Anyone else catch this little tidbit from Jeff at BT?

[Matthew]

The UK press often slated Queen.
In the beginning they got some real stick.
Then when they did Live Aid and stole the show, suddenly their popularity soared. I'd say Live Aid was the turning point for them. What do you think, Matthew?
And when Freddie died, they were elevated even higher. And of course, many of the journos who had slated them became the ones heaping most praise on them.

Their live show with Freddie was always a great night out.
Aaah the memories.

That's true Susie. I'd forgotten about that. Yes, the Live Aid event definitely made it 'okay' to love Queen....perhaps for the first time.

Of course, millions of people loved Queen before Live Aid but very few people I knew were prepared to admit it...

I wonder if Queen started out as a 'credible' band in the 1970s before they committed themselves to a commercial, pop direction? It would be interesting to read the early reviews.

[SusieP]

The UK press often slated Queen.
In the beginning they got some real stick.
Then when they did Live Aid and stole the show, suddenly their popularity soared. I'd say Live Aid was the turning point for them. What do you think, Matthew?
And when Freddie died, they were elevated even higher. And of course, many of the journos who had slated them became the ones heaping most praise on them.

Their live show with Freddie was always a great night out.
Aaah the memories.

That's true Susie. I'd forgotten about that. Yes, the Live Aid event definitely made it 'okay' to love Queen....perhaps for the first time.

Of course, millions of people loved Queen before Live Aid but very few people I knew were prepared to admit it...

I wonder if Queen started out as a 'credible' band in the 1970s before they committed themselves to a commercial, pop direction? It would be interesting to read the early reviews.

They were my first band if you know what I mean. I used to have scrapbooks with all their reviews. But as you get older and the newspaper yellows, and you move house and gather more stuff - you lose bits along the way. Sadly I no longer have them.
But I do remember them getting slated. I saw it as an affront to me because I loved them!
I remember some journo accompanying them on a tour of Japan. He reviewed their gig at the Budokan and really took the piss. Spiteful little digs about the Japanese not having very discerning tastes etc etc.

They got decent press up until around Sheer Heart Attack, but after that, the sniping and crap reviews started.
I preferred the early stuff I must admit - but they just kept coming up with great songs, and their live shows were always fabulous events, so, to me they were always a great band who just made the odd silly song. Nobody's perfect.
But to hear the UK press you'd think they couldn't play or sing a note or write a memorable song - ever.

Until Live Aid when suddenly everything they'd done was a gem and the bad reviews were forgotten. But not by me. Grrrrrr.

But don't get me on critics.
The soapbox can't take it any more.

[MartyMoffatt]

This is true, CH. Queen have always had more credibility than Journey - although still not perhaps as much as they deserve. It wouldn't surprise me to see Queen in a Guilty Pleasures list in the UK music press...

That's kinda funny because Queen didn't really have a lot of credibility here in the U.S. until after Freddie's death AND when "Bohemian Rhapsody" became a hit again thanks to "Wayne's World".

Actually, you're right about that, Dave. Thinking about it... Freddie's death gave the band a 'seriousness' it had previously lacked here too.

The UK press often slated Queen.
In the beginning they got some real stick.
Then when they did Live Aid and stole the show, suddenly their popularity soared. I'd say Live Aid was the turning point for them. What do you think, Matthew?
And when Freddie died, they were elevated even higher. And of course, many of the journos who had slated them became the ones heaping most praise on them.

Their live show with Freddie was always a great night out.
Aaah the memories.

Actually, I think between about '82 and '84 Queen were one of the biggest and most popular bands in the UK. The Works, released in 1984 was one of the best rock albums ever, yet spawned something like three number one singles (unheard of for a 'rock' album in this country). Their problem was that they became just TOO popular, to the extent you could not turn on MTV or listen to the radio without seeing and hearing them. And of course familiarity eventually made them uncool and an easy target for cynical journo hacks.

So, yes, their popularity waned a little, until Live Aid and then their phenomenal solo shows at Wembley the following year (I was there). At that point I don't think there was ever a band more at the peak of their ability and influence.

Later it became evident that Freddy wasn't well, but even so their musical output for those few years before Freddy's death seemed to have moved them away from the cockiness and rockiness that had put them at their peak and their popularity was in decline. People have fickle memories and tend to pick and choose what to remember about a band's musical output, instead of taking into account a whole body of work. Queen had some fantastic songs in their catalogue, but they also had a few turkeys.

If Freddy had survived to this day it is difficult to tell where they would now be regarded in music terms.

Marty

[JeremyP]

Best band ever in my opinion.

[Marc S]

You just can't compare Journey and Queen. Journey are a definite genre, they have always fitted into a fairly obvious niche which, in fairness had its peak in the early-mid 80s and never really broke out from that bubble. Queen could do literally anything and succeed. They could rock out with the heaviest fuckers of their day and then write complete opuses which were still mind blowing. Rock Metal Opera.

And fuck me Dean, they were stinking Euros just like the rest of us.

More history and culture, see.

[Rockindeano]

No, fuck you Marc. Dude, check yourself. Queens hardest songs can't compete to Journey's not could their softest ones do the same. Perry in my mind was a BETTER singer than Mercury. Freddie gets the sympathy vote for dying. He was great, but you honestly think that dude had the range, emotion, and delivery of Steve Fucking Perry?

Besides, who in the fuck would name their band after that mildewy bitch?

[Moon Beam]

No, fuck you Marc. Dude, check yourself. Queens hardest songs can't compete to Journey's not could their softest ones do the same. Perry in my mind was a BETTER singer than Mercury. Freddie gets the sympathy vote for dying. He was great, but you honestly think that dude had the range, emotion, and delivery of Steve Fucking Perry?

Besides, who in the fuck would name their band after that mildewy bitch?

Save Me, stick that in your back stack and smoke it.
Vocally and emotionally it can go rounds with many Journey tunes.
Many my friend.

[Rockindeano]

Save Me, stick that in your back stack and smoke it.
Vocally and emotionally it can go rounds with many Journey tunes.
Many my friend.

I am so tired of your iliterate stupid ass. Take the Corndog out of your mouth and fucking type a readable sentence, for shit's sake.

[Moon Beam]

Save Me, stick that in your back stack and smoke it.
Vocally and emotionally it can go rounds with many Journey tunes.
Many my friend.

fucking type a readable sentence, for shit's sake.

Nope, ya can't make me, neener neener neener.
Ya musta been able to read it if you commented on it Sir Twean'o.

[conversationpc]

Save Me, stick that in your back stack and smoke it.
Vocally and emotionally it can go rounds with many Journey tunes.
Many my friend.

I am so tired of your iliterate stupid ass. Take the Corndog out of your mouth and fucking type a readable sentence, for shit's sake.

If you're going to call someone "illiterate" at least spell it correctly.

[Rockindeano]

Nice catch. I was so fuckin angry I messed up.

Nice catch Dave, you cocksucker

[conversationpc]

Nice catch. I was so fuckin angry I messed up.

Nice catch Dave, you cocksucker

Canadians will do that to you, you know.

[SunshineTwilight]

Besides, who in the fuck would name their band after that mildewy bitch?

'mildewy bitch' LMAO!!!!

Dean, you sure have a way with words!!

[Deb]

Nice catch. I was so fuckin angry I messed up.

Nice catch Dave, you cocksucker

Canadians will do that to you, you know.

Nah.

[Rockindeano]

She is a mildewy bitch. That is one of the reasons I am not going to Virginia. I can't be around her, the British flag, the British Anthem OR Bush and his act. I just can't be around it.

[FormerJrnyFan]

She is a mildewy bitch. That is one of the reasons I am not going to Virginia. I can't be around her, the British flag, the British Anthem OR Bush and his act. I just can't be around it.

It's probably for the best...

[yulog]

Actually, you're right about that, Dave. Thinking about it... Freddie's death gave the band a 'seriousness' it had previously lacked here too.

I think Queen's music always had an underlying seriousness to it regardless of all the camp, pomposity, etc., for me at least anyway. That thought takes me back to the "Sheer Heart Attack" album and the short track there "Dear Friends" and other tracks throughout the years.

I agree. i think Queen's music was ALWAYS respected and considered 'great'. But I don't think Freddie got
the enormous credit/respect he deserved as a songwriter/vocalist/showman until his untimely death. And that is unfortunate becase he deserved to be treated that way in life.

I always thought he was incredibly respected once They put out the cd "the game",2 number 1 singles and a number 1 album they were on top of the world then.

[ohsosoto]

She is a mildewy bitch. That is one of the reasons I am not going to Virginia. I can't be around her, the British flag, the British Anthem OR Bush and his act. I just can't be around it.

now wait... let me understand this. you are letting a girl with bush stop you?

[Rockindeano]

She is a mildewy bitch. That is one of the reasons I am not going to Virginia. I can't be around her, the British flag, the British Anthem OR Bush and his act. I just can't be around it.

now wait... let me understand this. you are letting a girl with bush stop you?

Nothing makes me more sick than the queen of england(Not captitalized on purpose), and George W Bush(I hate that fucker).

I will probably end up going, but you all won't see me.

[Cate]

No, fuck you Marc. Dude, check yourself. Queens hardest songs can't compete to Journey's not could their softest ones do the same. Perry in my mind was a BETTER singer than Mercury. Freddie gets the sympathy vote for dying. He was great, but you honestly think that dude had the range, emotion, and delivery of Steve Fucking Perry?

Besides, who in the fuck would name their band after that mildewy bitch?

[quote]




Hey Deano,

"Queen " is not named after the Queen of England !!!

[Blueskies]

I always thought the name was Freddy's idea, that he thought of and referred to himself as a "queen". No?

[Cate]

Yes , he was the Queen!!

[*Laura]

It's true,"Queen" had nothing to do with royalty.Freddie changed the name of the band from Smile to Queen,as in drag queen.

Here's a fun place where the origins of band names are revealed.

http://library.thinkquest.org/4626/rock.htm

[Marc S]

Dean - you do talk some absolute (but quite amusing) bollocks at times.

You're getting into this either/or mindset. My WHOLE point is that they don't stand comparison. Journey with Perry was one of a kind, but if you really be honest with yourself Journey fit into one box quite easily; I guess thats why alot of us like it, we know what we're likely to get.

Queen, as I said, if you need it repeating, can play virtually any style fantastically well; fuck, they invented some genres and crossovers. Freddie was a staggering singer and showman, AND, didn't bail out/bottle it way before his time - death forced him to do that.

But to repeat myself don't compare them, you'll only have a hernia.

[Matthew]

You just can't compare Journey and Queen. Journey are a definite genre, they have always fitted into a fairly obvious niche which, in fairness had its peak in the early-mid 80s and never really broke out from that bubble. Queen could do literally anything and succeed. They could rock out with the heaviest fuckers of their day and then write complete opuses which were still mind blowing. Rock Metal Opera.

And fuck me Dean, they were stinking Euros just like the rest of us.

More history and culture, see.

Marc - I reckon you can compare Journey and Queen. In fact, I'd say that Journey are the American equivalent of Queen.

It's true that Journey have always been narrowly typecast as an AOR band along with Foreigner and the like. But Journey's output was far more diverse than they were ever given credit for. In fact, if you compare Journey's career between the mid-70s and mid-80s it could even be argued that the band's direction changed even more radically than Queen's did.

And even if you leave aside Journey's first three progressive/jazz rock albums, the Perry years saw the band play hard rock, RnB, blues, pop-funk and so on. No, Journey didn't ever record a Rock Metal Opera but equally songs such as "Mother, Father" are still mind-blowing epics on a grand scale.

So I don't agree that Journey didn't break out of their bubble. For example, ROR was a risk and a surprise in the same way as Hot Space was for Queen (well, almost!).

And let's be honest...Queen peaked in the early/mid-80s too.

Still...I'd have to say that you're right in the end. Queen were more adventurous more often than Journey were. But equally I do think you're underestimating Journey here. And ultimately they were both bombastic pop/rock bands who stood out from the crowd.

[Argus]

You just can't compare Journey and Queen. Journey are a definite genre, they have always fitted into a fairly obvious niche which, in fairness had its peak in the early-mid 80s and never really broke out from that bubble. Queen could do literally anything and succeed. They could rock out with the heaviest fuckers of their day and then write complete opuses which were still mind blowing. Rock Metal Opera.

And fuck me Dean, they were stinking Euros just like the rest of us.

More history and culture, see.

Marc - I reckon you can compare Journey and Queen. In fact, I'd say that Journey are the American equivalent of Queen.

It's true that Journey have always been narrowly typecast as an AOR band along with Foreigner and the like. But Journey's output was far more diverse than they were ever given credit for. In fact, if you compare Journey's career between the mid-70s and mid-80s it could even be argued that the band's direction changed even more radically than Queen's did.

And even if you leave aside Journey's first three progressive/jazz rock albums, the Perry years saw the band play hard rock, RnB, blues, pop-funk and so on. No, Journey didn't ever record a Rock Metal Opera but equally songs such as "Mother, Father" are still mind-blowing epics on a grand scale.

So I don't agree that Journey didn't break out of their bubble. For example, ROR was a risk and a surprise in the same way as Hot Space was for Queen (well, almost!).

And let's be honest...Queen peaked in the early/mid-80s too.

Still...I'd have to say that you're right in the end. Queen were more adventurous more often than Journey were. But equally I do think you're underestimating Journey here. And ultimately they were both bombastic pop/rock bands who stood out from the crowd.

One word.... VIDEO

[Matthew]

Actually, you're right about that, Dave. Thinking about it... Freddie's death gave the band a 'seriousness' it had previously lacked here too.

I think Queen's music always had an underlying seriousness to it regardless of all the camp, pomposity, etc., for me at least anyway. That thought takes me back to the "Sheer Heart Attack" album and the short track there "Dear Friends" and other tracks throughout the years.

I agree. i think Queen's music was ALWAYS respected and considered 'great'. But I don't think Freddie got
the enormous credit/respect he deserved as a songwriter/vocalist/showman until his untimely death. And that is unfortunate becase he deserved to be treated that way in life.

I always thought he was incredibly respected once They put out the cd "the game",2 number 1 singles and a number 1 album they were on top of the world then.

Isn't it true though that Freddie's change of image - from Rock God to Gay Clone - hurt the band's career in the USA?

[MartyMoffatt]

Isn't it true though that Freddie's change of image - from Rock God to Gay Clone - hurt the band's career in the USA?

That fact passed by almost without comment here in the UK. There seemed to be so many 80's pop icons coming out of the closet at the time it almost got the the stage where you had to assume anybody strutting their stuff up on stage just had to be gay.

I don't know if that hurt their career in the US but I think it was sheer over-exposure that hurt it here.

Marty

[Matthew]

Isn't it true though that Freddie's change of image - from Rock God to Gay Clone - hurt the band's career in the USA?

That fact passed by almost without comment here in the UK. There seemed to be so many 80's pop icons coming out of the closet at the time it almost got the the stage where you had to assume anybody strutting their stuff up on stage just had to be gay.

I don't know if that hurt their career in the US but I think it was sheer over-exposure that hurt it here.

Marty

Which pop icons are you thinking of, Marty? Elton John and George Michael stayed in the closet throughout the 1980s...as did Rob Halford of Judas Priesat...and minor figures too such as the drummer of Culture Club...and even Freddie kept it ambiguous.

There was a time in the 1970s when bisexuality was a fashionable thing for rock stars to admit...Reed, Bowie, Bolan, Jagger, etc - but even in the 1980s out and out gayness was still something to keep stum about on the whole.

[MartyMoffatt]

I was thinking of a lot of those horrible 80's acts like Marc Almond, the Pet Shop Boys, Boy George, ABC, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls, Fun Boy Three, Kajagoogoo, Morrissey, The Smiths, Spandau Ballet, The Thompson Twins... the list goes on. That's just a cursory look at the sort of music that flooded our airwaves for the best part of a decade. Every one of them was either openly or highly suspected to be gay.

Please note I have nothing against that lifestyle - I just hated that music.

Marty