Queen - BBC2 Documentary & Re-releases

[Dino]

It's that man again...
http://www.nme.com/news/queen/72615

"A number of duets recorded by Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson could now become part of a new Queen album, Brian May has claimed.

Earlier this year it was reported that around three tracks Mercury and Jackson recorded in 1983 will be made available to fans. Speaking in July, Queen guitarist Brian May said there will be, "something for folks to hear" in two months time.

However, in an interview recorded earlier this month (September) with iHeart Radio, May revealed that an album in the style of the 1995 Queen album 'Made In Heaven', pieced together after Mercury's death in 1991, could be in the pipeline. "We thought we'd exhausted everything that was around and could be worked on, but since then a number of things have come to light from various sources that we'd just plain forgotten about, including the stuff with Freddie and Michael Jackson," said May. "Just a couple of weeks ago, we thought: Maybe we shouldn't be just working on bits and pieces? Maybe we should be heading towards an album? It just might be."

Mercury and Jackson worked together 30 years ago in California but failed to release anything substantial as they could not secure time to record further tracks.

Meanwhile, actor Sacha Baron Cohen recently pulled out of the lead role in the forthcoming Freddie Mercury biopic. The Borat star has been attached to star as Mercury since September 2010."

[Dino]

OH FFS, BRI!! GET ON WITH IT!!!

Brian May has said that more previously unreleased Freddie Mercury material has been found.

Queen drummer Roger Taylor recently confirmed that Brian May is finishing work on a number of tracks Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson duetted on, but now, May has said that even more Mercury material has been discovered. Speaking to Mojo magazine, via The Guardian, May commented: "There's more in there than we thought, in the Queen source archive. I'm a little nervous of saying there's an album there, but there's certainly a few tracks... We've found some Freddie vocals, some demos."

Earlier this year it was reported that around three tracks Mercury and Jackson recorded in 1983 will be made available to fans. Speaking in July, May said there would be "something for folks to hear" in two months' time.

However, though the songs have not yet emerged, Taylor went on to tell Classic Rock Magazine that the songs are being worked on at the moment, primarily by May. "Brian especially has been active working on old tracks. A couple of tracks that Freddie did with Michael Jackson," he said. Adding: "They've been hanging around for years and years and Michael's estate haven't really been able to make their mind up about what to do with them. So we suggested we finish them and see. They're pretty good – one of them is great."

Roger Taylor recently let slip the band want actor Ben Whishaw to take on the role vacated by Sacha Baron Cohen in the forthcoming Freddie Mercury biopic. Sacha Baron Cohen had been set to star as Mercury since the film was announced in September 2010 but this summer he pulled out of the project, reportedly because he and Queen, who have script and director approval, were unable to agree on the type of movie they wanted to make.

http://www.nme.com/news/queen/74152

So more previously unreleased material to go alongside the other previously unreleased material. Unless they discover more previously unreleased material while working on the previously unreleased material. It seems that previously unreleased material previously unreleased material and previously unreleased material.

[Dino]

Dr. Brian May ‏@DrBrianMay May 2
We're getting close to finishing those mixes of Queen tracks featuring Freddie now. I'm getting excited. You guys might cry ! Bri

[Dino]

Brian May lashes out at Cameron!!!

http://neonnettle.com/news/532-queen...ampaign=buffer

The previously apolitical ex-axeman who admitted he used to vote Conservative, [ LINK: here] but vows never to vote for the current government, today launched a stinging attack on the economic programme of the coalition government: “corrupt because they grasp more and more power for a small group of old-moneyed, influential people.”

“I have been an a-political person most of my life … meaning I felt that most of the important problems in the world were not political. But since I began actively trying to get justice for animals, I have seen more and more behind the veil, witnessed the real sordid web that is being woven in the corridors of power as we speak, as we breathe,” writes the campaigner against badger culling.

“Behind that veil of apparent decency, politicians are constantly scheming for their own ends. And this Government is working flat-out to enhance the power of the rich to squash the poor. The issue of Fox hunting is one facet of it … it's an icon to those who are desperately clinging to their perceived right to abuse anything simply because they can. Because their fathers and grandfathers could.”

Brian May urges his followers to read radical writer George Monbiot on the real agenda of the UK government’s cuts, griping that the government agrees to subsidise grouse-shoots and shotgun licenses for the rich, as the National Health Service considers charging patients for crutches, walking sticks and neck braces. [Link: here] Monbiot’s article that May refers to highlights the UK’s regressive tax regime that provides tax breaks for the rich and corporations that exceed the cuts to the welfare state.

“We are seeing, thanks to the work of some dedicated campaigners, the truth about how Cameron is, under cover, dismantling the National Health, and eroding the rights of the disabled,” adds the 66-year-old rockstar. “I'm still adamant that I am politically neutral, especially since we as campaigners for decency have advocates in ALL parties, but it's time for people to start realising what this Government really stands for, before it is too late, and Britain is plunged back into feudal barbarity.”

“Look into his eyes,” concludes the legendary guitarist, posting a portrait of the Prime Minister. “While the rest of us are suffering 'austerity', this man is channelling monies from you the tax-payer, to subsidise his mates' game-shoots. Are you angry yet ?”

[Dino]

A previously unreleased live album by Queen is finally set to be released.

'Live At The Rainbow '74' will come out on September 8 in a variety of formats including a DVD featuring live footage. The show was recorded at London's Rainbow venue on March 31, 1974, over 40 years ago. The album was set to be released after the show, but the band put out their breakthrough studio album 'Sheer Heart Attack' instead. 'Live At The Rainbow '74' has sat in the band's archives ever since. The album sees the band performing 'Killer Queen', 'Seven Seas Of Rhye' and more.

Meanwhile, Queen guitarist Brian May confirmed the band will release an album before the end of 2014 which will feature unreleased vocals by Freddie Mercury. May said the album is likely to be titled 'Queen Forever', adding that Mercury's vocals date back to the 1980s. He explained that he and drummer Roger Taylor recently recorded instrumental tracks for the songs, based on the original "scraps" of unreleased music.

Since Mercury's death in 1991, Queen have released one album of new recordings, 1995's 'Made In Heaven'. Queen tour North America in June with Adam Lambert, who has been Mercury's replacement since 2012.

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/queen/77938#H25mP4OzL9rMw6Jg.99

Thought you might like to know!

[Dave Tudor]

They released the concert on video in a limited edition box set about twenty years ago (my mate had a copy) but other than that, I don't think it's had a proper release, has it? Should be something to look forward to.

[MacNimon]

I've heard bootleg recordings of that...in fact, I'm sure that Queen themselves released it as an 'Official Bootleg' download via their website several years ago. It'll be good to have an official HQ version of the show, though

And I'm really looking forward to the new new album already. It doesn't really matter now that the Freddie stuff probably hasn't been released before this because it may not be very good...we may be surprised with what we get. I can't wait for this one...to be released just in time for the Christmas market, I suppose?

[Dino]

It's a Killer... Biiinge!!

http://www.nme.com/news/queen/79782

A 40% proof brand of Vodka in memory of Freddie. It's a kind of feel sick? The Spew Must Go On? Anyone else got any good drink related Queen song title puns?

And "Live At The Rainbow '74" has entered the album charts at number 11.

[Rob McCow]

"You're My Best Friend (Hic!)"

[Philipnet]

"You're My Best Friend (Hic!)"

I was scrolling too quickly and read that as:
"You're My Best Friend Adric!"

[Dirk Gently]

[Dino]

Tracklisting of "Queen Forever" announced on NME.COM.

I warn you now, you might be feeling strong feelings of "OH FOR ****'S SAKE, BRIAN!!" but...

Queen will release new album 'Queen Forever' in November featuring three previously unreleased tracks with Freddie Mercury on vocals, including a collaboration with Michael Jackson.

The Queen and Michael Jackson duet, 'There Must Be More To Life Than This', was written by Mercury during sessions for Queen’s 1981 album, 'Hot Space'. The band recorded a backing track, but the song was never completed.

Mercury later visited Michael Jackson in Los Angeles, where Jackson's vocals were recorded but the song remained uncompleted.

Queen attempted to revive the track during sessions for 1984's 'The Works', but again it was not finished and Mercury's own version of the song surfaced on his debut solo album, 1985’s 'Mr Bad Guy'. This new production of the ballad uses Queen's original backing track and Mercury and Jackson's vocals, and was produced by William Orbit.

Speaking about the song, Orbit says: "When I first played it in my studio I opened a trove of delights provided by the greatest of musicians. Hearing Michael Jackson's vocals was stirring. So vivid, so cool, and poignant, it was like he was in the studio singing live. With Freddie's vocal solo on the mixing desk, my appreciation for his gift was taken to an even higher level. "

Also on the album will be previously unheard tracks 'Let Me In Your Heart Again' and 'Love Kills'. The former originates from the band's recording sessions from 1984 album 'The Works' while the latter is a ballad version of Mercury’s first solo hit, produced by Giorgio Moroder.

Guitarist Brian May describes the rest of the album as "things that we have collected together that are representative of our growth rather than the big hits".

'Queen Forever' is available as a 20-track single CD and as an extended 36-track, two-CD set. See below for tracklistings.

CD1

'Let Me In Your Heart Again'
'Love Kills – The Ballad'
'There Must Be More To Life Than This' (William Orbit Mix)
'Play The Game'
'Dear Friends'
'You’re My Best Friend'
'Love Of My Life'
'Drowse'
'You Take My Breath Away'
'Spread Your Wings'
'Long Away'
'Lily Of The Valley'
'Don’t Try So Hard'
'Bijou'
'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'
'Nevermore'
'Las Palabras De Amor'
'Who Wants To Live Forever'

CD2

'I Was Born To Love You'
'Somebody To Love'
'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'
'Friends Will Be Friends'
'Jealousy'
'One Year of Love'
'A Winters Tale'
'39'
'Mother Love'
'It’s A Hard Life'
'Save Me'
'Made in Heaven'
'Too Much Love Will Kill You'
'Sail Away Sweet Sister'
'The Miracle'
'Is This The World We Created'
'In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited'
'Forever'

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/queen/79865#ZppW9kiMMgF4WDmc.99

[MacNimon]

I'm quite disappointed that there are only 3 'new' tracks here. I had been hoping for more, perhaps reworking more solo stuff.

Having said that, it's actually a pretty good tracklist which steers away from the obvious Hits route already well-travelled. I think though that I'll just be buying the 3 new songs online and give the CD a miss. Sadly.

[Si Hunt]

"Bijou" is an odd one - not sure how that represents their "growth", since it's just a bit of guitar noodling from "Innuendo".

Slim pickings here considering it's been hyped up as a "new" Queen album akin to Made in Heaven. Truly, the vaults must be empty.

Si.

[MacNimon]

My thoughts exactly, Si. It wouldn't have been so disappointing if they'd said there would only be 3 new songs, but it was being hyped up as a new Queen album, giving the impression of an all-new album. I wouldn't have minded hearing a fleshed-out version of the Freddie-Rod Stewart duet Let Me Live which they've already proved they have a demo of. There probably isn't much left in the vaults after all

Couldn't they have maybe reworked another few Freddie solo tracks and filled the album with new songs sung by Roger & Brian as they did in the early albums? And maybe even record a new song with Adam Lambert to let us hear how he sounds in the studio? A lost opportunity here.

As I said, I think I'll just be getting the new songs from iTunes or Amazon...no point in buying yet another compilation of stuff I already have.

[Si Hunt]

It's sort of not clear if the old tracks are just compiled or if they have changed them at all - this has, on reflection, got to be a big dissapointment given all that hype about finding new demos etc. What happened to those? As far as I can see there is ONE new song here and a couple of re-works. What on Earth have they been doing for the past few years?

Si.

[Rob McCow]

In an interview with Rolling Stone, May and Taylor said that although the tour with Lambert is a limited thing, they are open to him becoming an official member, and cutting new material with him.[220]

In October 2011, it was announced that Queen will be recording a new album featuring lost demos of Mercury on vocals.[221] May confirmed that he and Taylor are working their way through the band's old material to compile a selection of unreleased songs for the forthcoming album.[221] May also revealed that a series of duets that Mercury recorded with Michael Jackson was to be released in 2012.[222] In 2014, May announced the title of the album to be Queen Forever, to be released later in the year.[223]

Queen have announced plans for a new album of old demos featuring their late singer Freddie Mercury.

Guitarist Brian May has confirmed that he is going through the band's old material with drummer Roger Taylor to compile a selection of unreleased tracks for a forthcoming LP.

The axeman also said the pair are working on the follow-up to the long-running West End musical 'We Will Rock You', which they wrote with comedian Ben Elton.

May told The Daily Star:

As well as seeing what we can unearth, we want to do a new musical to follow 'We Will Rock You'. The songs are there, it's just a question of finding time to get the right production.

The last album the band made with Mercury while he was alive was their 1991 LP 'Innuendo'. He died later that year. May recently admitted that he contemplated taking his own life shortly after the singer's death. The guitarist, who also lost his father around the same time that Mercury died, said he felt like he "didn't want to live" in the months following the deaths.

Lady Gaga was recently in talks to tour with the surviving members of the band as their singer following the departure of Paul Rodgers in 2009.

So there we have it. Looks like implication lead to expectation resulting in disappointment. Damnit!

[Dino]

My disappointment comes from thinking they'd have finished or done stuff to tracks like .

I would have been happy if on some takes Freddie's actual vocal guide wordless bits had been on them.
You can't blame me for thinking we'd only get three or four new things!

[Si Hunt]

Hardly implication, as your post Steve shows that May said many times they were working on an album of demos. Now that seems to have regenerated into little more than a Greatest Hits with one and a bit extra songs on!

Si.

[MacNimon]

I see that Queen + Adam Lambert are doing a UK tour in January, tickets have been on sale for a couple of weeks already...
http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-a...uropean-tour-/

Queen + Adam Lambert to play UK and Europe in the New Year

Following recent sold-out World dates Queen + Adam Lambert to play 21 shows in Europe

Including seven UK concerts

Tickets on sale beginning Friday 3 October

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT today announced they are to play an extensive tour of the UK and Europe early in the New Year.

In what is certain to be among next year’s most sought out music events, Queen + Adam Lambert will reign over a six-week long set of dates across Europe beginning mid January.

Having only earlier this month wound down a sold out world tour taking in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and outdoor festival stops in Korea and Japan, Queen + Adam Lambert are sparing no time in taking their critically-hailed partnership back on the road.

Coming two years after May, Taylor and Lambert last performed a short tour together of the UK and Europe, this lengthier outing will see Queen + Adam Lambert perform 21 shows in 10 countries. The band’s tour opens in the UK at Newcastle Arena on January 13 and will see the band play a total of seven shows across the UK including London’s O2 Arena. The tour then takes in France, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, and Czech Republic and ends February 19 in Switzerland at Zurich’s Hallenstadion.

Tickets for the UK shows will go on sale from 9.00am this coming Friday, 3rd October. All other concerts across Europe are on sale same time excepting Germany where sales begin the following day, Saturday October 4. Tickets available from venues and usual outlets.

Reaction to the dates is expected to equal that seen at the announcement of their US shows where an on-sale rush for tickets saw the band sell out 24 dates in record time. Queen and Lambert matched the expectations, winning glowing reviews from fans and critics alike:

"Guaranteed to blow your mind, indeed". (Entertainment Weekly)

"We were rocked, Queen is still the champion, and Lambert is a skilled voice to ensure that their music will remain live for a generation of fans". (VH1)

“Rejuvenated Queen reigns supreme. Bow down fans, your new Queen is worthy of your love and devotion”. (Edmonton Journal, Canada)

“Queen guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and newcomer Adam Lambert blew the roof off in an energetic rock extravaganza which pulled no punches. Their extraordinary musical talent showed no signs of waning”. (The Daily Telegraph, Sydney).

“Queen and Adam Lambert delivered just over two hours of pure sensation straight into the nerves and bones of anyone fortunate enough to witness it. Freddie may be gone, but he would surely approve”. (Brisbane Times)

“Did they rock us? Oh YES!” (New York Daily News).

Queen first teamed up with Adam Lambert in 2009 to perform the band's rock anthem "We Are the Champions" on "American Idol's" season's eight finale. Lambert and Queen partnered again in 2011 at the MTV European Music Awards in Belfast. In the summer of 2012 they performed their first live concerts together with three sold-out shows in the UK at London's Hammersmith Apollo as well as concert appearances in Russia, Ukraine and Poland.

A further one-off performance together at the IHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas last September at which they effectively stole the show triggered a conversation between Adam, Roger and Brian to take the show on the road. Hollywood Reporter exclaimed, “Adam Lambert, Queen bring down the iHeart house. With the perfect mix of rock attitude mixed with style, theatricality, sex appeal and impressive vocal gymnastics, [Lambert] took the band’s music to new heights.”

Now the winning combination of Queen + Adam Lambert follows with what will surely be an equally triumphant tour of the UK and Europe. And Lambert is keen to alert fans of the show changes that can be expected.

"On the technical side, it's definitely more of a production than two years ago," he says. "We've had a lot more cities to visit and so I think we all decided to build up the visuals and the stage accordingly, and of course we do all the hits." "We have a very interesting set design,” says Brian May. “It's big and daring. We're going to do it to the max." he says. "Each time we've worked with Adam with our music, he's just the most incredible front man," Roger Taylor says. "He's sensational. He has this amazing range, 'cause Freddie had a great range. Adam can really cover it. He's an extraordinary singer and a real talent. I feel he fits into our sort of theatricality. It is very comfortable.”

As for the future, it would seem the Queen + Adam Lambert partnership is likely, for now, to remain limited to their live collaborations. Lambert is currently in the final stages of writing and recording his third album. May and Taylor are getting ready their forthcoming album, Queen Forever, a new compilation set which includes previously unreleased material recorded with Freddie Mercury, released November 10.

Queen has amassed a staggering list of sales, awards, and hall of fame inductions that is second to none. Record sales in the hundreds of millions of units, including an unprecedented string of number one albums and top-charting singles, continue to put Queen in the top ten of all-time iTunes sales. Earlier this year Queen were officially recognized as the first artist ever to sell over six million copies of an album in the UK with their Greatest Hits album, beating out even the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper by close on a million copies, pointing to the astonishing fact that at least one in three British households now own a copy of the band’s original Greatest Hits collection.

Adam Lambert’s stunning performances on the eighth season of American Idol are still widely regarded as some of the most riveting moments in the show’s history. His debut album For Your Entertainment earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. His second album, Trespassing, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. His subsequent tour took Lambert from Australia to South Africa, throughout Asia and Eastern Europe and culminated in a sold-out arena show in Helsinki, Finland. In 2013, Lambert appeared as a guest star on the hit TV series, GLEE. He is currently in the final stages of writing and recording his third album.

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – UK and EUROPE TOUR DATES 2015

Tue 13 January NEWCASTLE Arena

Wed 14 January GLASGOW Hydro

Sat 17 January LONDON O2 Arena

Tue 20 January LEEDS Arena

Wed 21 January MANCHESTER Arena

Friday 23 January BIRMINGHAM NIA

Sat 24 January NOTTINGHAM Arena

Mon 26 January PARIS Zenith

Thu 29 January COLOGNE Lanxess Arena

Fri 30 January AMSTERDAM, Ziggo Dome

Sun 1 February VIENNA Stadhalle

Mon 2 February MUNICH Olympiahalle

Wed 4 February BERLIN O2

Thu 5 February HAMBURG O2

Sat 7 February FRANKFURT Festhalle

Sun 8 February BRUSSELS Palais 12

Tue 10 February MILAN Forum

Fri 13 February STUTTGART Schleyerhalle

Sun 15 February HERNING Jyske Bank Boxen

Tue 17 February PRAGUE O2

Thu 19February ZURICH Hallenstadion

[MacNimon]

Well, we've had a week or so to digest the new tracks. And what a disappointing bunch they are! Not that there's actually anything bad about them, but they're all just a bit on the dull side, aren't they? After all the hype and everything...

The best of the bunch is the only real new, previously unreleased song Let Me in Your Heart Again. However, if it had been released way back when it was recorded for The Works album, it would never have even been considered as a single, would it? Not when they had Radio Ga Ga, I Want To Break Free, It's A Hard Life and Hammer To Fall. It's a decent enough new album track but a disappointing single. It's great to hear the complete original band again in something new though, not only Freddie but John Deacon as well.

As for Love Kills, well it was never recorded as a ballad and no matter what they do with the backing track, Freddie's vocal doesn't sound like he's singing a ballad. Good intentions here, but they don't quite pull it off. Maybe they should have re-recorded it with Lambert on vocals...

And finally, There Must Be More To Life Than This...Micheal Jackson is the weakest part of this, unfortunately. Great song, but I prefer Freddie's original solo version...

In a nutshell, 3 good, decent songs. Unfortunately just not 3 great songs.

[Si Hunt]

I've been listening to the William Orbit remix version of "Let Me In Your Heart Again" - all eight odd minutes of it. Good but, as Kenny says, not great. It's just not quite up to "Heaven for Everyone" levels of Queen amazingness. Unfortunately the truth is that all the great songs Freddie recorded must have been released by now - you just can't magic another one up.

I will have to make do with the remix version for now, since spitefully you can't buy the new songs in isolation and I'm not buying a double album of songs I already own to get them.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

There comes a time where listening to a selection of Queen songs in a slightly different order just doesn't cut it any more.

What I would have loved though is if they'd put some effort in and tinkered about with them in some way. I'm fairly sure everything they have exists; it would be great to hear stripped-down vocal versions, new guitar solos, interesting medleys, that sort of stuff.

I know it's not to everyone's taste, but I'm a huge fan of The Beatles Love album. It was so much more exciting than just another best-of. With the musical skill and talent of Queen's three remaining members they could put together something amazing. They managed just that with the scraps that formed 'Made In Heaven'.

I guess I'm just greedy though.

[Si Hunt]

I agree with you. Even Lambert-Queen redoing obscure album tracks would have been fun. Or different Freddie vocal takes. It's hard to see how they can milk the old hits any more.

Si.

[MacNimon]

We're going to see Queen & Adam Lambert at Glasgow Hydro on Wednesday night. Lambert has really been growing on me recently, particularly after that New Year gig on BBC1 (which BBC Scotland opted out of ) but have watched several times since on iPlayer. I had been debating whether I thought they'd be worth paying the ticket prices for before that, but luckily a late supply of tickets became available on Ticketmaster just a few days ago and now I can't wait! My first Queen gig since August 1984...

There's a really interesting interview with the band in this month's Classic Rock magazine, to tie in with the tour. Most interesting soundbites include May's comment about Lambert being a "gift from God" and how he (Lambert) is the only reason that we're seeing Queen touring now; he's the only singer that they've ever worked with who could so effortlessly sing all of Freddie's songs without being a Freddie clone.

Also interesting was their (non-commital) comments on the band's possible recording future with Lambert - non-commital in that they hadn't really talked about it, and hadn't yet written anything together but promising in that they were all interested in the possibility. Roger says that if enough quality material was available to record an album with the Queen name (and at the moment, there isn't) then if they were to record a new Queen album with a singer other than Freddie, then the only singer in the frame would be Adam Lambert. May and Lambert are also both open to the possibility, but May and Taylor are very wary of doing it because they feel that they had their fingers burned with the Paul Rodgers album, and lack of record company promotion or enthusiasm for it. While acknowledging that Rodgers wasn't the ideal frontman for the groups music, they still felt that the album had some decent stuff in it worth promoting...but they got the impression that all the record company (EMI) was interested in promoting was the Queen brand (with Freddie as vocalist) - hence the recent Queen Forever CD (which Roger isn't at all happy with) which is being supported by the current tour...an unusual situation for a band to be in, touring with a singer they have never even recorded with to promote an album full of music recorded by another vocalist! So even being wary of doing another Queen Plus album, they're certainly interested in the possibility depending on record company support...or alternatively, May has suggested that it could quite easily be May and Taylor supporting Lambert on his solo career (which could be much the same thing in all but name!)

The full interview is in this months issue of Classic Rock Magazine, on sale now!