You're disagreeing with me, but agreeing with Bohardy???
I think you should re-read what I wrote...
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I agree with Sebastian who says that Spike wasn't a firt-class pianist, as was Mandel. In fact I've been confusing my pianists, lol sorry, it's Morgan Fisher who I do not like! I've been re-listening to some Mandel stuff and I must say his relative "virtuosity" is apparent when compared to, let's say Spike Edney. And indeed I do like Mandel; it's in the case of Fisher that I prefer Edney. Nonetheless, for all his lack of technical ability or virtuosity I still think Freddie's sense of drama and blend of charisma/eclecticism (and genius?) certainly makes his piano playing worth listening to. Something really special. Whereas wit Mandel, I feel that I'm just listening to another virtuoso pianist at work.
You're disagreeing with me, but agreeing with Bohardy???
I think you should re-read what I wrote...
I do disagree with you! Freddie was not an A+ pianist who could play songs like Living On My Own. His technique and general knowledge of the piano's capabilities were pretty basic in comparison to guys like Fred Mandel, Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, or whoever else is very widely-known as an accomplished keyboardist. Freddie was a decent player, but nothing like the guys mentioned above.
I think Freddie actually under-estimated himself-in my view he was a very good player- not classically trained or anyhting but I'd rather have Freddie's reliability than the jazzy inter-song tinkling of Mike Garson- one of the many things that makes David Live an appalling live album.
Did Fred Mandel play in Japan in '82, because who ever it was was amazing on Crazy Little Thing from disc 2 of On Fire- Spike was good at Wembley but this chap was a virtuoso- it added so much to the rendition.
Did Fred Mandel play in Japan in '82, because who ever it was was amazing on Crazy Little Thing from disc 2 of On Fire- Spike was good at Wembley but this chap was a virtuoso- it added so much to the rendition.
Yup, that was Fred Mandel on CLTCL. I often wonder why he wasn't asked to do The Works Tour with them, considering he had played synths on half of the songs on the album or so...
Mandel was hired by Elton John and Supertramp
It's a shame realy. He is much better than Spike (forget about Morgan Fisher) IMHO.
You're disagreeing with me, but agreeing with Bohardy???
I think you should re-read what I wrote...
I do disagree with you! Freddie was not an A+ pianist who could play songs like Living On My Own. His technique and general knowledge of the piano's capabilities were pretty basic in comparison to guys like Fred Mandel, Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, or whoever else is very widely-known as an accomplished keyboardist. Freddie was a decent player, but nothing like the guys mentioned above.
I promise you I never suggested Fred was a technician...
If I had said "Even if he had been technically able, he wouldn't have played in that style", would that have been clearer?
If I had said "Even if he had been technically able, he wouldn't have played in that style", would that have been clearer?
Nope! Because if Freddie had different abilities, his music may have reflected those abilities. Even so, how can anyone know why Freddie went in the directions he did, and potentially ignored other directions? He never talked about that kind of stuff.
I'm with Bob.
There's no way Fred would be the same musician, had he had the pianistic skills of Mandel. How proficient you are on an instrument surely defines the kind of musician you are and the music you play.
It's inconceivable to think that if Fred was a piano virtuoso he would predominantly be plonking out chords a la Killer Queen or Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy. What would be the point in practising absolutely all the time every day, pushing yourself and boring yourself at the same time to reach your goal of technical proficiency only to then say "Right, now I've done that I'm gonna go back to just play Grade 5 standard stuff for the rest of my life".
If his skills were on a par with Fred Mandel's or, say Mike Moran's, I've no doubt that Queen wouldn't exist, or at least have continued to exist once Fred attained that level of virtuosity.
There's no way Fred would be the same musician, had he had the pianistic skills of Mandel. How proficient you are on an instrument surely defines the kind of musician you are and the music you play.
It's inconceivable to think that if Fred was a piano virtuoso he would predominantly be plonking out chords a la Killer Queen or Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy. What would be the point in practising absolutely all the time every day, pushing yourself and boring yourself at the same time to reach your goal of technical proficiency only to then say "Right, now I've done that I'm gonna go back to just play Grade 5 standard stuff for the rest of my life".
If his skills were on a par with Fred Mandel's or, say Mike Moran's, I've no doubt that Queen wouldn't exist, or at least have continued to exist once Fred attained that level of virtuosity.
Asterix, to answer your question regarding the Bowl concert, it is Morgan Fisher who is playing the piano, who I think was miles ahead of Spike Edney, we only have to look at that concert to see, also look at the Saturday Night Live performance and hear Morgan Fisher play the piano, like Eddie Van Halen to a guitar!!!
Queen thoroughly enjoyed Fisher's playing piano with them on concert, and from what I have read it was only due to Fisher's unavailability that he wasn't able to go on The Works tour, hence Edney was brought into the fold from then onwards, a fine player as well, but no Fisher.
Queen thoroughly enjoyed Fisher's playing piano with them on concert, and from what I have read it was only due to Fisher's unavailability that he wasn't able to go on The Works tour, hence Edney was brought into the fold from then onwards, a fine player as well, but no Fisher.
I though Fisher's piano work on the Live At The Bowl DVD was fairly standard, and he was relegated to mostly synths anyway; the only piano was on Crazy Little Thing. But what Asterik was talking about was on the bonus disc; that was indeed Fred Mandel, who really added a different texture to the song.
I remember hearing that Fisher didn't accompany them to the US and Japan because he loathed flying, and, as P–... er, Thanks, said, Mandel wasn't on the Works tour because he was working with Supertramp and Elton John instead. Shame, that.
I remember hearing that Fisher didn't accompany them to the US and Japan because he loathed flying, and, as P–... er, Thanks, said, Mandel wasn't on the Works tour because he was working with Supertramp and Elton John instead. Shame, that.
Not Morgan Fisher but Fred Mandel played piano at Saturday Night Live performance.
Well if that is Mandel playing CLTCL then I am mistaken, however it is that both players look identical in the Bowl concert and on SNL.
Fisher does have the long curly hair right??
Fisher does have the long curly hair right??