Keep Yourself Alive (Long Lost Re-take)

Some cases are mistakes, I agree. I just don't think "Louie" among them in this specific instance. 

My worry in changing it would also be that we're assuming the informality is incorrect, because we're assuming he doesn't prefer that spelling, at least on his recording credits. We're proposing changing the official credit because we presume it's a mistake. There's no evidence that "Louie" isn't among his monikers, personal or professional.

Yes, of course, and you've got all the right to keep that spelling if you feel like it. I only wanted to clear up that these things allow certain freedom but it doesn't mean any name can be spelt as anybody wants to. Now, whether L. Austin's case is the former or latter, it's (for the moment) subjective. I guess we're on the same page there.

I agree, it's a vaild point, but short of being an actual, identifiable mistake (like if it had been "Ray Baker" instead of Roy...), I'm comfortable leaving it as it appears on the sleeve.

Coming back to the original thread, I found an interview with Roger from Record Mirror, 24th May 1975, with an interesting comment!

How about a single, Is there any chance of one before the album?

"No, I don't think so, because we don't write singles as such. In America they're going to put Keep Yourself Alive out again,
because we weren't well-known when it first came out there.''

Do you think it's a good idea?

"Hmm, I have my doubts about it."

This is interesting - just heard this for the first time today. 

At first I thought wow...this sounds awfully clear for '72-'73.....And then after reading a post mentioning '75 as the recording date, I immediately knew that it must be. I'm surprised more folks didn't catch these nuances.

For one thing, Rogers snare is pretty much tuned the same way it's tuned on all of "night at the opera"...Freddies voice sounds like "night at the opera" recordings too. Plus, the first queen album has a very "classic" wooly sort of fuzzy sound about it (which I like) that A night at the opera is missing. No doubt that "opera" has a classic sound...but the sound on that record is a little more cleaned up (even when compared to other recordings from '73 honestly)....you can tell the sound is still very much vintage '70s....but interestly, the little "quirks" and colorations of the early '70s recordings are beginning to disappear. 

Why? Technique sure, but I honestly think it has more of a technological basis. Tape manufacturing process changes, sort of like film. I mean look at film photos from '69 and then a picture from '85. Totally different. 

John 
www.SongJohn.com

Adding to this thread late rather than start my own.

I've always wondered about this. I thought they re-recorded it so they could re-release it after they finally 'hit it big' after A Night At The Opera.

What caught me strange is... they NEVER USED IT. They just re-released the originally released single, and I far prefer the 'Long Lost Re-Take'.

Never made any sense to me.

Long Lost Re-Take is by far better than any other studium recording of the song!

[QUOTE] [b]Viper wrote:[/b]

Long Lost Re-Take is by far better than any other studium recording of the song![/QUOTE]

studium?
is that a studio that's so big it's got its own stadium inside? or a stadium with it's own studio? :-)

the 1st one!

I thought it was something like "Wumbley Studium" :P

[QUOTE] [b]malicedoom wrote:[/b]

Adding to this thread late rather than start my own.

I've always wondered about this. I thought they re-recorded it so they could re-release it after they finally 'hit it big' after A Night At The Opera.

What caught me strange is... they NEVER USED IT. They just re-released the originally released single, and I far prefer the 'Long Lost Re-Take'.

Never made any sense to me.[/QUOTE]

I believe it had something to do with the legal wranglings with Trident at the time.

And the song was recorded in late June '75, so it was to be after they hit it big with Sheer Heart Attack. Pedantic, yeah, but hey.

The fact that another distinct 1972 version of KYA has since circulated is further evidence for the 'Long Lost Retake' being a 1975 recording, yes?

The fact that Freddie sings 'Get, get, get it, boy' on the outro of said retake is strong evidence in itself, I think. He never did that live until the Night at the Opera tour. It's not hard evidence, but it's enough to convince me.

[QUOTE] [b]The Ghost of Lester Burnham wrote:[/b]

I believe it had something to do with the legal wranglings with Trident at the time.

And the song was recorded in late June '75, so it was to be after they hit it big with Sheer Heart Attack. Pedantic, yeah, but hey.[/QUOTE]

Ah, OK. Now it finally makes sense.

What still doesn't is why, even then, it didn't chart anywhere. Such a great song.

[QUOTE] [b]The Ghost of Lester Burnham wrote:[/b]

And the song was recorded in late June '75[/QUOTE]

The tape box is labeled July 2, 1975.

Or is that the day the mix was completed !?

[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE] [b]The Ghost of Lester Burnham wrote:[/b]

And the song was recorded in late June '75[/QUOTE]

The tape box is labeled July 2, 1975.

Or is that the day the mix was completed !?
[/QUOTE]

That's what I was assuming. (Also, I couldn't remember the exact date off the top of my head...!)