check this out, Freddie Haters!

Just to piss you Freddie haters off even more, I decided to post my critical review of ROTC. I wrote it for www.amazon.com. Have fun reading it!


Title: You big disgrace!
Reviewer: Queen Fan (USA)


Although I own every single album that Queen ever put out (including "Hot Space" and the "Flash Gordon" soundtrack), this cd/dvd is not worth getting. There are so many problems with it that I don't even know where to begin.

In the first place, Paul Rodgers is by no means an acceptable replacement for Freddie Mercury. On a purely objective level, he lacks Freddie Mercury's extraordinary vocal range. But on a deeper level, there is something even more fundamentally wrong here. Although he is a talented singer, Paul Rodgers neither inspires the listener nor does he stimulate the imagination in the way that Freddie Mercury did. On the contrary, Paul Rodgers is really quite dull. A band that, under the guidance of Freddie Mercury was campy and funny and amusing and brilliant is now just one huge snore.

Watch Freddie Mercury's performance at Live Aid and you will see something extraordinary and larger than life. In fact, there was almost something god-like about Freddie Mercury, almost as though he would embody the spirit of some Roman god. All of this is missing with Paul Rodgers. Without Freddie Mercury, "Queen" has been reduced to nothing more than a boring blues band.

I also found it deeply offensive that Freddie Mercury's mother would be forced to watch this terrible concert. What was she supposed to do or say after seeing her brilliant son replaced by this vastly inferior substitute? Again, I am not saying that Paul Rodgers is a horrible singer or that he sucks. He's just not Freddie Mercury.

I also wonder about what happened to so many of the great Freddie Mercury songs. What happened to "Killer Queen", "Somebody to Love", "Under Pressure", "Somebody to Love", "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Seven Seas of Rhye" etc. etc? Indeed, the most beautiful Queen songs have been replaced with the less original Brian May tunes "I Want it All" and "Tie Your Mother Down". This alone is pretty disrespectful. I cannot image Freddie Mercury's mother walking away and feeling good about this.

Perhaps the best thing about this concert(like the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert) is that it really illustrates what a great entertainer and singer Freddie Mercury was. The world of music is somehow just not the same without him.

ROTC sucks like hell!

I have to agree with you! A little harsh but...I think it's the truth.

Fairy

Though we all seem to prefer the Freddie era of Queen, let's not forget that he is no more.

Comparing Paul to Freddie is a little silly. It's not the same band. Shit, even John's not there.
That's why it was called Queen + PR.
The only reason it has the name Queen in it is to sell.
Remember the Brian and Roger solo tours? Not the same venues because not the same interest.

Many people went to these shows like you go to a museum... to see them. I went to the gig saying to myself I was going to see a tribute band. Like I did when I saw The Doors with Ian Astbury.

Aren't we fans being too emotional?
This is another band, another time... We don't have to buy the products.
Hell, just see the new ANATO release and you'll see that many Freddie-era fans aren't getting hold of that one.

I'm glad I saw Brian and Roger play live, together, but I won't be going back.
See what you say when a new tour happens... or not.

I've seen one fundmanetal problem with your
"review" - Paul is not Freddie's replacement as has been stated constantly by fan's and the band themselves.

And let me remind you:

People who like Paul Rodgers are not all 'Freddie haters". Making that assumption is too dumb for words.

correction: Tie your mother down is not a 'replacement song'. It had been in almost every Queen live set since 1976...

b.t.w.; i'm glad they played "i want it all". It's not good to wander in the past and play just all those old - live classics. Its great to see some new, fresh songs (IWIA, SINT, RO, TSMGO)

I agree, Paul Rodger's is not fit to fill Freddie's shoes... and they can't be called Queen with out Freddie or John

In my opinion, people here in QZ will always have diferent opinions about this tour (or this recording)...
Some of us like Freddie's era, some like Paul Rodger's era, some like both... just like marillion's fans... Some of them like Fish's era and others like Steve Hogart's era...
To me, Paul Rodgers will never match up to Freddie, but i'm loving this new tour because it gives me the possibility of seeing them (since I was born at the same year as Queen's last concert)...
Just an honest opinion, though

ooooops.... double posted =)

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Zarathustra II,

I disagree totally. When i listen to this CD i listen to the music (ie drums and guitar and bass).

SOund has come a long way since the late 80's and the Queen sound, sounds better than it ever did - it sounds rich and full.

This is the best CD I have - and i have all but one Queen studio Album.

You seem to doubt Paul Rodgers voice.

You try and sing the start to Tie Your Mother Down (in the top 5 Queen songs) and then listen to Paul Rodgers sing it. Tell me your not impressed?

Without Paul Rodgers I'd never have got to see the remaining members of Queen live.

Brian May was Queen and Freddie Mercury is overrated. Honestly is LIve at Wembley any better?

Mercury was lazy - piano in love of my life live?, nevermore?, lily of the valley?

If he stayed playing the piano songs I'd agree with you, but by giving them up live, Brian May rightly became the main member.

Reality.

Are you (reviewer) expecting Freddie to return or something?

He's dead... get over it and move on, if you don't like the new stuff, don't listen to it.

Why not try to review it from a musical, technical, and entertainment point of view at least that way you might sound as if you know something, as it is you have just compared one person to another. pointless, you might as well review and orange against an apple.

They're different, get it and no amount of screaming is going make them the same.

I just don't understand why you people get so upset, it's not like Freddie was kicked out of Queen and replaced, he can't come back so live with it or move on.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]GreatKingSam wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I've seen one fundmanetal problem with your
"review" - Paul is not Freddie's replacement as has been stated constantly by fan's and the band themselves.[/QUOTE]

I agree with him for once. Paul even said that he wasn't going to try to be a replacement.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]iLOVEFREDDiEMERCURY wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I agree, Paul Rodger's is not fit to fill Freddie's shoes... and they can't be called Queen with out Freddie or John[/QUOTE]

Sure they can. In fact, they have been all year long. Where have you been?