Is there anyone left in the universe who does NOT know?

Is there anyone left in the universe who does NOT know that in 2000, when I was working on the Freddie 'Solo' boxed set - of which I remain greatly proud, by the way - my old mucker John Sibelius Stuart sent me (us) an Ibex tape. This tape then went AWOL (that's Absent Without Leave) and later cropped up as a bootleg.

It was all rather regrettable and a bit embarrassing for me, to be honest. It was the first (and last) time that ever happened but it has been mentioned by John a few thousand times since.

John was not happy about this, reasonably so, and he said so. "I'm not happy about this" he said, quite a few times to everyone who would listen at Queen, and to their families, and their families' families. And to the people that supplied his coal and electricity, and the local cub scouts and their friends, in case they didn't know yet. And to the people next door to John who are not Queen fans and had no idea what he was going on about. "I AM NOT A HAPPY MAN" he said again, and then went to bed.

And then after telling everyone at Queen that he was not very happy, and everyone at EMI, and then at Virgin, Chrysalis, A&M, Rocket Records, Polydor and Arista, he rung me again to remind me he was not happy, in case I had forgotten - which I had not. Then he rang more people and repeated "I'm not happy about my tape going missing." Then he rang me at home again one afternoon. My mum was here at the time and John demanded to speak with her.

"Is that Mrs Brooks?"

"Yes dear."

"Your son lost my Ibex tape."

"Did he?"

"Aaaaye. He did."

"Hang on there dear....... Greg, did you lose this nice man's Ibex tape?"

"I did mum. I've said sorry."

"Did it have that Beatles cover of Rain on it, son?"

"Yes ma."

"You utter git. I am ashamed of you."

"Sorry mum."

"Unhappy John from Scotland... you must tell the world of this tradegy and calimitous disaster, and you must tell them LOUD and for the next SEVEN years, dear."

"I will Mrs Brooks."

"Goodbye Jonathon from Scotland."

"Goodbye Mrs Brooks. Did I tell you that your son lost my Ibex tape......."

My mum has never forgiven me for this, much like John, and I think she loves me a good deal less than she did before because of this, much like John, and I think it has caused such deep rooted scars that she will never ever be able to move on from it and will go on and on and on and on and on, until the Sun falls from the sky.

And then after that episode with my mum John told QZ he was not happy. Then he wrote to me again saying words to the effect "I'm still not very happy."

2 whole hours passed by and then...

John wrote to several other people who did not yet know that he was not very happy, to tell them he was not very happy. "I am John S. Stuart," he would impart, adding "and I am not very happy."

"Greg from Queen lost my Ibex tape. And life will never be the same again. Don't these people know this is my LIFE they are screwing with?" He would say, barely clinging to sanity and fighting back the tears. "This is my TAPE, my cassette, my..... Ibex live in liverpool recording."

John told every single human being that had ever lived, and a few that were dead as well, every breathing life form he could reach in any way imaginable, that the loss of his tape had upset him, and that was fair enough. I too would have got the hump had it been my most prized and cherished possession in the world.

But as I explained 106 times at the time, in 2000, and then 24 times in 2001, 33 times in 2002, 16 times in 2003, 47 more times in 2004, 28 times in 2005, 8 times last year, and 12 times so far this year, I am truly truly honestly and genuinely sorry that I lost the tape. What else can I say? Should I offer up

By the way, the tape I lost was a COPY he made me, not John's master.

So basically what you're trying to say is that you lost a tape of an Ibex gig and this bloke Jonathan isn't happy cos it was his? Did I get that right?

Mmmm. In truth I think you should apologise to him.

In fact John never said that YOU "lost" it, Greg. He always was very cautious about not blaming someone in particular. Your posts say so much more about you than about John Stuart...

Come on Greg, this personal war between you and John is so incredibly boring .
Can't you just shake hands and close the file ?

Wait;
So John isn't happy?

Seriously, hatchets need burying. If y'all got hit by a bus tomorrow, would you want to go to Heaven knowing you spent so much time getting each others dukes up??

Greg, I think any proceeds made of the sale of the Freddie Box should be immediately turned over to John. The only reason I bought the box was for the lost ibex track. The rest of the stuff was just window dressing to me.

Somebody have a goat carrier they can loan?

YourValentine...

In fact John never said that YOU "lost" it, Greg. He always was very cautious about not blaming someone in particular. Your posts say so much more about you than about John Stuart...

*****

OH PLEASE! You surely do not believe for a second that anyone is remotely confused or in any doubt whatsoever that it is me and only me John is referring to in his numerous references to that incident? It's obvious to a blind man YV.

Come off it. Get real. EVERYONE knows it's me JSS refers to, and you know it too.

I have no problem with it, because I recognise that it's blatantly apparent to everyone including you, so I cannot see why on earth you would offer that comment. It seems totally redundant.

I have addressed this 2 or 3 times here on QZ, as YOU know very well YV, on 2 or 3 of the many ocassions that John mentioned it again. So is there anyone in your opinion that would be thinking... "Ooooh, I wonder who it could be at QPL that John is referring to?"

As if Greg Brooks would never occur to them. Like I say YV, come off it and get real - even though it is a minor point.

It seems like Greg fell in love...

So he is upset that Queen fans (who have never had the opportunity to do the awesome things he has)get to listen to and enjoy a rare Ibex performance.

Hmmmm............

I was unaware of this.

A million curses upon your loins Greg.

No, seriously. This dramatically alters my view of the world.

Whatever happened to "let bygones be bygones"? If this was the only known copy that had gone missing, ok, cause for concern, but it was a copy of the master, and this happened seven years ago. Can't we all just get along?

A question for YV......

If it crossed your mind that John Stuart did actually tend to mention rather a lot the seven year old episode of the lost Ibex tape, and it was your personal opinion that mentioning it again in Justin Leiter's 'Open Letter' to Greg Brooks, though it is not relevant at all to his Mott The Hoople program, was rather out of place and repiticious, WOULD YOU ACTUALLY SAY SO HERE ON QZ?

Would you ever actually admit something like... to be honest John, you do keep on referring back to that thing, and perhaps it's time to move on??? Would you heck YV. Not in this life time.

It's a fair point YV, but conspicuously you will jump to defend John and his copious references to that episode, again, but never see (or at least comment on) the other side... that's because the other side is Greg Brooks' side, and that's because I do have a good and valid point which I know you can see. BUT, because I make it in a mocking piss-taking way that throws scorn on ENDLESS harping back to an ancient episode, you simply refuse to be impartial once again. Nothing changes with you.

Why don't you say ALL that you think. Express your ENTIRE feelings on the matter. It's fine that you have a go at me and point out the errors of my ways as you perceive it, but be fair and balanced, and have the courage too to tell John that you ALSO have noticed he does mention this thing at least every month or every other month. You know it to be true, so say it.

Try being fair. I've said this to you before when you expressed only one half of your views in order not to upset one of your friends. I believe that like me and others on QZ you should have the courage of your convictions.

Now, right now, you will have a further pop at me rather than say, "True, Greg, I recognise that John does go on and on about that lost tape. Fair cop. It is tedious, I agree. JOhn, please stop going on about it because it's really old news now. Thank you mate." That would be such a refreshing change; you being completely fair and expressing here on QZ (for JSS to see too) the WHOLE truth, not just edited parts of it.

Are you big enough to admit the truth in what I say YV? Or even to see it?

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]DavidRFuller wrote: [/QUOTENAME]So he is upset that Queen fans (who have never had the opportunity to do the awesome things he has)get to listen to and enjoy a rare Ibex performance.

Hmmmm............[/QUOTE]

Actually David, nothing could be further from the truth, and I am a little surprised that you could be so easily duped.

I know - that you know - I just happened to share EXCLUSIVE material from my personal collection (which does NOT exist in the Queen vaults) over the weekend (especially as you provided the 'YouTube' video based on the download).

So what gives either you or Greg the right to be so judgemental - especially in the face of my continued generosity?

Three guesses as to who just lost himself a sweet little contact?

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Queen Archivist wrote: [/QUOTENAME]By the way, the tape I lost was a COPY he made me, not John's master.[/QUOTE]

Actually, it was the MASTER casette which was lost - I kept my personal copy on mini-disc.

If I am not mistaken, what you actually needed was the master so that any further reproduction was the 'best possible available...', but I guess you have forgotten that too.

Anyway, as I have repeatedly said also, this has NOTHING to do with a cassette tape, but more to do with a philosophy or attitude. However I guess points of order or principle are lost on the materialistic.

I really need to start reading properly or wear glasses i thought it was john deacon you was talking about..lol
That would be funny if you had a arguement with him..:D:D