last-horizon 42265 wrote: - The first bit of 'TYMD' before Joe Elliot comes in, is the very only bit in history where just the three remaining members of Queen performed on stage together (well, with Spikey's lending them a hand on keyboards).
I know John joined Brian and Roger on stage in '88 for. Afam club thing, but presumably there were hoards of other (The Cross etc) on stage too?
Interesting bit about Rod Stewart - I wonder why he didn't perform, or even attend, in the end??
I also agree with the comment that Bri, Roger and John should have performed TYMD alone....
I went to the Tribute and I definitely remember reading rumours in the British press that Madonna, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Monserrat Caballe were going to play.
There were rumors all over the place in terms of who was going to play. I think even the usual Led Zeppelin reformation talk was flying around too at the time.
It was absolutely SHOCKING that Montserrat was not on the bill. Liz Taylor should have been exorcised from proceedings. Bowie's "prayer" was presumptuous and crass. Spinal Tap were embarrassing.
Other than that, the show did it's job; also good that the likes of Clapton, Mcartney and Madonna weren't there as the show would have been all about them as opposed to it being a tribute to Freddie. Daltrey and Iomi were incredible.
I remember standing under a gantry when Metallica played their first chord - the pigeons sat up there to the left all shat themselves and flew off, leaving the people standing under them covered in bird shit.
The choice of Metallica to open surprised me at the time. I was well into them but I thought they might make a lot of the tv viewers turn off. They were considered very heavy at the time and didn't include any Queen numbers in their set. I'm glad they played though.
I remember standing under a gantry when Metallica played their first chord - the pigeons sat up there to the left all shat themselves and flew off, leaving the people standing under them covered in bird shit.
This anecdote is hilarious and deserves to be included in any proper book retelling of the concert
I went to the Tribute and I definitely remember reading rumours in the British press that Madonna, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Monserrat Caballe were going to play.
Ah the infamous British press, back then you could reckon on two thirds of what the tabloids printed was utter butt mud!
Remember these idiots were the ones who claimed Queen were setting out on a huge world tour for each of the last two Queen albums. That Freddie's ghost had been seen at Wembley during the stage set up the previous week to the concert and that Roger Daltrey was going to join them for a tour in 93
At the time I thought Michael Jackson would of payed tribute having been friends with Freddie etc or possibly Jagger even, I'm glad McCartney was not there or Bono the Berk.
Does anybody know why Aretha Franklin didn't perform? She was the absolute number one favorite of Freddie to sing Somebody To Love. George Michael did a fab job as well. But still....
A couple of years ago I asked Brian about Madonna's possible participation at the Freddie Tribute and he replied something like "they have actually invited her for a couple of things" and although she apparently was keen to come, then wasn't able for one reason or another.
