Maybe Queen + Paul Rodgers Should Be Called Bad Company + Brian + Roger
by Paul Cashmere - September 18 2008
The new Queen + Paul Rodgers album has finally arrived and it is the first new album from Queen since Made In Heaven 13 years ago. But is it really Queen?
If you take away the Queen name ‘The Cosmos Rocks’ is a great album but it sounds more like a Paul Rodgers record than a Queen record.
I love Bad Company, I love Free, I loved Paul’s solo works and I love Queen but Rodgers has such a distinctive voice that this sounds like it should a Paul Rodgers album featuring May and Taylor.
Don’t think of it as Queen – Mercury + Rodgers either. The other missing component is Queen bass player John Deacon who bowed out of any reunions but fully supports what Brian May and Roger Taylor are doing.
Deacon had such as signature bass sound. Think of ‘Under Pressure’. It was his song.
This will be a hard one for the true fans to get their head around.
Had they gone to neutral ground and called it by another name other than Queen, we would be hailing it as one of the great rock releases on 2008.
Unfortunately, it is so far removed from what Queen sounded like and not all that far removed from what the various Rogers albums sounded like that it is difficult to accept ‘The Cosmos Rock’ as a follow-up to the Mercury legacy.
Without a doubt Queen is a big brand. Rogers as a solo artist is a big talent. It is like they have taken his talent and branded it with their name.
Calling this Queen is putting the right head on the wrong body.
While The Cosmos Rocks doesn’t take us to any new ground with Queen, is a mighty fine album.
It will be nice to see Queen + Paul Rodgers on the road. When Paul sings the old songs, he fits into Queen. When Queen play the new songs, they become Paul.
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[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]PieterMC wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Had they gone to neutral ground and called it by another name other than Queen, we would be hailing it as one of the great rock releases on 2008.[/QUOTE]
Wow! :-)
Wow! :-)
What that reviewer says makes perfect sense. Nearly every negative review (press review) I have read moans about Freddie not being there.
If they were not using the name they could not make that comparison. I personally couldn't give a crap what they call themselves, but I really don't think they have helped them self from a critical standpoint by using the name. Having said that there is no way in hell that they would pull in crowds of the same size without using the name. IMO.
If they were not using the name they could not make that comparison. I personally couldn't give a crap what they call themselves, but I really don't think they have helped them self from a critical standpoint by using the name. Having said that there is no way in hell that they would pull in crowds of the same size without using the name. IMO.
Its so sad that such a good album in my opinion is being railroaded by these comparisons to the original Queen. If they had put it out under a new name I doubt anyone of any great "importance" would take the time to review it. Its the Queen label that is drawing the critic in. The all now seem to be great fans of Freddie and the original Queen. Thats not how I remember the press reaction to them over the years. I struggle to think of a good review of a previous album. And of course the press who now love Freddie, did they not make the last year or so of his life a misery trying to get a picture of a dying man to put in there crappy publications? And it is some of these who claim Brian and Roger should be ashamesd of themselves, I think they shouldd take a good look in the mirror.(no pun intended, Daily Mirror)
It really is catch 22 situation for the band. Use a new name and be largely ignored or use the Queen name and take a hammering in the press and from some fans.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]PieterMC wrote: [/QUOTENAME]It really is catch 22 situation for the band. Use a new name and be largely ignored or use the Queen name and take a hammering in the press and from some fans.[/QUOTE]
That is the problem they face. But its a small price to pay for them I'd imagineas they seemed desperate to work together again. Plus they are filling arenas on tour so I think on the whole they are accepted
That is the problem they face. But its a small price to pay for them I'd imagineas they seemed desperate to work together again. Plus they are filling arenas on tour so I think on the whole they are accepted
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]PieterMC wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Had they gone to neutral ground and called it by another name other than Queen, we would be hailing it as one of the great rock releases on 2008.
[/QUOTE]
AMEN
This is exactly how I feel.
The album exceeded my expectations, it's really good stuff. But they are just not being honest with both themselves and the fans...
Great album. Not Queen.
[/QUOTE]
AMEN
This is exactly how I feel.
The album exceeded my expectations, it's really good stuff. But they are just not being honest with both themselves and the fans...
Great album. Not Queen.
[But they are just not being honest with both themselves and the fans...
Great album. Not Queen.[/QUOTE]
Not being honest with themselves or the fans? Well I as a life long fan was perfectly aware that Freddie and John would not be performing on this album and I really found myself very excited at the thought of a new Queen album. I still consider them to be queen and I don't feel Brian and Roger are cheating me or being dishonest. We are all entitled to our opinion of course but this one seems to rattle on eh?
Great album. Not Queen.[/QUOTE]
Not being honest with themselves or the fans? Well I as a life long fan was perfectly aware that Freddie and John would not be performing on this album and I really found myself very excited at the thought of a new Queen album. I still consider them to be queen and I don't feel Brian and Roger are cheating me or being dishonest. We are all entitled to our opinion of course but this one seems to rattle on eh?
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]PieterMC wrote: [/QUOTENAME]It really is catch 22 situation for the band. Use a new name and be largely ignored or use the Queen name and take a hammering in the press and from some fans.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly how I feel.
This is exactly how I feel.
Hearing the new album for the first time I also thought it was a Paul Rodgers album, with a familiar guitar sound.
I just had to get used to it.
It does have some Queen trademarks perhaps, but it has more Roger Taylor and Brian May solo trademarks, and of course Paul's.
This new (for me great) album did make me realise the old Queen era ended with the MIH album. (I already knew that, TCR just materialised it) Listening to the album, telling myself this is a NEW band using the name QUEEN (with just Brian and Roger) + Paul Rodgers made me accept the new format and sound of this new band.
I just had to get used to it.
It does have some Queen trademarks perhaps, but it has more Roger Taylor and Brian May solo trademarks, and of course Paul's.
This new (for me great) album did make me realise the old Queen era ended with the MIH album. (I already knew that, TCR just materialised it) Listening to the album, telling myself this is a NEW band using the name QUEEN (with just Brian and Roger) + Paul Rodgers made me accept the new format and sound of this new band.
Great album. Not Queen.
I think Brian's Into the Light sounded more like a Queen album than the Cosmos Rocks. I really miss these Queen compositions. The tracks from Cosmos seems to be flat and shallow
I don't understand these 'Queen' sound comments it's been 17 years since the last Queen album even if Freddie and john were involved the sound may have been totally different. The Queen sound of the 70's (the Queen I love) is totally different to the sound of the 80's.
You never know if Freddie and John were involved now it may have been any album consisting of songs like
Rain Must Fall
Delilah
Friends will be Friends
Pain is close to pleasure
You don't fool me
A Winters tale
These type of songs were what was bad about the 80's/90's output. This new album isn't as flat as songs like these and the lyrics are not as bad either.
The album is constantly on my mp3 player. Loving Surfs up at the moment
Still don't now why the name is such an issue I couldn't care what they call themselves it's all about the music surely
You never know if Freddie and John were involved now it may have been any album consisting of songs like
Rain Must Fall
Delilah
Friends will be Friends
Pain is close to pleasure
You don't fool me
A Winters tale
These type of songs were what was bad about the 80's/90's output. This new album isn't as flat as songs like these and the lyrics are not as bad either.
The album is constantly on my mp3 player. Loving Surfs up at the moment
Still don't now why the name is such an issue I couldn't care what they call themselves it's all about the music surely
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]bathump wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I
You don't fool me
A Winters tale
These type of songs were what was bad about the 80's/90's output. [/QUOTE]
mhahahhahaha
You don't fool me
A Winters tale
These type of songs were what was bad about the 80's/90's output. [/QUOTE]
mhahahhahaha
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Jekaling wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I think Brian's Into the Light sounded more like a Queen album than the Cosmos Rocks. I really miss these Queen compositions. The tracks from Cosmos seems to be flat and shallow[/QUOTE]
emm
its "back to the light" and not "into the light"
and please people, stop complaining about the name, it doesnt matter how the band is called, the most important thing is the music that band makes, and i think this album is wonderful!!!!!
i was not expecting to listen to a queen album, cause i really know this is a new band! So, it has little trademarks of each band (Queen and Free/Bad co).
We were waiting 13 years for this, so i think we could start enjoyning the music and stop to fighting and complaining about if it`s or not queen, and if its a Bad Co record with Bri&Rog colaborations...
Please...
Enjoy!!!!!!!!
emm
its "back to the light" and not "into the light"
and please people, stop complaining about the name, it doesnt matter how the band is called, the most important thing is the music that band makes, and i think this album is wonderful!!!!!
i was not expecting to listen to a queen album, cause i really know this is a new band! So, it has little trademarks of each band (Queen and Free/Bad co).
We were waiting 13 years for this, so i think we could start enjoyning the music and stop to fighting and complaining about if it`s or not queen, and if its a Bad Co record with Bri&Rog colaborations...
Please...
Enjoy!!!!!!!!