early signs of his illness or not related at all... just wondering.
AND
I heard somewhere that he
did have suspicions about having HIV even as early as 1985, but I can't remember if it was Talon who told us that?
This is one of THE most discussed things about Freddie and his illness. There is actually debates on other sites STILL talking about it even today. There are different accounts and different ideas. So I will lay out the facts as I know them and go from there.
The first AIDS case was diagnosed in 1981. HIV wasn't discovered until 1984 and the first test for HIV was in 1985.
Friend of Freddie and journalist David Wigg stated in a recent article that Freddie knew in 1984. I discount this because Freddie obviously at that point did not have full blown AIDS and there was no test for HIV so he couldn't have KNOWN anything. What is more possible is that Freddie was showing concern. The "gay-plague" as it was called was being spread and Freddie had been promiscuous already. I believe Freddie probably had nigglings in his subconscious although I also believe he chose to stick his head in the sand so to speak at the time.
Due to that I believe Freddie would have avoided testing and there were many comments from Mary Austin (Freddie's long time girlfriend and the "love of his life") that said Freddie would avoid doctors calls and it was she who stated that Freddies' doctor finally called her to get her to tell him to come back to see him because it was imperative they talked.
Now this was about 1987 which would concur with Jim Hutton's (Freddie's last lover/boyfriend) which stated Freddie finally got tested in 1987 and was HIV positive.
There was a documentary though that stated from Mary that Freddie knew that the 1986 Magic tour would be his last. This also concurs with statements from Brian and Roger who said they remember some weird statements from Freddie where he said he was done and this was going to be it. They discounted it at the time as Freddie being Freddie and just being tired.
Combine that with the fact that at most concerts previously Freddie would always say something to the effect of "Good night, see you soon!" This time it was usually more of a "Thank you, goodnight and god bless".
So in my mind, Freddie probably began suspecting in 1984-85, and knew (in his heart but not officially) that he was probably sick during 1986 and the last tour, but it wasn't confirmed until 1987.
SO a very long drawn out answer and perhaps only related to your question. Because one more thing I have to mention is that Freddie had nodules for years and those were unrelated. As for Live Aid...perhaps nodules were the story and perhaps it was something more related but either way at the end of the day, he was told he shouldn't perform but he was never one to do things half-ass so he gave it his all and the rest is history!
Talon... I also like all your little "personal notes" after many of the songs.
:wub: Thanks seoul! I also love seeing you in here
Talon... I HAVE MORE WORK FOR YOU!!!! ;D
Actually, you can leave this until after you're finished writing about all the albums and songs, etc, but at some point in the future, I'd love it if you could make a list all the Queen songs that Brian May wrote! JUST HIM!!
:D I will do it now.
I have two disclaimers though.
1. Between 1973-1986 (Queen - A Kind Of Magic) the band gave writing credits out per song. For the last 3 albums most of the songs were credited to the full band...BUT if you can trust my Queen knowledge, I can kind of guide you to the right answer...BUT
2. It will seem to be a lot more collaborations during the final three albums. In truth it was JUST as collaborative prior but they would just credit the originator of the song despite the collaboration. For example:
Seven Seas of Rhye is credited to Freddie but Brian has stated later on how he wrote the bridge section...so it all has to be with a grain of salt. These will be all the songs credited to Brian up to
The Miracle album and afterwards what I've pieced together from interviews, anecdotal evidence, and instinct!
QueenKeep Yourself Alive
Doing All Right (with Tim Staffell - not sure how much was Brian)
The Night Comes Down
Son And Daughter
Queen IIProcession
Father To Son
White Queen
Some Day, One Day
See What A Fool I've Been (inspired by earlier blues song)
Sheer Heart AttackBrighton Rock
Now I'm Here
Dear Friends
She Makes Me (Stormtrooper In Stilettos)
A Night At The Opera'39
Sweet Lady
The Prophets Song
Good Company
God Save The Queen (arrangement)
A Day At The RacesTie Your Mother Down
Long Away
White Man
Teo Toriatte (Let Us Cling Together)
News Of The WorldWe Will Rock You
All Dead, All Dead
Sleeping On The Sidewalk
It's Late
-bonus - Feelings, Feelings
JazzFat Bottomed Girls
Dead On Time
Dreamers' Ball
Leaving Home Ain't Easy
The GameDragon Attack
Sail Away Sweet Sister
Save Me
Flash Gordon SoundtrackFlash's Theme
Flash To The Rescue
Battle Theme
The Wedding March
Marriage Of Dale and Ming (with Roger)
Crash Dive On Mingo City
Flash' Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)
The Hero
Hot SpaceDancer
Put Out The Fire
Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love)
The WorksTear It Up
Machines (or Back To Humans) (with Roger)
Hammer To Fall
Is This The World We Created? (with Freddie)
B-Side: I Go Crazy
Single: Thank God It's Christmas (with Roger)
A Kind Of MagicWho Wants To Live Forever
Gimme The Prize (Kurgan's Theme)
The MiracleI Want It All
Scandal
Chinese Torture
InnuendoHeadlong
I Can't Live With You
Bijou
The Show Must Go On (with Freddie - Roger and John wrote the initial keyboard/bass motif that the song was based on)
B-Side: Lost Opportunity
Made In HeavenMother Love (with Freddie)
Too Much Love Will Kill You (with friends Frank Musker/Elizabeth Lamers)
Do you want QPR's The Cosmos Rocks also? Well just in case:
The Cosmos RocksStill Burnin
We Believe
Some Things That Glitter
Whew!
