QUEEN Discography- 'new' Queen I LP remix and boxset release

[Kwyjibo]

For me The Works is just an okay album.

The shortest track is also the best (Is This The World We Created) and I also like Radio GaGa.

I was never keen on I Want To Break Free, it's okay I guess, but nothing I would reach for on it's own.

Man On The Prowl tries too hard to be the successor to Crazy Little Thing Called Love but is vastly inferior.

The heavier tracks are okay, but again, nothing that is outstanding for me.

So I had some hopes after Hot Space and The Works is certainly better, but all in all I was disappointed when it came out.

[MoraWintersoul]

Oh, and thoughts on the videos:

I Want To Break Free is perfect, lovely, nothing to add. I've always wanted to go as Freddie's character for Halloween!
Some cool photos by Simon Fowler:







I'll defend It's A Hard Life a bit from Roger Taylor a bit, if I may: sure, the costumes are ridiculous for the most part, but it's a gay camp classic. I love how Freddie seems to be looking where the band is standing during the first few lines of the song, as if he's addressing it to them, and I love all the shots of Brian with that guitar thingie, especially the one in the end when he's walking away in the darkness. It's also very Freddie to come up with a video idea like that to distract a little bit from the very real feelings expressed in the lyrics of the song.

Brian's captions in the Queen in 3D book always make me chuckle:



but the guitar at least is cool okay?


Radio Gaga is a quintessential 80's video, and I love this behind the scenes video of them making it.

some pictures taken with a potato:



not so potato (by Simon Fowler again, I think???):


As far as performance videos go, Hammer To Fall was great. The lightning rig is absolutely impressive and they're all at peak masculine beauty in that video

[Kwyjibo]

The video to I Want To Break Free is a classic, I just wish I liked the song better. 

[Orbert]

I've never understood the British -- well, it's not "obsession", more like "fascination" -- with guys dressing in drag.  I mean, I do understand that Freddie was not straight, and possibly some of the others, but what is supposed to be the appeal of guys dressing up like women?  If they're supposed to look female, well they don't, or if they do, then based on female standards they're ugly as fuck.  If they're supposed to look like dudes, okay, they do, but why dress as women?

[MoraWintersoul]

I've never understood the British -- well, it's not "obsession", more like "fascination" -- with guys dressing in drag.  I mean, I do understand that Freddie was not straight, and possibly some of the others, but what is supposed to be the appeal of guys dressing up like women?  If they're supposed to look female, well they don't, or if they do, then based on female standards they're ugly as fuck.  If they're supposed to look like dudes, okay, they do, but why dress as women?

It's a vehicle for comedy, most of the time. You notice the facial hair isn't shaved - the contrast between them not trying much at all to look like women and the over-the-top femininity of the outfits is supposed to make you laugh. Though Roger looks pretty convincing in the video itself

In America you're seeing a bit of resurgence of drag culture via RuPaul's Drag Race, and right now it's about many, many aspects of art, performance and music, varying levels of emphasis on the comedy aspects, and it's mostly led by gay men. In the UK at the time, it was mostly a performance/acting/hosting thing, more often comedic than not and done by actors and performers of all sexual orientations - everyone in Queen except Freddie identifies as straight.

[jammindude]

I've never understood the British -- well, it's not "obsession", more like "fascination" -- with guys dressing in drag.  I mean, I do understand that Freddie was not straight, and possibly some of the others, but what is supposed to be the appeal of guys dressing up like women?  If they're supposed to look female, well they don't, or if they do, then based on female standards they're ugly as fuck.  If they're supposed to look like dudes, okay, they do, but why dress as women?

Milton Berle would like a word.

[Orbert]

If he can explain why a guy dressing like a girl is supposed to be entertaining, then I'll listen.  I never thought Milton Berle was very funny, either.

[The Curious Orange]

I've never understood the British -- well, it's not "obsession", more like "fascination" -- with guys dressing in drag.  I mean, I do understand that Freddie was not straight, and possibly some of the others, but what is supposed to be the appeal of guys dressing up like women?  If they're supposed to look female, well they don't, or if they do, then based on female standards they're ugly as fuck.  If they're supposed to look like dudes, okay, they do, but why dress as women?

Back in the Middle Ages women simply weren't allowed onstage. In order to produce Shakespeare plays or anything like that, well, the female characters had to be played by men. And not girly-men either, they might actually BE girls, and that would never do, no no no. It had to be obvious that these were men, ill fitting dresses, hobnail boots, hairy chests and stubble and all. Interestingly, they were plenty of women actors on the stage - they played the men, particularly younger boys. That way no one would ever suspect them of being women.

Which leads to the Great British Tradition of the Pantomime. This cannot be explained to non-Brits. Basically, every December, regional theatres across the country are taken over by this phenomenon. Adaptations of fairy tales staring Z-List celebrities and local radio DJs, with naff jokes, slapstick routines involving buckets of gunge, bad song and dance routines and female characters played by men and male characters played by girls. And two men in a horse costume. No one ever remarks that Widow Twanky has five o'clock shadow or that Aladdin is wearing five inch heels and fishnet tights.

Seriously, if you do not know what a pantomime is, google it, you will not believe what you are seeing. And this is incredibly popular here in the UK, it keeps most theatres in business for the rest of the year. But please don't make the mistake that we Brits LIKE this stuff, we don't. It's a tradition, that's all. It's a sign of how little there is to do at Christmas in this god-forsaken dishcloth coloured country of ours. We tell ourselves it's for the kiddies, but they hate it even more than the adults do. It's tradition.

What gets us Brits is why Americans don't find this amusing (it's not funny, it's just slightly amusing) and why you get so offended at the idea. Why doesn't this particular aspect of humour not cross over to America? I mean, you find Russell Brand and Ricky Gervais funny and they're not. Neither is James Corden and you seem to love him. t's not drag in the RuPaul sense, the idea isn't to look like a woman, it's to look like a man in a dress. It's not the drag, but the fact that it's someone famous making fun of themselves. And Queen were always one for dressing up in silly costumes....

[Stadler]

Brian May acted in high school and there are pictures of him playing a female character on stage.  It's in the Queen book written by the former fan club president.   

[Stadler]

I've never understood the British -- well, it's not "obsession", more like "fascination" -- with guys dressing in drag.  I mean, I do understand that Freddie was not straight, and possibly some of the others, but what is supposed to be the appeal of guys dressing up like women?  If they're supposed to look female, well they don't, or if they do, then based on female standards they're ugly as fuck.  If they're supposed to look like dudes, okay, they do, but why dress as women?

Back in the Middle Ages women simply weren't allowed onstage. In order to produce Shakespeare plays or anything like that, well, the female characters had to be played by men. And not girly-men either, they might actually BE girls, and that would never do, no no no. It had to be obvious that these were men, ill fitting dresses, hobnail boots, hairy chests and stubble and all. Interestingly, they were plenty of women actors on the stage - they played the men, particularly younger boys. That way no one would ever suspect them of being women.

Which leads to the Great British Tradition of the Pantomime. This cannot be explained to non-Brits. Basically, every December, regional theatres across the country are taken over by this phenomenon. Adaptations of fairy tales staring Z-List celebrities and local radio DJs, with naff jokes, slapstick routines involving buckets of gunge, bad song and dance routines and female characters played by men and male characters played by girls. And two men in a horse costume. No one ever remarks that Widow Twanky has five o'clock shadow or that Aladdin is wearing five inch heels and fishnet tights.

Seriously, if you do not know what a pantomime is, google it, you will not believe what you are seeing. And this is incredibly popular here in the UK, it keeps most theatres in business for the rest of the year. But please don't make the mistake that we Brits LIKE this stuff, we don't. It's a tradition, that's all. It's a sign of how little there is to do at Christmas in this god-forsaken dishcloth coloured country of ours. We tell ourselves it's for the kiddies, but they hate it even more than the adults do. It's tradition.

What gets us Brits is why Americans don't find this amusing (it's not funny, it's just slightly amusing) and why you get so offended at the idea. Why doesn't this particular aspect of humour not cross over to America? I mean, you find Russell Brand and Ricky Gervais funny and they're not. Neither is James Corden and you seem to love him. t's not drag in the RuPaul sense, the idea isn't to look like a woman, it's to look like a man in a dress. It's not the drag, but the fact that it's someone famous making fun of themselves. And Queen were always one for dressing up in silly costumes....

Well, you got two out of three right; I don't see the thrill in either Brand - he's more famous for his partners than his comedy in my estimation - or Corden - he's more famous for kissing the ass of his guests in a car by my estimation - but I still find Ricky Gervais funny.  Though even him, I think he's more notorious here than actually regarded as "funny", even if I think he's hilarious.

I don't know; I don't know what the psychology is behind any of this.  I get drag in the sense of art form, but I think here it is never really taken for what it is, and it always seems to be made into something it's not.  It's very hard to have anything here that is even vaguely sexual without it devolving into some "message" or "statement".   I actually like RuPaul, I think he's a smart, entertaining guy.  But a lot of what I've seen isn't about the art per se, it's about the statement.  More power to you for that, I guess, but there's a point at which there is what I call "issue fatigue" and it starts to distract from the entertainment.  I don't know if that's a factor for anyone else.

[MoraWintersoul]

I get drag in the sense of art form, but I think here it is never really taken for what it is, and it always seems to be made into something it's not.  It's very hard to have anything here that is even vaguely sexual without it devolving into some "message" or "statement".   I actually like RuPaul, I think he's a smart, entertaining guy.  But a lot of what I've seen isn't about the art per se, it's about the statement.  More power to you for that, I guess, but there's a point at which there is what I call "issue fatigue" and it starts to distract from the entertainment.  I don't know if that's a factor for anyone else.

But in the 80's there wasn't issue fatigue, it was either plain lack of exposure to this form of comedy, or homophobia and puritanism. Brian and Roger have said many times they think it was a mixture of those two things that made people in the US dislike the video.

[The Curious Orange]

I don't know; I don't know what the psychology is behind any of this.  I get drag in the sense of art form, but I think here it is never really taken for what it is, and it always seems to be made into something it's not.  It's very hard to have anything here that is even vaguely sexual without it devolving into some "message" or "statement".   I actually like RuPaul, I think he's a smart, entertaining guy.  But a lot of what I've seen isn't about the art per se, it's about the statement.  More power to you for that, I guess, but there's a point at which there is what I call "issue fatigue" and it starts to distract from the entertainment.  I don't know if that's a factor for anyone else.

Oh right, I think I get it now. No, there's no issue, no politics on gender or sexuality or anything like that. It's just stupid. Like I said, it's not drag in the RuPaul sense, which is making some sort of gender identity statement, it's drag in the British pantomime sense, which is utterly shallow (Oh No It Isn't!)  It's like getting angry when Adam Sandler movies are full of fart jokes because irritable bowel syndrome is a really serious medical condition. it's just a fart joke. It's stupid.

I guess the reason why Americans don't get the British Panto drag tradition is because there's nothing there to get.

[DragonAttack]

I've never understood the British -- well, it's not "obsession", more like "fascination" -- with guys dressing in drag.  I mean,

I do understand that Freddie was not straight, and possibly some of the others,

but what is supposed to be the appeal of guys dressing up like women?  If they're supposed to look female, well they don't, or if they do, then based on female standards they're ugly as fuck.  If they're supposed to look like dudes, okay, they do, but why dress as women?

Just because it was in every Monty Python show, doesn't make it a fascination. It was an all male cast. And they obviously had a ball doing so.

CuriousOrange listed an English history of drag in plays.  It also goes back to Greek times, so there's nothing new here.

Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel did skits in drag on film.  So did, of all people, The Three Stooges.  A few of the big American movies such as 'Some Like It Hot', 'Tootsie', 'Mrs. Doubtfire', or most of Tyler Perry's ...instantly came to mind as well.  There's dozens of others.  The TV series that instantly popped into my head was 'Busom Buddies' with Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari, followed by 'Drew Carey'.  Hell, The Beverly Hillbillies, Hogan's Heroes,  and Gilligan's Island had multiple episodes with someone in drag. Johnny Carson, Jonathan Winters, Harvey Korman ...how many hundreds am I missing?

A more complete list is here    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-dressing_in_film_and_television

The bolded text is just plain.....well, I don't know,...... but it's in the Orwellian phrase that includes the word 'bliss'.  I've waited a day to make my own response, and that's as polite and diplomatic as I can be.

I guess that same stereotyping holds true for R.E.M., Judas Priest, anyone who performed with Elton John, Joan Jett, Melissa Ethridge, etc., etc., etc., etc.......    Guess it must still hold true for Brian and Roger because of Queen+Adam Lambert.    And anyone who jammed with Bowie must be bi.

My half brother is gay, so I must be. 

I'm straight, so my half brother must be.

Let's move on.......

As to the IWTBF video...in a span of three years, it followed 'Another One Bites The Dust', 'Flash', 'Body Language' (ouch), and 'Radio Ga Ga'.  Not exactly what their music and style and image had been up to that point.  Brian always mentions a Capitol Records payola scandal from around this time, which hindered promotion of 'Radio Ga Ga' as it was climbing the charts, and further hampered the rest of 'The Works' releases.  I simply think it was that what was being offered wasn't as appealing to their strong fanbase in the Midwest and Rust Belt (myself included).

[Orbert]

But please don't make the mistake that we Brits LIKE this stuff, we don't. It's a tradition, that's all. It's a sign of how little there is to do at Christmas in this god-forsaken dishcloth coloured country of ours. We tell ourselves it's for the kiddies, but they hate it even more than the adults do. It's tradition.

This explains a lot.

What gets us Brits is why Americans don't find this amusing (it's not funny, it's just slightly amusing) and why you get so offended at the idea. Why doesn't this particular aspect of humour not cross over to America?

Humor is subjective.  I'm not offended by it (although I'll admit that in my younger, more homophobic days, it bordered on offense), I just don't get it, and really was looking for an explanation as to why it's so prevalent.  In a situation where things are supposed to be all "proper" and men are men and women are women, it can be funny for a guy to come out in a dress, all made it, and sporting a huge mustache.  The unexpected, the shock.  It get that that can be funny.  What I don't get is doing an entire sketch (or music video, as the case may be) that way.  It stops being amusing for me after maybe 10 seconds.  I get the joke.  I laughed.  But I don't need a full five minutes of it.

[Stadler]

Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel did skits in drag on film.  So did, of all people, The Three Stooges.  A few of the big American movies such as 'Some Like It Hot', 'Tootsie', 'Mrs. Doubtfire', or most of Tyler Perry's ...instantly came to mind as well.  There's dozens of others.  The TV series that instantly popped into my head was 'Busom Buddies' with Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari, followed by 'Drew Carey'.  Hell, The Beverly Hillbillies, Hogan's Heroes,  and Gilligan's Island had multiple episodes with someone in drag. Johnny Carson, Jonathan Winters, Harvey Korman ...how many hundreds am I missing?

It's a style of humor; I don't usually find that broad style of humor funny, but that's me. It's too often played overtly for laughs which ti me isn't the funniest approach to comedy.  It's got nothing to do with the back story or the implications.  I didn't like Mrs. Doubtfire, but then again, I didn't really like Good Morning Vietnam, either, other than Bruno Kirby.   

As to the IWTBF video...in a span of three years, it followed 'Another One Bites The Dust', 'Flash', 'Body Language' (ouch), and 'Radio Ga Ga'.  Not exactly what their music and style and image had been up to that point.  Brian always mentions a Capitol Radio payola scandal from around this time, which hindered promotion of 'Radio Ga Ga' as it was climbing the charts, and further hampered the rest of 'The Works' releases.  I simply think it was that what was being offered wasn't as appealing to their strong fanbase in the Midwest and Rust Belt (myself included).

I watched a LOT of MTV, and frankly, I don't remember ever seeing the Queen video. I don't know if that was a result of anything or not, but as someone who came into the Queen universe AFTER their experimentation but BEFORE their resurgence, Queen wasn't what I was looking for when I was a 14 year old head banger.  Everything I was looking for in music can be summed up in the video for The Number Of The Beast, and that decidedly was not Queen circa 1981.  I've come to love that period from The Works through the end, but that's because my musical tastes have evolved. I only started to really get into it when I saw Live Aid, then about eighteen months later it was sealed when I went to Cutler's Records in New Haven and saw an import of Live Magic, and the kid said, "Buy it; if you don't LOVE the version of Under Pressure on there, I'll take it back".  Needless, I never returned it, and up to the point I heard Montreal, it's long been my favorite live record from the band.  I know I'm jumping ahead, but I'm trying to give some context.

I read the Queen book, and it seems they focused a LOT more than many bands on the commercial performance. Maybe they were just more honest than other bands, but they actively WANTED hits and WANTED to be in the charts.  I think that's as much a part of this period as any of the more common (today) reasons.  I know for me, I didn't give a rat's ass whether Freddie Mercury was gay or whether they dressed in drag.  I couldn't rock out to a song called "Back Chat". NO ONE rocks harder than Freddie Mercury on songs like One Vision and Gimme The Prize.

[DragonAttack]

I'll be honest Bill, I have been waiting for you and Tim to chime in on 'The Works'...before moving on. Well, that and celebrating with a now former fellow community Board member's win in our county's primary election for County Council. (Before anyone pooh-poohs this, our county's population is larger than five states).

BTW.......you never offered your opinions as to 'The Works' songs. <hint hint>

And...I'll be posting two studio LPs, one tour across four continents, a couple of terrific fan made videos (since Queen Productions weren't smart enough to do so). Included will be the largest paid audience ever in South America.....and of all things, a Queen/ Iron Maiden concert double billing to be included before going on vacation next week.

[MoraWintersoul]

I couldn't rock out to a song called "Back Chat". NO ONE rocks harder than Freddie Mercury on songs like One Vision and Gimme The Prize.

Looking at it as just music history, not having been there, people had been periodically complaining Queen doesn't rock as hard as they used to since Killer Queen. It's an interesting problem I run into when I try to get people into Queen today, beyond just playing them a show or the greatest hits or an accessible album like The Works - possibly the most accessible album, in fact. People who are dedicated enough to music to listen to 10+ albums when they're recommended a band already know what they want, and the musical palette within each of those albums is wide enough to turn them off when they run into something that "doesn't rock" or "is too weird". Then people who aren't active consumers and aren't set in their musical ways like that get intimidated when I tell them to just listen to these 100 songs once and then keep listening to the ones they like

I've had fun connecting to gen Z Queen fans over this because they're at the same place I used to be - they have the capacity and willingness to be these huge consumers of music, but their taste is just starting to develop, and Queen is the first band whose whole discography they're getting into, so they don't mind listening to Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy, Back Chat and Tear It Up in the same day. Maybe later they'll grow to prefer just pop Queen or just early Queen or just stadium rock Queen, but that didn't happen to me, so god knows if it will happen to them. It's kind of a way of hacking into evolving your musical tastes but backwards and I think Queen is an excellent gateway to that, as are The Beatles, but you really have to catch the person while they're young and impressionable.

[DragonAttack]

^
Jayzuz...you write and compose better than I could dream about.

Other than listings and chart numbers, you should take over 👍

[MoraWintersoul]

^
Jayzuz...you write and compose better than I could dream about.

Other than listings and chart numbers, you should take over 👍

But I love you for doing this DA one day soon I'm going back and listening to all the bootlegs you listed. I've been saving them for a rainy day when there's no more possibility of any new Queen to look forward to, but the Rhapsody tour with Adam Lambert is over and they're certainly taking a little break at least, so I think it's time.

[Stadler]

I couldn't rock out to a song called "Back Chat". NO ONE rocks harder than Freddie Mercury on songs like One Vision and Gimme The Prize.

Looking at it as just music history, not having been there, people had been periodically complaining Queen doesn't rock as hard as they used to since Killer Queen. It's an interesting problem I run into when I try to get people into Queen today, beyond just playing them a show or the greatest hits or an accessible album like The Works - possibly the most accessible album, in fact. People who are dedicated enough to music to listen to 10+ albums when they're recommended a band already know what they want, and the musical palette within each of those albums is wide enough to turn them off when they run into something that "doesn't rock" or "is too weird". Then people who aren't active consumers and aren't set in their musical ways like that get intimidated when I tell them to just listen to these 100 songs once and then keep listening to the ones they like

I've had fun connecting to gen Z Queen fans over this because they're at the same place I used to be - they have the capacity and willingness to be these huge consumers of music, but their taste is just starting to develop, and Queen is the first band whose whole discography they're getting into, so they don't mind listening to Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy, Back Chat and Tear It Up in the same day. Maybe later they'll grow to prefer just pop Queen or just early Queen or just stadium rock Queen, but that didn't happen to me, so god knows if it will happen to them. It's kind of a way of hacking into evolving your musical tastes but backwards and I think Queen is an excellent gateway to that, as are The Beatles, but you really have to catch the person while they're young and impressionable.

I don't disagree; if I wasn't clear, the "not rocking hard enough" was to the perspective of a 14-year-old just getting into Iron Maiden. I'm going to give my thoughts on The Works here shortly but it's one of my favorite Queen albums. 

[Stadler]

Radio Ga Ga - One of my favorite Queen songs. I didn't care for the drums on the studio version, but it's a minor quibble.  I like the epicness of the song.  Live it simply takes off, and it shouldn't surprise anyone that it's the Live Aid version that really grabbed me.  One of Freddie's more grand vocals.  He makes it sound so effortless as he moves from the verses to the chorus.

Tear It Up - Despite my comments about rocking, this is a little rote.  Good tune not great, in my opinion.

It's A Hard Life - this is quintessential Queen.  If any song on this song signals any kind of comeback, it's this one.  it's got the guitars from ANATO, and the vocals from ADATR, but fully modernized to sound fresh. 

Man On The Prowl - it's hard not to call this song derivative.  It's okay, but why listen to this if you can listen to ACLTCL?

Machines - I can see this song being polarizing, but I dig this song.  It's of it's time, but it's still good and interesting.  I love the little Brian May bits. 

I Want To Break Free - this is the kind of album track that Queen does so well.  It's also, in hindsight, one of those songs that could have been on ANATO, or Innuendo.  It actually sounds a lot like some of the album tracks on Innuendo, now that I think about it...

Keep Passing... - An okay song; I get where they were going with this, but it sounds too much like a message looking for a song, rather than a song that happens to have a message.  Probably my least or second least favorite song on the record.

Hammer To Fall - the Queen I love; not because it's a hard rocker, but because it's the kind of song that just projects live.  It's the kind of song you want to be among 20,000 listening to all at once.  Also played at Live Aid, which might influence my thinking a bit.

Is This The World We Created - Beautiful, just beautiful.  Another of those Queen songs that sounds like a throwaway but is really well-crafted and well-played.  If everyone COULD do this, they would, but they can't so they don't!   

Again, The Works is one of my favorite Queen albums; it's probably 4th or 5th on the overall album list, which isn't bad, considering it's company.

[DragonAttack]

^
Thank you.👍

Now we just have to wait for TAC to comment, and we'll move on 😉

But seriously, I might not move onto Roger's solo LP until Friday.

Btw...give 'It's A Hard Life' (extended version) and 'Keep Passing The Open Windows' another listen.....as a struggling 20 or 30ish' individual who is low on their luck...or who has finally found hope. That was me when my Mom passed a year later.

Having recently lost a parent this year, you will understand why those songs mean so much to me still.

And I'm sorry for your loss. ☹️  I wish my old man would have been a hundredth of what your father was like.

[DTwwbwMP]

ahhh, The Works...1984. Having been a fanatic since seeing the band open up for Mott in '74 completely by happenstance, I didn't take too well to the early '80's for "my band". Thought 'The Game' was a "good" album but i wasn't really crazy about the pop direction they seemed to be taking. The ensuing tour was great, but for the first time, I was left feeling "this tour wasn't quite as good as the previous one". In 1982 came "Hot Space" and the tour and ESPECIALLY the album, to say the least, left me pretty disheartened! When RGG was released as the initial single in '84, while I really liked the song, the style (pure '80's) wasn't for me. I was convinced, there was no coming back for what I considered THE GREATEST of all the great '70's bands! So, when the album was released, I honestly expected the worst. BUT, once Ga Ga ended and "Tear It Up" began, my eyes shot wide open! I thought, "hey, Brian May IS still in the band"!
The album on the whole for me was a mixed bag of some good pop songs, a couple of not so good songs and HAMMER TO FALL! I couldn't wait for a tour! I found it very strange that for months after the album came out, no US tour was announced. I remember hearing an interview on the radio with Roger asking about WHEN we could expect a US tour and I remember his answer being somewhat vague. He talked about Europe and "some newer places" but wouldn't commit to North America, aside from "hopefully". I was still in the fan club at that point and my latest fanzine arrived in late spring and the Euro tour dates were in there. I started to panic. I had seen the band already 19 times live on every tour since that fateful show in '74 and I started to really get concerned. But, in my mind, there was NO WAY they won't tour US....right? When IWTBF was released as a single and the video caused such an uproar in America (personally, I thought it was hysterical) I had a bad feeling. Now, fast forward a couple of months, and myself and two other big Queen friend fanatics were having a few brews in the local pub, when my buddy, somewhat intoxicated, blurted out, "We should take a trip to London and see them there"! Haha I thought to myself. Well, 2 months later FOUR of us were on a flight to England! I had NEVER even been on a plane before that, never mind going to another country! I could talk for hours on that trip, but to keep things short (or shorter) we arrived on Sun. Sept. 2nd. We wound up attending the first two shows on 9/4-5 by buying tickets from scalpers (or as my brit friends call them..'touts') and while the shows were really good (much better than the Hot Space tour) Freddie wasn't on top of his game in my opinion vocally and they just seemed different. I was thoroughly glad we went, and as I said, the two shows were really good, but to me, from '74-78 they were THE BEST live band ever! Now, they were just really good. Anyway, the week in London was fabulous (as were a couple of wonderful girls i "met" over there) I actually went back for the two Wembley Stadium shows in '86 with one of my buddies, but that's getting ahead...
Anyway, this is my feelings on the album:
Radio Ga Ga - Great live song. Good record song. Still not one of my favorite "hits" of theirs.

Tear It Up - The fact that it ROCKED made me appreciate it more at the time, but just a good song, not GREAT.

It's A Hard Life - Like STADS mentioned, this is a quintessential Queen song, but imo, just not nearly as good as most. For some reason, I've always HATED the beginning where it just seems like Fred is screaming!.   

Man On The Prowl - Never liked it. One of my top 10 Queen "fails".

Machines - I liked it, especially Brian's parts!

I Want To Break Free - Love the song...like the video....hate the commotion it caused.

Keep Passing... For me, Brian saves this song from being another top 10 fail.

Hammer To Fall - For me, THIS was THE comeback song! One of my top 10 Queen songs of all time!

Is This The World We Created - For me, absolutely one of their GREATEST ballads of all time! I remember my roommate at the time while initially listening to the album remarking, "how did they write this AND a song like Fat Bottomed Girls? 

***Also, LOVED a b-side "Go Crazy"

The Works lands at #10 on my Queen album list with a solid B- (ahead of Magic, Miracle, Heaven, Flash & Space)
[/quote]

[TAC]

Now we just have to wait for TAC to comment, and we'll move on 😉

Just got home a little while ago. Our 1:50 flight was delayed until 5:30. WTF??

The Works....tomorrow!

[Stadler]

^
Thank you.👍

Now we just have to wait for TAC to comment, and we'll move on 😉

But seriously, I might not move onto Roger's solo LP until Friday.

Btw...give 'It's A Hard Life' (extended version) and 'Keep Passing The Open Windows' another listen.....as a struggling 20 or 30ish' individual who is low on their luck...or who has finally found hope. That was me when my Mom passed a year later.

Having recently lost a parent this year, you will understand why those songs mean so much to me still.

And I'm sorry for your loss. ☹️  I wish my old man would have been a hundredth of what your father was like.

Thank you so much. That means a lot to me, you have no idea. 

I'll give those a listen.  I have to look if I have the extended version from one of the re-releases.

[TAC]

The Works


Radio Gaga-This is one of the songs I'm familiar with. Older Queen fans must've cringed when this started. I'm not a huge fan of this song. Yes, live it is much better, as are most Queen songs, especially through this era. If I hear Queen on the radio, I will let it play out, but Radio Gaga will result in a channel change.

Tear It Up-This is better, but the verses are putrid. I like the more old school feel. Hopefully this song gets played live because I think it would be awesome. The drums sound awful and kind of castrate the song a bit. But hell yes, fingers crossed for a live version where they can't hide behind the awful studio production. Ends kind of out of nowhere though.

It's A Hard Life-Feels like half Bohemian Rhapsody/half Play The Game. I think on its own its quite a fine song. Another song I think would be cool live, but it does feel a tad too familiar. I like the orchestration of the solo.

Man On The Prowl-Yeah I've seen this compared to CLTCL, but I think this stands on its own for sure. I kind of like it, actually.

Machines (Or Back To Humans)-I have no idea what I just listened to. I don't know how I feel about this. Please tell me they play this live. Power chords! Freddie fucking killing it! I'm fine with the robot voice, but I hate electronic percussion.

I Want To Break Free-I commented on this song earlier..

Keep Passing The Open Windows-I definitely remember the move The Hotel New Hampshire. I never saw it though. This is a great song. Again, the electronic drums hold this back a bunch, but songwise this is the best thing I've heard so far. Has a cool bassline underneath. Geez, I would love to hear a live version of this song too! Cool Schenker styled little solo.

Hammer To Fall-The third song that I was familiar with. This is more like it. Still the electronic drums.. I remember hearing this, and seeing the video, as a kid, and thinking if everything they did was like this, I'd give them an honest try, but this video and song, simply couldn't overpower Radio Gaga and I Want To Break Free for me to make the jump.

Is This The World We Created?- A nice tender song. Feels like more of a coda than an actual song.



Overall, I think the electronic drums kill this album. This album would've been much better had it been recorded by 1978 Queen. What the early 80's also brought to 70's bands was some of the songwriting just didn't feel up to snuff or was nearly as interesting as the songs that preceeded them. Queen to me is no different.

Still...enjoying the experience, and looking forward to the live shows!

[Orbert]

Yeah, the 80's were full of synthesizers and electronic drums because it was all new and cool at the time, but today it just sounds dated.  A lot of it still works for me because I remember it being current and I can still get the nostalgia rush.  But I can see how a lot of 80's music just doesn't work for some people, especially when the band has been around a while; the 70's stuff somehow sounds less dated than the 80's stuff.

[TAC]

I was just coming of age musically in the very early 80's, but I knew then that I didn't like electronic drums. I was always wired to be a hard rock fan.

[Orbert]

I get that.  I was sick of electronic drums after hearing one song with them, and I haven't heard anything in the last 40 years to change my opinion.  Sometimes something catches on because it's new and different, but in retrospect we wonder what in the hell people were thinking.  I would be fine if electronic drums were never invented.

The ubiquitous synths I have a bit more tolerance to, being a keyboard player myself, but I understand people being turned off by the sound of primitive (by today's standards) synths.  So much of it sounds cheesy and dated.

The one thing I was surprised by is the huge, echoing, reverb sound that also seemed to flourish in the 80's.  I never noticed it at the time (I probably thought it sounded cool), but the other day we were listening to some song on the radio, and my wife actually commented on all the reverb.  She said it sounded like they recorded it in a huge cave or something.  Having had that aspect of 80's production pointed out to me earlier (here on DTF of course), I just said that Hey, that's what the 80's sounded like.  She said she'd never noticed it before, and all I could do was agree.

[DragonAttack]

as to 'It's A Hard Life'....something I had on my Word doc and totally forgot to include.

per Wiki:  "The opening lyric and melody of "It's a Hard Life" is based on the line "Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!" (Laugh, clown, at your broken love!) from "Vesti la giubba", an aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci. The same melody is also quoted in the soundtrack of the movie 'A Night at the Opera' after which Queen had named their 1975 album."  Otis B. Driftwood (Groucho) butchers it often during the movie. 

DTwwbwMP.....Wow!  Thanks for sharing all that!  Damn jealous of all the shows you saw here on this side of the pond (looking forward to more Wembley comments next month).  I felt the same during 'The Game' tour.  The mania and crowd in Detroit was something I'd never experienced, but the 'feel of the show' was 'different' (less focus of Freddie on piano, no ''39', the odd 'Now I'm Here' / 'Dragon Attack' combo), and then there was '82 (somewhat of an 'ouch'). 

Enjoyed reading yours and other reviews of 'The Works'.  I would rank it higher with a touch up or two, but #10 is about right.

Agree with all as to the electronic drum comments, but that was the era, eh?  As to 'Man On The Prowl', I've seen not so kind comments about it throughout the years, but I thought it was a great side one closer, and had a prominent piano (surprisingly done by Fred Mandel and not Freddie).  Rockers such as 'Hammer To Fall', 'Tear It Up', and 'I Go Crazy'.  Indeed   'Is This The World...'  yet another song with political undertones. 

Tim....the upcoming tour would include everything but 'Man On The Prowl' and 'Keep Passing The Open Windows'. 'Machines' would be the new taped intro.

but first, another solo album (and another, and a solo single, and the world tour, and a couple of huge '85 concerts before my vacation next Wednesday)

[DragonAttack]

ROGER TAYLOR   STRANGE FRONTIER

Released:  June 25, 1984  UK (Parlophone, EMI), July 3rd USA (Capitol)   

Charts: UK #30

Singles:
Man On Fire b/w  Killing Time
Released:   June 4
Charts:  UK #66
Did not chart in Japan, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Australia and South Africa.

Strange Frontier b/w  I Cry For You
Released:  July 30
Charts:  UK #98
Did not chart in USA, Canada and The Netherlands.



Recorded: 1983-84 Musicland (Munich)Mountain Studios (Montreux)

Produced by Roger Taylor / David Richards / Mack
Engineered by Richards / Mack
Original Photographs by George Hurrell
Totem Pole Illustration - Ian Wright
Thanks for help & encouragement to my dear friends Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Brian May, Rick Parfitt. Also to all at Mountain Studios Montreux and Musicland, Munich, Stefan, Krzysztof et al, Jim Beach, Gerry Stickells Paul Prenter, Chris Taylor, Sara Juszkiewicz, Julie Nash, Jack Gunn, Andy Evans.

SIDE ONE
Strange Frontier     4:16
Beautiful Dreams   4:23
Man on Fire   4:05
Racing in the Street (Bruce Springsteen)   4:28
Masters of War (Bob Dylan)   3:51

SIDE TWO
Killing Time  4:58
Abandonfire (Taylor, David Richards)   4:12
Young Love   3:22
It's an Illusion (Taylor, Rick Parfitt)   4:03
I Cry for You (Love, Hope and Confusion) (Taylor, Richards)   4:16



ALBUM AUDIO  https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=roger+taylor+strange+frontier+full+album

Roger's second solo album was the result of a second series of recording sessions, after the first had been rejected for lacking direction; songs recorded but ultimately left unreleased included 'Keep On Running', 'She Belongs To Me', 'I Wanna Take You Higher', 'Turn On The Power', 'Sun And Steel' (which possibly became 'Killing Time'), 'Been To Spain', and 'All Your Dreams Will Come True'.

Keep On Running   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Ni7ATEFKo
I heard this for the first time two weeks ago

Two Sharp Pencils   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlxcVDGWc4s   a very silly non album B side

I Wanna Take You Higher    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbl1_SzMasM

******************
This is a far more polished and more 'adult' album than 'Fun In Space'.  Plus, it has a great cover!    It's laced with political anti nuclear  lyrics throughout ('Beautiful Dreams', 'Killing Time', 'Abandonfire', and the title track) including his very good cover of Dylan's 'Masters Of War'.  A superbly sung and faster cover of Springsteen's 'Racing In The Streets' precedes this.  Roger does fall into his some times obsessive 'robotic computerized' BVs a bit too much, a detriment to a song or two, is OK on others. 

It also includes two of my all time Roger favorites, 'Man On Fire', and 'It's An Illusion', which I would have used in place of his two tracks on 'The Works'.  In fact, 'Man On Fire' was worked on by the band during those sessions (uncredited at the time, Brian played rhythm guitar)  Long rumored, Freddie did BVs on 'Killing Time', which is noticeable on the 2013 remaster, as is mentioned in his box set 'The Lot'.  And John did the remix on the 45 version of 'I Cry For You'.  He also played bass on 'It's An Illusion'.

Other guest appearances include Rick Parfitt of Status Quo (more on them next week), who cowrote and performed on  of 'It's An Illusion'.  David Richards played keyboards and co-produced this LP.  He  would come on board as a producer on the next three Queen albums, as well as co-production, engineering, and mixing supervision on parts of 'Made In Heaven'. He would also produce The Cross' first LP.

I already mentioned 'Man On Fire' being an all time personal favorite Roger song.  As the opening track, jumps right out and tells you this is going to be a pretty good rocking album.  Some clever lines such as "I'm smokin', I'm burnin', I'm twistin', and turnin'" and the desire to 'get out' fit my life on more than a few occasions back then. 

.......Oops...I'm making that comment a North American.  This was the order on our vinyl version

SIDE ONE
Man On Fire
I Cry For You (love, hope and confusion)
It's An Illusion
Racing In The Street
Masters Of War

SIDE TWO
Strange Frontier
Beautiful Dreams
Abandonfire
Killing Time
Young Love

It wasn't until the CD was released in '96 that I heard the 'correct' track listing for the first time.  Afterwards, I somewhat combined the two:
Man On Fire / Beautiful Dreams / It's An Illusion / Racing In The Street / Masters Of War
Strange Frontier / Young Love / Abandonfire / Killing Time / I Cry For You

If you're a Roger fan, you'll really enjoy most to all of this.  If not, a couple might make you cringe, but overall, in spite of some of the 80s sounds and his personal nuances, you'll find some good stuff here.....worthy of being on a Queen album or three.

[Stadler]

And FYI, I wil probably be more active here as we move forward, since this is where my real time engagement with the band started.  For some reason, that mid-period (ADATR to The Works) is sort of my Queen black hole.   There is at least one album coming up that I won't be able to shut up about. 

[DragonAttack]

oh, and since TAC sent these to me before his trip, I thought I'd give credit where credit is due, and post the Spotify numbers. And again, 'thank you!'

Roger Taylor-Strange Frontier

Strange Frontier....587k
Beautiful Dreams....118k
Man On Fire....2.6m
Racing In The Street....146k
Masters Of War....66k
Killing Time....88k
Abandonfire....57k
Young Love....71k
It's An Illusion....81k
I Cry For You....57k

About what I expected, though a bit surprised at the semi-decent numbers for 'Racing In The Street' and 'Beautiful Dreams', and at how low 'It's An Illusion' was.

btw.....still can't figure out why 'Man On Fire' has never been played with either 'Queen+' configuration.  Would have been a needed change as to something 'new', and would have loved hearing Brian's guitar in a live setting.

[Stadler]

Have they done any of Roger's other solo stuff with the band (meaning, is the "Queen" entity "solo-material free"?  I know they did a couple songs that went on Freddie's solo album...)

[DragonAttack]

Have they done any of Roger's other solo stuff with the band (meaning, is the "Queen" entity "solo-material free"?  I know they did a couple songs that went on Freddie's solo album...)

That would be a trivia question with quite the caveat.

Two songs, 'Small' and 'Say It's Not True'...which appeared on his solo album 'Fun On Earth' in 2013.......but they both appeared on 'The Cosmos Rocks' five years earlier. 'Say It's Not True' goes way back to 2003  for Nelson Mandela's AIDS foundation "46664" as 'just' Queen.

Surprisingly, Brian's 'Driven By You' has never been touched on.  His only song to be played was the ending/immediately after his guitar solo. 

And that was  'Last Horizon'   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO0p6_0kd2I 

(Hadn't listened to the live version in eons....and it still gives me goosebumps )