As it began ' or any other books

Amidds!! That is so funny!!! I do know you.... I was so close to assuming YCE. I do have it ... just haven’t gotten to dig in very far yet... so am really living your research in it.

MHZ-// I loved your post—- and you are so not alone. I have a pile of books (haha) to decide what to pick up. And, like Amidds, I need to re-read too. I agree it is nice to read AIB band details. It’s a study. Such a nice historical window. Will be interested in your Elton book recap. Great your reading that too.

Amidds- I’m with you fingers crossed for re-release. So interesting prices coming down now from re-sellers.

Gah JB! Brain bleed - YCE??? Don't confuse me girl...it takes so little :(

MHZ, you are gonna love Complete Works if you liked AIB! Like I said, there's a lot there! After the first few chapters, I just started jumping around to hit specific songs, albums or videos as people here on QZ mentioned them or I heard a certain song, etc. I'm really enjoying it that way! And shame on you for thinking we wouldn't care! Lol, WE totally get it!!! I have 3 going now too for much the same reason! And, yes please, let us know if you enjoy the EJ book. I almost picked it up the other day primarily for the John Reid/Freddie connection as well and then thought that I really don't need another book waiting behind the 10 in my queue! Of course, if it comes highly recommended, that's a different story :)))

Haaaaaahaaaaaaa. CYE....No idea it was not a test.... this time haha!!!. :/-))))
Complete Works.

MHZ, I came close to getting the Elton John book. I'd like to hear what you think as you work your way through it.

I’m glad to not be the only one to read multiple books at a time! I have been through many Queen/Freddie books and yet I am still finding more. And of course I must re-read some of them. I have read through a few at least twice already. With each that I read and re-read I seem to find more details and change my opinions on things. Kind of amazing! The Complete Works will be interesting for me, like you Amidds I will want to jump around but I also have a compulsive need to read straight from cover to cover without skipping any detail. We’ll see what wins out on this one!

I got through more of Elton’s book today, I am about 1/3 into it. My impression so far is that there is a lot of detail in there I have no interest in knowing. This first part is very specific on the musicians and music when he got into the business in the late sixties. Most are (I’m assuming) British and possibly lesser known, or maybe just not known to me as I’m from the US. I recognized some names but most meant nothing to me. I’m to the point now where he has hit fame, and he does a ton of name dropping. Which is fine, but a lot of that is without specifics. So to me it feels a little bit mean to do to those involved. Mostly talking about doing drugs with them, and that sort of thing. I’m divided on how I feel about it all, on one hand it is interesting to hear what all went on (inquiring minds want to know!) but it also feels like a betrayal to the others. We’ll see if it improves as I go.

Thanks for the Elton comments MHZ. The reason I was tempted to get his book was, of course, any stories or info he had about Freddie. I may be able to pass this one up.

Amidds. Your so funny. Not another brain bleed caused by typo syndrome. Haha.

Have a good day all. MHZ- will be fun to discuss AIB as we work our way thru it.

Hi Katy!!

Have a good day all!

Katy, so far there has just be about 1 paragraph mentioning Freddie, I can summarize it as John Reid sharing BoRap with Elton before it came out and Elton thought it was crazy and way too long and he thought it would bomb. Then he said he became great friends with Freddie, named him Melina, and had lots of laughs with him and Tony King. So pretty much everything we already knew. The one thing I didn’t like was that he said Freddie made fun of his Queen band mates, calling Brian “Mrs. May” and that the clogs she wore on stage were ridiculous...or something along those lines. I guess I’m not naive enough to think that they all didn’t have moments where they said stuff about each other, it’s just not something I think was nice or productive to put in a book. It’s that kind of thing throughout his book that puts me off. I don’t need to hear just nice stuff, but the negative stuff he puts in just seems kind of catty, rather than helping flesh out his story, if you know what I mean. I’ll let you know if I come across more Freddie stuff.

On another note, I see that Spike Edney is working on a book and hoping for it to come out in the next year. For those not aware Spike has played the piano with Queen for maybe 30 or so years, taking over when Freddie decided not to play at concerts and just to run around and sing. I’m sure he has tons of great stories! Another one to add to my reading list!

MHZ, thanks for the update. I prob will pass as well. Though another thing I was interested in was the differences b/t John Reid in his life with Queen vs. his life with EJ. I understand it was an entirely different type of relationship but, I have heard hints of him being kind of an arse to EJ. Let me know if its worth it for that. Wow, now I sound like the catty one :). What other Queen books have you read? I'm on a re-read quest and am currently on Somebody to Love. I know it's not a highly rated one by QZ'ers but I found the AIDS info to be spot on and informative and mostly factual except when they quote Lesley Ann Jones. Anyone else read that?

I heard that too about Spike Edney. This could be a good year for books. Especially if Thor and Lee can get theirs out! (catty and impatient? yes, apparently lol)

JB, thank goodness, I was really scratching my head for a few minutes trying to figure out which book you were referencing and wondering why I didn't hear about it. haha!!

Too funny. Wouldn’t it be crazy if a book came out with that accidental abbreviation.

Have a nice day all

I do need to get back and catch up. :-))

Amidds, I would say there’s a decent amount of info on John Reid, it may be worth it for that. First because he and EJ were in a relationship and later as just his manager. And yes, your description of how Reid acted seems accurate! LOL! I am more into his fame years now and I guess I had heard what a diva EJ was and about some of his outfits and antics but I didn’t know the half of it all.

Queen books I have read (will qualify that I am away from home at the moment so only relying on failing memory and the list on my Kindle!). Both of Freestone’s books, Mercury and Me (2x), Somebody to Love (2x), Freddie Mercury The Biography, Queen The Definitive Biography, Freddie Mercury (David Bret), This Was the Real Life, Mercury (Leslie Ann Jones), Queen The Early Years, Queen Unseen, Brian May The Definitive Biography, also the David Minns Book, I don’t think I listed that one. I did enjoy Somebody to Love a lot for the info on AIDS, I lived through that time but sure didn’t know about all that happened and how it may have started. I need to read And the Band Played On at some point.

As far as being catty, I don’t necessarily have a problem with that at all! Just in the context of EJ’s book there were a lot of things sort of tossed in that didn’t add to the story, weren’t fully described, but just randomly made someone else look bad. A few of those would have been fine with me, but it seemed kind of overdone and without real purpose in the book. Usually I enjoy a sideways comment as much as anyone else! : D

MHZ, ok, it's back on my list! Might wait until its on sale since I really only care the the Freddie connection lol!

That is some reading list!!! I have read about 1/2 of those, will look up the others to see what they're about - any you would recommend?? (I have the Freestone books, Mercury and Me, Somebody to Love and the Minns book. Not really interested in the Leslie Ann Jones or Brian May-sorry!).

I get what you mean about the EJ book. Cattiness doesn't bother me, heck, it takes a lot to get me upset or irritated but it is very frustrating when something is just thrown in, half-arsed like someone didn't care enough to complete a thought! That and the lack of proof-reading are the two things that will get me to put down a book and not finish it lol!

May not be something new to everyone but I have only seen pieces of this, nice to see most of it together.

https://youtu.be/L3Bg4a0mxkc

Making of Under Pressure is interesting but, also, at the very end, they start to discuss the emotional period in Munich we’ve discussed before. Of course the damn thing ends in the middle of that discussion lol!

I forgot to add that I’ve read Queen in 3D by Brian, and his book on the Red Special, as well as the Queen 40th Anniversary ebook. Yes, I am a May-niac, lol! So much so that I am now teaching myself to play guitar at the ripe old age of 55. It is no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise doing it this late in life! Ha! I think I am dooming myself to arthritis in my fingers.

I really enjoyed the ebook, that was cool because of the pictures and music attached with it. I also liked The Early Years a lot, but I have always liked to hear more on the musical influence and early development. Which, now that I write this, I realize was my criticism of Elton’s book! I suppose it all depends on the interest in the subject itself. When I get home I’ll look through my books and see if I have more specific reading recommendations.

Good for you MHZ! I hear you - I often think of playing the piano again so I can play some Queen songs. Of course, I would have to buy a piano and have a place to put it so, not gonna work. At least a guitar doesn't take up so much space! Good luck with that!

Have you read or heard of Queen: The Complete Illustrated Lyrics? I haven't read it but saw it on YouTube and seems it might be right up your alley!!