Brian in 1993

My very first concert ever was Brian May Band live in Hamburg 1993, I was 15 at the time. Still I have so stong and emotionally memories about that night...this is one of the most fantastic concerts I ever attended.

The crowd was absolutly wild!

I am also a fan of Robby Valentine since then. Shame that all his CDs are only released in Japan

I think that he is not pissed at all, and I also believe that it is planned. This is a time where Brian lets Jamie have is moment.
Why do I believe that ?
Because, when I saw them in Paris with Paul Rodgers, during Crazy little thing called love, the solo is not done by Brian but by Jamie. And Jamie did not stole the solo. Brian literally pushed him in the back, with a big smile, to put him in front of the stage so that he has his moment.
That was quite cute actually, seeing Brian push Jamie and Jamie, kind of shy, doing the solo.

^ bingo.

Bri usually gives Jamie a solo spot somewhere in the show.

Not sure if he did in 2005-06, but otherwise he did.

Absolutely agree with the comments about Brian and Jamie; if there is one guitarist who credits others and has no real ego (despite his stature in his profession), it's Brian. He has said on countless occasions how good Jamie is and how he enjoys playing with him, and that as Jamie is a 'real player' because he is always working, it inspires him to play more. As said above, Brian gave Jamie the 'Crazy Little Thing...' solo in 2008 (which gutted me cos that's one of my favourite 'Brian moments live!), and Jamie respects that he is there to do a job as second guitarist and sticks to that role with no ego or desire to 'break out' from that. Mike Caswell on the other hand did take it upon himself to try to showcase himself when he was hired, and that simply wasn't what he was there to do. Absolutely bizarre that someone who is a professional musician simply can't hold himself back to do what he's being paid to do (the clue was in the title ' The Brian May Band'..!!!!)

In addition to 'Fart Sandwiches'' comments about Brian and Cozy - I have commented here before that my feeling is that Brian may not have migrated back to Queen as fully as he has if Cozy hadn't died - he was a 'collaborator' with Brian and not just a drummer, and the pair of them really did enjoy working together. Whilst Brian did also enjoy playing with Roger, on a personal front they often had their clashes, and I think they may have only done the odd guest slot alongside Brian's solo stuff if Cozy were still here.

[QUOTE] [b]scottmax wrote:[/b]

Seeing Brian at Whitley Bay Ice Rink on that tour as a 15yr old, was fucking mind blowing. My first Queen related show. Also remember the support band coming on and saying hello Scotland.....!![/QUOTE]

Snap... Whitley Bay Ice Rink was my first (and only) Queen related gig too. I just stood there open mouthed for the whole show. I remember a roadie walked onto the stage at the start carrying Brian's guitar and that alone got a huge cheer.

It was cool seeing Cozy play but I always thought the first thing he played on Tie Your Mother Down always sounded wrong. It should be bass/snare/bass like Roger and not the mini roll he did.

[QUOTE] [b]Oscar J wrote:[/b]



I stand by my comment. Brian was superb live in the early-mid 70's - then things started to go downhill, and I really don't consider him being a particularly great live guitarist in the 80's and 90's. It's all majors and pentatonic minors and over the top treble booster hyper-vibrato-squealing on top of that. http://youtu.be/Hiu7RYi0SGU?t=14m22s[/QUOTE]

That would be the same treble booster set up he's used since the early 70's. In fact what you've described can be heard through a lot of the Live Killers album, and beyond.

Oscar is right though, in that Brian's improvised guitar work on stage was so much tighter in 1973 and 74, regardless of treble booster. The Son and Daughter solo was just blistering. The one he played in the middle of White Man/Prophet's Song and then Get Down Make Love was interesting and not overly long or indulgent, too, but it was so psychedelic and derivative of Whole Lotta Love that it really isn't that memorable as a setpiece of Brian's.

By 1986 it was forgettable.

[QUOTE] [b]FlorianS wrote:[/b]
I am also a fan of Robby Valentine since then. Shame that all his CDs are only released in Japan

[/QUOTE]

His last CD's can be bought at his website.
In two weeks his new album will be released, and last month he released a Queen Tribute album, which he recorded on demand because he played at the Queen Convention last month.

Thanks for the Valentine Info!

I didn't say he didn't use a treble booster earlier on, I'm saying he didn't rely on squealing treble booster sustains because he couldn't think of anything else to play.

If anything, I'd say his improv was all pentatonics early on (definitely in 1974), which he soon grew out of. I'd say Brian peaked as a live player from 1976-81.

[QUOTE] [b]cmsdrums wrote:[/b]

Whilst Brian did also enjoy playing with Roger, on a personal front they often had their clashes, and I think they may have only done the odd guest slot alongside Brian's solo stuff if Cozy were still here.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. We really do have to wonder if all of these Queen+ collaborations would have happened had Cozy not passed and Brian wanted something to do..

But - like a lot of things in life, for one reason or another, things do come full circle...

[QUOTE] [b]JeroenG wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE] [b]FlorianS wrote:[/b]
I am also a fan of Robby Valentine since then. Shame that all his CDs are only released in Japan

[/QUOTE]

His last CD's can be bought at his website.
In two weeks his new album will be released, and last month he released a Queen Tribute album, which he recorded on demand because he played at the Queen Convention last month.[/QUOTE]

Ok, maybe I will give that guy a second chance...I will look out for his music on the weekend. See if there is something that I didn`t noticed around 21 years ago.

Yep, I was at Whitley Bay in '93, took my 8 year old son to his first concert , poor bairn, it proved a little too much, he fell asleep!!!
Yes, I remember the cheer when the red special was carried on.....and the support band who ,Brian brought back from Brazil, and asked us to be generous to them. Sadly the crowd wasn't, they weren't very good I'm afraid.

I have absolutely no recollection of the support act at all.