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Subject: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray Date: 05 Sep 11 - 03:32 AM Apart from a brief flirtation with their quirky breakthrough hit in the autumn of 1974 I never did 'get' Queen, though I might respect not only their gifted musicality and legendary devotion to their craft, but also their celebratory openess to sexuality at a time when Inman and Grayson were hardly Gay icons. So here on Freddie's 65th birthday - respect. Thanks to Google for the timely thought - I'll now go listen to said quirky hit of 1974 on YouTube and no doubt the 13-year-old in me will still be beguiled... |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Will Fly Date: 05 Sep 11 - 03:44 AM I was never a Queen fan but I also admired their professionalism and musicality. I certainly thought Freddie M was a superb showman and recall - as many of must do - their performance at the Live Aid concert. When I played in a 1950s rock'n roll trio, our one concession to anything written after 1961 was "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - which always went down a storm. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Arthur_itus Date: 05 Sep 11 - 04:00 AM I was/still am a big Queen fan. So is my wife and 2 daughters. Saw them live in Rotterdam at the Ahoy and in Leiden. Brilliant band. I wonder what Freddie would look like if he was still alive. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Will Fly Date: 05 Sep 11 - 04:24 AM Just spotted an hour long tribute to Fred on ITV4 (Freeview 24) at 8pm this evening - "Freddie Mercury: Magic remixed" |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: alanabit Date: 05 Sep 11 - 04:25 AM I had always admired the craft rather than the substance of Queen's work. They were all good songwriters and they all wrote very polished pop songs. Freddie Mercury had always struck me as a bit of a pompous prat. One day I heard an interview with him. He was being asked about songs he had written and the interviewer mentioned, "We Are The Champions". "Oh - the most arrogant and egotistical song I have ever written," replied Freddie. It was impossible to actually dislike him after that! |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: JennyO Date: 05 Sep 11 - 08:04 AM I have always loved Queen and Freddie. What a character! Larger than life and SOOOOOO talented. What a shame we lost him :( I wish I had had the opportunity to see him perform live. It always nearly brings me to tears when I hear him sing "Who wants to live forever". |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Brian May Date: 05 Sep 11 - 02:00 PM Hey Arthur - you even know that guitarist . . . Brian May! I love Queen too, well I'd have to wouldn't I? Have fun |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Arthur_itus Date: 05 Sep 11 - 02:56 PM Hello Brian, you curly haired bugger :-) |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: fat B****rd Date: 05 Sep 11 - 03:30 PM I'm sort of with Alanabit on the subject of Queen. Their ability is beyond question. But, apart from "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" I can't get away with their material. That'll rattle 'em, I'm sure. There is on Youtube film of them doing acoustic things like "Hello Marylou" which I like. That'll be a relief for 'em. Freddie Mercury was a great showman and singer, so, ATB Freddie , wherever you may be. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: gnu Date: 05 Sep 11 - 06:50 PM They took "Rock Opera" to amazing heights around the world. Even when some of the tunes were rather, ahhh, "odd"... let's leave it at that. Bravo! Well done Freddy and the lads. Thanks. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Lonesome EJ Date: 05 Sep 11 - 11:44 PM Queen was always a bit of a bloated version of stadium glitter rock, but Freddy did have an excellent voice (not really a rock singer though would you say?), and despite all the posing and over-produced junk they recorded, they did have a winner with Bowie on Under Pressure. So, sure, a reluctant acknowledgment that FM was quite good at his job. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: John MacKenzie Date: 06 Sep 11 - 04:28 AM I hate to be pedantic (sometimes :), but it isn't Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday. It's the 65th anniversary of his birth, as dead people tend not to have birthday parties, AFAIK. It's like that perpetually annoying remark one hears all too often. If so-and-so had lived, he'd be xx this year. Well they aren't and they won't be! |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: JennyO Date: 06 Sep 11 - 08:08 AM But John, are you SURE he isn't partying up there somewhere? If he is, it will be a doozy! Anyway, he is alive in our hearts. That's what's important. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: GUEST,Bluesman Date: 06 Sep 11 - 11:56 AM He was void of any musical talent. He was a stage showman. Nothing more than a Gary Glitter type character. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Jeri Date: 06 Sep 11 - 12:08 PM I'm sure you meant devoid. I guess he must have been using someone else's voice then. I managed to see Queen once in concert. (Billy Idol opened, and I still had my socks on afterwards). Queen was crazy-good, and Freddie was full of energy and was every bit as good live as he was recorded. |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Sep 11 - 12:10 PM Only in your opinion, Bluesman. I loved his voice, and their music was marvelous. If you ever listen to interviews with band members the insight into how they work is very interesting. I suggest you look up some of them here. It's radio conversations for thinking people. SRS |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Sep 11 - 12:14 PM And then there's this - The Muppets needed help when they wanted to do this piece, so Queen played it for them. How could they turn down such a great gig? (Now back to the Mercury discussion.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Greg B Date: 06 Sep 11 - 03:01 PM It's ironic, I think, that two of sporting life's most masculine, nay MACHO, anthems came from this decidedly non-masculine character. Indeed, a lot of fellows who fancy themselves "real men" would probably have disliked Freddie Mercury intensely, perhaps violently. Namely, "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions." Which latter, by the way, includes the ubiquitous juvenile taunt as part of the tune: "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!" |
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Subject: RE: Freddie Mercury's 65th.... From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Sep 11 - 08:27 PM Ironic? I think that's a rather silly way to evaluate the power of the music, what does sexual preference or proclivities have to do with the creation of music? Of art? Do you think Aaron Copeland's music suffers in any way because he was gay--is Rodeo compromised in any way? Is Michelangelo's David ironic in it's masculinity? SRS |
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