THOUGHTS ON QUEEN AND ADAM LAMBERT

I admit Adam didn't do his best in Kiev but I think he found his groove in Moscow. IMHO.

Ack! Please tell me QZ is not going to get a hoarde of Glamberts trying to browbeat people into accepting AL. I joined QZ instead of QOL to get away from that!

I was a casual fan of Queen until the QE project sparked a desire delve deeper into Queen. So I come here to learn more about the Queen and to talk about QE **with people who are already interested in QE**. I don't care about convincing people who dislike QE to support it. If the videos out there of QE performances can't convince people that it's worthwhile, NOTHING I say will make a difference.

Likewise, the only person who can change people's minds about Q+AL is Adam himself, specifically his performances.

People don't listen to music by, for example, determing what the lowest and hightest notes in a song are and prefering songs with the greatest range between low and high notes. Detailed technical analysis of AL's voice by an expert opera singer may be interesting on an intellectual level but won't convince people to like AL's voice.

Music touches our hearts and souls -- or not. Analysis of Adam's (or Freddie's) vocal prowess is just a way that we try to justify what we like; it doesn't determine what we like.

It's Late is one of my favorite Queen songs. I just ADORE Freddie's vocals on It's Late. As far as I can tell, the song isn't the most vocally challenging of Queen songs and Freddie isn't doing anything unique that he doesn't do on other songs. But still, I love every little nuance of his voice on that song.

I watched the Kiev concert twice and was mostly entertained (till the end of Radio Ga Ga when AL's vocal runs and vibrato got excessive). I particularly liked AL on Under Pressure and Who Wants To Live Forever. Still, a few days later, I don't feel any burning desire to rewatch AL's Kiev performance because while mostly enjoyable, it doesn't touch me in any way.

I'm not against rabid AL fans talking about him here. I just ask that they frame their discussion in an intellecual or informational way and not like a debate where AL's career will be in jeopardy unless they can convince every Queen fan alive to support Q+AL.

[QUOTE] [b]someonewholikesadam wrote:[/b]
Nice voice, but if I sat thru a 20 song set with him in concert I'd probably fall asleep. And if you sit Adam on a stool with just a piano and had him that song I bet he'd sound just as good if not much better. Adam is a complete package for a "show."[/QUOTE]

Not sure if you recognized the singer as the lead vocalist of the Scorpions, but anybody who could fall asleep during a 20 song set with the Scorps probably has stage 4 narcolepsy. :)

Just in the spirit of sharing, here's another ballad with him that has a little more of an 'Adam' feel that you might recognize and/or like if it's new to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkIrZxN9pHk

Unless Adam really, really curtailed his usual instincts he would utterly destroy the soul of LOML in my opinion. I actually said that before I think in response to a video you posted of him singing a ballad - I snottily (that seems to be my only gear with Lambert lol) said that "I couldn't wait to hear those instincts applied to Love of My Life". I think what is "show" to a lot of Glamberts is often gratuitous and slightly embarrassing vocal and visual gymnastics to some others.

[QUOTE] [b]AdamMethos wrote:[/b]
Music touches our hearts and souls -- or not. Analysis of Adam's (or Freddie's) vocal prowess is just a way that we try to justify what we like; it doesn't determine what we like.[/QUOTE]

Well said, and quite true. A lot of my yammering about Lambert is post hoc searching around for why he almost always fails to connect for me, and rarely fails to annoy. I think in the end I just find him inauthentic on every important measure.

[QUOTE] [b]GratefulFan wrote:[/b]
Unless Adam really, really curtailed his usual instincts he would utterly destroy the soul of LOML in my opinion. I actually said that before I think in response to a video you posted of him singing a ballad - I snottily (that seems to be my only gear with Lambert lol) said that "I couldn't wait to hear those instincts applied to Love of My Life". I think what is "show" to a lot of Glamberts is often gratuitous and slightly embarrassing vocal and visual gymnastics to some others.[/QUOTE]

Exactly! Many Adam fans cite Mad World or Ring Of Fire as their favorite of Adam's Idol performances. But my favorite by far is Tracks Of My Tears -- in that, he restrained his vocal gymnastics and stayed true to the original melody and his low-key performance nearly brought me to tears. I think LOML could work with Adam if he treats it like Tracks Of My Tears.

Here's Tracks Of My Tears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XpISZJsRBU

I'm not trying to convince anyone to like AL ( at first I was ;), but I know now if you don't like him , you don't like him. This is a thread with the heading " Thoughts in Q and AL". Upon watching the Kiev concert, I agreed that he wasn't a good fit for Queen music. However, after watching Moscow, I've changed my mind. I think he's doing just as good job as any other FM replacement all things considered. That's just my opinion.

[QUOTE]

[b]someonewholikesadam wrote: [/b] Holly, my point exactly. Nice voice, but if I sat thru a 20 song set with him in concert I'd probably fall asleep. And if you sit Adam on a stool with just a piano and had him that song I bet he'd sound just as good if not much better.
Adam is a complete package for a "show."[/QUOTE]

A cabaret show, not a rock show. But maybe that's what "Queen+" are these days -- a cabaret/karaoke act. It's hard to believe these are the same people who created music such as March of the Black Queen, Bo Rap, It's Late, Save Me and It's A Hard Life. Their creative instincts have dulled and their musical judgement is impaired. Musical zimmer frames will soon be needed.

I've said before that I don't think you can understate the effect of their 10+ year immersion in the WWRY musical as close stewards of the production. It's normalized some things that are decidedly not normal for their music and for rock in general. It doesn't put shackles on anybody's creativity or vision to acknowledge that not every fusion works. I do think the judgement is impaired, most clearly with Brian. It will be interesting to see what a new Roger Taylor solo album sounds like. I hold out hope that his interest in WWRY is more mercenary, and that he doesn't actually believe that Kerry Ellis is a "rock chick" and such.

I REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ANOTHER SEASON OF AMERICAN IDOL WAS COMING TO A CLOSE.

I DIDN'T REALLY CARE MUCH ABOUT THE SHOW (STILL DON'T) BUT I HEARD FROM A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT THERE WAS SOME SPECULATION THAT THAT SEASON'S RUNNER UP WOULD BECOME QUEEN'S LEAD SINGER.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I BARELY CARED ABOUT QUEEN; I ONLY KNEW THE SONGS WWRY, WWATC, AND AOBTD, AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO FREDDIE MERCURY WAS.

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT IN A FEW YEARS I WOULD BE MILDLY OBSESSED WITH THE BAND.

AT THAT TIME, HOWEVER, I THOUGHT THAT PROSPECT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING.

I DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THEN, BUT I DO NOW.

NOW THAT SPECULATION HAS BECOME A REALITY, AND THOUGH I DON'T LIKE LISTENING TO THE STUFF MUCH, I FULLY SUPPORT THE TOUR GOING ON.

I'M NOT GOING TO BASH ADAM, I'LL JUST POLITELY IGNORE IT BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T LIKE HOW HIS VOICE SOUNDS WITH HIS MUSIC.

ADAMMETHOS SUMMED IT UP QUITE NICELY.


[QUOTE] [b]Michael wrote:[/b]
My opinion? Queen have now totally tarnished their legacy. First it was that ridiculous "We Will Rock You" musical, then the talent show that is "Queen Extravaganza", now an American idol finalist as their lead singer? Oh, come on![/QUOTE]
WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER THAT THEY DO.

AND DON'T SAY, "RETIRE," BECAUSE THAT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER.


[QUOTE] [b]brunogorski wrote:[/b]
I was loving the fact that everybody was using Caps Lock to support the creator of the topic, why did you guys just stopped?! [/QUOTE]
I KNOW, RIGHT?

PEOPLE ARE LAME.

I just watched a bunch of the Moscow clips and have to give them all props: MUCH improved over Kiev. In fact they're nailing it. Adam is much better, better tone, better memory, better sync. Brian seems more in his element. All a great relief! And I love Brian's flowing dumbledore robes! What a throwback to the old days! So glad they're finding their rhythm!

A lot of very very new fans getting involved, which is great, but I will say that if you love queen enough to come on a forum and rant about the pros and cons of who is singing, don't let it effect going to see what is left there in concert because one day you will be too late and there won't be a Roger or Brian anymore. I missed my chances seeing so many old guard rockers that i grew to love late in the day because I was consumed with over thinking where they are now and now they are gone. That's why I got my Hammersmith ticket when I did after not really bothering with Q+PR because with hindsight, that was great and who knows, whoever they get after AL - IF there is an after, might be worse. If so, great, I saw them with AL, if not, I'm a winner and I'll watch them then too.

I saw Queen with Freddie, and Queen with Paul Rodgers, but i wont watch this amalgamation. I just dont think the guy has the voice for the Queen catalogue, a karaoke singer at best in my opinion.

[QUOTE] [b]AdamMethos wrote:[/b]
Ack! Please tell me QZ is not going to get a hoarde of Glamberts trying to browbeat people into accepting AL. I joined QZ instead of QOL to get away from that![/QUOTE]

Well said. Some are defending AL just for pure fan madness. He might be a nice guy but... the cap just didn't fit. Again.

I might say that he sounded a little more secure (or less insecure) in Moscow. But still it's not the 8th wonder people (AL fans, mostly) are trying to make us think it was. Acceptable? Maybe. Does it deserve "Great", "Wonderful", "Freddie would be proud" and other similar praises? No.

Silly people only see things in black and white.

[QUOTE] [b]jazzy mercurois wrote:[/b]
Silly people only see things in black and white.[/QUOTE]

Actually it's blind people. Silly people do see but fail to understand...