Honestly, what's the point of this live album? It hardly even sounds like a live show because of the enormous amounts of cuts. Not only did they edit out songs but cut out big chunks of them for some strange reason. It's got to be one of the weirdest live albums I've ever heard and never understood what the point of it was.
paulosham · Member since
Live albums were never a Queen strong point. I remember reading somewhere that Live Magic was voted one of the worst live albums. I do like it myself but I can also see it's many flaws.
dysan · Member since
There was some discussion about Live Magic a couple of months ago - It was the first Queen album I owned but it was soon overtaken as I bought up the back catalogue. I rediscovered recently and it brought so many memories back. Of course, now I can see that the edits are weird, but they leave a short punchy album. The only noticable one is on BORAP the others are seemless - they have cut the fat out an I think it stands up. Live At Wembley '86 does not replace Live Magic as I find the recordings inferior and the setlist over long. Sure, there are some missing gems from the dates used on LM (and it's annoying it duplicates songs from Live Killers - Bowie's two 70's live albums from '74 and '78 had 17 different songs on both) but what is there is great. Indeed, as I said during those super LM discussion I prefer the even shorter cassette version and am still trying to track down the original Japanese release that follows the tape version. Queen is a largely nostalgic thing for me anyway, and Live Magic, by virtue of being ignored for so long, is a perfect time capsule of 1986 and me barely out of nappies :o)
Rick · Member since
Money, of course.
gagakid1906 · Member since
Yeah really, what is the point of these live albums!?
If you want the songs just go buy the original album.
Freddie wanted money.
tcc · Member since
I think the band really enjoyed doing the Magic Tour and having filmed the concert at Wembley for the purpose of putting a DVD, they then found that they also liked the concert at Knebworth. To keep a memorial of the Knebworth concert, they quickly rushed out the Magic tour hilghlights (mainly from Knebworth) in a CD called Live Magic. In order to have as many songs as possible in one CD, they may have agreed to edit some of the songs including the sacred cow Bohemian Rhapsody :-)
LIke the guy above, Live Magic was also the first Queen album that I bought. It was done in a hurry after listening to Radio Ga Ga from the radio. Like him, I was also disappointed initially to hear the original full-length songs (which I heard from the Greatest Hits I & II albums, my second Queen purchase). The cheering and audience singing especially for I Want To Break Free, God Save The Queen really made the songs sound more lively and good.
jamster1111 · Member since
gagakid1906 wrote: Yeah really, what is the point of these live albums!?
If you want the songs just go buy the original album.
Freddie wanted money. Nooo I understand the point of live albums and most of Queen's live performances were spectacular but my question is not why did they make Live Magic? My question is more like, why are there so many cuts throughout the album? It's just strange.
dysan · Member since
a) vinyl space b) some things that are fun live make for a boring listen in the car
Like a said, and I know at least one person on here agrees - I like the edits (bar the BR one) as they really tighten up the album.
Russian Headlong · Member since
at the time of release i remember reading in the fan club mag at the time that the band didnt want to release a double album. I don't know why but I read that Roger hated Live Killers, perhaps they didnt want an overbloated live album. Live Magic is butchered but i thinks its version of AKOM is the definitive version, rocky and boogie esque.
lifetimefanofqueen · Member since
i thought it was alright......i feel like the wee one in the corner who objects...........
aaaah speaking of which i was ment to watch live at the bowl ages ago (bought it in janurary!) might as well watch it tonight if i aint to tired, depends.....
The Real Wizard · Member since
Live albums are usually very self-indulgent, so Queen decided to do one that was very concise and to the point. No doubt it was done to cash in after the hugely successful Magic tour, but most of the performances are great. The roar at the beginning of One Vision is worth the price of admission.
paulosham · Member since
dysan wrote: There was some discussion about Live Magic a couple of months ago - It was the first Queen album I owned but it was soon overtaken as I bought up the back catalogue. I rediscovered recently and it brought so many memories back. Of course, now I can see that the edits are weird, but they leave a short punchy album. The only noticable one is on BORAP the others are seemless - they have cut the fat out an I think it stands up. Live At Wembley '86 does not replace Live Magic as I find the recordings inferior and the setlist over long. Sure, there are some missing gems from the dates used on LM (and it's annoying it duplicates songs from Live Killers - Bowie's two 70's live albums from '74 and '78 had 17 different songs on both) but what is there is great. Indeed, as I said during those super LM discussion I prefer the even shorter cassette version and am still trying to track down the original Japanese release that follows the tape version. Queen is a largely nostalgic thing for me anyway, and Live Magic, by virtue of being ignored for so long, is a perfect time capsule of 1986 and me barely out of nappies :o)
This is one of my favourite Queenzone posts... ever!
All my life · Member since
Let s hope that in 2012 , the live albums will have new treatment and fill out the edit of the previous version.
Could u imagine "Live Magic" full cd? with tracks from Knebworth, Wembley, Budapest & Mannheim???
The same for Live Killers with Fat Bottomed Girls, It s Late, Somebody to Love...
Gregsynth · Member since
No, what Queen Productions should've done, was professionally record one of those freaking Leiden gigs, THEN release that on a CD. Almost all the song's performances from any of the 3 Leiden gigs trumps the stuff on the Wembley concert and Budapest/Knebworth.
One Vision: 2nd Leiden Tie Your Mother Down: 1st or 2nd Leiden In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited: 3rd Leiden Seven Seas: Any version Tear It Up: 2nd Leiden A Kind Of Magic: 1st or 2nd Leiden Under Pressure: 3rd Leiden Another One Bites The Dust: 3rd Leiden or Knebworth Who Wants To Live Forever: 2nd or 3rd Leiden I Want To Break Free: 2nd Leiden Impromptu: 2nd Leiden Guitar Solo: Any Now I'm Here: Any Love Of My Life: Any Leiden gig Is This The World We Created: 3rd Leiden Oldies section: Any Bohemian Rhapsody: 1st or 2nd Leiden Hammer To Fall: 1st or 2nd Leiden Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Any Radio Ga Ga: 2nd or 3rd Leiden We Will Rock You: 2nd or 3rd Leiden Friends Will Be Friends: Budapest We Are The Champions: 2nd Leiden God Save The Queen: Knebworth
There's your Live Magic CD--every song sounds great, no need for Freddie to overdub here! Plus in the earlier gigs on the tour, the whole band have more of an "edge," and if you combine that with the Leiden crowd/atmosphere--you'll have an excellent concert.
dysan · Member since
Impromptu: 2nd Leiden Guitar Solo: Any Now I'm Here: Any Oldies section: Any
