Just heard that Brian and Roger Dont really keep in contact with John very much according to Brian on radio 2.I think this is sad how can someone not talk to his mates after 20 odd years together
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I have not heard the interview, and I certainly cannot speak for Brian, Roger or John.
But sometimes ordinary things in people's lives distance them, like jobs, family, where they live, lifestyle.
Sometimes bad things get in the way, issues or differences over creative directions, money, what have you.
Either way...it is sad indeed. 3 lifetimes colleagues and at times friends..now so distant,
that is Brian & Roger...from John and vice versa.
But sometimes ordinary things in people's lives distance them, like jobs, family, where they live, lifestyle.
Sometimes bad things get in the way, issues or differences over creative directions, money, what have you.
Either way...it is sad indeed. 3 lifetimes colleagues and at times friends..now so distant,
that is Brian & Roger...from John and vice versa.
I don't think its any kind of tragedy - its just the way life is many times. For those of you over the age of, say, 30, think back to all your closest friends in high school and college, and now ask yourself how many of them you're still close to. Brian and Roger still enjoy being part of the music business and all that goes with it, and John at a point decided he'd had enough and wanted a more conventional life. Life just takes people in different directions sometimes, whether you're joe average or a world famous rock star.
Yeah I have just listened to this interview. I think it is fair enough they haven't seen John for a while, if he keeps himself to himself and they must be incredibly busy at the moment anyway! I'm sure they will have time perhaps to meet up with John or something next year.
I liked the fact Roger thanked all the fans that came to see them in the UK - apparently we were great audiences!! :D
Oh and Brian - try not to swear next time :P
I liked the fact Roger thanked all the fans that came to see them in the UK - apparently we were great audiences!! :D
Oh and Brian - try not to swear next time :P
What show was this interview on? I'd like to hear it if I can.
What show was this interview on? I'd like to hear it if I can.
BBC radio 2
The link is posted on Brian's website. I have not had a chance to listen to it yet.
Part of the written transcript is also on Brian's website, but not the part that this Thread is referencing yet.
Part of the written transcript is also on Brian's website, but not the part that this Thread is referencing yet.
What show was this interview on? I'd like to hear it if I can.
BBC radio 2
Thanks, but I had kind of gathered that! I meant which show on Radio 2, but I've found it now, in the ANNOUNCE thread, and heard it.
John didn't take well the death of Freddie, that's why he retired.
I think Ray D O'Gaga was right on the money. I'm 58, the same age as Brian, and I don't hang out with ANY of the close friends I had twenty or thirty years ago. Yes, we stay in touch on occasion, but over time we come to know ourselves better. Our interests change, our priorities change, and we grow differently. At some point in life we begin to define OURSELVES rather than allowing ourselves to be defined by a group, by friends, or by family or acquaintances.
John, Brian and Roger are not the same as they were in the old days. Their family demands have changed, and they have opted to take their personal and professional lives in somewhat different directions. Maybe John just doesn't want to get back into the daily grind of being on the road, and maybe he has no interest in astronomy... Or worse, maybe he feels like he was a minor role player in Queen, hooked up with some tremendous talent, but may have felt tolerated rather than really needed as part of the group.
Frankly I'm amazed that Brian and Roger have managed to stay connected, as I don't think they were the closest of personal friends even in Queen's prime.
John, Brian and Roger are not the same as they were in the old days. Their family demands have changed, and they have opted to take their personal and professional lives in somewhat different directions. Maybe John just doesn't want to get back into the daily grind of being on the road, and maybe he has no interest in astronomy... Or worse, maybe he feels like he was a minor role player in Queen, hooked up with some tremendous talent, but may have felt tolerated rather than really needed as part of the group.
Frankly I'm amazed that Brian and Roger have managed to stay connected, as I don't think they were the closest of personal friends even in Queen's prime.
I think Ray D O'Gaga was right on the money. I'm 58, the same age as Brian, and I don't hang out with ANY of the close friends I had twenty or thirty years ago. Yes, we stay in touch on occasion, but over time we come to know ourselves better. Our interests change, our priorities change, and we grow differently. At some point in life we begin to define OURSELVES rather than allowing ourselves to be defined by a group, by friends, or by family or acquaintances.
John, Brian and Roger are not the same as they were in the old days. Their family demands have changed, and they have opted to take their personal and professional lives in somewhat different directions. Maybe John just doesn't want to get back into the daily grind of being on the road, and maybe he has no interest in astronomy... Or worse, maybe he feels like he was a minor role player in Queen, hooked up with some tremendous talent, but may have felt tolerated rather than really needed as part of the group.
Frankly I'm amazed that Brian and Roger have managed to stay connected, as I don't think they were the closest of personal friends even in Queen's prime.
I have the same thoughts exactly about John, and I think that once Freddie passed, it became much harder on him not only because a dear friend and colleague had passed away, but because I think Freddie took up for John, and looked out for him, and respected his role in Queen, whatever his contributions were, and that Freddie helped John be HEARD as a songwriter who had something to bring to the table.
When Freddie died, I think Brian and Roger (and I mean no disrepect here) didn't give John the focus as an integral member and allow him to be HEARD so to speak and respected as an equal, contributor to the band. Yes I do think maybe John felt merely tolerated, rather than needed. Just my thought.
Actually I think you have it all right on the money. Well said.
And personally re: what you said about Brian and Roger, I was surprised too.
I think their mutual desire to keep the Queen legacy going and develop new projects from releases, the current tour, the WWRY stage musical, has sort of re-established their bond later in life, once they got older and had gotten doing solo work out of their systems, the pain of Freddie's death healed somewhat..and it felt right and they wanted to revive the Queen banner.
John may not have made as much contribution to Queen as did Brian or Roger (my opinion of course is that Freddie was the dominant contributor), but he (John) was PERFECT for Queen. Very very solid, sustained bass lines (think Innuendo, We Are the Champions, Under Pressure, BoRhap, etc.), perfect for Queen's music. None of the bouncing bass crap (think Paul McCartney's Ob-La-Di-Bla-Da and Lady Madonna) that shows good artistry but wouldn't lay down a good foundation for complex harmonies or add depth to complement Freddie's vocals. John was perfect for the heaviness and complexity of Queen's music, and McCartney was perfect for the Beatles.
But having said all the above, I miss John and am disappointed he's not with Brian and Roger this summer. I deeply value his enormous contribution to Queen. And I have great respect for his ability to cope with, support, and round out the greatest musical talent of the late 20th century.
But having said all the above, I miss John and am disappointed he's not with Brian and Roger this summer. I deeply value his enormous contribution to Queen. And I have great respect for his ability to cope with, support, and round out the greatest musical talent of the late 20th century.
For what it's worth, I don't think John felt undervalued at all. He wrote some of Queen's biggest hits, and if anything, I think Bri and Rog possibly miss him, more than he misses them. He probably just felt that once Freddie died, the Queen legend died with him, and in many ways, I feel the same. He's also now in his 50s and has earned enough money to retire extremely comfortably, thank you very much. He was always 'the quiet one' in Queen, and by his very nature, I am not surprised he has taken this decision, not to be involved in the tour.
people just grow apart...it's the natural way of friendship, eventually, (usually) they die out.
From Brianmay.com:
SM: And lots of texts and e-mails asking - John won't be, John's kind of retired from that end of it - but are you still in contact with John?
RT: Very occasionally.
BM: Yes, yes. Not very often. John really keeps himself to himself. He just comes out when he wants to, but he's in full approval of what we're doing; he just doesn't want to have anything to do with it. He wants to be at home and he wants to be insulated from . . .
SM: Yeah.
BM: . . . the kind of shit that we have to go through.
(Laughing)
BM: Can't blame him really.
SM: And lots of texts and e-mails asking - John won't be, John's kind of retired from that end of it - but are you still in contact with John?
RT: Very occasionally.
BM: Yes, yes. Not very often. John really keeps himself to himself. He just comes out when he wants to, but he's in full approval of what we're doing; he just doesn't want to have anything to do with it. He wants to be at home and he wants to be insulated from . . .
SM: Yeah.
BM: . . . the kind of shit that we have to go through.
(Laughing)
BM: Can't blame him really.