Queen Discussion Thread

I must preface this one by saying this is a long post. There are a lot of live performances to capture! (But even this is nothing compared to the longest posts of this education will be...and I will guess those will be Tie Your Mother Down and of course We Will Rock You might need it's own thread

Today we have...

Now I'm Here

Written by: Brian May

Musicians:

Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, organ
Brian May - guitars, backing vocals, piano
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals





- Issued as a single in the UK where it hit #11. It was also released in Belgium, the Netherlands (where it hit #32), Spain Hungary, and Japan (where it hit #87). Surprisingly not issued as a single in the US despite:

- Written by Brian after their tour in America with Mott The Hoople. Brian was very intrigued by how rock was perceived in America and the fun time they had (before he fell ill obviously). It really energized the band quite a bit.

- This song features a lot of delay effect (like in Brian's solo) and that would be revisited in The Prophet's Song on the next album.

- This track was one of the most played Queen songs in Queen history. Once written it featured in the setlist (many times opening the show) from 1974 all the way through Freddie's last tour in 1986 and it was played at the Tribute Concert and Brian performed it on his first solo tour. Surprisingly, that was the last time it was played. Brian didn't play it on his second solo tour and shockingly it wasn't played with Paul or Adam. For being such a staple, it is surprising that it doesn't get played anymore, especially as it is a great live number!

QUOTES:

- "That was nice. That was a Brian May thing. We released it after Killer Queen. And it's a total contrast, just a total contrast. It was just to show people we can still do rock 'n' roll - we haven't forgotten our rock 'n' roll roots. It's nice to do on stage. I enjoyed doing that on stage." – Freddie Mercury – Record Mirror – 1976.

- "We’d done a few things before I was ill, but when I came back they’d done a load more, including a couple of backing tracks of songs by Freddie which I hadn’t heard, like Flick Of The Wrist, which excited me and gave me a lot of inspiration to get back in there and do some writing – Now I’m Here was done in that period. The song’s about experiences on the American tour, which really blew me away. I was bowled over by the amazing aura rock music has in America.” – Brian May

ALTERNATIVE RELEASED VERSIONS:

BBC SESSION 5 VERSION


- NOT essential listening.

- Very slight differences. Quite possibly the album backing track with a slightly different vocal take and more prominent guitars.

UNRELEASED AND UNHEARD:

LONGER OUTRO VERSION

- I don't know much about this one but according to some Queen scholars a demo exists with a longer instrumental outro.

OFFICIALLY RELEASED LIVE VERSIONS:

LIVE KILLERS


- Audio only.

- Quite possibly my favorite version. QUITE rocking and a great vocal call and response by Freddie in the middle. A long version to be sure but worthwhile!

ROCK MONTREAL


- The instrument mix is better than Live Killers and this too is a great version!

ON FIRE AT THE BOWL


- A very energetic Freddie performance! (Aren't they all?)

LIVE AT WEMBLEY


- These were 2 days in Wembley with the first being in a rainy afternoon at Wembley while the second is a bit more tired Freddie but still kicking it!

HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY

- Another version from the 1986 tour

BRIAN MAY LIVE AT BRIXTON ACADEMY – 1993


- Your first (in this thread anyways) track from a Brian solo concert! From his Back To The Light tour featuring a full on band with female backing vocalists, Brian does quite a good job filling in for his friend on vocals.

QAL - LIVE IN TOKYO 2014


- After working on Live at the Rainbow, Brian and Roger decided to do a throwback by opening the North American/Japanese tour with Procession/Now I'm Here. Adam handles this very well and it is a great opening track!

ALTERNATIVE LIVE VERSIONS:

BRIAN MAY + GARY CHERONE + NUNO BETTENCOURT + STEVE VAI + JOE SATRIANI – GUITAR EXPO – 1991


- ESSENTIAL listening!

- In 1991 Brian May was asked to put together a Guitar Expo for a concert in Seville Spain. It was to be a concert of nothing but guitar genius after guitar genius. So all the best were there (including Paul Rodgers...things to come!) They all did their own set and at the end a few of them jammed on a few tracks including this Queen track. Gary Cherone from Extreme was on lead vocals while all the guitarists shred on this classic. It just seems like they are all having a blast!

DEF LEPPARD + BRIAN MAY AT THE FREDDIE MERCURY TRIBUTE – 1992


- At the 1992 A Concert For Life: A Tribute To Freddie Mercury, the concert opened with many rock bands doing their own thing while the second half was Queen + guest vocalists taking their turn at Queen classics. BUT during the first half, Def Leppard did their 2 songs and then invited Brian up to do Now I'm Here. It was a fun version, mostly given the circumstances.

QUEEN + FOO FIGHTERS – BRIXTON ACADEMY 1999


- Foo Fighters are HUGE Queen fans and great friends with Brian and Roger...and they have had NUMEROUS performances over the years, some VERY memorable. This one? Well it is memorable in the track they chose. Unfortunately Dave Grohl is not up to the task and is VERY sloppy. BUT at the same time he is very in awe of Brian and Roger who appear to be at least having a fun time. Brian comes on first to a We Will Rock You intro..and then at the end Taylor Hawkins leaves his drum set and Roger comes on. It's ALWAYS great watching Taylor Hawkins react to ANY Queen member. He obviously is as obsessed as any Queen fanatic SO while there are definitely better performances, it's still a fun watch.

PERSONAL NOTES:

- Would be good for ANY tour. Energetic song with tons of room to play.

- Gabby - See usage of "queen" in the lyrics

Next up will be a much shorter post...but an awesome song with some great Roger Taylor screams...In The Lap Of The Gods