Queen - BBC2 Documentary & Re-releases

[Si Hunt]

A bit of a garbled report, but...

Paul Rodgers has left Queen after five years in the band.

The singer joined original members Brian May and Roger Taylor in 2004 to form the reunited version of the group.

Rodgers told Billboard that he has no animosity towards May and Taylor and said that his "arrangement" as Queen's frontman was "never meant to be a permanent" one.

The musician also said that he would be open to working with them again in the future.

"It's kind of an open book, really. If they approach me to do something for charity, for instance, or something like that...I'd be very much into doing that, for sure," he said.

With Rodgers as a member, Queen embarked on two full-length tours and recorded two live DVDs. The band also released their first album since 1995 with 2004's The Cosmos Rocks.

"The Cosmos Rocks was very historical for Brian May and Roger Taylor because they hadn't gone into the studio with anybody and recorded something like that for a very long time. So it was quite an achivement, I think," Rodgers said of the LP.

[MacNimon]

Sounds like a bit of a non-story, if that makes any sense! So Rodgers isn't likely to record or tour again with a band that he wasn't really a member of, although he may do so again at some time in the future?

May and Taylor should bring John Deacon back into the fold and release an album as a new (old!) trio. And utilise one or two old Freddie solo songs...then they could genuinely regard themselves as Queen once again. Deacon's presence was sorely missed on The Cosmos Rocks, imo.

[Sunshine Superman]

Well all of that was a depressing read. Freddie is dead. Get over it.

I enjoyed The Cosmos Rocks. Money well spent imo. And I enjoyed it because I listened to the album that was coming out of the speakers on either side of me, not with my ears and my mind tuned into the past.

Oh yes, one other thing. Paul Rodgers is a great vocalist. Alright, he's not Freddie, but then again Freddie was no Paul Rodgers.

Different doesn't mean better, and it doesn't mean worse. It means different. The Queen duo dared to be different this time round. Try and understand that. It's really not too hard, and it's certainly not disloyal to Freddie.

[Si Hunt]

Er... it would help if you quoted whatever post you are replying to, given that it's obviously over six months old! Then we'd have a clue what you're talking about!

All very well saying "Freddie is dead, get over it", but it's them that are knocking out gravelly cover versions of his songs. So they kind of invite comparison?

Si.

[Rob McCow]

We're watching Queen - Live In Montreal on my new favourite TV Channel, Sky Arts HD. After a weak opening where they played a mashed up version of We Will Rock You, things have really picked up with 'The Game'. Go Queen!

[Si Hunt]

THIS AUTUMN QUEEN WILL BE RELEASING THEIR ULTIMATE ONE DISC GREATEST HITS ALBUM

It will contain 20 of the biggest rock tracks of the last 40 years. The album title and album artwork are still under wraps

There you go! You can buy Queens Greatest Hits 1, 2 and 3 combined in a box set for £12.99p, but presumably someone must hanker after a selection of a third of these songs for the same price. For some reason.

Si.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Amazing what people will do for a new style cover.

[Si Hunt]

I'm now taking bets on if there will or won't be some kind of "new song" (I use the term in its loosest sense) to drag in fans. Will there:

(a) Be no new song
(b) Be an amazing "New Queen Song" featuring May and Taylor and no-one else!
(c) Be some kind of held-back offcut or rarity featuring Freddie that they have somehow stashed away
(d) Be a remix. Paaaah.

Place your bets!

Of course, now would be the perfect time to negotiate the release of the infamous Queen/Michael Jackson songs, but I suspect they may now never be officially released.

Si.

[Perry Vale]

I'd go for "no new song", with an outside bet of 'previously unreleased live version', if there's anything like that left. I'd also suggest a deluxe edition with a bonus dvd.

[Rob McCow]

Queen and MJ!? When the heck did that happen?

Although it would just be an Jackson song with a Brian May guitar solo. Unless he did a duet with Freddie?

I'd much rather have a Queen 'Archaeology' style release with out-takes and bits and pieces. That'd be fascinating, everything Queen produced was so well polished and rehearsed.

[Si Hunt]

Queen and MJ!? When the heck did that happen?

It's quite interesting actually. They got together and did some sessions in the mid-eighties. Legend has it that Jackson caught Freddie sniffing coke in his toilet and threw them out!

What they did together is slightly less interesting. There's a song called "There Must Be More To Life Than This" (which is a very Jackson lyric, so it's no surprise he chose it). It's a beautiful song, and there is a Jackson vocal accompanied by Freddie on the piano. So essentially it's a Queen song, sung by Michael. The song eventually came out on Freddie's solo album, with a Fred vocal obviously.

The other track is "State of Shock" which is more of a studio jam, with everyone basically whooping and improvising away. The track later showed up on a Jacksons album and (I think) maybe was released by Mick Jagger as well?

The songs have never been released as Brian says they "haven't found a way to finish them", which may be a polite way of saying they are locked away in Neverland and MJ wouldn't let them out. Though they have leaked.

I'd much rather have a Queen 'Archaeology' style release with out-takes and bits and pieces. That'd be fascinating, everything Queen produced was so well polished and rehearsed.

There isn't a lot, but there is some stuff. Some unused tracks from the "Innuendo" sessions ("Robbery" most notably), a clutch of b-sides which arn't very good, and the famous "rude version" of "One Vision". I expect there is much more stuff recorded at album sessions that hasn't leaked, and in the sleeve notes of the late nineties Freddie Mercury Solo Box Set it states that the Queen version of "There Must Be More To Life Than This" is being held back for "A forthcoming Queen Anthology Box Set" - for some reason, it has yet to appear though.

Si.

[Dave Tudor]

THIS AUTUMN QUEEN WILL BE RELEASING THEIR ULTIMATE ONE DISC GREATEST HITS ALBUM

It's called 'Queen - Greatest Hits' and it's been out for 28 years! As 'best of' compilations of any artists go, this, and, to a slightly lesser extent, 'Greatest HIts II' are pretty unsurpassable, and as Si says, they're all still easily available, so why put out an inferior compilation? Why not just re-promote the original 'Greatest Hits' versions, or even release 2-disc versions with extra tracks, including the odd hits which were missed off, and choice album cuts? Missed opportunity, there.

[Si Hunt]

Actually, the way they are doing it makes commercial sense. It's based on the principle that people don't currently know they WANT a new Queen Greatest Hits album. There is nothing to make anyone suddenly dig out an old copy of GH1 or GH2, but a new album would be displayed in the front of shops and websites with an attention-grabbing, shiny new cover and people would then know they wanted it. Plus a little voice deep down would be telling them that this is "cream of the cream", so they are getting something a little more "condensed" than buying that triple CD box set, really the best of the best with not a duffer on there. Plus, as already discussed, they could sneak something new or rare on the end and convince fans to get it on the grounds that, well, it's quite nice having a compilation anyway, and it's a way to get the new track. I don't think the intended audience for this would want the scrappy left-over singles or album tracks, though personally I'd not be dissapointed to see a seperate "Best Of The Rest" album for Queen, with the best album tracks on one disc.

Si.

[Perry Vale]

so why put out an inferior compilation?

Si makes some good points, but the bottom line is is justifies the jobs of the few people working in the Catalogue department, and goes some way to further recoup the costs of the 2008 remaster project (for the singles boxsets). Which I presume will be it's major selling point.

[Rob McCow]

Plus a little voice deep down would be telling them that this is "cream of the cream",

It's a sad day for fans of Bicycle Race and Scandal.

What 20 tracks would make it on to your ULTIMATE GREATEST greatest hits?

[Dino]

What 20 tracks would make it on to your ULTIMATE GREATEST greatest hits?

Radio Ga Ga
You're My Best Friend
Hammer To Fall
Seven Seas Of Rhye
Keep Yourself Alive
We Are The Champions (NOT the Robbie version!)
Innuendo
Don't Stop Me Now
Drowse
Breakthru
Flash (ah ahhhh sorry...)
Spread Your Wings
A Kind Of Magic
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
One Vision
Another One Bites The Dust
I Want To Break Free
Brighton Rock
The Show Must Go On
Bohemian Rhapsody

(Not in that order... tough choices made. Does it have to be all hits?)
What have I missed off? I'd like to change "The Show Must Go On" for "I Can't Live With You" but I didn't want to push it!

[Si Hunt]

In order to sell it? These are the songs I think they'll choose:

Bohemian Rhapsody
Another One Bites The Dust
Killer Queen
Fat Bottomed Girls
Seven Seas of Rhye
Don't Stop Me Now
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Somebody To Love
Flash
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
Kind of magic
Under pressure
Radio ga ga
I want it all
I want to break free
Innuendo
Heaven for Everyone
Who wants to live forever
I'm going slightly mad

Loses "One Vision" but I've a funny feeling they'll want to keep "Seven Seas of Rhye". They might slip "Days Of Our Lives" or "Too Much Love Will Kill You" on there too.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

I disagree with some of those! Paticularly the ones from Innuendo. If they're selling it as rock tunes then I'm Going Slightly Mad and Innuendo are far more likely to be ditched, in favour of having The Show Must Go On.

And 'Who Wants To Live Forever'?!?!?! No way! Surely it'd be Breakthru or Hammer to Fall over that! And where's Invisible Man?

On a more sensible note, there's bound to be some tracks from The Cosmos Rocks on it. Or one track. Or popcorn.

AND~! Don't get me started on Dino's list! I've never EVEN HEARD of "Drowse"!

But then I'd definitely stick Headlong on it.

[Si Hunt]

"Innuendo" was a UK number 1, so I expect that to be included. "Slightly Mad" is a special song as far as Freddie is concerned, so I had a hunch that will be there. I don't know what you mean by "selling it as rock tunes", has anyone said that?

"Who Wants To Live Forever" is one of their most popular numbers, so I fully expect that to be there (even though it wasn't a huge hit at the time). "Breakthru" is not well remembered, but "Hammer To Fall" might make it. "Invisible Man" was a third single and not a huge hit, so I can't see why it'd be included myself.

And you're surely joking about them including anything from "The Cosmos Rocks"!

But, of course, I may be wrong and we'll see in a few months!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

It will contain 20 of the biggest rock tracks of the last 40 years.

OK, it's not in captials but it does suggest that 'bigness' and 'rocking' will be on the Queen menu (being licked off a dwarf's nipple no doubt).

[Dino]

AND~! Don't get me started on Dino's list! I've never EVEN HEARD of "Drowse"!

Roger Taylor's finest song? (And I'm sure Freddie is down in the mix somewhere!) Had a feeling it was going to be all hits, but anyway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHzWHOsTwU4
It was the middle eight that swung it for me!
And I'm glad we have Flash consensus!

EDIT: Sorry! Radio Ga Ga is the best Roger Taylor song! Ok, ditch Drowse then and stick Under Pressure on!

[Si Hunt]

I think it's just press statement speak. Anyway, they did a rock themed compilation with "Queen Rocks"!

Si.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

It'll probably include a new song which has some awful rapper droning over Freddie Mercury's singing.

[Perry Vale]

And where's Invisible Man?

I can't see him anywhere......

[MacNimon]

In no particular order...

Bohemian Rhapsody
These Are The Days Of Our Lives
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
Friends Will Be Friends
Who Wants To Live Forever
Radio Ga Ga
I Want To Break Free
Flash
Seven Seas Of Rye
Killer Queen
Crazy Little Thing...
Another One Bites The Dust
Under Pressure
Innuendo
A Winters Tale
Don't Stop Me Now
Somebody To Love
A Kind Of Magic
I Want It All

But more to the point, what would be your 20 choices for a 'Best Of The Rest' selection - not including (big) hits, if it were ever to be released?