A couple of (hopefully) interesting facts about Knebworth 1986

I am currently trying to put together ALL informations we have about the Knebworth show. It was the LAST concert in the times, when Queen consisted of Freddie, Brian, Roger, John and Spike, so it deserves a "proper" release. Since we won't get it from official sources, I want to make my own. That's why I search for all video bits, audio bits, photos, stories, anecdotes ..... These are some of the information I found during some googlin' , I hope some of it will be interesting for somebody from you. The gig was according to wikipedia called : "[i]It's A Kind Of Magic[/i]" - can somebody confirm this ???( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concerts_at_Knebworth_House ) Before you continue, check this site : http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/Knebworth-festival-1986.html [b]Belouis Some[/b] : ------------------- 2 anecdotes from http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-88.html [QUOTE] 1. Was standing by the mixing desk unit, about 40 yards out from the stage. Bottles started flying for about 5 minutes when a huge half a melon came flying over and actually hit one of the sound mixing guys on the back of the head. He was furious, staring out into the crowd with melon stuck in his hair, trying to find the culprit, to no avail. Me &  my mate were crying with laughter. 2. The opening act came on (guy called Belouis Some, who was awful, but I think Freddie was 'fond' of him). Anyways, first three songs went by and he had a regular inflow of bottles. The idiot then announced that his next song was called 'Target Practice' (no joke), and the whole stage was then swamped for about 2 minutes non-stop. Funniest thing was people were running out of bottles and huge chunks of turf were then sent inbound. Fucking hilarious! [/QUOTE] Well from what I read he was "shit", "crap" etc., so a recording probably doesn't exist. Or does it ? [b]Big Country[/b] : ---------------- http://www.bigcountry.co.uk/forums/viewmessage/index.php?o=1634&t=5919 [QUOTE] "This left the Scottish tinged act Big Country, to pave the way for the headliners,. Big Country were quite popular in the 80s,although they never had massive hits, their album ' The Seer" did chart at number 2 in 1986, but for all that , they were rather strange band to be on this bill, as they would not seem to appeal particularly to Queen fans . Their music had a celtic feel to it and really did not connect to the populistic and anthemic Queen tunes , but who knows, perhaps they were on the bill because members of Queen liked them..... or perhaps because they were not likely to outperform Queen and thus steal their glory ... Just how well Big Country went down is arguable as reported sources vary, with quotes regarding them doing four encores to none at all ! They were the recipients of a full 2 litre bottle of something or other thrown from the crowds, but they got a better reception than Beloius Some." [/QUOTE] [QUOTE] Check out one of the Rarities cd's, there is little bits on it filmed by Ian, cant remember the song but it shows the whole crowd singing back to Stuart. From what i've heard Big Country went down great and im sure someone told me Brian May watched them from the side of the stage. [/QUOTE] - SO A VIDEO RECORDING OF BIG COUNTRY DOES EXIST ???? Does anybody have it ? [QUOTE] Hi Andrew, I've got a bootleg CD of that gig and it sounds as though they're received very well, especially during the 2nd half of the set. The set list if anyone is interested was- 1)Wonderland, 2)Fields Of Fire, 3) Where The Rose Is Sown, 4)Remembrance Day, 5)I Walk The Hill, 6)Just A Shadow, 7)Look Away, 8)Chance, 9)IABC, 10)Harvest Home, 11)Lost Patrol, 12)Honky Tonk Woman, 13)Fields Of Fire scratch. Don't think they would have played scratch if they didnt enjoy it, and wouldnt have played for 70mins. [/QUOTE] - So an AUDIO recording DOES exist. Does anybody have it ? [b]Status Quo[/b] : according to this site : http://www.statusquo.fr/bootlegs.htm a bootleg recording DOES exist. Does anybody have it ? Taken from their official site : http://www.statusquo.co.uk/history/history4.htm [QUOTE] 1986 - Quo returns with a new line-up. Joining Rossi, Parfitt and Bown for the recording of 'In The Army Now' are John 'Rhino' Edwards (bass) and Jeff Rich (drums). The band enjoy the sessions so much that they decide to go out on the road again. A giant European tour even includes three shows in different countries within 24 hours in Denmark, England (Knebworth) and Switzerland. The Top Ten 'In The Army Now' album includes four hit singles with 'Rollin Home' (No.9), 'Red Sky' (No.19), 'In The Army Now' (No.2) and 'Dreamin' (No.15) [/QUOTE] Well according to http://www.queenlive.ca/queen/86-08-09.htm  "they had to leave early for a gig in Germany". Does anybody KNOW what is the truth ? Also this picture : Does it come from the Queen show in 1986 as QueenLive (and other sites) suggest or from the 1990 show, as http://www.statusquo.co.uk/history/history4.htm suggests ? Does anybody know ? [b]Queen[/b] : ---------- these are the songs which we KNOW that were filmed professionally : One Vision (by the TV station - TV Anglia ???) - does anybody know if they filmed more ? Is This The World We Created ? - by DoRo crew Tutti Frutti - by DoRo crew Hammer To Fall - includes some IDENTICAL angles to the footage which was show on the big screen Radio Ga Ga - at least 3 different cameras - one identical with the ITTWWC footage, the other filmed from either the stage or right below the stage, and the third identical to the footage from the big screen We Are The Champions - the same as GaGa God Save The Queen - many many different angles, including some IDENTICAL angles as those shown on the big screen. Well didn't Mr. Greg "ILoveJohnSStuartAndAllQueenMoaners" Brooks and Mr. Brian "IDontWareWigs" May claim that the footage which was transferred to the big screen wasn't recorded at all ? So how is it possible that we have professional bits which show the IDENTICAL angles like the video show on the screen ? Is it possible to have 2 camera men standing close together and filming the same object from the same angle ? This is quite strange. There are also many audio recordings 1) the soundboard recording - edited version released on [i][b]Live Magic[/b][/i] - unfortunately they played with the speed, the rock songs are faster, the ballads are slower 2) Crazy Ass master tape, released on bootleg [i]Thank You All[/i] 3) 105 minutes long audience recording 4) an unknown recording - somebody standing VERY close to Crazy Ass also recorded the gig, on the TYA recording you can hear how "somebody" stops his "recording device" 5) official video source - as recorded by the DoRo film Does somebody have "source 4" or heard it ? Is there any chance it could be better than the "Crazy Ass" source ? [i][b]SOOOOOOOOOOOOO[/b][/i] Does anybody have any audio recording of the opening bands ? Does anybody have any video recording of the opening bands ? Does anybody have any photos of any of the performances ? Is anybody willing to share his/her memories on this day ? Any comments at all ?

This is a great idea and topic. I hope you get the info you are after......it will be interesting to read.
I don't think the pic of Status Quo is from the 1986 show at Knebworth because there is no catwalk at the front, and the Queen stage would of been covered in carpet.

On Quo: Remember the roadie on top of the giant screen with a broom taking the piss?

On Big Country: Remember Stuart Adamson taking out his camera and photographing the crowd?

On Queen: Remember the organ pipes behind Brian on "Forever"?

Oh yes the infamous organ pipes. These should of been incorporated into the show for 'Who Wants To Live Forever' at most of the outside shows, but could not be wheeled out from behind the curtain and under the walkways as there was not enough room. The stage was huge at Knebworth so this is where it was premiered. A similar version was later used in the 'Forever' video but not the same one. It would of made more sense to have this on the stage already at the side of the stage on Brian's side, so this problem would not of arisen.
If anybody has any proof that they used the 'pipes' on stage apart from Knebworth do let me know.

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[b]GT wrote: [/b]

This is a great idea and topic. I hope you get the info you are after......it will be interesting to read.
I don't think the pic of Status Quo is from the 1986 show at Knebworth because there is no catwalk at the front, and the Queen stage would of been covered in carpet.
[/QUOTE]
Take a closer look. On the left side of the picture (not necessarily the left side of the stage) there IS a catwalk.
I really do believe this is from the Queen Knebworth 86 show.

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[b]Martin Packer wrote: [/b]

On Quo: Remember the roadie on top of the giant screen with a broom taking the piss?

On Big Country: Remember Stuart Adamson taking out his camera and photographing the crowd?

On Queen: Remember the organ pipes behind Brian on "Forever"?
[/QUOTE]
Quo - hey thanks, I completely forgot that story :-)
BC - well till today I never heard about it . Are the photos available somewhere ?

IMO they ve got the video, they can say everything, but they ve got it.

Probably is not as WEMBLEY with 15 cameras, greats shoot etc..

Something that I don t understand is why to put out something like LIVE MAGIC..with Knebworth show, Budapest and 11th in Wembley with half songs and cutted songs..:((((((((

The picture of QUO is not from Knebworth 86..apart the stage(its enormous, but not queen Magic stage).I think its still knebworth but another year..probably late than 86.

Sometimes there are mistakes also on Freddie picture..Newcastle is Wembley..etc..Budapest is Slane..

By the way..has someone noticed that from Slane Castle there are a lot of pictures
?..more than other show...I don t know what this mean but it could possibly been filmed? (not audience shoot)--

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[b]pittrek wrote: [/b]



4) an unknown recording - somebody standing VERY close to Crazy Ass also recorded the gig, on the TYA recording you can hear how "somebody" stops his "recording device"

[/QUOTE]
Excellent topic !  This definitely deserves some attention.

Where on the recording does this happen, btw.. !??

[QUOTE]

[b]Martin Packer wrote: [/b]

On Quo: Remember the roadie on top of the giant screen with a broom taking the piss?

On Big Country: Remember Stuart Adamson taking out his camera and photographing the crowd?

On Queen: Remember the organ pipes behind Brian on "Forever"?
[/QUOTE]

I too remember the roadie on top of the giant screen above the stage during Quo's set. Thought he was rather funny. Quo were good. Big Country, as I remember it were far better than Quo.

As for the gig itself, here is the only momento of that occassion I still have

[url=http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtFront.jpg]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtFront.jpg[/url]

[url=http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtBack.jpg]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtBack.jpg[/url]

[QUOTE]

[b]queen79luca wrote: [/b]



The picture of QUO is not from Knebworth 86..apart the stage(its enormous, but not queen Magic stage).I think its still knebworth but another year..probably late than 86.



 

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Quite correct. The Quo pic is Knebworth 1990

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[b]Sir GH wrote: [/b]

[QUOTE]













[b]pittrek wrote: [/b]







4) an unknown recording - somebody standing VERY close to Crazy Ass also recorded the gig, on the TYA recording you can hear how "somebody" stops his "recording device"





[/QUOTE]
Excellent topic !  This definitely deserves some attention.

Where on the recording does this happen, btw.. !??
[/QUOTE]

Cca 9 second before Harvey Goldsmith (I hope I got the name right :-) ) says "Right, that is the end of our show".

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[b]Mr Mercury wrote: [/b]

[QUOTE]





[b]Martin Packer wrote: [/b]



On Quo: Remember the roadie on top of the giant screen with a broom taking the piss?

On Big Country: Remember Stuart Adamson taking out his camera and photographing the crowd?

On Queen: Remember the organ pipes behind Brian on "Forever"?

[/QUOTE]

I too remember the roadie on top of the giant screen above the stage during Quo's set. Thought he was rather funny. Quo were good. Big Country, as I remember it were far better than Quo.

As for the gig itself, here is the only momento of that occassion I still have

[url=http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtFront.jpg]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtFront.jpg[/url]

[url=http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtBack.jpg]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/mr_mercury/QueenKnebworthTShirtBack.jpg[/url]
[/QUOTE]
Pretty nice wall :-)

The Quo pic is from the Silver Clef awards at Knebworth in 1990. I was there and also at Queen's gig in '86. Stuart Adamson did indeed take a picture of the crowd and Big Country were on after Quo if memory serves me well - I believe Quo had another gig elsewhere that evening? Deaky did indeed trash his bass at the end of GaGa - apparently it had been resprayed (black) and was due to feature the Magic caricatures (which it didn't) but he didn't like the new finish so launched it at the end of the number (see 'Rare Live' for evidence). The organ pipes did indeed make their first appearance on UK soil during the tour and were wheeled on from Brian's side of the stage. When Queen arrived by helicopter the entire audience ignored whoever was playing and gave a huge roar of approval for the boys. It took 4 hours to get out of the bloody car park!! Official attendance was listed as 160,000, unofficial 240,000!! I knew 3 coppers who were on duty that day and was told that an hour before Queen hit the stage there were 80,000 people outside without tickets. For safety reasons and to avoid a possible riot the fencing was removed (it wasn't there when we left the venue!!) and those people were let in for free. I was at the Purple gig the year before and can tell you that the Queen crowd was enormous in comparison.

[QUOTE] [b]Mr Mercury wrote: [/b] [QUOTE] [b]queen79luca wrote: [/b] The picture of QUO is not from Knebworth 86..apart the stage(its enormous, but not queen Magic stage).I think its still knebworth but another year..probably late than 86.   [/QUOTE] Quite correct. The Quo pic is Knebworth 1990 [/QUOTE] Here are some youtube videos from Knebworth 1990 : Anyway I can't find the "correct angle" which would prove that the pic is from 1990.