Queen Discussion Thread
Jan 6, 2013 8:46:22 GMT -5
Post by talon on Jan 6, 2013 8:46:22 GMT -5
Brian May + Friends - Star Fleet Project (1983)
A little background.
As previously noted the band decided to take 1983 off from each other but they all worked in some ways. Although in reality, this release was never meant to be a "release" Brian basically got together with some friends with the only intention be to jam and have fun. They recorded the sessions and very uncharacteristically of Brian, he didn't try to produce or mix much leaving it basically as is. Better explained by Brian himself in the liner notes:
As you might expect from a three track EP that was not really a new album, just a few jams it was not very commercial and only hit #35 in the UK and #125 in the US (The decline in the US started at this time so this is not very surprising either).
The band consisted of Brian May on guitar and vocals, Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Alan Gratzer (from REO Speedwagon) on drums, Phil Chen on bass, and Fred Mandel (he who toured with Queen during the Hot Space World Tour) on keyboards.
Tracks on the album
1. Star Fleet (Bliss - arr. May)
2. Let Me Out (May)
3. Blues Breaker (May/Edward Van Halen/Alan Gratzer/Phil Chen/Fred Mandel)
First up...Star Fleet
A little background.
As previously noted the band decided to take 1983 off from each other but they all worked in some ways. Although in reality, this release was never meant to be a "release" Brian basically got together with some friends with the only intention be to jam and have fun. They recorded the sessions and very uncharacteristically of Brian, he didn't try to produce or mix much leaving it basically as is. Better explained by Brian himself in the liner notes:
STOP! What you have just picked up is not your normal kind of album. Not an album which has been "thoughtfully pieced together by a coordinated band as a balanced and polished listening experience". Not a Queen album. Not a solo Brian May album. It is a record of a unique event.
On the 21st and 22nd of April 1983, five musicians from different backgrounds, who had previously known each other only as friends, played together for the first time. Purely for fun. In listening to this record, I hope you will share in the excitement we felt.
Star Fleet is the theme tune for a superb TV sci-fi series broadcast in England for kids of all ages; Japanese visuals and British soundtrack including music by Paul Bliss. The heroes pilot space vehicles which can assemble into a giant robot for land battles. The aliens fly fantastic insect-like craft which spawn smaller fighting machines, all intent on possession of the secret of F Zero One... Having been introduced to all this by my small boy, I became equally obsessed by it, and formed the idea of making a hard rock version of the title theme.
A few months later, I found myself in LA doing very little. I suddenly realised that four musicians, with whom I'd long wanted to play, were at the end of a local telephone call. To my great surprise they all liked the ideas I had, so I took my courage in both hands, booked a studio, and in we went. None of us had done this kind of thing before - no record company, no plans for release, no back-up organisations - just us. Just for fun.
In Star Fleet, recorded on the first day, you can hear a kind of nervous exhilaration. The new situation produced a strange and different kind of energy.
In Let Me Out - an old song of mine which found new life - and in Blues Breaker, which of course is purely spontaneous, you can hear a much more relaxed set of people, just laying back and enjoying the fresh inspiration of each other's playing.
I could have put these tapes in a bottom draw and kept them as a private record of one of the best experiences of my life. But the few people I've played them for have urged be to "publish", and it will make me very happy if others can enjoy this stuff the way I have.
I've attempted to hone Star Fleet into something like a "proper record" - my thanks to Roger for helping me with the chorus vocals. But I haven't messed one scrap with the tracking done on the day. The rest is simply mixed 'naked'.
In Blues Breaker you can hear us smiling as we search for answering phrases. In the last solo of Let Me Out, Edward tortures his top string to it's audible death and winds up quite naturally on the remaining five. I'll leave the rest to imagination. It's not too hard to figure out who did what.
On the 21st and 22nd of April 1983, five musicians from different backgrounds, who had previously known each other only as friends, played together for the first time. Purely for fun. In listening to this record, I hope you will share in the excitement we felt.
Star Fleet is the theme tune for a superb TV sci-fi series broadcast in England for kids of all ages; Japanese visuals and British soundtrack including music by Paul Bliss. The heroes pilot space vehicles which can assemble into a giant robot for land battles. The aliens fly fantastic insect-like craft which spawn smaller fighting machines, all intent on possession of the secret of F Zero One... Having been introduced to all this by my small boy, I became equally obsessed by it, and formed the idea of making a hard rock version of the title theme.
A few months later, I found myself in LA doing very little. I suddenly realised that four musicians, with whom I'd long wanted to play, were at the end of a local telephone call. To my great surprise they all liked the ideas I had, so I took my courage in both hands, booked a studio, and in we went. None of us had done this kind of thing before - no record company, no plans for release, no back-up organisations - just us. Just for fun.
In Star Fleet, recorded on the first day, you can hear a kind of nervous exhilaration. The new situation produced a strange and different kind of energy.
In Let Me Out - an old song of mine which found new life - and in Blues Breaker, which of course is purely spontaneous, you can hear a much more relaxed set of people, just laying back and enjoying the fresh inspiration of each other's playing.
I could have put these tapes in a bottom draw and kept them as a private record of one of the best experiences of my life. But the few people I've played them for have urged be to "publish", and it will make me very happy if others can enjoy this stuff the way I have.
I've attempted to hone Star Fleet into something like a "proper record" - my thanks to Roger for helping me with the chorus vocals. But I haven't messed one scrap with the tracking done on the day. The rest is simply mixed 'naked'.
In Blues Breaker you can hear us smiling as we search for answering phrases. In the last solo of Let Me Out, Edward tortures his top string to it's audible death and winds up quite naturally on the remaining five. I'll leave the rest to imagination. It's not too hard to figure out who did what.
As you might expect from a three track EP that was not really a new album, just a few jams it was not very commercial and only hit #35 in the UK and #125 in the US (The decline in the US started at this time so this is not very surprising either).
The band consisted of Brian May on guitar and vocals, Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Alan Gratzer (from REO Speedwagon) on drums, Phil Chen on bass, and Fred Mandel (he who toured with Queen during the Hot Space World Tour) on keyboards.
Tracks on the album
1. Star Fleet (Bliss - arr. May)
2. Let Me Out (May)
3. Blues Breaker (May/Edward Van Halen/Alan Gratzer/Phil Chen/Fred Mandel)
First up...Star Fleet
Especially because of stanning someone like Adam who changes his appearance every five minutes.
