Topic: Queen

[Andy G]

I was lucky enough to see Queen with Freddie Mercury in 1986 at Maine Road and it was one of the best concerts that I have ever been too.  Other stand out concerts include U2 at  Wembley Stadium 1987, The Rolling Stones at the Harbourfest, Hong Kong in 2003, Pink Floyd at Wembley 1988, Pearl Jam in Prague in 2002, The Who doing Quadrophenia in Hyde Park 1997 and Nirvana at Rock City, Nottingham 1992.

Last night, I went to see Queen with some American Idol winner (yuk) named Adam Lambert.  He was no Freddy - but then again, who could be, but he was absolutely superb and I can honestly say that it was one of the best gigs I have ever been to.  I put a little list up above to show that I am no concert novice and hvae been to somewhere between 300 and 400 of them, including pretty much every major rock band of the last 40 years and more.  Yes, Queen and Adam Lambert really where that good.

Not sure of any other dates they are doing, but if you get the chance, I can thoroughly recommend it.  Just thought I would let you know as I am still buzzing. 

[TepidT2O]

Nirvana at Rock City.... Wow, that would have been something, I couldn't get tickets for it iirc I suspect I was broke

[stoa]

Have never seen Queen live, but they are one of my favourite bands. I kind of like that May and Taylor are keeping things going, but then again I'm not sure, if they should have just left it after Mercury died and they had done a couple of albums...

[Andy G]

Nirvana at Rock City.... Wow, that would have been something, I couldn't get tickets for it iirc I suspect I was broke

To be honest, Nirvana were very good, but I could have said The Black Crowes, Extreme, Tesla, Megadeath (playing as Vic and the Rattle Heads) and a plethora of other bands at Rock City were as good and better, but knew that Nirvana would get more attention to make the point as to how good Queen were last night in my opinion.  Being broke is no excuse for not going to a gig.  Elton John has did gigs because he was broke!!! (the one I went to was very good too - but it was not Rock City)

[Stubbins]

Queen only played as support to one band. That was Mott the Hoople on a UK tour in 1972 (or 73,my memory is going)

I was in the front row of the Newcastle City Hall the night they played there. I'd never heard of Queen before but we all knew about them after they'd done their 45 minute slot. They were sensational, flamboyant, very tight musically - as you'd expect - and a lot 'heavier' in those early days than what followed later. The next day I tried without success to buy their first album in the local record stores. No one had it, no one knew of them and I had to order it in to collect a week later. Most of the stores must have thought I had a speech impediment because the guys behind the counter would disappear and come back with a Cream album.

My brief encounter with fame is that when they finished their set I was on my toes because I was bursting for a piss. Freddie (I didn't know he was Freddie then) must have thought I was on my feet in star struck admiration because he suddenly leant forward and thrust his purple gloved hand down to me to shake. Which I did, before rushing off up the aisle to find a toilet. Me and Freddie eh? We went our separate ways.

[the good half]

I don't like Queen.
I never have.
What is hilarious to me however is if I say I don't like the band people react as if I had said 'I hate your kids!'

There are a few reasons what I don't/can't get into them but I'd be interested in hearing the views of some other nonqueenloving rawkites.

[JerseyKloppite]

I don't like Queen.
I never have.
What is hilarious to me however is if I say I don't like the band people react as if I had said 'I hate your kids!'

There are a few reasons what I don't/can't get into them but I'd be interested in hearing the views of some other nonqueenloving rawkites.

Weird that there isn't a Queen thread I can see really, just lots of scrappy ones about specific tours or gigs.

Each to their own, you can like whoever you like. Firstly it would be dull if everyone liked the same music, second I hardly think it's surprising that a band known for overblown, camp spectaculars are not liked by all.

I love Queen, they were actually the first band I really fell for when I started to like 'proper' music rather than pop shite when I was about 15. Got their albums, a couple of DVDs and some rare limited editions coloured LPs which I framed and stuck on my wall.

As with most things I've now calmed down a bit and they are for the most part just another band on my iPod but I still love watching any TV stuff on them. I've made a point of never seeing any new incarnation of Queen live. I never saw them with Mercury as I was only 4 when he died. Had I seen them at their best I think I'd be happy enough to go along now for nostalgia purposes but I think seeing a band you like for the first time in these circumstances wouldn't be quite right so I shall continue to enjoy them for what they were.

I think people get prickly defending any band they like. You feel that the other person doesn't quite 'get' them, so you try to convince them they're wrong - I get that now with Arcade Fire. Brilliant band, some don't like them, I can't understand why. It's the nature of subjectivety.

It's more acute when the band are 'legendary' or perceived to be significant culturally. I'd argue Queen clearly are given their success and legacy of still-popular tunes (stuff like We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions, Don't Stop Me Now, Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites The Dust, Radio Gaga, I Want To Break Free etc). Funnily enough I don't think any of their most popular songs are anything like their best.

Doesn't mean you need to/should like them though. There are lots of bands or artists who I acknowledge to be legendary or important but I don't necessarily like much, or listen to at all - Madonna, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley etc. Horses for courses.

[Red-O]

For as long as I can remember Queen has been a band that has split opinions.  Loved Queen as a teenager in the 80's -  The Works was first album I ever bought, Mercury stealing the show at Live Aid, Kind of Magic tour.  But lots of mates hated them with a vengeance.  Particularly cool kids who were into the bands like the Smiths, which I similarly couldn't stand.  Funny really, after all that probably now listen to a lot more Smiths on the old ipod than Queen...

[fowlermagic]

Just saw they were coming to Dublin this summer. 85 euro with Adam Lambert as a frontman.....are they still worth seeing as love watching any documentary about them with Freddie on tv? Should have gone back in the late 80s to see them.

[Andy G]

Just saw they were coming to Dublin this summer. 85 euro with Adam Lambert as a frontman.....are they still worth seeing as love watching any documentary about them with Freddie on tv? Should have gone back in the late 80s to see them.

Yes, deffo.  Adam Lambert is brilliant with Queen.  Where he came from, i.e. some shite tv programme, is against everything that I believe in with regards to musical success; however, he does not try to be Freddy and is a great performer in his own right.  Do not hesitate buying your ticket.

[StormyDog]

Just saw they were coming to Dublin this summer. 85 euro with Adam Lambert as a frontman.....are they still worth seeing as love watching any documentary about them with Freddie on tv? Should have gone back in the late 80s to see them.

Sorry but no.
I saw Queen during the kind of magic tour back in 96.
No one replaces Freddie.
It will be a Queen tribute with original members without Freddie

[JerseyKloppite]

Sorry but no.
I saw Queen during the kind of magic tour back in 96.
No one replaces Freddie.
It will be a Queen tribute with original members without Freddie

I've made the decision not to see them (I'm too young to have seen the original line up) but not sure you can tell people it'll be crap unless you've actually seen it. Of course no one replaces Freddie but that's not what the question was. Would Roger Taylor, Brian May and Adam Lambert playing Queen songs be an entertaining evening? Quite probably.

[StormyDog]

I didn’t say he was crap, just that he’s not Freddie.

Including travel and whole package I personAlly wouldn’t go.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Saw them with Lambert last year in Belfast, he's not Freddie, and tbf to him he doesn't try to be either, they were great.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

No Freddie = No Queen.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

Queen only played as support to one band. That was Mott the Hoople on a UK tour in 1972 (or 73,my memory is going)

I was in the front row of the Newcastle City Hall the night they played there. I'd never heard of Queen before but we all knew about them after they'd done their 45 minute slot. They were sensational, flamboyant, very tight musically - as you'd expect - and a lot 'heavier' in those early days than what followed later. The next day I tried without success to buy their first album in the local record stores. No one had it, no one knew of them and I had to order it in to collect a week later. Most of the stores must have thought I had a speech impediment because the guys behind the counter would disappear and come back with a Cream album.

I can hardly believe what you typed out there mate.

My Da was at that gig (Mott The Hoople and Queen) and he likes nothing better than to tell me about it     

He went to absolutely loads of gigs in the 70's, especially at the City Hall and the ODEON.

His Granddad was manager at the ODEON for years and my Da was always getting free tickets.  He seen the top band at that time perform there, The Faces, Humble Pie, Peter Frampton, The Moody Blues, The Who and loads more.

[rob1966]

Yes, deffo.  Adam Lambert is brilliant with Queen.  Where he came from, i.e. some shite tv programme, is against everything that I believe in with regards to musical success; however, he does not try to be Freddy and is a great performer in his own right.  Do not hesitate buying your ticket.

I don't mind the likes of him, because he worked hard for years, did a stint on a cruise ship and in musicals before he went on American Idol.

[Andy G]

I saw Queen during the kind of magic tour back in 96.
No one replaces Freddie.

I am sorry, but it was probably '86 on the Kind of Magic tour.  I  saw Queen with Freddie at Maine Road and they were in my top 10 concerts...and I have seen around 500 concerts, and pretty much every famous rock band on the planet up until 2000, plus a few since then.

I took my kids to see Queen with Adam Lambert, and it was also in my top 10. Lambert cannot be Freddie, who is imo the greatest ever frontman,  I thought is it would be shite in comparison, as Lambert can never be Freddie, but he did not try to be, and the gig overall was almost on par.

[StormyDog]

I am sorry, but it was probably '86 on the Kind of Magic tour.  I  saw Queen with Freddie at Maine Road and they were in my top 10 concerts...and I have seen around 500 concerts, and pretty much every famous rock band on the planet up until 2000, plus a few since then.

I took my kids to see Queen with Adam Lambert, and it was also in my top 10. Lambert cannot be Freddie, who is imo the greatest ever frontman,  I thought is it would be shite in comparison, as Lambert can never be Freddie, but he did not try to be, and the gig overall was almost on par.

My bad 86 not 96 doh

[JerseyKloppite]

I didn’t say he was crap, just that he’s not Freddie.

Including travel and whole package I personAlly wouldn’t go.

My point was more - if you’ve not seen it, you’re not really in a position to tell someone it’s not worth it. Fine to say you won’t go for XYZ reason (same with me - as I never saw them in the or prime I don’t want to see them now) but by all accounts it’s still an amazing show.

[Zeppelin]

I can hardly believe what you typed out there mate.

My Da was at that gig (Mott The Hoople and Queen) and he likes nothing better than to tell me about it     

He went to absolutely loads of gigs in the 70's, especially at the City Hall and the ODEON.

His Granddad was manager at the ODEON for years and my Da was always getting free tickets.  He seen the top band at that time perform there, The Faces, Humble Pie, Peter Frampton, The Moody Blues, The Who and loads more.

I saw that tour at the Stadium in Liverpool in 1973 - I remember Queen as being pretty good, but I couldn't have foreseen them becoming as big as they did. I've got a recording of the Queen set which I haven't listened to in years. I'll have to give it another listen.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Sorry but no.
I saw Queen during the kind of magic tour back in 96.
No one replaces Freddie.
It will be a Queen tribute with original members without Freddie

Totally agree. I saw them in 1982, still among the best I've ever seen.

[Mutton Geoff]

Saw queen but with Paul Rodgers fronting them, again he isnt Freddie but he is a dam good front man also had the bonus of 'All right Now' so queen + a touch of Free,

However my best concert was and always will be  Bowie at the NEC  i think it was his last tour before his initial health problems, the guy was just epic made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up epic

[lfcthekop]

Not Freddie, but he sounds very simular

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dREKkAk628I

[BarryCrocker]

Like Wow!!!!

Queen Reportedly Set to Sell Catalog for $1.1 Billion

As Queen marks the 50th anniversary of their eponymous debut, the band is reportedly in talks to sell their catalog of music for an estimated $1.1 billion.

The band is reportedly in the early stages, which could include everything from their 1973 self-titled debut through their 1995 album, Made in Heaven—Queen’s15th and final album following the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991. Their catalog also includes 10 live albums and two soundtracks (Flash Gordon, Highlander).

Several major music companies, including Universal Music Group and Disney Music Group, which owns the band’s catalog in North America, have been vying for the acquisition, according to a report.

If the deal goes through, it would mark the biggest artist catalog sale in history, surpassing Bruce Springsteen‘s $500 million sale of his masters and publishing to Sony in 2021. The amount would be split between the three surviving members of Queen, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon, along with the estate of Freddie Mercury.

Over the past five decades, Queen has sold 300 million records worldwide and earned nine Top 20 hits, including No. 1s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.”

In 2018, the band saw an uptick in sales of their albums following the release of the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, which grossed more than $910 million worldwide. The film also won four Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, and two BAFTA Awards. May has hinted that he wants to work on a sequel to the 2018 Queen biopic.

In 2023, Queen will embark on their 22-date Rhapsody Tour with singer Adam Lambert in North America. Following Queen and Lambert’s European and U.K. tour in 2022, the new string of dates will kick off on Oct. 4 at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, and conclude in Los Angeles at the BMO Stadium on Nov. 12.

Second dates have also been added to New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Baltimore after the initial shows in these cities sold out.

Backed by a state-of-the-art designed stage with special effects, Queen and Lambert will perform a 150-minute set celebrating the band’s catalog of hits, including “We Will Rock You,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Radio Ga Ga,” and “Somebody To Love,” along with deeper cuts and other fan favorites.

Earlier in the year, May was also knighted by King Charles III, nearly a year after Queen and Lambert performed at the Platinum Jubilee at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II‘s 70-year reign.

https://americansongwriter.com/queen-reportedly-set-to-sell-catalog-for-1-1-billion/