Queen Survey

Wow! It's been quite a while since I last posted on these forums! Most of you probably don't remember me, but that's alright. Anyway, I was hoping you could help with something. My girlfriend is writing a creative nonfiction essay on Queen and its fans. I know that she would be very grateful if you could set aside the time to answer a few questions. Here is a message from her followed by her questions (I also put this up on Queenonline. I want to reach as many people as possible for her):


Hi! I'm writing a creative nonfiction essay for one of my college courses. The topic of my essay is Queen and its fans. My boyfriend is a huge fan of Queen, so I interviewed him about the band and why he is a fan. He is an active member of this forum and suggested that I post some of my questions to gain different perspectives. I would greatly appreciate it if you could please answer the questions below. Thank you! =)


1. How long have you been a fan?
2. How did you become a fan?
3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why?
4. What genre(s) of music do you like? How does Queen fit in with your other musical tastes?
5. What artists do you like besides Queen?
6. How are they different from other bands out there?
7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you?
8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like?
9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you?
10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.

I'll do some of these now and edit in the trickier ones when I've slept a bit and my brain is working.

1 - 3 years
2 - First time I heard Queen was on my cousin's Greatest Hits I CD which I enjoyed, I wouldn't say I was a fan though until I got into songs like Flick Of The Wrist and Love Of My Life (first non hit tracks I really listened to if I remember correctly)
3 - Queen II, favourite song either '39 or Nevermore
4 - Genres hmmm... Mostly 60s and 70s rock music, an odd more recent alt. rock band
5 - Led Zeppelin, The Beatles (and their solo work), David Bowie and Neil Young among others.
6 - Diversity of genres, multilayered vocals and instruments as a trademark, (almost) equal songwriting contribution from all four members, each song usually written only by one member
7 - This will take longest so later :P
8 - Occasional filler/weak songs, particularly in the 80's. I don't like the fact that Freddie almost stopped playing piano in 80's shows either.
9 - Hadn't been conceived at the time of his death, I don't really remember when I found out about it or how I reacted.
10 - 15, Australia

1. cca 18-22 years (really hard to tell)
2. sometimes between hearing Queen on radio for the first time and between my brother bringing home Greatest Hits 1+2
3. It changes all the time, usually it's Sheer Heart Attack or Live Killers. I don't think I have a favorite song
4. 60's "hippie rock :-)", heavy metal, speed metal, punk rock, hardcore, rock, grunge, art rock, a few pop bands, Mozart ...
5. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Sex Pistols, Clash, Buzzcocks ... and a couple of local bands which you surely don't know :-)
6. how should I know ? :)
7. I really don't know. It's probably the combination of Freddie's vocals, Brian's guitar, Roger's drumming and John's bass lines that make their music quite unique.
8. Most of their 80's albums
9. I remember seeing the Tribute concert on TV and my reaction - hey, I know that guy. He's dead ?
10. 31, Slovakia (NOT Slovenia)

1. Since my teens but properly in the last 10 years
2. When i was young i saw Boh Rap for the 1st time and though it was an amazing song and have been hooked ever since
3. Boh Rap - Amazing song. The game is currently my favorite album, it changes a lot
4. Mainly Rock but also a mixrure of reggae, soul dance and disco. Am trying hard to like some of the current tastes of today but a lot of its crap IMHO
5. Bruce Springsteen, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Bryan Adams, David Bowie, Elton Johni could go on but there are loads
6. Queen were not afraid to do different things even if it got them slated in the press for it
7. Their wide variety of music and excellent stage shows
8. Only wish there were a few more concerts released on dvd ?
9. I heard the news that he had been diagnosed with Aids and i had been unaware that he was ill prior to that, was a teen and you know what teens are like, so when i heard on the monday that he had died i was gutted and it was only in the years following that i learnt a lot more about his extraordinary life!
10. Mid 30's and london

1. How long have you been a fan? Since 1975ish
2. How did you become a fan? Beacuse of Bo Rap
3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why? Somebody to Love, ADATR, for me the best Queen album it totally captures the Queen sound and it was an album I couldnt wait to buy after Bo Rap.
4. What genre(s) of music do you like? How does Queen fit in with your other musical tastes? I like all sorts of music so long as it's played well, rock, metal, country, Punk, disco, dont mind anything, which is why i like Queen.
5. What artists do you like besides Queen? Genesis, Poink Floyd, REM, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zep,
6. How are they different from other bands out there? Queen play such a wide selection of styles
7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you? as above
8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like?
Not really, wasnt a huge fan of Body Langauge, but liked Hot Space
9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you? I went to his house and was stunned for weeks, never felt like that about any other celebrity
10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.
48, UK

1. How long have you been a fan?  [b]Since 1978[/b]
2. How did you become a fan?  [b]Radio[/b]
3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why?  [b]Don't have a favorite[/b]
4. What genre(s) of music do you like? [b]All styles except Country and Rap
[/b]     How does Queen fit in with your other musical tastes?[b]   Alphabetically[/b]
5. What artists do you like besides Queen?  [b]Too many to list[/b]
6. How are they different from other bands out there?  [b]They're not.[/b] 
7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you?  [b]Vocal Harmonies[/b]
8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like?  [b]Their U.S. representation in the early 80s.[/b]
9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you?  [b]Disappointed that the band was done.[/b]
10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.  [b]9 years old and U.S.[/b]

1. 1974
2. hearing ssor
3. II and nevermore
4. rock, soul, country, pop you name it
5. beatles, pink floyd, foo fighters, KoL, chickenfoot, badfinger, julian cope, killers, rush, rainbow, green day, deep purple, the who
6. i honestly don't think current queen stand out at all, they have got left behind
7. growing up listenign to them, waiting for new albums
8. the funk, the current "angry old farts" attitude
9. crashed my car -when news came on radio (only kidding) bit numb, missed the whole weekend - only heard monday morning - longest drive to london ever that day
10. "the meaning of life, the universe and everything + 7" - england

small wooden chicken

[QUOTE]

[b]steven 35638 wrote: [/b] 1. How long have you been a fan?
Since 1978

2. How did you become a fan?
Became fascinated with older cousin's NOTW album

3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why?
It's Late - beautiful intro, hard rocking finish, compelling themes

4. What genre(s) of music do you like? How does Queen fit in with your other musical tastes?
Primarily rock, but appreciate likely thousands of good songs in every other genre out there. Harder to find songs I like in country, rap or hip hop.

5. What artists do you like besides Queen?
Countless

6. How are they different from other bands out there?
Queen along with a select group of other bands left a stunning wealth of of live and studio work that has been and will continue to be appreciated by generations after them. Remarkable achievement.

7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you?
the talent depth - 4 writers, 4 innovative musicians, three singers - quality of the musicianship, the vision and fearlessness during the creative peak, timelessness of the best of their work, the voices of both Fred and Roger, Brian's unique guitar and unique sound,  the intelligence and sensitivity and depth of Brian May as an individual

8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like?
The degree to which they are willing to be a hits band when there is such worthy history that should be out there.  The seeming lack of interest in the fans that deeply appreciate them as an album band - something they have said they saw themselves as at one time.

9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you?
As a deeply appreciative but more casual fan at the time I hadn't seen it coming at all.  Remember where I was when I heard it on the radio.  Just immensely sad.  Saw it as a tragedy of the times and an enormous loss to music.  For years after some tangential thing would make me think of him and his immense talent and I'd seemingly randomly express the sense of loss to music.  I recall one time my mother kind of dismissively told me to stop referencing the whole thing because it really wasn't that important.  But it was, I think.

10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.
44, Canada [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]

[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b] 10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.  [b]9 years old and U.S.[/b][/QUOTE]
LOL

1. How long have you been a fan?
[b]
Since mid 2008[/b]

 2. How did you become a fan?
[b]
I was a Star Wars fan, and I heard Bicycle Race. I'm sure you can go from there.[/b]

 3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why? [b] 

My favourite songis Mad The Swine. I don't know why, I just love it. My favourite album would be between Queen II or A Night At The Opera, since they are simply amazing.[/b]

 4. What genre(s) of music do you like? How does Queen fit in with your other musical tastes?
[b]
I like very well every genre, except pop (1980s-present) and certain types of rap. Queen fits in with my other musical tastes because they played other types of music, instead of only playing rock.[/b]

 5. What artists do you like besides Queen?
[b]
The Beatles (solo as well), Bob Dylan, The Traveling Wilburys, ELO, Elton John, Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Ravi Shankar, Yoko Ono, Simon and Garfunkel (solo as well), Roy Orbison, The Byrds and The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.[/b]

 6. How are they different from other bands out there?  
[b]
They have a better singer than most bands. Other than that, they are pretty much the same as The Beatles or Led Zeppelin.[/b]

 7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you?
[b]
The thing I like most about Queen is the fact that they play amazing live concerts. I've never been to one, as I was born several years after Freddie passed, but my mom is a huge Queen fan, and has been to four of their concerts.[/b]

 8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like?
[b]
The fact that they promise us good things, but we only get re-re-remasters.[/b]

 9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you?
[b]
I wasn't born.[/b]

 10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.
[b]
15, Canada.[/b]

[QUOTE]

[b]GratefulFan wrote: [/b] [QUOTE]

[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.  [b]9 years old and U.S.[/b][/QUOTE]
LOL[/QUOTE]

See?  I can take it and run with it!!!!

1. How long have you been a fan?
Since 1980, heard Fat Bottomed Girls on the bus on a school trip although I was aware of the band earlier.

2. How did you become a fan? Started with a cassette of Greatest Hits, grew from there.

3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why?
Queen II. It is amazing, a tolkienesque masterpiece,I hear something every time I listen to it. It conjures up a world of fantasy and mystique like the Lord of the Rings. Dio manages to do similar things with his lyrics. Ironically Q2 has ONLY one hit on it.

4. What genre(s) of music do you like? How does Queen fit in with your other musical tastes?

Hard Rock/Metal. Queen were always a Heavy Rock Band. Too much pop from The Game onwards but they rocked as hard as the best when they chose. So disappointed by the Adam Lambert project and some of the other stuff, although John and Fred did both seemingly move Queen away from their early metal side come the early 80's.

5. What artists do you like besides Queen?
AC/DC, KISS, Led Zeppelin, Def Leppard,80's Hair Metal, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, The Darkness, Foof Fighters, Muse. Any good Classic Rock. Not Nu metal or death metal. Hate Dance, pop, rap.

6. How are they different from other bands out there? Live,Queen ruled, some studio albums awesome some mediocre.

7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you? They just make that hair stand upon your neck, live incredible, Freddie was literally the conduit with which the music went through, incredible vocals, awesome guitar, tight rhythym section, just amazing.

8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like? The pop crap and embarassing stuff with 5ive, Robbie Williams, Adam Lambert, Dappy. Mr Bad Guy, Hot Space suck too as does pisctp, rmf, mbdm. Queen were best rocking out or overblown pomposity not trying to be top 40!

9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you?

The Sunday a work colleague told Fred had admitted he had Aids, in guessed vsomething was up, the refusing to tour, the rumours, I hoped a cure would be found but next morning my dad came into my room and told me. I cried like I had lost a relative. I bought all the papers, videoed all the tributes. Even today there is a huge hole in the rock world with Freddie missing. I have dreamt he did some secret gigs where he confessed to fans he was dying from aids and someone would find a cure. He is so badly missed.

10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.
43, England.

1. How long have you been a fan?
Since 1986.
2. How did you become a fan?
In my childhood days I was very into science-fiction and comic stuff like Flash Gordon. I was very impressed by the AKOM Video with the animation. Another reason is that my mother(!) got the Flash "7 in her collection, my older sister got the Greatest Hits LP in 1981.
3. What is your favorite song and/or album? Why?
My favourite Queen song is TSMGO. It is maybe not there best song from an artist point of view, but it is a very authentic and catchy hymne and very much QUEEN.
4. What genre(s) of music do you like? How does Queen fit
in with your other musical tastes?
Punk. Oldschool Hardrock. Heavy Metal. Soul. Queen. Nina Hagen. New Wave. 80ies Pop. Beatles. Folk.
Queen had with the time a huge influence on my musical interests.
5. What artists do you like besides Queen?
Each artist has it`s own world and life and must therefore not be comperable to other artist.
6. How are they different from other bands out there?
Usually I like much other bands, but usually after a while I get bored by them.
7. What do you like most about Queen? or What makes them special to you?
The great music they have done. I will always love Freddie`s voice and style to sing. I will always love Brian`s way to play guitar. I will always love John`s cool behaviour and bass playing and I will always love Roger`s own style of drumming. Their music is one of the best and very interesting to hear in all it details. I just can`t get enough ;)
8. Is there anything about the band that you don't like?
Their commercial side. But I had realised that for me only a few years ago. Before that the band seems "somehow" correct to me, because I respected them as great artist and wise guys.
9. If you were a fan during the time of Freddie's death, how did the news affect you?
It was very sad and shocked because Freddie and Queen were part of my teen life since 1986. I was very enthusiastic about Innuendo and I liked Freddie`s Barcelona. I have read in May or June (?)1991 in BRAVO rumours about Freddie but I didn`t give it too much attention. Than, the day before Freddie`s death, the BILD Zeitung or EXPRESS (both SUN like boulevard newspapers in Germany)announced that the "King of Rock got Aids." The next morning I heard the sad news on the radio. Two days later I bought the Greatest Hits II Album and the Greatest Flix I VHS.
10. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, please put your age and country of residence.
38, Germany

1. 6 years

2. I heard Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio one day, from there it grew...

3. Song: The Prophets Song, because it's an epic song. Album: A Night At The Opera, because there's a little bit of everything on it and there's nothing i could possibly complain about at all.

4. Rock (Prog Rock) and early pop mainly, psychedelic rock (Pink Floyd). Queen covered a lot of genres but always kept the human element in their songs no-matter the genre. Which I love.

5. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC (Bon Scott), to name a few.

6. They can cross genres in one song so easily, Freddie's vocals are killer, Brian May has an extremely unique sound. Lyrically they're amazing, all of them are amazing great songwriters. Overall they have an unique sound.

7. They're live shows.

8. I don't have anything against synthesizers, but i don't think they needed to use them as much as they started too in the 80's, less room for Brian's multi-layered guitars

9. I was not born yet.

10. 15, U.S.A