Are some Queen fans too Freddie centered?

I'd buy a CD from any band called Humpy Bong.

I agree. 50% of Queen is better than 0%. Just like one year of love is better than a lifetime alone.

"Freddie was the force that made the band so special and gave the band the uniqueness it became known for.... I think he was the driving force and the one that made people stand up and really take notice."

Yes but that's because when people noticed him, they said "Look, that's the gay singer who sings like he was in opera"! He was definitely the one who was responsible for all the publicity (both positive and negative) in the press but that doesn't automatically mean he was that important.

For me Queen were (1.) amazing guitar, (2.) harmonies, (3.) amazing voice. I've always thought Brian was responsible for the first two points and Freddie for the third? That's why I consider Brian the most important Queen member.

(And I fully agree with what Rich Tea wrote).

"Finally, in my opinion Fred was just 12.5% of Queen. Each one was. The other 50% was the force that they all four had together. So if anyone of them isn't there the percentage (in my opinion) is reduced by 62.5%. A person without 62.5% of his blood dies. So, if there isn't the four of them there's no Queen for me. As I said, it's ok for one or two songs per album, because all of them produced the tracks and aproved them and etc. But not a full album or tour of just two or three former Queen members. That's not Queen, no way (and I don't mean legally, I mean ethically)"

Oh my god... going a bit too far, don't you think? It's not a mathematical issue, and Queen is not about ethics either. I understand what you say, but I think you should reduce the trials in mathematical accuracy in your posts by at least 55,7 %.
Don't get me wrong, generally I agree.

Yes I agree I went too mathematical, but my point was it in fact. Without the four of them, half of the force is lost, so there's no Queen for me.

Roger and Freddie sang way way more harmonies than Brian on studio and stage, but I agree with Martin that the distinctive Queen harmony sound comes more from Brian (compare Love Token with Is It Me or Your Kind Of Lover, in terms of vocals I mean).

In terms of performance I agree Brian contributed more to the Queen sound because a guitar solo, no matter if John, Roger or Freddie wrote it, sounds Queen-like only with the Red Special.

Innuendo in terms of writing was music by Freddie and lyrics by Freddie and Roger. Fred was more in the melody than in the actual words, he just started them off, Roger wrote the rest of them. In arrangements Brian, Dave Richards and Steve Howe also contributed, but that's not part of the actual songwriting.

<

It sometimes amazes me (and makes me laugh as well) that some ppl completely forget that Queen was 4 guys. Each of them with unique talent, unique persona and unique imput into machine called Queen. I agree- there are fans focused only on Freddie, also claiming that he was a God and whatever he touched was gold...
That brings another thing which makes me lough even harder...
The LEGEND of Queen is pretty beautiful itself- amazing story of a legendary band... Yet some ppl insist on adding even more, trying too hard to create... don't even know what are they trying to create... So many times I've heard that Freddie wrote "Show Must Go On" because he was dying- that was supposed to bring even more drama... But if it was really Freddie, I would just say- pretensious... Brian wrote it- that's another story; knowing all the meanings of the song- it's not banal at all... Isn't it more dramatic that Freddie in his last years was recording sth like "Delilah"? Guy is dying and singing happy tune about his fav cat... Isn't this heartbreaking ENOUGH...? It's not only about TSMGO- what about DoRo putting at the end of "Champions of the World" a bit of Freddie's interview saying "That's my last interview"- I thought that was really his last interview... And so on, and so on... What the F**k is it for...? The legend is pretty amazing without all this nonsens... You don't create DRAMA- there's nothing more dramatic than the truth! Exactly how it was! Changing this stuff creates banal and pretensiousness...
Is it off the topic? Not really. Because from what I can see it's mostly "LEGEND of Freddie" that suffers from this... Freddie wasn't perfect, Freddie wasn't God- and that's the part of the REAL beauty of Queen...
I think the reason why so many ppl are Freddie centered is because he died in dramatic circumstances and therefore they can now freely create the picture of sth that never existed- a perfect hero... A martyr... Some kind of Messiah almost... He's the best material to do so... And the fact that it doesn't make any sens? Well, there are more things on this planet that don't...

An interesting debate this and WHY?

Well we all have our own personal opinions and our own personal favourites and thats why its a debate. Just like the meaning of Queen lyrics to each of us they have a different and personnal meaning.

Freddie IMO was one of the greatest frontmen ever as the vocalist and focal point he was the one who attracted the media attention although lets remember the first Queen member to make front page news for anything other than music was Brian around 87 (when he was seeing the future Mrs May, then a soap icon, whilst still married to the first Mrs May!).

Queen will be different things to different people but I draw my conclusion from the tribute concert which I have just watched on DVD again. I count that as the last Queen concert I went to, not Knebworth but Wembley 92 and I reckon the majority of the 72,000 other people there would agree. I really wish Freddie hadn't died but barring a miracle the only way I will see Queen again is Brian, Roger and hopefully John I will still consider it a Queen concert and I'm damned sure they will put on a bloody good show.

if they want to do it they have every right to and I for one will support them.

I am more Freddie centerd as far as Queen goes. He was what made Queen REALLY special... to ME.

I think the more appropriate question is: Are some girls too Roger centered? :-D

LOL! Good one.;)

Many people here think Freddie was the driving force in Queen, but that's because media has always focused mainly on the band's frontman, without him being necessarily the most talented member on the band.

I'm not denying the huge talent Freddie had, because it's just simply impossible. But think of this guys... the driving force in Queen was Queen itself (or at least Freddie and Brian). I know Freddie came up with the band's name and the glam, but if he did it all by himself, how come he didn't suceed with IBEX and Wreckage?

Sure, there's no Queen without Freddie's voice, but imagine Queen without the sound of the Red Special?

I do think Fred was the driving force, but that doesn't mean he's the most important. He was the driving force in the matter that he wrote and arranged much more songs than the others, plus, as Brian mentioned once, he solved many fights between Brian and Roger, plus he was fundamental to support John's songwriting, and note that he took part of the production (mixing, recording supervision, etc) much more than the rest. Also for me his piano playing is equally important as his voice. But so are Brian's voice and guitar, Roger's voice and drums, John's bass and rhythm guitar, and financial expertise.

I must admit I am not totally into who mixed & produced what but the comment "he took part of the production (mixing, recording supervision, etc) much more than the rest" I would think is untrue. I've always thought that all 4 were equally involved in this and that was what made Queen unique. I mean the Flash Gordon album is the only Queen album that singles out an individual member for production duties and that was Brian.

Live Brian was the only member who was on stage for the whole show even in the 80's when the guitar solo became uncool he continued!

Don't get me wrong Freddie could have farted in a bucket and released it and I would have bought the 7" & the 12" extended remix the guy was a genius. I do think though that he was a genius because of the chemestry all 4 Queen members had and the interaction between them live and in the studio. Had Freddie been in any other group he would not have had the same impact.

According to one of the sound engineers Fred was rarely away from the console. Also in the One Vision video you can see Fred supervising. Fred mixed Brian's Chinese Torture

Of course it depends on the era too. I doubt in Hot Space he did anything more than play his piano parts and sing his vocals

I guess it would have depended on the track involved as well. Now i would have thought if any Queen album was Freddies baby I would have said Hot Space I would have thought he would have been the one pushing for a more Disco type sound. i know he didn't write all the tracks but its more the sound and feel of the album I'm talking about.

I could imagine Freddie and Brian falling out over "Staying Power" with Brian wanting it to sound like "Dead On Time" with a heavey guitar sound and Freddie telling him to f**k off and getting the horn section in while Brian was off sulking LOL

Could never see Brian May in a disco somehow!!!!