Rodgers speaks to Billboard about new album!

Queen, Rodgers Nine Songs Into New Album
Queen + Paul Rodgers

June 22, 2007, 10:50 AM ET

Gary Graff, Detroit
Everybody tie your mothers down. Queen + Paul Rodgers plan to rock you again -- perhaps as soon as 2008. Rodgers tells Billboard.com that he's "recorded some nine songs" with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, and that there are plans to return to the studio in October to do some more work.

Rodgers won't commit to a definite timetable, but he guesses a new album may appear "probably next year the way things are going," with a tour likely to follow.

"With Queen and myself, it's a very organic thing," Rodgers explains. "We're letting it sort of develop itself naturally and not pushing it or giving it any pressure. We go in, just the three of us. Roger gets on the kit, Brian gets on the guitar, I get on the acoustic guitar and piano, either/or, and then we share the bass line afterwards."

Rodgers describes the new material as "interesting" and says he's been particularly fascinated by watching May craft Queen's trademark harmonies. "What happens is he can hear the song line and then he can hear all the harmonies on top of it," Rodgers explains. "We can't hear them, but when we go out in the studio he tells us what line we should sing. He knows exactly what he's doing and we don't know what it's going to sound like, but when we go back into the studio and the engineer puts everything up we all go, 'Holy smokes, listen to that! So that's the genius of the harmonies."

"My own approach, of course, is more of a bluesy thing," he adds. "If you add those two together it makes something else, something brand new."


Queen + Paul Rodgers began touring in 2005 and released a live album and DVD, "Return of the Champions," in 2006 before playing shows in North America. Rodgers says the group hasn't yet recorded a version of the song "Take Love," which he wrote for the North American leg.

Rodgers, who released the CD/DVD "Live in Glasgow" this year, is currently playing solo dates with his own band, while Taylor is boating in the Bahamas. May recently earned his Ph.D in astronomy and co-authored the book "Bang! -- The Complete History of the Universe."


www.billboard.com

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]fantasticcircus wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Rodgers describes the new material as "interesting" and says he's been particularly fascinated by watching May craft Queen's trademark harmonies. "What happens is he can hear the song line and then he can hear all the harmonies on top of it," Rodgers explains. "We can't hear them, but when we go out in the studio he tells us what line we should sing. He knows exactly what he's doing and we don't know what it's going to sound like, but when we go back into the studio and the engineer puts everything up we all go, 'Holy smokes, listen to that! So that's the genius of the harmonies."

"My own approach, of course, is more of a bluesy thing," he adds. "If you add those two together it makes something else, something brand new."[/QUOTE]

This is worth repeating!

Uhh, I'm unsure about this whole thing. I'd REALLY like it if they got a new band name. When they were touring, it was different, but now, I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the music will be great, but it may cause a fan uproar.

I think they can do whatever they want with their name

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=red> queen 2 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Uhh, I'm unsure about this whole thing. I'd REALLY like it if they got a new band name. When they were touring, it was different, but now, I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the music will be great, but it may cause a fan uproar.[/QUOTE]

It doesn't really matter.

If they called themselves 'QPR' someone would bitch about them using the letter Q.

In other words, there are gonna be fans who will look for any opportunity to put it down or whatever.
It's been that way since day one, and I imagine it will continue.
I'm well past the point of caring anymore.

I believe Queen (Roger+Bri)should record an album with different vocalists. Paul Rodgers is obviously strong on his own style/songs BUT he does not have the charisma, quality or range of Freddie+BM+RT to do a Queen Production justice. The live recordings on rotc of the champions demonstrates this, He sounded like he smokes 60 Ciggies a day.

Why does every topic about the new album have to turn into a debate about the name or Paul bashing?

Because of ignorance...that's why people question the name of the group and bash Paul. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. But there's some people who's bickering about this stuff makes them sound like children.

I for one am eagerly anticipating this new album.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]PieterMC wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Why does every topic about the new album have to turn into a debate about the name or Paul bashing?[/QUOTE]Your an idiots paul sucks and name is should b nu!

I for one am looking forward to the album as well. It will be different, but it's exciting in that we don't know what it'll be like. There are only a hand full of artists that are recording right now that as soon as the albums drops on the shelfs, I'll be there to pick it up the moment the stores open. This is one of those albums. (the others will be the infamous Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy, should it ever be released and the next Radiohead, just because they're awesome.. I'm sure there are a couple of others... if Genesis or the Who put out anything again, I'd be there)

I hope they don't do too much blues stuff......

God, I've waited so many years for this to happen! Can you all BELIEVE that we are hearing about a new QUEEN studio l.p. being recorded?!!! How Phucking AWESOME is that?!! Can you all BELIEVE it?!!

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=red> queen 2 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Uhh, I'm unsure about this whole thing. I'd REALLY like it if they got a new band name. When they were touring, it was different, but now, I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the music will be great, but it may cause a fan uproar.[/QUOTE]

Read Brian's entry from June 14:

http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssb.html

Particularly this part, considering the option of having a new band name:

"It's brave, but it's very unrewarding, because you tend to end up disappointing all the people who grew to love the old band, and effectively you are turning your back on everything you spent half your life building. Most times you end up playing the old hits anyway ... because why would you not want to play your own music?!"

I don't think there are too many people in the world more qualified to offer an opinion on this matter than Brian himself.

I agree! Brian made some good points there. It was nice to hear the musician's side of it.

I was actually a bit surprized that Brian's thoughts didn't cause more discussion here on QZ, considering how eagerly we've been fighting over this issue in the past.

Anyway, the news about the album sound promising. I'm dying to hear those guitar harmonies Paul was talking about. It's been way too long since we last heard Brian torturing Red Speacial.