Queen Extravaganza

[QUOTE] [b]Another Roger (re) wrote:[/b]
Beautiful Zebonka12. I fully agree with you. How the hell can it be disrespectful to have singer that has the ability and tone to sing queensongs. His voice makes me feel like its Queen. Rodgers made me feel that it was a Paul Rodgers solo tour with Brian and Roger as backing. It will be the same with Lambert. We dont want that? Queen music needs a singer with a certain colour and feeling in the voice. This will never ever happen again. Brian and Roger: You have the chance now, but soon its gone. [/QUOTE]

Zebonka and Another R, thanks for expressing it intelligently and with grace. I love Z 's lil rant bout AL! Yay, someone who feels zactly like I do about him and Rodgers. Thanks.

[QUOTE] [b]Zebonka12 wrote:[/b]
Disrespectful to Freddie? What the hell are you smoking? This is the first time since Freddie's died that they have a singer who is willing, ready and able to do the job to a standard that meets the real thing - and you think it'd be disrespectful?
Stick your head in a bucket or something.[/QUOTE]

I am behind this statement 100%.

"This is the first time since Freddie's died that they have a singer who is willing,
ready and able to do the job to a standard that meets the real thing -
and you think it'd be disrespectful?"

So you are saying that what is Martel doing is at the same level as Freddie´s performing ("standard that meets the real thing")??? That IS disrespectful to Freddie, because it´s simply not true! Its not disrespectful from Martel, but its disrespectful (or maybe discredit) from fan who says THAT! You (fans) usually say that FM is the one and only one, the greatest singer ever, outstanding performer etc. and now you would by satisfied with "uknown" guy in his position, because you WANT to be fooled by thinking "its almost the same as original" - which is not true?

"How the hell can it be disrespectful to have singer that has the ability
and tone to sing queensongs. His voice makes me feel like its Queen.
Rodgers made me feel that it was a Paul Rodgers solo tour with Brian and
Roger as backing"

Its about the result you are looking for.... I know that there is no 2nd Freddie, so I want the best possible thing, not trying to "find" illusion of original Queen, because it would be just fooling my own mind.

BTW if PR made you feel that it was PR´s solo tour with Bri and Rog - its nothing wrong, its great compliment to PR´s job in fact, because it means that it worked naturally.... Again - you cant get new original Queen, why you are trying to find them? Instead of that, you can get a supergroup (its musical term) with great singer (thats what QPR were) who brings new attitude to the classics.... The positive things? There is quality guaranteed by the name of the singer, his tradition and history. Its interesting, because of new ways of singing.... The only "negative" thing - it has nothing to do with original Queen. But that´s not what Im looking for.

The greatest respect to Freddie IMO means the admitting "he is the only one and we know that" and stop that madness with trying to put "wannabe" Freddie singers into his positions.

The major thing with Martel is that he isn't trying at all to impersonate Freddie, and isn't actively searching to replicate his voice and his moves (as someone like Gary Mullen does pretty well). If Bri and Roger were to play with someone like Gary Mullen it would possibly be very wrong, and seen as trying to replace Freddie, but Martel just happens to be gifted with a great voice, which is quite similar to Freddie's in some places, and so he is able to pay tribute to the songs properly without any accusations of 'trying to be Freddie'.

To me, the best compliment (as opposed to it being an insult as one main poster is trying to say here) would be to have Martel play with them and do these fabulous songs justice. The real insult is tarnishing the music by hooking up with Lambert long after the initial giddiness of seeing him sing on American Idol had worn off. Yes, Paul Rodgers was welcomed to get them back on the road and back in the studio, but after a while he soon stopped trying to pay tribute to the songs and was intent on fucking them over by making up totally new melodies when they simply weren't needed.

Bri and Rog NEED to do at least a show or two with Martel in order to deliver the type of set list we're seeing on the QE dates, and they can finally bow out from regular performance in style - that would be a very fitting tribute for Freddie, and their music.

cmsdrums:
I would have no problem with two three tribute concerts with various singers and Martel included. Im saying that I would not agree with big cooperation like with Rodgers was - tour(s) with live album(s) / DVD(s)... That would be insult. There is big difference between individual concert as tribute and real concert tour which looks like "the band is running".

Fully agree with opinions about Lambert, I dont agree with that too and Im very worried that the 5 shows which are planned now are sadly just the beginning of something much bigger. :(

"So you are saying that what is Martel doing is at the same level as Freddie´s performing ("standard that meets the real thing")???"

Nope. I'm saying he's -better-

Why don't you give some '84 shows a spin, and permanently put to bed the idea that Freddie was infallible? He fucked up, the same as everyone who's ever been on a stage.

Martel's the best option. And he's not even wearing a fake moustache and a yellow jacket. We've been given everything (absolutely everything) we've been begging for over the past 20 years, and what happens? We have dinguses claiming it'd be disrespectful for him to play with Brian and Roger.

How thick can you be?

Zebonka12:
You are putting the words into my mouth... I have never said, that Freddie was always perfect... Every singer makes faults, every singer gets cold, every singer can have the bad shape. I dont idolize him, I dont idolize no one...

Honestly, I dont consider myself even as true hardcore Queen fan - there are bands that I like more than Queen, there are even singers that I adore even more than Freddie, so Im far from that statements that you tried to put into my mouth. I just respect Freddie as one of the greatest singers in history (and I think no one doubts about it) and the only people with "similar" reputation and career should be put into position of lead singer with Brian and Roger. How many singers in the world have the similar reputation as Freddie? Very very few.... I can assure you just in this: Martel is not among them.

[QUOTE] [b]cmsdrums wrote:[/b]
The major thing with Martel is that he isn't trying at all to impersonate Freddie, and isn't actively searching to replicate his voice and his moves (as someone like Gary Mullen does pretty well). If Bri and Roger were to play with someone like Gary Mullen it would possibly be very wrong, and seen as trying to replace Freddie, but Martel just happens to be gifted with a great voice, which is quite similar to Freddie's in some places, and so he is able to pay tribute to the songs properly without any accusations of 'trying to be Freddie'.[/QUOTE]

Martel absolutely is actively seeking to replicate parts of Fred's voice and tone. His work with his own band sounds little like his work with QE and much more like an adult contemporary voice. Martel himself described his talent for mimicry of voices in the Nessun Dorma video recorded well before QE. It's certainly not a criticism to note that he has tapped this talent to deliver the material in a familiar yet authentic way largely devoid of cheese, but the implication that there are not significant elements of active imitation is simply incorrect in my view. It's nice to see so many hard core fans excited about this and so thoroughly enjoying the shows. The only slightly surprising thing to me is that he never seems to get called out for a vibrato that goes a little over the top sometimes. But that's a small complaint.

The thing is a huge part of Queen's unique sound was Freddie, nothing wrong with wanting somebody able to replicate that. Queen singing with somebody like Martel would only show respect and acknowledgement towards Freddie IMO. Nobody is that stupid to think this guy (or anybody) can replace him, in fact Freddie would always be in everybody's minds. The point is Queen don't sound like themselves without that type of voice, period.
When you go to a Queen concert you expect a specific sound and feel, everything else is disappointing even if some people don't admit it. If Queen decided to continue without Freddie, they should respect their sound.

I don't care if Martel tries to replicate Freddie's voice, as long as he does a good job and doesn't sound ridiculous. Again, Freddie's the one in everybody's minds anyway. I only hope Martel's beautiful voice can take some punishment, we all know what it means to (really) sing Queen songs live.

Sorry for bad English.

"I can assure you just in this: Martel is not among them"

Your assurances aren't worth the stuff I wash out of my belly button. You're the sort of person who thought Axl Rose did a good job at the Tribute; putting profile before actual talent.

Tut-tut Zebonka has the right of it

Judging from the videos that have popped on YouTube

1/ I labeled the whole venture disgraceful (a tribute band cast on YouTube, yikes) and I was embarassingly wrong : it's quite awesome

2/ The setlist is just what I want from a post-Queen project (highlighting the 70's, when Queen was at it's songwriting peak)

3/ God is officially a Canadian : Martel, what a find !! His love of my life, his Bo Rhap, even his Radio GaGa, a song we all grew so tired of, what a thrill !

His renditions are just more enjoyable than the Adam Lambert MTV performances, the WWRY cameos, even some of the lesser QPR moments.

OF COURSE it would be great to have him peform with Rog and Bri

Lambert has got the pressure on, I tell you

For GregSynth : Does Martel sing TSMGO in the original key ? It sounds as if he does, and suffers for it a bit.

Is Jennifer Espinoza really the seriously pitch-challenged singer we see and hear on YouTube ?

Zebonka12:
Again, you are absolutely wrong. You dont know me, you dont know my music taste, so stop putting these hillarious things into my mouth...

From whole Tribute concert, only 3 singers did a really good job IMO:
Roger Daltrey in I Want It All, Seal with Who Wants To Live Forever and George Michael in Somebody To Love. For example Robert Plant (who is in the list of fans usually very high) was just terrible in all tracks (and I really dont think that monitors breakup was the cause). But noone from named did the job that would be as good as Rodgers did in particular songs in 2005-2008, just George Michael got close to the "perfect" performance. For example Rodgers take of Tie, Fat Bottomed or I Want It All - he made these songs as that tracks would be written for him.... That´s sign of perfection...