Live Aid 1985 - Pianist in 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'

I noticed that in Queen's set in the Live Aid concert, an extra pianist came in to perform in 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love', for which Freddie stood front-stage with a guitar and microphone.

For Queen fans who went to concerts in the 1980s especially (I was a little young, unfortunately!) was this a usual practice at Queen concerts? If so, does anyone know if they had someone who toured with them regularly (or who it was, in the Live Aid concert)?

I haven't seen the footage for ages but was there somebody other than Spike?

Queen were between 1973 and 1981 a 4 piece band, in 1982 they had a couple of keyboard players before they took Spike Edney as their keyboard/piano/rhythm guitar player

It must have been Spike. There's an article on QOL in which Spike references playing on the Works tour and also playing Live Aid.

Yes, Spike plays with Queen since 1984, I think he's on the current tour too

Yes, the style of keyboard in crazy/hammer and of the rhythm guitar in hammer it's his style!

Spike is so lucky to still have a career with queen. If Freddie never became ill I really think he would have been replaced with mike moran for any future tour or album going into the 90's.

Thanks, everyone!

Fred Mandel, I think...

No...it´s Spike, for shure....

Yes, it's Spike.

He also sings backing vocals on Hammer to Fall

If you hear the original BBC audio, it's a howler!

[QUOTE] [b]queenfan78.1 wrote:[/b]

Spike is so lucky to still have a career with queen. If Freddie never became ill I really think he would have been replaced with mike moran for any future tour or album going into the 90's. [/QUOTE]

So, what you're saying is that Spike is so lucky that Freddie died, or else he'd be playing the piano for champagne commercials?

Pretty much. Freddie was working with mike alot around that time. If they had gone on tour, it's a safe bet that freddie would have suggested Mike go with them instead of Spike. just food for thought. Although, maybe Roger would have made a case for him to stay.

Fred couldn't do it The Works tour because of his agenda, if not, Spike never played with Queen.
In fact, Spike played only in two songs from A kind of Magic. Fred Mandel could be credited as songwriter of Radio Ga Ga hahaha. He did more than Taylor in the studio .
Also Fred played in Mr. Bad Guy, and Freddie loved Mike Moran songwriting and playing.

[QUOTE] [b]queenfan78.1 wrote:[/b]

Pretty much. Freddie was working with mike alot around that time. If they had gone on tour, it's a safe bet that freddie would have suggested Mike go with them instead of Spike. just food for thought. Although, maybe Roger would have made a case for him to stay. [/QUOTE]

I agree.
Freddie never liked Spike.

Freddie never liked Spike? Never knew that, if that's true......

Apparently Brian and Roger get along extremely well with him, anyway! As he's been involved in just about every project of theirs since the first Cross album.....