The Cosmos Rocks

Today is the tenth anniversary of the release of TCR .... give or take 4 months. That's close enough for government work, as the saying goes. I really think this was a missed opportunity -- the second big missed opportunity of their post-Fred musical careers. The first was not continuing under another name as a new band. The 2nd was the half arsed effort they made on TCR. Rodgers was a big name and had genuine rock and blues credentials. But the album is mediocre. Because Brian was off saving badgers, counting cosmic dust particles, and trying to see into the 4th dimension through Patrick Moore's telescope, he phoned in his parts. That left Roger and Rodgers to write most of the tracks. Some of them are okay. Just okay. Mostly they are forgettable. There isn't a single vocal moment from Rodgers that really stands out. In fact, Runaway, not on the album, is more interesting vocally than anything on it. Instrumentally, it's all very dull. Brian playing 12 bar, sampling WWRY etc. Brian playing bass like he had boxing gloves on. Roger was better but not by much. It felt very much like music by and for old people. Rawk! nor rock.

But think what might have been if the fuckers didn't have the weight of the Queen brand on their backs. Maybe a blues album to show off Rodgers' voice? (Although Roger Taylor should play guitar and Brian should do drums as Brian's the worst blues player I've ever heard) :p Or let Brian write The Call-type songs -- "Queen's" last grand musical composition -- but let Rodgers write the lyrics so we don't have to suffer through Brian lyrics such as:

"My country stored it's wealth and now it can't figure why
But the rest of the world wants it back now
They got no weapons so they just bug us for the crack now"

For fucks sake. Musically it's a James Bond theme on the scale of Live and Let Die. Lyrically, it's on a par with the Teletubbies theme song, although at least I can sing that.

A lost opportunity indeed. Now all they are is a nostalgia band playing greatest hits to an audience of slack-jawed, phone-obsessed nitwits...

... and breathe.

I don't want to say bad things about it because it's one of the few "Queen" projects I haven't been able to actively get into and listen thoroughly. Funny, I probably played it about 3 times and... it's like something's blocking my enjoyment and memory of it. I can't bring myself to care about it. Beyond that, I very much prefer the solo versions / variations of the tracks in it, and those I am very much fond of.

Paul Rodgers was a mistake, but it's history now.


[QUOTE] [b]Holly2003 wrote:[/b] In fact, Runaway, not on the album, is more interesting vocally than anything on it.[/QUOTE]

Interestingly, that song is the only non-Queen song ever featured in a "Queen" single played by "Queen" members. Too bad I just can't omit the quotes.

TCR released September 15 2008 in Europe, October 28 for USA

[QUOTE] [b]Golden Salmon wrote:[/b]

I don't want to say bad things about it because it's one of the few "Queen" projects I haven't been able to actively get into and listen thoroughly. Funny, I probably listened to it about 3 times and... it's like something's blocking my enjoyment and memory of it. I can't bring myself to care about it. Beyond that, I very much prefer the solo versions / variations of the tracks in it, and those I am very much fond of.

Paul Rodgers was a mistake, but it's history now.


[QUOTE] [b]Holly2003 wrote:[/b] In fact, Runaway, not on the album, is more interesting vocally than anything on it.[/QUOTE]

Interestingly, that song is the only non-Queen song ever featured in a "Queen" single played by "Queen" members. Too bad I just can't omit the quotes.[/QUOTE]

Avoid the quotes, is not Queen. Period.

[QUOTE] [b]Holly2003 wrote:[/b]

Today is the tenth anniversary of the release of TCR .... give or take 4 months. That's close enough for government work, as the saying goes. I really think this was a missed opportunity -- the second big missed opportunity of their post-Fred musical careers. The first was not continuing under another name as a new band. The 2nd was the half arsed effort they made on TCR. Rodgers was a big name and had genuine rock and blues credentials. But the album is mediocre. Because Brian was off saving badgers, counting cosmic dust particles, and trying to see into the 4th dimension through Patrick Moore's telescope, he phoned in his parts. That left Roger and Rodgers to write most of the tracks. Some of them are okay. Just okay. Mostly they are forgettable. There isn't a single vocal moment from Rodgers that really stands out. In fact, Runaway, not on the album, is more interesting vocally than anything on it. Instrumentally, it's all very dull. Brian playing 12 bar, sampling WWRY etc. Brian playing bass like he had boxing gloves on. Roger was better but not by much. It felt very much like music by and for old people. Rawk! nor rock.

But think what might have been if the fuckers didn't have the weight of the Queen brand on their backs. Maybe a blues album to show off Rodgers' voice? (Although Roger Taylor should play guitar and Brian should do drums as Brian's the worst blues player I've ever heard) :p Or let Brian write The Call-type songs -- "Queen's" last grand musical composition -- but let Rodgers write the lyrics so we don't have to suffer through Brian lyrics such as:

"My country stored it's wealth and now it can't figure why
But the rest of the world wants it back now
They got no weapons so they just bug us for the crack now"

For fucks sake. Musically it's a James Bond theme on the scale of Live and Let Die. Lyrically, it's on a par with the Teletubbies theme song, although at least I can sing that.

A lost opportunity indeed. Now all they are is a nostalgia band playing greatest hits to an audience of slack-jawed, phone-obsessed nitwits...

... and breathe.

[/QUOTE]


I think most of what you say is very true actually, especially regarding Brian. As far as Im concerned his input was really lacking and on a couple of songs his stuff did have a large hint of "phoned in" about it. I tend to look on that album as more of a Paul and Roger album in that sense because of Brian getting sidelined with all that badger saving, interplanetary dust, stereo photography stuff. And it is a pity because that album could have been so much better. That said, I did actually like the album. Was it "Queen standard"? Well no, and it was never likely to be as Paul isnt Freddie and didnt pretend to be. He had a hugely successful career in both Free and Bad Company.

As you say, it was a lost opportunity indeed.

It’s on a par with some of the Queen members solo albums, can’t be compared with a Queen album.

I was astonished how little attention TCR got from press and public. And I still think that C-Lebrity was a very bad choice as single. That song probaby made sure that people who may have been interested avoided the album after hearing that song.

May, Taylor and Rogers should have been use instead of Queen + Paul Rogers since it’s not Queen.

TCR was not released on January 11 2009, but exactly on that day I stopped smoking - now that's a 10th anniversary :) I like some songs though, Warboys, Through the Night and Voodoo especially. And yes, as a huge fan of Crime Story, where the original was the title song, I love the itunes bonus song Runaway.

I don't like The Cosmos Rocks.

I tried to like it. It's an anomaly. A very dull and awkward album from rock greats. Kinda sad that it was so bad.

I liked SMALL and some things that glitter was pretty good. Just horribly stripped down and needed a time change.

I rather listen to TCR on repeat than listening to 10 seconds of Lamebutt raping a QUeen song

To me any album is dull if Freddie is not on it. I do admire Paul Rodgers but the "Cosmos Rocks" was a poor album
and Roger Taylor did struggle with the song writing on that album, even some of his own solo material is drivel.

No redeeming features! Fucking terrible!!

The only decent song from TCR was a Queen song from 1986. Go figure.