What's better: Freddie's guitar Playing or Brian's singing?

Let's face it. Freddie wouldn't get into a serious band solely on the strength of his guitar playing, and Brian wouldn't get into one purely on the strength of his vocal prowess. So perhaps the question should be: 'Which is least worst......'

However, as Brian is on record as saying 'freddie doesn't play guitar much, which is a shame really, because he's very good' (that's not the exact quote, but it's along those lines), and because Brian won't restrict himself to songs he can sing comfortably within his (limited) range, (lets be honest, when he starts screeching it's embarrasing). In the context of the question as it's presented to us, I'll go for Mr Mercury.

> Uh, Freddie played what, one song for Queen on guitar? It could be played by a person with three months of lessons under their belt

The fact he (probably) didn't record more guitar parts (at least important ones) doesn't mean that Crazy Little Thing was the hardest thing he could do. Reportedly he could play Ogre Battle very quickly, which still doesn't make him as good as the other three Queennies, but he was much more than CLTCL.

Brian's singing, no argument.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]BHM 0271 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Uh, Freddie played what, one song for Queen on guitar? It could be played by a person with three months of lessons under their belt. Brian sang '39, Long Away, LHAE, SASS to name but a few, all fantastic vocal performances, and if you didn't get a lump in your throat when he sang the line "I'm just the shadow of the man I used to be" on TMLWKY at the tribute concert, you're not a fan of music. Brian's a terrific singer, for HIS songs. He's got a fragile, honest voice that suits certain things, it just doesn't hold up in a rock song. BTW, Roger is Jimi Hendrix on guitar compared to Freddie.[/QUOTE]

I have to say I agree with you on that.

I'd love to hear Brian sing "Las Palabras." I'd pay him to do it :)

brian may ofcourse, freddie didnt know much on the guitar. brian has an amazing voice. much better then freddies guitar playing

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]BHM 0271 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]...and if you didn't get a lump in your throat when he sang the line "I'm just the shadow of the man I used to be" on TMLWKY at the tribute concert, you're not a fan of music.
[/QUOTE]

Not a fan of music?

Um... okay.

So, are you saying Brian's voice is good because he brought people to tears with the sentimental lyrics he sang at an extremely emotional moment? Cause if you are, I'm thinking that's hardly a talking point. If you like his voice, that's cool. But, IMO, though his performance of TMLWKY was emotional, it was not good. Think about it - if anyone else but Brian May had performed that song, what would you have thought of those vocals?

Well, if the question is answered as posed, we have one example of Freddie playing guitar on a Queen record. He's strumming an acoustic. I, and probably 100 other members on this board could play that song like Freddie did. On the other hand, Brian sang complex 3 part harmonies in '39, hits plenty of high notes in Long Away, has clarity and strength of voice, keeps it in tune, and emotes wonderfully. Whether people like or dislike Brian's voice is unimportant. Based on the evidence found on Queen's albums, there's only one answer.

The reason I stated what I did about not being a fan of music, magicalfreddiemercury, is that Brian's singing of that song (both on record and at the tribute) shows how powerful his singing voice can be. It's honest, and that makes for great singing. Can he hit notes like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion? No, but IMHO, he conveys more honesty and hurt in that one line than many artists catalogues, and that makes him a great singer...IMHO :D

Freddie was a genious who wrote the guitar for Innuendo, Liar, Stone Cold Crazy and more. He taught that songs to Brian May.
He made jokes of his guitar on Crazzy Little Thing Call Love but if he has to teach Brian to play he is better.
You are crazy to think Brian singing better.
Freddie is God in Queen and Brian is not.

To compose and to play/sing is very different. Just because John Deacon wrote beautiful melodies should we consider him a good singer? or Brian's a good cellist because of what he arranged in 'Too Much Love'?