'Who played what': live and studio differences

I'd like to put here something not about Freddie's moustache nor why Brian didn't sing Radio GaGa on San Remo and to make a full list of differences between who played on an instrument on an album version of song and on live version of same song. Here is something what I know for sure:

Freddie - sung '39, Modern Times Rock'n'Roll, Rock It instead of Brian and Roger
Freddie - played piano on You're My Best Friend*, Save Me (partly) instead of John and Brian
John - played bass on Sheer Heart Attack instead of Roger
Roger - sung most of back vocal parts instead of Brian's ones

Any additions? Please note that I count only cases when the instrument is same but player is different not including guest appearances (for instance, John and Brian played guitars on Staying Power instead of spacey horns by Arif Mardin, but: 1) Arif is not Queen member; 2) they played guitars, not horns) nor playing on instruments which are not present on album version (for instance - there are no drums on album version of We Will Rock You but on lives Roger played it, same about Timpani on Brighton Rock).

* - I counted E-piano as an usual piano

Sorry if topic of such kind was posted before

1st verse Who Wants To Live Forever - Freddie sings it live instead of Brian

what would of im in love with my car sounded like wiv fred singing it . also freddie sang rock it live in stead of rodger

matthew poulter wrote:

what would of im in love with my car sounded like wiv fred singing it . also freddie sang rock it live in stead of rodger

Rock It is in my list actually.

Freddie sung for once I'm In Love With My Car - just a couple of imagine lines when Roger forgot the words - sounds pretty good!

I thought freddie hated electric pianos and refused to play them, well thats what he said.. i heard him say it too

foxxy_moron wrote:

I thought freddie hated electric pianos and refused to play them, well thats what he said.. i heard him say it too

Yes, he did. So on lives he played on an usual piano.

oooohh whoops i see now lol.
what is the proper name for a *usual* piano.

foxxy_moron wrote:

oooohh whoops i see now lol.
what is the proper name for a *usual* piano.

Grand piano

ohhh i see now lol.
slow day today.

Brian played rhythm guitar in:

- Back Chat (instead of John)
- Sheer Heart Attck (instead of Roger)
- Another One Bites The Dust (instead of John)
- Calling All Girls (instead of Roger)

Fred played piano in:

- You`re My Best Friend (instead of John)
- Doin` All Right (instead of Brian)*
- Father To Son (instead of Brian)**
- Save Me (instead of Brian)

John played bass in:

- Sheer Heart Attack (instead of Roger)
- Action This Day (instead of synth-Roger)
- Body Language (instead of synth-Freddie)

* Doin` All Right piano is Brian in the (album) studio version, but Fred played it live and in the Beeb sessions

** In one concert I`ve got (I think it`s Sheer tour in Japan, early `75) Fred plays the piano arpeggio intro in FTS (usually it was just the tape, like at the Rainbow). Now, in the studio version there are several piano overdubs, it isn`t clear whether Brian played them all or just some.

Does what Spike played count?

Brian played the solo to I Want To Break Free live and Fred Mandel played it in the studio didn't he?

Freddie-B wrote:

Brian played the solo to I Want To Break Free live and Fred Mandel played it in the studio didn't he?

Yes, but as I wrote in the begin of this topic - I count only Queen members - no Spike, no Mandel, no Arif, no Mike Stone etc.

Obviously, a lot of the drum parts in the studio were programmed on a drum machine - no real drums. I guess a lot of Hot Space for starters

You guys have been saying that Freddie played piano for "Save Me" instead of Brian, but on the "We Will Rock You" DVD, Brian definitely plays piano for most of the song. Was this just a one-time thing or are a lot of people here mistaken?