Were Brian and Roger Disrepecful

I was just thinking were Brian & Roger disrepectul To Freddie after he died because after he died Brian was putting out Back to the light and touring and Roger was touring with the Cross was it too quick after Freddie

No

Yes, they were literally dancing on his grave.  And releasing those solo ventures immediately after his death did not help.
Brian May went as far as deliberately hiding brilliant songs from the band during the Innuendo sessions so that he could later release those gems on his solo album. Unfortunately a cat ate the demo tapes, which contained those brilliant gems, and that's why he recorded  "Back to the Light" instead.

Brian's own thoughts on the matter, via a piece written a few days after Mercury's death:

[i]"Not surprisingly, Mercury's last words to May sang of outrageous wit. The guitarist's first solo studio album is due out in May, and his first solo single was recently released in England. When Mercury's condition began to deteriorate, May began to feel uncomfortable about turning out product while his bandmate of 20 years was confined to bed.

Explains May: "I was a little upset about the timing of my record. It had taken me all of these years to get something together. Then it was already about to hit the shops in England, my solo record, when he was just about to go.

“And I started to feel worried because I felt like it was a tasteless thing to have a record out while this was happening to him. I didn't want to go out and be grinning on a stage and performing when he was slipping away. I felt really bad about it.

"Well," continues May with a sigh, "the last quote from Freddie that came to me was actually through our manager. I'd seen Freddie the previous day, but hadn't realized how close it all was.

“And our manager was there the next day, and he said to Freddie: 'Look, Brian's a bit worried and he feels like it might hurt your feelings or it might not be the best time to have all this stuff happening.'

“And Freddie said: 'Don't be stupid, darling, it's the best publicity you could have.' So right to the end he was able to maintain his sense of humor, even knowing that he was probably not going to last the weekend."[/i]

Full article at [url=http://www.brianmayinterview.com/]http://www.brianmayinterview.com/[/url]



 



 



 



 



 



 



 



There was some tension surrounding it though, as I saw a later interview with Roger Taylor that referenced the timing.  The interviewer was basically poking Taylor implying that Brian has said uncharitable things about the success of his work with 'The Cross".  Taylor snapped that he didn't really want to hear what Brian had to say because Brian's solo work came out around the time of Freddie's death. The implication was that Brian had benefited from that timing and it had been in poor taste.  It was during that time that it seemed that Roger and John were of like minds on things and Brian was a bit on the outs.

Sorry guys but it's Freddie who died.
Not Brian, not Roger.

I must tell you that Roger Taylor showed a great deal of respect when Freddie Mercury died.  Contrary to what you believe Roger had completed touring in Europe and furthermore - and more pointedly - WITHDREW his new European release with The Cross which was the single Life Changes out of respect for Freddie.  I can also tell you that some people suggested he would benefit from the publicity by bringing The Cross back to the UK to tour during 1992 which he was not interested in doing despite the fact the band by that stage had enjoyed commercial success in Germany and other European countries.  He had no interest whatsoever in capitalising on Freddie's death for his own solo gain.  Indeed, his whole approach with The Cross was organic insofar as he didn't even want promoters to use the Queen connection to shift tickets which was commendable but would have made far more commercial sense. 

I think that Brian May, being a very pleasant, considerate man did genuinely have misgivings about his release at the time and I personally think it was an error of judgment going ahead with it.   He benefited commercially no end from the publicity that came to him with Freddie's death without him actively going out looking for it, that is undeniable.  
  Referring to another commentator's point, Brian may have withheld Too Much Love Will Kill You from Queen in 1988/9 because he felt it was very personal to him, possibly even inappropriate to present to Queen given Freddie's situation and further more it was co-written by two other people and that wouldn't have fitted with Queen's in house policy.

First Jonno, welcome.  :)

Great Taylor history there  - thanks.

"Too Much Love Will Kill You" was recorded with  Mercury on vocals in 87 or 88 or around there and was slated for 'The Miracle', but there was some kind of problem with publishing rights or something for May's cowriters at that time.  Mercury's version eventually of course showed up on "Made in Heaven".  I actually like May's rendition better - I think because it was such a personal song to him, that showed.

I don't think it's disrespectful to release a record at that moment. I do think it's disrespectful to put words on a dead man's mouth (e.g. saying Paul Rodgers was Freddie's favourite singer).

The only disrespectful thing they have done in MY OPINION is record a new record and gone back on the road as Queen with a different singer. I have heard their reasons but at the end of the day their reasons are 'we have to use the 'Queen' brand, fewer people would be interested if we were called something else'.






i.e we would make less money.



Hateful.

Oh dont be silly.

Thats not hateful.

Freddie would not have stood in their way of continuing their career as Queen.As far as i'm concerned they had the best singer that they could possibly get in Paul Rodgers.He did not imitate Freddie.And that is to his credit.

[QUOTE]

[b]Bo Rhap wrote: [/b]

Oh dont be silly.

Thats not hateful.

Freddie would not have stood in their way of continuing their career as Queen.As far as i'm concerned they had the best singer that they could possibly get in Paul Rodgers.He did not imitate Freddie.And that is to his credit.[/QUOTE]

"Freddie would not have stood in their way of continuing their career as Queen"


You simply do not know that. If thats what Brian and Roger said well, what else would they say.....?


My opinion, as yours is yours. Ok not hateful. Detestful.

I agree with Bo Rhap.  We wanted something new, we got it.  When they (Queen and Rodgers) got together, it sparked waves of excitement, I seem to recall.  Whilst I was initially against it, I soon came to realise that Paul Rodgers would not be a [i]replacement[/i] of Freddie but an excellent singer who would do Queen songs justice in his [i]own[/i] style and that this would ultimately provide a means for me seeing my heroes live on stage at last.  And the addition of Free and Bad Company hits to the live setlist was a welcome bonus, IMO.  Rodgers is a fantastic vocalist and, whilst not in the same ilk as our dear Mr. Mercury, was not there to dance on his grave or to imitate - and he certainly admitted himself that he was not there to do so or to take anything away from the "Queen" brand.  That collaboration provided us a service and we should be thankful for that.

Moving back onto topic, I would say that Brian's release of "Back To The Light" perhaps looked like poor timing but was certainly not disrespectful.  Brian was (sorry, is)  just as important a part of Queen as Freddie was, and has every right to make music and live on the fruits of a name he was an important part of (although this is not license to produce another hits album lol).  If Freddie saw no harm in it, then that's testament to the great man we all know he was.  I don't think Brian released the album so close to Freddie's death just for added sympathy sales. 

And Roger is a gentleman.  We all know he cancelled single releases and tour dates out of respect.  Maybe Brian's release of BTTL was out of respect for Freddie's wishes.  And I'm sure that they would have been that the remaining members kept their drive and passion and, to nick a phrase, that the show went on.

As I grow older, I am not so much the stepford I used to be and I am of the opinion that the current release of AG,  the appearances on the X factor and the apparent urge to turn up at the opening of a crisp packet from BM and RT has kind of killed the legacy, the name, and the values of Queen just a little.  But no doubt, I'll find my way home again and deep down I know I love those two really. 

But in no way are they disrespectful.  They loved Freddie as much as we still do.

I still miss you Freddie.

[QUOTE]

[b]Sebastian wrote:
[/b]I don't think it's disrespectful to release a record at that moment. I do think it's disrespectful to put words on a dead man's mouth (e.g. saying [b]Paul Rodgers was Freddie's favourite singer[/b]).

[/QUOTE] Wow!! OK, Bian and Roger claimed that PR was Freddie's fav singer when it suited them but by posting it in every other thread you've beaten it to death. They have all moved on to other things, so let it go man.

What ever they have done, Brian and Roger have been simply carrying on with their lives. In no way have they been disrespectful to Freddie IMO.
Everyone has commitments and obligations has it is not always possible to just cancel plans already made. And if Freddie had already given is blessings to Brian to carry on with the work and release of his solo album then I think Brian did the right thing in not chnging his plans. That is what Freddie would definitley have wanted, and you don't have to be Peter Freestone to understand that.

Both of them going out and doing their own solo recordings, albums, and tours were their way of dealing with the pain.

Keeping busy takes your mind off pain alot of the time.

Not disrespectful at all.