|
Queen
Nov 18, 2019 15:32:50 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 18, 2019 15:32:50 GMT
I realized that I forgot to mention Heaven for Everyone, which is one of the better tracks on the album. Even though it was originally a song for Roger Taylor's The Cross, it fits perfectly on the MIH album.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 18, 2019 23:30:15 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Nov 18, 2019 23:30:15 GMT
I haven’t thought much about, much less listened to, Made in Heaven for quite a while but I think back on its release very fondly. As I said in our Innuendo discussion, I had only just become a Queen fan right before Freddie Mercury died. I was really excited and more than a little nervous.
1995 was quite a year for this sort of thing, as the Beatles Anthology 1 came out, as well, meaning we got to hear “Free As a Bird.” Honestly I don’t know which project had me more excited. Made in Heaven was better for me then than it would have been later because the only song I knew was “Too Much Love Will Kill You,” which I had always associated with Freddie despite it being a Brian May song because it was only released on May’s Back to the Light after Freddie died. It should surprise no one that, despite May’s sensitive vocal on the original, it sounds better, not to mention even more poignant, with Freddie singing it back from the grave.
Those other old songs, I hadn’t heard before. They were all new to me. While I had Mercury’s Barcelona and The Great Pretender albums while still in high school, his solo album Mr. Bad Guy was nowhere to be found. And while there was duplication across that and The Great Pretender, it turns out that Freddie’s older songs were pulled from the former, not the latter.
The first time I heard the title track, then, was when I put in Made in Heaven in late 1995. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the opener, “It’s a Beautiful Day,” “Made in Heaven” knocked me out. Such joy despite the obviously imperfect circumstances. Speaking of joy, “I Was Born to Love You” stands out for that reason. Obviously a Queen version, heavy on guitars and rock drums, is miles from the original—but remember, I’d never heard the original. To me, this was the original, and it featured an alive-and-well, celebratory Freddie Mercury. Finally, “Heaven For Everyone,” originally from Roger Taylor’s The Cross project. Not only had I not heard that before, I’d never heard the original until about 15 minutes ago as I type this. A person could complain that the Queen version feels a bit dated, maybe a little ‘80s; the original is an embarrassment in that respect, especially with its spoken word bits. What Queen did with this was a wonder. What Queen fan couldn’t use a little doe-eyed optimism as he listened to Freddie and Co.?
Among the new songs, “Let Me Live” struck me. The trading off of verses between the band’s three singers was touching, and the vocal buildup to the “take another piece … piece of my heart” late in the song is beautiful. Not their best gospel number, but not half bad.
“Mother Love” didn’t do much for me musically, but “I long for peace before I die,” well … yeah.
“My Life Has Been Saved” is a song I didn’t even realize was older until just now: it was the B-side to “Scandal”! Anyway, I always enjoyed it even though it seems pretty insubstantial, almost like a demo. (That makes it odd that it had been released before; honestly it seemed like a single idea never quite fleshed out, pasted together to make a song.)
And that is exactly what “You Don’t Fool Me” was: a David Richards studio collation of scraps of ideas Freddie had been messing around with just before he died, presented to the survivors from which to make a true song.
“A Winter’s Tale” is a campy, cozy coda. It should have ended there.
If I may quibble at all about the album—and I think Freddie would insist we would be just a little bitchy about things—I’d say they could have laid off the extra, pasted-in bits and pieces of anachronistic or cutting-room-floor “yeahs!” and whatnot. It feels as if they wanted to be sure we all remembered Freddie Mercury, as if we could forget.
And of course the 22 minutes of untitled soundscape would be best not just untitled, but undone and unreleased. One has to be charitable and assume it was done in love as a sort of meditation, but it just doesn’t work as a permanent artifact.
In the end it’s an imperfect album, as it would have to be, considering. But it’s a really strong one, too, considering, even if the best of the material was older. And it was a hit around the world, reaching number one across Europe and elsewhere. And #58 in the US. To our shame.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 19, 2019 2:56:35 GMT
via mobile
Post by kds on Nov 19, 2019 2:56:35 GMT
I really don't recall the Made in Heaven album being marketed much in the States, despite the fact that we were now in the post Freddie's death / Wayne's World era where Queen was much more revered.
We were also in the mid 90s, where demand for classic rock bands was up. Floyd and The Stones had hit albums the previous year. The reunions of The Eagles and Jimmy Page & Robert Plant were huge. 1995 saw renewed interest in The Beatles with the premiere of the Anthology doc on ABC and the two "new" Beatles songs.
So, the time was right. But, the new Queen songs weren't embraced by active rock or classic rock stations. I remember VH1 aired a truncated version of a new Queen doc called Champions of the World, which featured some pieces of the new tracks, and that got me pretty hyped up for the album. But, it somehow managed to go unnoticed.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 14:55:25 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 20, 2019 14:55:25 GMT
THE SHOW MUST GO ON - POST QUEEN - FINAL THOUGHTS
Freddie Mercury's death on November 24, 1991 was the end of Queen as we know it. But, the band has experienced quite a ride over the next almost 30 years.
Queen experienced a resurgence in popularity in 1992, aided by the use of Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne's World. Michael Myers could've chosen any classic rock song for that scene. The studio also could've pressured him to use a new song, but luckily Myers was stubborn, and the scene early in the movie became iconic, and breathed new life into Queen's back catalog. The epic Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in April 1992, featuring a legendary lineup of past and then current rock stars also played a part.
Oddly enough, this new found popularity didn't really help Made in Heaven in late 1995 too much in the States.
Queen wasn't exactly finished just yet. In 1997, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor recorded the final Queen song - No One But You (Only the Good Die Young). It was included on the Queen compilation Queen Rocks. It's a decent power ballad with Brian and Roger trading vocals. But, cynically, I feel like they could've found a better way to release their final song than making fans buy a collection of songs we already have. But, that's the biz.
Brian and Roger would perform a few one offs, most notably at Queen's RNRHOF induction in 2001 and the Queen of England's 50th Anniversary concert in 2002.
In 2005, Brian and Roger revived the band as a touring band. With Paul Rodgers of Free, Bad Company, and The Firm on vocals, the band was branded "Queen + Paul Rodgers." John Deacon declined to participate as he'd retired for good in 1997, and seems to enjoy quiet family life. It was probably inevitable that some sort of Queen band would happen in the 2000s. Brian May's solo career in the 90s didn't really take off (despite a really good touring band with Neil Murray, Cozy Powell, and Spike Edney). And there was a market for a catalog that hadn't been played live for so long.
So, Queen + Paul Rodgers (Good Company would've been such a perfect name for this group) hit the road. On paper, the bluesy vocals of Rodgers didn't sound like a good fit, but it was pretty good. I got to see them live in 2006, and that show was a highlight of my concert going life because I never thought I had a chance in Hell of ever hearing those songs live by half of the band. They also threw in some Bad Company songs for good measure.
As a nostalgia act, it worked. However, in 2008, they decided to actually go into the studio. The result was the mediocre The Cosmos Rocks album. I've tried several times over the years to listen to it, but it just doesn't register. C-lebrity is somewhat humorous. Say It's Not True is fairly decent. The rest is very forgettable.
Not too long after Paul Rodgers returned to Bad Company. Brian and Roger recruited pop star, and former American Idol contestant, Adam Lambert, who was probably a better fit to take Queen's songs on the road. They continue to tour today, and have hinted they will likely not attempt any new music.
In 2018, Hollywood gave Queen another shot in the arm with the long awaiting release of their biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. The movie was a box office smash, and while Wayne's World helped move Queen CDs off the shelves, this movie (which in an inspired movie features a small part for Michael Myers) help Queen's streaming numbers. The movie itself is IMO entertaining, but nothing special.
So, as we near the 28th anniversary of Freddie Mercury's death, Queen's music continues to find new ears. Their music is married to pop culture probably moreso than any of their peers.
As for Queen's catalog, they had some missteps along the way, as any band with over ten years and ten albums will, but it's pretty damn consistent. To me, their first five albums are pretty much perfect, and while they were never quite that good again, there's still a ton of great music to like. For S&Gs, I've ranked them:
1. Queen II 2. Queen I 3. A Night at the Opera 4. Sheer Heart Attack 5. A Day at the Races 6. Jazz 7. Innuendo 8. The Game 9. News of the World 10. A Kind of Magic 11. The Miracle 12. The Works 13. Made in Heaven 14. Hot Space 15. Flash Gordon
Of course, Brian and Roger have their critics for taking Queen + Adam Lambert on the road. But, I see no issue with giving fans a chance to hear that music by it's creators. And with these 15 albums, Queen's legacy is fully intact, and will likely continue to find new fans as the years go by.
|
|
bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 15:44:38 GMT
Post by bellbottoms on Nov 20, 2019 15:44:38 GMT
Another production that helped to keep the Queen spirit alive after Freddie’s death is the We Will Rock You musical.
I lost my ranking list that I scribbled out a few weeks ago, but I think this is very close to what I had, with the exception of A Kind of Magic trading places with Innuendo. That’s an interesting development, and it’s definitely due to the discussion in this thread leading me to re-evaluate both albums.
1. Sheer Heart Attack 2. Queen II 3. A Night at the Opera 4. A Day at the Races 5. News of the World 6. Hot Space 7. The Game 8. The Works 9. Jazz 10. A Kind of Magic 11. Innuendo 12. Queen I 13. The Miracle 14. Made in Heaven 15. Flash Gordon
I’m not super comfy with the ranking of numbers 7-12 and especially with Queen I so low in the list. In a way, it feels as if there is really a 6-way tie between The Game, The Works, Jazz, A Kind of Magic, Innuendo and Queen I… and, truly, a 3-way tie between Sheer Heart Attack, Queen II, and A Night at the Opera, as well.
Also, we didn’t talk about Live Killers or any of the other official live Queen albums, so I’ll just throw in my ranking of the ones I’m familiar with:
1. Live Killers 2. Live at the Rainbow ‘74 3. Rock Montreal 4. On Fire at the Bowl (Milton Keynes) 5. A Night at the Odeon 6. Wembley ‘86 7. Hungarian Rhapsody
If we were adding these in as Queen albums to listen to, then I’d likely just kick Flash Gordon off the list completely since Montreal and Milton Keynes both deliver the only Flash Gordon goods I need.
In terms of what’s happening with Queen in the present, I’m good with them not recording any music with Adam Lambert – I think that’s the right decision. But I absolutely support the Queen + Adam Lambert touring machine and hope they keep that going for as long as they want to do it, and for as long as they sound good doing it.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 16:11:36 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 20, 2019 16:11:36 GMT
Considering how great of a live band Queen are, you're right that their live albums should warrant discussion. So, here's my ranking with a brief note
1. Live at the Rainbow 1974 - The concert film is my all time favorite live film by anybody ever. So, of course, I'm going to rank the CD companion very highly. The fact that it's heavy on material from the first three albums seals the deal.
2. A Night at the Odeon - Almost as good as the Rainbow show is their Christmas Eve 1975 concert, which features an early live version of Bohemian Rhapsody as part of a medley.
3. Live at Wembley '86 - I love this one because you get versions of Another One Bites the Dust, I Want to Break Free, Radio Ga Ga, A Kind of Magic, and Under Pressure that I think are superior to the studio versions.
4. On Air / Live at the BBC - The original Live at the BBC is a live in studio performance of seven Queen I tracks and Ogre Battle. Amazing stuff, and the expanded On Air collection goes up to 1977. There's also a six CD version, but of the four bonus discs, three of them are interviews.
5. Rock Montreal - Probably an upgrade over Live Killers.
6. Live Killers - The only full live album released when Queen were an active band. The sound could be better, but unlike other live albums of the day, it's live.
7. On Fire at the Bowl - The live versions of Hot Space tracks are miles better than the studio versions
8. Hungarian Rhapsody - A little repetitive if you already have Wembley.
9. Live Magic - An odd one since most of the songs are truncated. When Queen's catalog was reissued on CD in the early 90s, this one didn't make the cut. Instead the full Wembley show was released. It did get a CD release a few years later, but it falls into the "for completists only" category.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 16:41:09 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Nov 20, 2019 16:41:09 GMT
I hate ranking things! But, since I also love (and am to some degree occasionally obsessive about) ranking things, I’m going to give it a shot, too. But first, a few words to wrap it up from my perspective. This album-by-album part of the thread—and thanks, KDS, for the work involved—reinforced my belief that Queen is one of the absolute great bands in pop/rock history. I’ve always felt like this was a slightly subversive or minority belief, that despite the hits, they were really second-tier behind the real greats like the Beatles, Beach Boys, Stones, etc. And maybe that’s an American perspective, or was before the most recent reinvigoration. But I really think they’re right up there. The thread also helped reacquaint me with some music I haven’t listened to in a long time. I’m thankful both for that music and the opportunity to revisit it. To that end, I’m glad other people are getting a chance to experience the music in a credible-sounding band fronted by Adam Lambert. He’s no Freddie Mercury, but he is bringing a similar sensibility and vocal talent to the role. And of course he’s flanked by two original members, probably the second- and third- most prominent original members. (John Deacon obviously wrote some big hits, but wasn’t as essential a presence on stage.) I think their decision not to attempt new music is a smart one: while I don’t know much of Lambert’s original music—I’ve only very briefly sampled it—I can’t imagine he shares Mercury’s compositional talent. And a new album of strictly Taylor- and May-penned songs doesn’t sound appealing at this point. Sharing the music live, curating its presentation in other projects, I think that’s sufficient. After all, a couple weekends ago while I was getting my hair cut, I heard a kid who couldn’t be more than five years old talking in surprising depth about Queen being his favorite band, ticking off song after song! So their work is working. At long last, my stab at a ranking, with spaces designating rough categories. The final two categories are the only ones with what I’d consider really significant drops: group one to group two is going from near perfection to classic; two to three is classic to really, really good; and so on, down until Hot Space. 1. A Night at the Opera 2. A Day at the Races 3. Sheer Heart Attack 4. The Game 5. Jazz 6. News of the World 7. Queen II 8. Innuendo 9. A Kind of Magic 10. The Works 11. Made in Heaven 12. Queen I 13. The Miracle 14. Hot Space 15. Flash Gordon
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 17:37:27 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 20, 2019 17:37:27 GMT
I'd definitely put Queen in the same league of elites when you consider the overall quality of their catalog. I've seen them rank just behind The Beatles in UK publications before. And, even without ever seeing them in person, I'd probably say they are the greatest live band in history.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 18:00:10 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Nov 20, 2019 18:00:10 GMT
Hard to say considering all the great live bands in history but they’re obviously one of the all-time greats in that regard. They were both technically proficient and (mostly because of Freddie) charismatic and entertaining. It’s a rare combination.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 18:53:34 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 20, 2019 18:53:34 GMT
Hard to say considering all the great live bands in history but they’re obviously one of the all-time greats in that regard. They were both technically proficient and (mostly because of Freddie) charismatic and entertaining. It’s a rare combination. The other thing you can say about them live, is they are one of the few bands that rose to prominence in the 1970s who didn't fill their shows with endless jamming. Bands like Zeppelin, Purple, Rainbow, Floyd, The Who, etc would stretch out songs far longer than they should've ever been, and included extended solos. Queen had Brian's Brighton Rock guitar showcase, and maybe a short Roger Taylor drum solo, but there are no 16 minute live versions of You're My Best Friend making their live albums difficult to listen to.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 18:59:12 GMT
via mobile
kds likes this
Post by Kapitan on Nov 20, 2019 18:59:12 GMT
Absolutely. Their songs were almost never jams; they tended toward tightly composed works. Personally I appreciate that.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 20, 2019 22:10:57 GMT
kds likes this
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Nov 20, 2019 22:10:57 GMT
Great work on the Queen catalogue, kds. It was very educational and I enjoyed following along very much!
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 21, 2019 13:13:27 GMT
Post by kds on Nov 21, 2019 13:13:27 GMT
Thanks, Sheriff.
One release I didn't mention when discussing the live albums is the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. The almost complete show was released on BluRay a few years ago, and it's a great show.
There have also been live releases from Queen + Paul Rodgers and Queen + Adam Lambert, which are nice, and provide a cool souvenir for anyone who saw those versions of the band. But, otherwise, non essential purchases.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 22, 2019 18:28:33 GMT
B.E. likes this
Post by kds on Nov 22, 2019 18:28:33 GMT
Sorry to bump this thread again, but I forgot to mention something in my final thoughts post.
Queen managed to last nearly 20 years with only one lineup - Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor. For a band that lasted nearly two decades and released 15 albums, that's very rare.
|
|
|
Queen
Nov 22, 2019 18:44:53 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Nov 22, 2019 18:44:53 GMT
One must never apologize for bumping a Queen thread, done with the discography or not.
It is really amazing how long they lasted with the same lineup. Is there another band that comes to mind that managed the same thing?
|
|