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Classic Rock - April, 2004
Credits to Louise Belle and Queencuttings.com
Daily Mail Weekend Magazine - November 18, 2006
Credits to Louise Belle and Queencuttings.com
Star struck
When not performing with stars, there's nothing BRIAN MAY likes more than gazing at them with Sir Patrick Moore. DAVID WIGG hears how the Queen guitarist nearly became an astronomer himself
When Brian May was at junior school, two significant things happened that were to shape his life. His parents gave him his first guitar — which was to lead directly to a career as a rock god. And they let him stay up late to watch a fascinating new programme called The Sky At Night, introduced by an aspiring new broadcaster called Patrick Moore — which sparked off a lifelong interest in astronomy and an unlikely friendship.
Fifty years on, and 'the world's leading guitarist' (Sir Patrick's description of May) and ‘the greatest man in the country’ (what May calls Moore) have collaborated with cosmologist Chris Lintott to write a book called Bang! The Complete History Of The Universe.
The interest of Moore and Lintott — whom the other two call ‘the young gun of astronomy' — is understandable. But how does May, he of the cascading curls and all those years spent standing, legs akimbo, fingers on guitar strings, behind Freddie Mercury in Queen, come to find himself gazing at real stars, as opposed to their more earthly counterparts? What do rockers and astronomers have in common, apart from the fact that, by virtue of their work, they are both nocturnal creatures?
'I've been passionate about music and astronomy since I was seven,’ says May, now 59. 'My dad and I built a guitar together — and then we made our own telescope. I was shepherded towards a scientific career, and, after I graduated with an honours degree in physics and maths, I went on to study for my PhD. I was heavily into writing a thesis on interplanetary dust while playing in a band — and I found the music gradually taking over my life.
"I'd reached the point where I had to decide between the universe and Queen, because I was either playing or studying or teaching 24 hours a day, and I knew I just couldn't go on. Besides, I had run out of money. Something had to go, so I decided to put everything on the back burner while I went for a musical career.'
His subsequent success is well documented, but he never lost his passion for the night sky, even building a small observatory in the back garden of his west London home. Then, ten years ago, his friendship began with Patrick Moore, who had been his idol since boyhood. 'I had first met him when I was studying at London's Imperial College. He had come in to see one of my tutors, and as he was a very important man and I wasn't, there wasn't much contact between us.
When we met again, through a friend, in 1996, we hit it off. He began talking to me about astronomy as if I was a professional, and I thought, "Hang on, I'm just an amateur", but it didn't make any difference to him — we were speaking the same language."
With their common bond as the serious study of the planets, stars and space, as well as the physical universe, they have even been on eclipse-spotting trips together, to such places as Peru and the Isle of Skye.
For the past two and a half years, May, Moore and Lintott, Sir Patrick's co-presenter on The Sky At Night (which is 50 years old next year, making it the world's longest-running scientific programme) have been working on their book. It explains how the universe was born 13.7 billion years ago and highlights its origins and destiny — the trio calculate that we've only got about three billion years left before the sun swallows us up.
As May's music has made him wealthy enough to afford a £100,000 trip into space when passenger flights start operating. I wondered if he had reserved himself a seat. ‘No, I haven't, but it's tempting. I do quite fancy the idea. But I'm getting a little old for it.' However, Sir Patrick, who is 24 years older than May, wouldn't miss the chance. 'I'd have to go, but it would take a very massive rocket to launch someone my size,’ he says.
It was Sir Patrick's idea to write the book and he persuaded Brian to get involved with the project. 'I didn't take it very seriously, because I didn't think I was very well qualified. But Patrick insisted, and it's been a wonderful journey. I'm so glad I said yes, because, in the end, I felt that I did have a role to play and I think we've become a great team. We hope that we will inspire a new generation, as Patrick inspired us.’
Sir Patrick's house, at Selsey, West Sussex is, he says, 'an Aladdin's cave of astronomy books, instruments and stuff. It's a boy's environment. We turn the phones off and the most stress that ever happens is the cat getting lost! So it's just a lovely place to be.
My father always regarded astronomy as my proper job, because that's what I was training to do. When I gave it up, there was a bit of strain between us and we hardly spoke for a year, but everything worked out okay in the end. I still have the telescope that we made when I was about 12. It's a four-inch reflector and the funny thing is, if you see something in the sky, you don't have time to go out in the garden and unlock the observatory and turn the thing on. What I do is, I drag my home-made telescope out, just like I always did. So I still enjoy my little four-inch reflector.’
The English skies aren't really the best place for pursuing astronomy. ‘There are so few nights that are any good and, generally, I'm in the wrong place. There is too much light pollution, apart from the rain and the clouds and everything else. So I don't do that much stargazing in my observatory. It's better if you're away from big cities. I'm seriously considering trying to buy a house somewhere on one of the Canary Islands, just so I can enjoy the sky.
‘I love to go to observatories and just look, even with the naked eye, or binoculars or a small telescope. But I'm odd. Most astronomers don't do that. I went to La Palma in the Canaries recently, where they have just built the world's biggest solar telescope. I've been invited to play at the inauguration, which is very exciting.’
Pursuing this solitary behaviour has landed him in trouble, however. May says he sometimes gets told off by his wife, former EastEnders actress Anita Dobson, if he doesn't get his head out of the clouds. ‘She's wonderful. She's so good for me because she keeps me human. She says, "Look, you've been sitting at that computer, or that telescope, for 13 hours. I think you should do something else" — and I need that.’
As supportive as she is, Anita does not share the same interest in astronomy. ‘She has an attention span of about 30 seconds when it comes to astronomy,’ says Brian, with a grin spreading across his face. ‘Which is fair enough; she's a different kind of animal. She likes me doing it, but she doesn't really want to know too much about the details. She's involved in her art stuff.
‘She's my greatest critic. She tells me the truth. I usually get angry, but then I think, "Yeah, she has a point." The hardest thing for any artistic person to take is criticism, especially when you've spent God knows how long developing an idea.
‘Getting married put us into a new era and I think we feel very secure and are able to give each other a lot more rope. We've always spoken about this kind of thread that is between us, and sometimes it's got stretched incredibly thin, but it's always there. The more secure you are yourself, the more you are able to let your partner go out on a limb, but still feel the thread is there.
‘Thank God, we have a wonderful relationship now. We came through every kind of battlefield and, up to the point where we got married in 2000, it was always on and off, because my first marriage had ended in divorce and I'd lost both Freddie and my father. I really didn't want to live and I was just coasting along. I felt wounded, depressed, brain-fried, and the feelings of loss outweighed any of my achievements. I checked into a clinic in Arizona in the U.S., and it worked for me and I've felt great ever since.
'My relationship with Anita is the same as my passion for music and astronomy — intense. I can't see it ever changing.’
BANG! The Complete History Of The Universe by Brian May, Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott, Carlton Books, £20.
Classic Rock - January, 2006
Credits to Louise Belle and Queencuttings.com
Record Collector - August, 1991
Credits to Louise Belle and Queencuttings.com
[Photo caption: Freddie Mercury, pictured in March 1974, months before Queen established themselves as a first division rock act. His solo career has been greeted with mixed feelings by Queen fans.]
As our Readers' Poll results earlier this year clearly indicated, Queen's immense popularity now rivals that of the established greats such as the Beatles, Stones, Presley and Bowie. 1991 saw the band celebrate 20 years together by scoring their third U.K. No. 1 single with "Innuendo", which they followed with their seventh No. 1 album and two further Top 30 singles. This success looks set to continue with the second volume of Queen's greatest hits now scheduled for late autumn, exactly ten years after the first set. There will also be a new single to precede it, and the latest news is that the group have already begun recording their new album in Montreux.
1991 has also seen the release of the Queen Remasters series, issued in the States on Hollywood Records on CD and cassette only, which I hope to look at in detail in a future feature. At the time of writing, Queen's U.K. label EMI are believed to be considering putting out their own Remasters collection, which will also include the majority of solo material. So it's an opportune moment to review the Queen members' solo works to date. Roger Taylor's band the Cross have just completed their third album, which is scheduled for European release in September, and we shall be focusing specifically on their work in the very near future. For this feature, I shall concentrate on the individual solo recordings, which range from the raw rock'n'roll of Roger Taylor's first single to Freddie Mercury's successful collaboration with the Spanish opera diva Montserrat Caballe.
I have not included the band members' collaborations with other artists in the field of production work, guest appearances and songs written for other artists as this is worthy of a separate feature.
• ROGER TAYLOR 1977-1984
I WANNA TESTIFY/TURN ON THE T.V. (EMI 2679; 7", 8/77)…....………………………………………………………………£12
Roger was the first Queen member to release a solo single, finding an outlet on the same label which had successfully issued Queen product since 1973. There was no picture sleeve to accompany the British edition, but a sleeve apparently issued in Holland is highly sought-after by collectors today. However, the single, "I Wanna Testify", wasn't chosen for many major markets such as North America and Japan where Queen traditionally did well. The song failed to chart in the U.K., but in its defence, "I Wanna Testify" didn't appear on the all-important radio playlists and its only promotion was Roger's appearance on Marc Bolan's TV show, a rare solo performance which would be most welcome on an official video. Neither side has yet turned up on any album.
FUTURE MANAGEMENT/LAUGH OR CRY (EMI 5157; 7", p/s, 3/81).………………………………………………………….£8
This second solo single saw Roger taking a much higher profile, particularly as there was no new Queen product due until the autumn. "Future Management", a taster from his forthcoming solo album, was housed in an attractive picture sleeve and Roger made an appearance on "Top Of The Pops" as the single reached No. 49. Copies are now definitely becoming more difficult to find.
[Photo caption: Roger Taylor's second solo single was "Future Management", which just made the Top 50, and provided a taster for his first solo LP.]
LET'S GET CRAZY/LAUGH OR CRY (Elektra E-47151 [U.S.]; 7", 4/81)………………………………………………………£8
Elektra in the States chose another track, the rockier "Let's Get Crazy", with which to promote Roger's solo album, but this failed to set the American charts alight. Copies of the single are now quite scarce, and despite the lack of a picture sleeve, can fetch up to £8. However, I recommend that fans shop around before parting with their money.
FUN IN SPACE (EMI EMC 3369/Elektra 5E 522 [U.S.]; LP, 4/81)…….………………………………………………………….£12
Side One: No Violins/Laugh Or Cry/Future Management/Let's Get Crazy/My Country I & II
Side Two: Good Times Are Now/Magic Is Loose/Interlude In Constantinople/Airheads/Fun In Space
Roger's debut album received a hostile press reception but his faithful British fans took the record to a very creditable No. 18 in the LP charts. "Fun In Space" is packed with good rockers such as the excellent "Airheads" and the very catchy "Good Times Are Now", but it is carefully balanced by the humorous "Interlude In Constantinople", the superb pop number "Magic Is Loose", the magnificent ballad "Laugh Or Cry" and the haunting scifi-inspired title track.
Sadly, EMI have long since deleted this album, and copies are now imported into Britain by EMI Holland and EMI Germany. For collectors who've now been converted to the compact disc format, there is a faint glimmer of hope that one day this superb album will be transferred onto CD, but at the time of writing no country has taken the lead.
MY COUNTRY (Edit)/FUN IN SPACE (EMI 5200; 7", p/s, 6/81)…………………………………………………………………...£8
This second 45 from "Fun In Space" fared badly, and many fans felt that it was a strange choice as a single - "Good Times Are Now", […]
[Photo caption: "My Country" was Taylor's second 45 from the "Fun In Space" album, though many fans felt it was a strange choice for a single.]
[Photo caption: Brian May, the man responsible for that unique Queen guitar sound, was the second band member to try his hand as a solo artist.]
[Photo caption: Incredibly, EMI have not followed the deletion of Taylor's "Fun In Space" album with a compact disc reissue, though we live in hope!]
[…] "Airheads" and "Magic Is Loose" all looked better bets. However, the single edit of "My Country" is now a collector's item as it was not released in America or Japan.
MAN ON FIRE/KILLING TIME (EMI 5478; 7", p/s, 5/84)……………………………………………………………….£5
MAN ON FIRE (Extended)/KILLING TIME (EMI 12 5478; 12", p/s, 6/84)…………………………………………£7
This is a classic song criminally ignored by both national radio and the music press. It should have been a massive hit but, coming in between two Queen singles and a Queen tour, the song struggled to reach No. 66 in the British charts. For "Man On Fire", the usual 7" was joined by a 12", containing a better mix of the lead track, which is highly recommended to all fans. In Japan, the single came in a totally different sleeve, and this is now a popular collector's item.
STRANGE FRONTIER (EMI RTA 1 EJ-2401371; LP, 6/84)………………………………………………………………£10
Side One: Strange Frontier/Beautiful Dreams/Man On Fire/Racing In The Street/Masters Of War
Side Two: Killing Time/Abandon Fire/Young Love/It's An Illusion/I Cry For You
Roger's second solo LP differed from his first in that it included two covers, Bob Dylan's "Masters Of War" and Bruce Springsteen's "Racing In The Street"; a third, a rendition of the Spencer Davis Group's "Keep On Running", remains unreleased. "Strange Frontier", which is a favourite with Queen fans, also featured songs co-written with co-producer Dave Richards and Status Quo's Rick Parfitt. However, it has been deleted by EMI despite the fact that it reached No. 30 back in 1984. Again, rumours of an impending compact disc circulate, but the delay in this CD edition is a great pity because this album deserves to be heard. It's worth speculating that, had "Strange Frontier" surfaced in 1983 or 1985, it may have transformed Roger into a huge solo star and the history of Queen may have been very different indeed.
STRANGE FRONTIER/I CRY FOR YOU (Remix) (EMI 5490; 7", p/s, 7/84)…………………………………………..…£5
STRANGE FRONTIER (Extended)/I CRY FOR YOU (Extended Remix)/TWO SHARP PENCILS (EMI 12 5490; 12", p/s, 7/84)…………………………………………£8
The second single from the album was this brilliant, moody title track that should have taken the U.K. charts by storm. Instead, hampered by a lack of airplay and the fact that it was released just a month after Queen's Top Ten single "It's A Hard Life", it flopped. The […]
[Photo caption: Roger Taylor's "Let's Get Crazy", issued on Elektra, was the first solo recording by a Queen band member to appear in the States.]
[…] 12", containing extended mixes of "Two Sharp Pencils" and "I Cry For You" (remixed by John Deacon and John Richards), with a humorous out-take, "Two Sharp Pencils", as a bonus, is very collectable today. Incidentally, the 7" version of "I Cry For You" is different to those on both the 12" and album.
• BRIAN MAY 1983-1991
STARFLEET (4.12)/SON OF STARFLEET (EMI 5436; 7", p/s, 10/83)….……………………………………………….....£5
Brian May was the second member of […]
[Photo caption: Brian May's "Starfleet Project" mini-LP contained just three tracks, including a lengthy blues instrumental jam, "Bluesbreaker".]
[…] Queen to release a solo single, but unlike Roger Taylor, he chose a cover version rather than an original song. The song (written by Paul Bliss) was loosely based on the ITV children's television serial "Starfleet", and featured musicians like Eddie Van Halen, Alan Gratzer, Phil Chen and Fred Mandel, brought together in L.A. early in 1983. Despite the fact that it was a powerful song and contained some awesome guitar work from May and Van Halen, "Starfleet" again received no daytime radio airplay and was doomed to the lower reaches of the Top 100, stalling at No. 65. The single was credited to 'Brian May and Friends' and housed in a black picture cover with the Starfleet logo in white.
[Photo caption: May's first solo vinyl outing was the "Starfleet" single, which was based on the theme for the children's TV serial of the same name.]
STARFLEET (US Edit 3.07)/STARFLEET (4.12) (Capitol B-5278 [U.S.]; 7"', 1983)……………….£10
A shorter edit of "Starfleet" was utilised in America on Queen's new label Capitol. In fact, this move proved to be a disaster not only for the solo projects but for the band's output too, but that's another story! There's also an American 12" promo coupling the edit and the full-length version (worth £15), though both editions are very scarce.
STARFLEET PROJECT (EMI SFLT 1078061; mini-LP, 10/83)…………………………………………………………………..£8
Side One: Starfleet (8.00)/Let Me Out (7.10)
Side Two: Bluesbreakers (12.50)
Again credited to 'Brian May and Friends', the "Starfleet Project" album reached No. 35 […]
[Photo caption: Roger Taylor's second LP was "Strange Frontier", a title that continued the space theme.]
[Photo caption: "I Wanna Testify", issued by drummer Roger Taylor in 1977, was the first Queen solo 45.]
[Photo caption: Roger Taylor has been the most prolific Queen member in the solo stakes, and it looks likely that his work with the Cross will continue to delight Queen fans when the new album appears.]
[Photo caption: Taylor's "Man On Fire" was a classic 45, criminally ignored by both press and radio.]
[…] in the charts and, like Roger Taylor's LP, is now deleted and difficult to find in High Street stores. This mini-album included just three tracks: the full-length version of "Starfleet", "Let Me Out" (an old song Brian re-recorded at the session — he sang it live at the Xmas party, 1990) and a 12-minute blues instrumental/jam, "Bluesbreaker". Before the project was completed, Brian enlisted the services of Roger Taylor, who provided some backing vocals. Like the aforementioned solo albums, we still await its appearance on CD, although it did surface on cassette.
Aside from Brian's prolific production credits since 1983 (and his work with Queen, of course), he is reputed to have compiled tracks over the years for his own full-length solo album, though there is no talk of a release date at present.
• FREDDIE MERCURY 1984-1988
LOVE KILLS (4.27)/ROTWANGS PARTY (G. Moroder) (CBS A 4735; 7", p/s, 9/84)………………………………£3.50
LOVE KILLS (5.21)/ROTWANGS PARTY (G. Moroder) (CBS TA 4375; 12", p/s, 9/84)……………………………….£6
LOVE KILLS (4.27)/ROTWANGS PARTY (G. Moroder) (CBS WA 4375; 7" picture disc, 9/84)……………………£7
Freddie's first solo single, co-written with Giorgio Moroder, was a rock/disco number that was featured on the soundtrack of "Metropolis", the revamped silent film classic. Released on the same day as Queen's "Hammer To Fall", the song became an instant hit and actually went three places higher in the U.K. chart than the Queen single! CBS certainly promoted it well, securing valuable daytime airplay for the 7", extended 12" and 7" picture disc formats, which together helped the song into the Top 10. Collectors should look out for the Spanish 7" which featured lyrics on the back of the sleeve; while the Japanese 7" boasted a lyric sheet insert. A slightly flat mix can be found on the "Metropolis" soundtrack LP (CBS 70252).
I WAS BORN TO LOVE YOU/STOP ALL THE FIGHTING (3.17) (CBS A 6019; 7", p/s, April 1985)…………………….£3 […]
[Photo caption: There was a 7" and 12" edition of Roger Taylor's "Strange Frontier" single, issued in 1984.]
[…] I WAS BORN TO LOVE YOU (7.03)/STOP ALL THE FIGHTING (3.17) (CBS TA 6019; 12", p/s, 4/85)……...£5
I WAS BORN TO LOVE YOU/STOP ALL THE FIGHTING (3.17) // LOVE KILLS (5.26)/STOP ALL THE FIGHTING (6.39) (CBS DA 6019; 7" double pack, gatefold sleeve, 4/85)……………………………………………………………………….£6
This romantic disco number surprisingly stalled at No. 11, despite a similar array of editions. Of the three formats, the most collectable is the double-pack, which included an extended version of "Stop All The Fighting". Collectors should note the existence of a Mexican green vinyl 12" and a DJ-only 12" Disconet mix, both of which are quite difficult to find these days.
MR BAD GUY (CBS 86312; LP, 5/85)…………….……£6.50
Side One: Let's Turn It On/Made In Heaven/I Was Born To Love You/Foolin' Around/Your Kind Of Lover
Side Two: Mr Bad Guy/Man Made Paradise/There Must Be More To Life/Living On My Own/My Love Is Dangerous/Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow
MR BAD GUY (CBS CD 86312; CD, 5/85)……………….£10
Adds: Let's Turn It On (5.07)/I Was Born To Love You (7.02)/Living On My Own (6.38) […]
[Photo caption: Freddie Mercury got his solo career off the ground with the "Love Kills" 45 in 1984.]
[…] Freddie's first solo album rose to No. 6 in the British charts. It may well have fared better had the press (not always on Queen's side) not savaged the album so viciously. In retrospect, "Mr Bad Guy" was a brave mixture of disco, ballads, light opera and rock, with a touch of reggae thrown in for good measure, but it lacked balance and the sheer quality of a Queen album. The U.K. CD, which added three 12" mixes, is well worth getting hold of. Collectors should also be aware that the American CD edition, now regularly imported into Britain, features no bonus tracks. The home market cassette, however, included the 12" mix of "I Was Born To Love You" as a bonus.
MADE IN HEAVEN (Remix 3.59)/SHE BLOWS HOT AND COLD (3.35) (CBS A 6413; 7", p/s, 6/85).…..£3
MADE IN HEAVEN (Extended Remix 4.43)/MADE IN HEAVEN (Remix 3.59)/SHE BLOWS HOT AND COLD (Extended) (CBS TA 6413; 12", p/s, 6/85)……………..£6
MADE IN HEAVEN (Remix 3.59)/SHE BLOWS HOT AND COLD (3.35) (CBS WA 6413; shaped picture disc, 6/85)………………………………………………………………………£8
The second 45 from "Mr Bad Guy" was the Queen-like "Made In Heaven", issued in a remixed form. Surprisingly, the single fared badly which was doubly odd bearing in mind that it was many fans' most popular track on the album. But the single did include a brilliant non-LP B-side, sport a superb video, and feature an almost perfect vocal from Freddie! I suspect that if the radio stations picked up on it, or had it been disguised as a Queen single, "Made In Heaven" could well have been a much bigger hit. Collectors will doubtless go for the shaped picture disc, but even more desirable is the uncut disc, which now sells for around £25.
The American market was instead given the catchy jazz/disco crossover of "Living On My Own"/"She Blows Hot And Cold" (Columbia 38-05455).
LIVING ON MY OWN/MY LOVE IS DANGEROUS (CBS A 6555; 7", p/s, 8/85)…………………………………………..…£3
LIVING ON MY OWN (Extended 6.38)/MY LOVE IS DANGEROUS (Extended 6.25) (CBS [G]TA 6555; 12", gatefold or single p/s, 8/85)……………………………£7/£5
The third single from "Mr Bad Guy" should have been a hit, but CBS got cold feet and banned Freddie's video, filmed at his birthday party the previous year. Collectors should note that the 12" mix appeared in two […]
[Photo caption: Despite several collectable editions, Freddie's "I Was Born To Love You" missed the Top 10.]
editions, with the choice of gatefold or single sleeve. Both contain a storming version of "My Love Is Dangerous" on the flip, which is far superior to the tame album mix.
LOVE ME LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW/LET'S TURN IT ON (CBS A 6725; 7", p/s, 11/85)……..…..£3
LOVE ME LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW (Extended)/LET'S TURN IT ON (Extended) (CBS TA 6725; 12", p/s, 11/85)…………………………………………..£5
CBS culled a fourth single from the album, a ballad, in direct competition with a brand new Queen single "One Vision". It was a foolish move as the single had no real prospects of doing anything, but it did offer collectors an extended mix of "Love Me Like There Is No Tomorrow". Those who didn't buy the CD of "Mr Bad Guy" finally got the chance to hear the extended version of "Let's Turn It On" on the flip-side.
TIME/TIME (Instrumental Version) (EMI 5559; 7", p/s, 4/86)………………………………………………………………………£3
TIME (Extended Version)/TIME/TIME (Instrumental Version) (EMI 12 5559; 12", p/s, 4/86)…………………..£5
Freddie surprised everyone with this cover version, the title track from Dave Clark's musical "Time". His immaculate vocal ensured that this track received airplay, and while it suffered from being caught between two Queen singles, it provided Mercury with a minor hit. The 12" edition is very desirable as it features an excellent extended mix of the song. The single version turned up on the "Time" double album, along with "In My Defence" and "Time (Reprise)", although sadly, this set has never graced a compact disc.
THE GREAT PRETENDER/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Parlophone R 6151; 7, p/s, 2/87)…………………….…£2.50
THE GREAT PRETENDER (Extended)/THE GREAT PRETENDER (7)/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Parl. 12R 6151; 12", p/s, 2/87)…………………………………………....£4.50
THE GREAT PRETENDER/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Parlophone RP 6151; radio-shaped picture disc, 2/87)……………………………………………………………………..£10
After the success of the Magic Tour in 1986, Queen decided to take a break, which turned into a three-year hiatus with the band immersing themselves in solo projects. Freddie went to record a solo album with the help of Mike Moran and announced its arrival with a cover of the Platters 1957 hit, "The Great Pretender". It was a huge hit, due in part to superb timing and a wonderfully silly video. The B-side is also worth a listen, with Freddie […]
[Photo caption: This is the CD sleeve for the memorable Mercury / Caballe collaboration, "Barcelona".]
[…] and a piano creating a haunted, atmospheric instrumental. Once again, EMI didn't opt for the CD single format. Incidentally, the single turned up on one of the "Now" albums/CDs, but these are also deleted!
BARCELONA (4.23)/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Version 2) (Polydor POSP 887; 7", gatefold p/s, 10/87)……………………………………………………………£4
BARCELONA (4.23)/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Version 2)/BARCELONA (8.27 Extended Version) (Polydor POSPX 887; 12", gatefold p/s, 10/87)…£5
BARCELONA (4.23)/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Version 2)/BARCELONA (8.27 Extended Version) (Polydor POSPC 887, cassette single, 10/87) £3.50
BARCELONA (4.23)/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Version 2)/ BARCELONA (8.27 Extended Version) (Polydor POSPP 887, 12" picture disc, 10/87)…..£8
BARCELONA (4.23)/EXERCISES IN FREE LOVE (Version 2)/ BARCELONA (8.27 Extended Version) (Polydor POSPCD 887; CD single, 10/87)…………£8
Recorded with the renowned Spanish opera diva Montserrat Caballe, "Barcelona" was a surprise hit in November 1987. The duet was certainly memorable and the melody seemed to imprint itself on the brain. Polydor flooded the market with a host of limited editions, and they finally released a CD single that seems set to rise in value in the future. Collectors should note that the single and extended mixes of "Barcelona" weren't used for the album, while the version of "Exercises In Free Love" features vocals from Montserrat and not Freddie.
THE GOLDEN BOY (6.09)/LA JAPONAISE (4.57)/BARCELONA (5.39) (Polydor; promo CD, 9/88) £10
Polydor issued this three-track promotional CD to DJs and keen-eared collectors will spot that both "Golden Boy" and "La Japonaise" are slightly longer than their album counterparts.
BARCELONA (Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe; Polydor POLH 44; LP, 10/88)…………………………...£6.50
Side One: Barcelona (5.38)/La Japonaise (4.49)/The Fallen Priest/Ensueno
Side Two: The Golden Boy (6.03)/Guide Me Home/How Can I Go On/Overture Piccante.
This album was suicidally released without a single to precede it and at a time when […]
[Photo caption: This radio-shaped edition of Freddie's "The Great Pretender" single is one of the rarest releases from any Queen member's career.]
[…] fans were expecting the new Queen LP. "Barcelona" is split into two halves with the first side dominated by light opera — which works quite well if you enjoy opera. As a Queen fan I still find this album impenetrable, and yet it must be said that Freddie's vocals work wonderfully in this medium, especially on Side One's highlights, "La Japonaise" and "Ensueno".
Side Two explores two of Freddie's other musical passions, gospel and soul ballads, but is spoilt by a truly abysmal instrumental, "Overture Piccante". The three songs, "The
Golden Boy", "Guide Me Home" and "How Can I Go On", are among Freddie's finest solo compositions, but they are rather let down by Montserrat's inappropriate vocals. The great diva is totally lost in the gospel arrangement of "The Golden Boy", whereas Freddie sings with great style and ease. The question must be asked as to why Montserrat's vocal was used at all! Both of the quite superb ballads, "How Can I Go On" and "Guide Me Home", are totally ruined by her vocal. The irony is that had these songs been recorded by Freddie alone or with Queen, they would probably be regarded as classics. Also on cassette and CD, the album struggled to No. 24 in the U.K. charts. Note that John Deacon plays bass on "How Can I Go On".
THE GOLDEN BOY/THE FALLEN PRIEST (Polydor POSP 23; 7, p/s, 10/88)………………………………..£2.50
THE GOLDEN BOY/THE FALLEN PRIEST/THE GOLDEN BOY (Instrumental) (Polydor POSP 23; 12", p/s, 10/88).…………………………………………………………….£4.50
THE GOLDEN BOY/THE FALLEN PRIEST/THE GOLDEN BOY (Instrumental Version) (Polydor PZ CD 23; CD single, 10/88)………………………………………..…..£4
This single was lifted directly from the album, and at six minutes plus, gained no airplay and promptly flopped. Collectors should seek out the CD or 12", which included the instrumental version of "The Golden Boy" (without Montserrat!).
HOW CAN I GO ON/OVERTURE PICCANTE (Polydor POSP 29; 7", p/s, 12/88)…………………………………..…..£2 […]
[Photo caption: The 12" picture disc edition of the Mercury / Caballe hit, "Barcelona", issued in October 1987, is currently valued at around £8.]
[…] GUIDE ME HOME/HOW CAN I GO ON/OVERTURE PICCANTE (Polydor POSPX 29; 12", p/s, 12/88)………£4
GUIDE ME HOME/HOW CAN I GO ON/OVERTURE PICCANTE (Polydor PZ 29 CD; CD single, 12/88) £4
HOW CAN I GO ON/OVERTURE PICCANTE (Polydor POSX 29; 7" picture disc, 12/88)……………………….….£5
Having flopped with the gospel number, Polydor went for the ballad "How Can I Go On", but this also failed to excite the record buying public. However, collectors should look out for the 7" picture disc, which is now becoming scarce.
• JOHN DEACON
Unlike the other Queen members, John has apparently held no desire to release solo material. The fact that in the late Seventies and early Eighties, John established himself as a successful songwriter for Queen, penning huge hits with "You're My Best Friend", "Another One Bites The Dust" and "I Want To Break Free" seems to have given
John a great deal of personal satisfaction. During Queen's quieter periods in the late Eighties, John was content to spend time with his family, turning up for the odd guest appearance on other artists' albums, such as Elton John, and jamming with various friends.
John has said that since he has no singing voice, he is unlikely to record a truly solo album but would like to work with other artists. But he did record one single with the Immortals, "No Turning Back", which was used for the film "Biggles" in 1986. He played bass and appeared in the video — and we'll be covering this and other collaborations, by Deacon and all the other members of Queen, in a later article.
1987
Credits to Louise Belle and Queencuttings.com
Classic Rock - October, 2005
Credits to Ale and Queencuttings.com
ROGER TAYLOR
Band Queen (…) (…). Radio Ga-Ga
There was a wealth of talent in Queen; Freddie's awesome voice and songwriting, May's unique phrasing and songwriting, Deacon's playful bass-playing and songwriting. And then there's Roger Taylor. Not only a great drummer - he's a man who manages to combine a pop and even funk approach with moments of ferocity (Seven Seas Of Rye and Hammer To Fall) — he's a songwriter and singer too, the man who wrote Radio Ga-Ga, and supplied Queen with many of those fantastic vocal harmonies. And he has his celebrity fans…
SORUM SAYS
Roger Taylor inspired me in so many ways. He was actually the first rock star I ever saw in real life. I was 15. It was at the Bar & Grill in Hollywood and he pulled up in a Rolls Royce wearing this great suit, with a girl on each arm. He had such a sense of style and I've always tried to emulate that. I played with him once at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert at Wembley and he was dressed totally in white denim. I told him, You can sing like a motherfucker! He encouraged me to sing too, I have stood up front in (…) bands and stuff but it’s a very different animal. I can understand why singers get so crazy, they have nothing to shield them.
ROGER TAYLOR
TALKING GA GA
You've always had a good idea of what a set of drums can bring to a song...
"That's something that we learnt very quickly in the studio. The tendency in those days was for everybody to be a virtuoso — to show off on your instrument. But to me you were playing a song and so the instrument should complement the song in every possible way. Obtrusively or unobtrusively, you should play the song and not think about dots or bars. That's what I tried to do."
You play from the heart?
"Absolutely, and I think that you should just watch the song and learn the song.”
And use your ears?
"Yeah. Maybe the beat should be a little-behind, maybe you should push, whatever. It's all about feel, really."
Your trademark 'big sound' dates back to early Queen. How did it come about?
"I've always liked to use big drums I've got nothing against the Stewart Copeland kind of thing; which is very good in its own way, but I was always into the ambient-sound of a drum kit. I like big tuneful drums with a natural room sound, so the whole kit sounds balanced. I wanted it to sound as though you were in a room and you were hearing the reverberation from the walls. Sometimes you would achieve that with machines and sometimes you'd get the right room and it sounded great. Obviously, it changed with different songs - Another One Bites The Dust was as dry as you can get, but typically I would have a big, fat, ambient, monster drum sound."
As a self-taught musician, were you inspired by any particular drummers?
"I used to like jazz drummers because of their beautiful fluidity. I love Mitch Mitchell — I think some of his Stuff on the first Hendrix album Are You Experienced? is just sublime, absolutely floating over it all. Of course I love Keith Moon, but probably above all, I love John Bonham. It's a pretty predictable pantheon, but let's face it, they don't make them like that any more. Although there are some great guys around."
Is there anyone from nowadays who you think stands eut in a similar way?
"I think that McCartney guy — Abe Labonel Jr — is really good, but my own personal favourites would be Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl. To have them both in the same band is incredible. When they play together it's like dynamite, Dave is brilliant and Taylor, he's just like a firestorm. Those two play phenomenally."
Record Collector - June, 2001
Credits to Ale and Queencuttings.com
Record Collector - June, 2002
Credits to Daniele and Queencuttings.com
