Wow...this is incredible. As enjoyable as your posts have been, I can only imagine how great the book will be. I honestly can't think of a better man for the job. Kudos to you, my friend.
I look forward to the day I own a copy.
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Wonderful news Lester, and a great reward for all your hard work - I know this will be an excellent reference.
If you need any small bits of help, you know my e-mail, but, I think your ideas are both sound and commercial.
If you need any small bits of help, you know my e-mail, but, I think your ideas are both sound and commercial.
WOW!
Great Lester!
I'm going to buy a copy!!
Great Lester!
I'm going to buy a copy!!
Thats awesome Lester, congratulations mate!
Don't hesitate to ask for any help, and I will buy the book :-D
All the best mate,
Alex
Don't hesitate to ask for any help, and I will buy the book :-D
All the best mate,
Alex
Many congratulations, Lester! If you can pull this off, you deserve to be a millionaire! Put me down for a copy! :)
Great news! Congratulations.
In case any of you were wondering why Brian's site suddenly says "CONTENT NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION" in about 72 point bold font, I'm afraid that I might be to blame for this.
A few weeks ago, I emailed Brian to ask him if I had his permission to use some quotes in the book. The quotes I used were what Brian had to say about the makings or inspirations behind certain songs - really harmless stuff, if you ask me - but the publishing company made it clear that I needed to gain permission for anything that needed permission.
Instead of taking my chances and having the quotes published anyway, I playfully emailed Brian asking for permission to the quotes. Jen, the dear that she is, responded saying "no, but please ask again in April when Brian gets back from the tour". I felt that, even though it was technically her website, I still wanted Brian to be aware of what I had emailed, because I was almost certain that she hadn't passed the email along. I responded back with something of a more serious tone, appreciating her help but I was just emailing Brian as a precautionary measure and I would really like it if she had passed my email along anyway. I didn't hear back from her for a few weeks when she confusingly said that "Soapbox and Letters are sacrosant and the subject of another project, and should be left well alone."
For those of you who don't know what sacrosant means, it's not a word. It doesn't exist. I assume she meant sacrosanct, so here's the definition:
"Regarded as sacred and inviolable."
Yes, the very words that Brian wrote about how 'Hammer to Fall' came about, or the reconstruction of 'I Was Born To Love You', are sacred. The manner in which 'Chinese Torture' was recorded is inviolable. I realize they are his words on his website, but they're just words. Brian of all people should realize that he's going to be quoted on his website, especially considering it's a public forum, and he's gaining nothing financially from writing those words (whereas I am, and would be rightly pissed if what I'm writing at the moment were to be reproduced without at least my own permission). What he wrote was enlightening, and would've been a great aide to my book; alas...
I was quite frankly peeved that Jen didn't have the consideration to pass along my email to Brian. Defeated, I replied to confirm that she did, in fact, mean that I could not use his quotes, to which I finally got a forwarded email from Brian saying that I was not able to use his words.
Frankly, I'm pissed off about it, because he offered such amazing insight into certain songs that would benefit my book greatly. Hell, I even offered him - and Roger -- and John! --- free copies. But, what can you do. The man may be a great guitarist and a great songwriter, but sacrosanct? Give me a fucking break.
In any case, that now frees up three copies of the book, so I guess three more deserving people will receive it.
A few weeks ago, I emailed Brian to ask him if I had his permission to use some quotes in the book. The quotes I used were what Brian had to say about the makings or inspirations behind certain songs - really harmless stuff, if you ask me - but the publishing company made it clear that I needed to gain permission for anything that needed permission.
Instead of taking my chances and having the quotes published anyway, I playfully emailed Brian asking for permission to the quotes. Jen, the dear that she is, responded saying "no, but please ask again in April when Brian gets back from the tour". I felt that, even though it was technically her website, I still wanted Brian to be aware of what I had emailed, because I was almost certain that she hadn't passed the email along. I responded back with something of a more serious tone, appreciating her help but I was just emailing Brian as a precautionary measure and I would really like it if she had passed my email along anyway. I didn't hear back from her for a few weeks when she confusingly said that "Soapbox and Letters are sacrosant and the subject of another project, and should be left well alone."
For those of you who don't know what sacrosant means, it's not a word. It doesn't exist. I assume she meant sacrosanct, so here's the definition:
"Regarded as sacred and inviolable."
Yes, the very words that Brian wrote about how 'Hammer to Fall' came about, or the reconstruction of 'I Was Born To Love You', are sacred. The manner in which 'Chinese Torture' was recorded is inviolable. I realize they are his words on his website, but they're just words. Brian of all people should realize that he's going to be quoted on his website, especially considering it's a public forum, and he's gaining nothing financially from writing those words (whereas I am, and would be rightly pissed if what I'm writing at the moment were to be reproduced without at least my own permission). What he wrote was enlightening, and would've been a great aide to my book; alas...
I was quite frankly peeved that Jen didn't have the consideration to pass along my email to Brian. Defeated, I replied to confirm that she did, in fact, mean that I could not use his quotes, to which I finally got a forwarded email from Brian saying that I was not able to use his words.
Frankly, I'm pissed off about it, because he offered such amazing insight into certain songs that would benefit my book greatly. Hell, I even offered him - and Roger -- and John! --- free copies. But, what can you do. The man may be a great guitarist and a great songwriter, but sacrosanct? Give me a fucking break.
In any case, that now frees up three copies of the book, so I guess three more deserving people will receive it.
I am sorry...
What a disappointment. :(
What a disappointment. :(
Lester; Brian is being an idiot, but don't let him hold you back.
I wish you all the best of luck with your publication. Keep me updated as to how negotiations with the publishers go. I have a book that I have been meaning to write(nothing to do with Queen), that I know would sell well. I was gonna self-publish it but maybe going for a publisher would be a better idea.
I wish you all the best of luck with your publication. Keep me updated as to how negotiations with the publishers go. I have a book that I have been meaning to write(nothing to do with Queen), that I know would sell well. I was gonna self-publish it but maybe going for a publisher would be a better idea.
Lester, is it really necessary to quote whole entries from his soapbox? You could as well use indirect speech and only quote some of the most important expressions. As long as you give credits, I don't think he can forbid you to use some quotes, you don't even have to ask.
Good luck with this project, it sounds very very good.
Good luck with this project, it sounds very very good.
I think Hank is right. Brian can only forbid you to copy/paste his own words. If you paraphrase his comments and give proper credit, you do not even need permission.
About the fair use of weblogs look here:
http://weblogs.about.com/od/issuesanddiscussions/a/copyrightblogs.htm
Aren't we lucky that the apostles were not concerned about copyright - there would not be a bible. It needed Brian May to come up with the idea that his words are sacrosanct, how pathetic.
About the fair use of weblogs look here:
http://weblogs.about.com/od/issuesanddiscussions/a/copyrightblogs.htm
Aren't we lucky that the apostles were not concerned about copyright - there would not be a bible. It needed Brian May to come up with the idea that his words are sacrosanct, how pathetic.
Hi Lester,
Unfortunately, this is what happens when you start to rely on your heroes to actually come up with the goods. Nine times out of ten, they don't.
It's also another exampple of how incredibly poor BrianMay.com really is as a "forum". The fact is that it is only a forum for Brian's opinions and those people that agree with them. Anyone that has anything constructive to say as a point of fact AGAINST one of Brian's opinions is quickly shuffled away and pushed out. Jen is sticking to the rules that have been laid down by (probably) Brian's Duck Productions team in terms of what is and isn't allowed, but Brian clearly has no idea who to interact witht he wider public on the web.
Dear old Pete Townshend, God love him, CLEARLY does and it would be interesting to know what Brian's "opinion" is of Pete's incredibly open and free spirited approach to his Blog. Can you imagine Brian being taken to task over his non-smoking opinion in the same manner that Pete was on his experiences of the child-abuse that he suffered and his continual references to Rape in his songs? Absolutely not - Brian simply isn't articulate enough.
If I were you, I would keep the book something that is yours and yours alone. In that way, you know that you can take every single ounce of credit that is due to you, as opposed to having that credit dispersed towards "official" channels.
The Queen machine has gone that far as to completely disregard the wants and needs of the people that have sustained the band for all these years - reference non-appearance of Box Sets, the mystery and illusion that is Greg Brooks, the shambles of the ANATO Anniversary edition, Official Bootlegs.......the list goes on.
Why should a dedicated fan(s) have their work salinated?
Good luck mate - you absolutely deserve success with the project!
Unfortunately, this is what happens when you start to rely on your heroes to actually come up with the goods. Nine times out of ten, they don't.
It's also another exampple of how incredibly poor BrianMay.com really is as a "forum". The fact is that it is only a forum for Brian's opinions and those people that agree with them. Anyone that has anything constructive to say as a point of fact AGAINST one of Brian's opinions is quickly shuffled away and pushed out. Jen is sticking to the rules that have been laid down by (probably) Brian's Duck Productions team in terms of what is and isn't allowed, but Brian clearly has no idea who to interact witht he wider public on the web.
Dear old Pete Townshend, God love him, CLEARLY does and it would be interesting to know what Brian's "opinion" is of Pete's incredibly open and free spirited approach to his Blog. Can you imagine Brian being taken to task over his non-smoking opinion in the same manner that Pete was on his experiences of the child-abuse that he suffered and his continual references to Rape in his songs? Absolutely not - Brian simply isn't articulate enough.
If I were you, I would keep the book something that is yours and yours alone. In that way, you know that you can take every single ounce of credit that is due to you, as opposed to having that credit dispersed towards "official" channels.
The Queen machine has gone that far as to completely disregard the wants and needs of the people that have sustained the band for all these years - reference non-appearance of Box Sets, the mystery and illusion that is Greg Brooks, the shambles of the ANATO Anniversary edition, Official Bootlegs.......the list goes on.
Why should a dedicated fan(s) have their work salinated?
Good luck mate - you absolutely deserve success with the project!
Fuck that- use your own words to say what he said about those songs. There's no way in hell you could be sued for paraphrasing. Very disappointing...
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=teal>Sasha wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Lester, Isn't there another way? Can't the potential publisher try to gain authorization through Brian's agent or management company? It doesn't seem like trying to go through the website could be the only route?[/QUOTE]
Lester, I think Sasha has a point in that, maybe the publisher could contact Brian and perhaps he would be more willing to have his words published.
And also Barbara, and anyway you may not quote the whole Brian thing, but say it with your own words...Would that still be ilegal?
I don't post too often here, but have read your so interesting album discusion threads, and I think your work has to be just excelent.
Please, don't lete that "sacrosanct" silly thing get you down, and keep us updated about the course of the project.
As Serry said, show them that Queenzoners are the best.
And the best of lucks to you.:)
Lester, I think Sasha has a point in that, maybe the publisher could contact Brian and perhaps he would be more willing to have his words published.
And also Barbara, and anyway you may not quote the whole Brian thing, but say it with your own words...Would that still be ilegal?
I don't post too often here, but have read your so interesting album discusion threads, and I think your work has to be just excelent.
Please, don't lete that "sacrosanct" silly thing get you down, and keep us updated about the course of the project.
As Serry said, show them that Queenzoners are the best.
And the best of lucks to you.:)
Hey Lester!!
Wow, I had not been in this part of the forum for a long while, and totally missed this topic!
This is great news all in all, I am realy happy for you and -being a writer myself- very proud of you as well ;-)
Good job and I wish you all the best in completing this wonderfull achievement.
Aside from that, regarding you not being permitted to use Brian's quote's: as a reporter/journalist I've come around this problem lots of times and I can guarantee you, as some others also already stated, that one is ALWAYS free to paraphrase with clear statement about the source. No, without permission you can not use the straight "quotes", but if you say where you found the words, paraphrasing is never something that can bring you into legal trouble.
Cheers, man and lots and lots of good luck on ya!
I want a signed copy!! ;-)
Wow, I had not been in this part of the forum for a long while, and totally missed this topic!
This is great news all in all, I am realy happy for you and -being a writer myself- very proud of you as well ;-)
Good job and I wish you all the best in completing this wonderfull achievement.
Aside from that, regarding you not being permitted to use Brian's quote's: as a reporter/journalist I've come around this problem lots of times and I can guarantee you, as some others also already stated, that one is ALWAYS free to paraphrase with clear statement about the source. No, without permission you can not use the straight "quotes", but if you say where you found the words, paraphrasing is never something that can bring you into legal trouble.
Cheers, man and lots and lots of good luck on ya!
I want a signed copy!! ;-)