The truth Queen/"Fanthology"/etc don't want you to know about Queen II

Well, well, well. How times change. How what was ridiculed a few years ago is now accepted as the truth.

Back in Summer 2004, I joined the Queenzone for about a couple of weeks. How things were different back then. I was based in London back then - at the hub of the "action".

I was still part of the "crew". There was a genuine desire to release the boxsets in 2006. I had access, as a friend, to a large number of acetates, unreleased songs, albums with different sounds, and so on.

I posted on Queenzone about the original versions of "Queen II" and the "The Game" and was widely ridiculed by the likes of John S Stuart and all.

Yes, I was the mysterious, slightly tongue-in-cheek "The Left Testicle of Freddie".

I'm now back in my hometown in England, cut out from the action. Following a major falling out with certain influential movers and shakers within the bubble, I am now persona non grata.

Just for the records - I was ridiculed for saying the "Seven Seas of Rhye" lasted originally around 4 minutes but was then cut back.

Lo and behold - one of the two 4 minute versions finally appears on Ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QUEEN-ACETATE-Seven-Seas-Of-Rhye-alternate-version-MEGA-RARE-/390580025005?nma=true&si=U6hcg3GVOYTXteO%252FWJgZ2gxYBpo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557.

For the records, the version of the song was not the "wrong backing track" - it was but it wasn't, it's hard to explain. I have been out of the loop for so long now that I don't know if a certain person still has the other 4-minute version (I heard it on a studio tape - don't know if an acetate version of it was made).

Queen II did originally have 13 songs. Their existence has now been confirmed in books despite the ridicule the suggestions attracted at the time.

I was told that "Deep Ridge" (originally meant to segue between White Queen and SDOD and was very Led Zep) was left off because the continuity of the sound wasn't quite right (in their minds). I thought it sounded great and lyrically, it sort of tied the album sides together making the concept stronger. It's hard to explain - sorry but been a few years since I heard the song now.

"Surrender To The City" lasted about 3 minutes from memory and was quite poppy. For some reason, unknown to me, only the first bit of it (heavily reworked though) was included on the album segueing directly into FHLI. That section became part of TMOFTBQ. When you think it about, despite that song's many different mood changes, have you never thought that the last 30 seconds didn't quite make sense in the soundscape of that song?

The reason for the non-appearance of the box sets is two-fold and I find the reasons unfortunate, especially for the fans who have stuck by the band up to 40 years.

a) Lack of will by band members - the argument about incomplete archives is partly true but they're nowhere near as incomplete as suggested. They're now all old men and don't particularly fancy the graft in putting them together. I sort of get that but it's a pisser for all of us.

b) The "Fanthology" members simply enjoy the competition between each other. I am not slagging them off - the amount of unreleased stuff they have given away free we should all be grateful for. They are fans first and foremost and all the rarities will surface over the next 20-30 years as they enjoy the gratitude of the general fans. Their argument about needing valuable stuff to trade is true.

Neither party has any interest in admitting that the outtakes, unreleased songs, etc is quite as vast as it is. You would generally be surprised.

I love this place and I love Queen. Do with this information as you will. I'll try to answer as many questions as possible but please bear in mind I am out of the circle now so some of it will be from memory.

(PS. The "left testicle" incident involved a microphone.

PPS. I know I didn't help my credibility with some of the posts I made the first time around but I like a bit of a laugh and most people seemed to enjoy the tongue-in-cheek bits I did).

hallelujah!!! finally something interesting and discussion-worthy turns up.

my spin on this is - the possibilities are many:-

1. you're a mischief-maker with nothing better to do, feel a little bored and decided to have some "fun"
2. you're Mr Fuller playing the c*nt
3. you're "rocknrolllover" or "queenfan" under yet another ID being an even bigger c*nt than mr Fuller
4. you're Greg Brooks - being the arse he can be
5. you're genuine

assuming that it's not 1-4, then let's go with your claims. let's ALL be open to the possibility of you being correct. Because, even if there's ONLY 50% of what you say exists - that's still a f*cking great shedload. And incomplete archives or not - and lazy old band-members or not - they MUST all be aware that it'll all leak at some point and when it does - their "golden goose" is well and truly cooked. so it's in QPL interests to get the boxsets out BEFORE the many more tracks leak.
but they won't learn will they? - not while they can repackage another f*cking greatest hits CD.

i hope this discussion doesn't create the usual deluge of "i want it all now for no effort mongers" demanding the longer versions of SSOR and STTC.

thanks for opening a long-overdue genuinely interesting thread.

The possibilities are many...

1) I was genuine the first time around and I am genuine this time around.
2) I am aware of the Fuller situation and I can still bet the Fanthology are picking their respective dummies back up after throwing them out of their respective prams.
3) I don't know who those users are - sorry
4) Greg Brooks is a vested interest but pretty much against his will. He's actually a very sweet guy and I know he's keen to share what he's heard. But, no, I am not he.

Some of these tracks will "leak" in the Hot Space demo's sense but the vast majority of them remain unknown outside the two vested interest groups.

Put it this way, I am sure all of you have thought that there is a mutual benefit to both parties that each other exists. Exercise your mind a little more and come up with some theories about why they tolerate the existence of each other and are in such regular contact.

@brenski:

Definitely not #3, they don't speak English and use shitty online translators to post. I sincerely doubt #4 because Greg just isn't that subtle, Fuller is an egomaniac so he probably wouldn't pretend to be anyone else, so I'd call #2 unlikely, which leaves mischief-maker and genuine as options. I tend to believe it's a mix of the two. Still, interesting topic!

I am very rarely inspired to ask questions but these posts really inspire me as a hardcore queen fan! Do you have any information in regards to unreleased material from the innuendo and post innuendo sessions in 1991? Any information would be greatly appreciated

This is all very x-files

If my of the stuff was worth hearing it would have been released IMHO

(Cringe and Duck)

Mick Rock mentioned these two songs in his "Classic Queen" book. He wrote:"1973 August Queen return to Trident studios to begin work on their second album. For the first time they are booked in as proper clients. The entire record is finished within the month. Several tracks are recorded that will never appear: John Deacon´s first song "Fly by the night", Brian´s "Deep ridge" and Freddie´s "Surrender to the city". Initial work on "Brighton Rock" and "The prophet´s song" is begun.
Very interesting post Rogers Untidy Bottom!!

My question is: can you send me some of this unreleased stuff by mail? Or just one song.. please! :) OK, Dumb joke

Now serious question: can you give us some titles of some of Miracle tracks that haven't leaked yet?

Interesting stuff, its painful to know that there is material from Queen II that was never used but the finished product is so perfect you have to convince yourself that its exclusion is probably for the best. (I would give my left nut to hear the stuff that was dropped though....)

I'm out of the circle now and therefore have no material I can post.

Like I mentioned, the only thing I can offer are my memories of a great couple of decades.

Things I can remember about the Miracle...

1) The original version of Scandal was a lot closer in sound and length to what turned out to be the 12" version of it. Before the album was released, the song had been pre-selected as a single and was shortened for the album. I *believe* the original version is still in the vaults.
2) What became "Let Me Live" on MIH was seriously revisited for a place on the album. I always wondered why BM and RT sang on the MIH version as I am absolutely positive FM laid down four verses for the song back in the early 1980s
3) The orchestral middle-8 in WIAWI originally had a synth-orchestral version of bits of SSOR as its middle-8 (sort of completing the circle idea) but was dropped. Again, I am sure this exists (at least it did when I heard it)

I don't know a massive amount about Innuendo for two reasons - I was abroad when most of that album was made and I never really liked it that much so didn't really ask many questions about it.

Wow, interesting info about The Miracle album!

I've always wondered why they hired, and still have, an archivist if there really isn't anything in the vaults. I believe there is and wish QPL would produce long overdue box sets!

Love thus thread!

Love THIS thread. Friggin' spell check....

We're thrilled for you, honestly.

Thanks for going over the same old stuff again and uttering the same nonsense you dealt us under your previous name. We thought (hoped) you'd disappeared for good, sadly, we were wrong.

FWIW, I'm thrilled that the members of 'Fanthology' have material available to them that no one else does or ever will do unless they see fit to let it out. At least SOMEONE is hearing it and its not completely lost. I'd dearly love to hear 'Hangman' or ANYTHING ELSE from the bands glory years, but, you know what, I'm not losing sleep over it.

Queen only exists as a Greatest Hits enterprise now and the ex-members of the band and its management couldn't care less - they know that there will be a huge maret for a small percentage of the band's output and that's all that interests them.

As far as collectors / fans are concerned - frinedships will out and cliques (meant in the nicest possible way......) will continue to unearth these treasures and whatever it costs them, they shouldn't be out of pocket for the masses now, should they?

dudeofqueen - unfortunately, it took the appearance of an acetate to prove the existence of a 4-min version of SSOR. 8-and-a-half years after the idea/notion was ridiculed on this forum.

FWIW, your analysis of the current business model for QPL etc is correct - it's about maximum financial reward for the minimum effort. What a pity.

Nice to have someone like you here.
Question, regarding footage, do you know if hyde park 76 has that bad quality that they do not want to release it, or how much material exists from knebworth 86' and, do they have the full show of japan 79????
thanks a lot!!!