Hi Sebastian, I just used the Billboard charts due to the fact that America is the biggest market in the world, and an album like Thriller has sold 28 million in the US compared to something like 14 million in every other territory. The US is hardly the be all and all musically, but if Brian's criteria for greatness is sales, then Queen's greatness pales in comparison to flavour of the week boy bands.
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>Brian relying on sales - Utterly stupid.
>Brian comparing a WWRY reviewer with the bloke >who turned down The Fab Four - Utterly stupid, >and way out of context. A Renault 4 doesn't >equal a Ferrari.
>US not liking Queen - Utter pish. Maybe Queen >wasn't "as" successful as Zeppelin, but it >doesn't mean they were "not".
>US being the only country not liking Queen - I >think that comment is quite high on stepfordism. >How many Queen fans do you find in Somalia or >Gabon?
>US being not the only nation in the world - Very >true. People should stop thinking about >Billboard Hot 100 as the Gospel Truth. For that >matter Macarena would kick Bo Rhap's arse, and >Usher's Confessions would be better than Back To >The Light, Barcelona, Queen II and Innuendo >combined.
Yep, you´re completely right
>Brian comparing a WWRY reviewer with the bloke >who turned down The Fab Four - Utterly stupid, >and way out of context. A Renault 4 doesn't >equal a Ferrari.
>US not liking Queen - Utter pish. Maybe Queen >wasn't "as" successful as Zeppelin, but it >doesn't mean they were "not".
>US being the only country not liking Queen - I >think that comment is quite high on stepfordism. >How many Queen fans do you find in Somalia or >Gabon?
>US being not the only nation in the world - Very >true. People should stop thinking about >Billboard Hot 100 as the Gospel Truth. For that >matter Macarena would kick Bo Rhap's arse, and >Usher's Confessions would be better than Back To >The Light, Barcelona, Queen II and Innuendo >combined.
Yep, you´re completely right
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Boy Thomas Raker wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Best SELLING albums, Leah. That's why I said Brian's criteria of sales is kind of weak for refuting criticism.
And while I agree the US for the most part didn't get Queen, Fireplace, it had nothing to do with IWTBF and the drag video. That's an incredible cop out by fans and people who believe that. In North America, Queen was a hard rock band in the company of Zeppelin, The Who, Aerosmith et al. Then they became something poppy and entirely without a guitarist for virually 4 years on American rock radio, so the had no songs that fit the format that they were best suited for. CLTCL (did and does get rock radio airpaly) AOBTD, Body Language, Calling all girls, Radio Ga Ga and IWTBF were the singles from '80 to ''84. None of them featured Brian in the way people were used to hearing it, so they lost their rock audience who didn't like the keyboard heavy stuff, and the people who bought the singles for CLTCL and AOBTD weren't enough to keep them popular.[/QUOTE]
So you're another one of the dinosaurs are you, that couldn't stomach change?
And while I agree the US for the most part didn't get Queen, Fireplace, it had nothing to do with IWTBF and the drag video. That's an incredible cop out by fans and people who believe that. In North America, Queen was a hard rock band in the company of Zeppelin, The Who, Aerosmith et al. Then they became something poppy and entirely without a guitarist for virually 4 years on American rock radio, so the had no songs that fit the format that they were best suited for. CLTCL (did and does get rock radio airpaly) AOBTD, Body Language, Calling all girls, Radio Ga Ga and IWTBF were the singles from '80 to ''84. None of them featured Brian in the way people were used to hearing it, so they lost their rock audience who didn't like the keyboard heavy stuff, and the people who bought the singles for CLTCL and AOBTD weren't enough to keep them popular.[/QUOTE]
So you're another one of the dinosaurs are you, that couldn't stomach change?
Asterik, judging from your comment, you're about 6 years old and just learning to read and understand English, so I will explain to you that if someone uses the term "I", it means their personal beliefs. As I never once used the term "I" in the post that you slam me about, that means "I" have said nothing about my beliefs as to what Queen were. For our non-US board members, I've given a recounting of what is pretty much accepted in the US and to a lesser extent Canada (guitar rock Queen, good, keyboard pop Queen, bad) by stating something more of less known to all, that as they changed styles they fell off the map. "I" believe your ignorant comment made while knowing nothing about me makes you a Stepford and an idiot.
I plan to see WWRY when it tours in the USA. I would love to see it also in London.
Old Queen and "New" (as in 1982 on) Queen are certainly very different. That doesnt mean that I dont enjoy both equally. And that doesnt make me a stepford fan. *sigh* Now that thats out of the way.
Boy Thomas Raker, I agree to an extent about people using the I Want To Break Free Video as a cop out. If Dragon Attack, Put Out The Fire, and Tear It Up, were released as singles I seriously do believe that saled would have been better, but there still is the fact that the US market doesnt like it when an artist changes.
Look at Garth Brookes. His rock album sold REALLY shitty numbers (i'll admit it was a bad phase) and when he went back to country they got better but not AS high as they were before. If Queen had done a 70s style album and released 70s style singles in the 80s they for sure would have done better
Boy Thomas Raker, I agree to an extent about people using the I Want To Break Free Video as a cop out. If Dragon Attack, Put Out The Fire, and Tear It Up, were released as singles I seriously do believe that saled would have been better, but there still is the fact that the US market doesnt like it when an artist changes.
Look at Garth Brookes. His rock album sold REALLY shitty numbers (i'll admit it was a bad phase) and when he went back to country they got better but not AS high as they were before. If Queen had done a 70s style album and released 70s style singles in the 80s they for sure would have done better
I think that Ben Elton's writing style is considered "goofy" so that shouldn't be too much a surprise. I wouldn't worry about it being far-fetched. All musicals are. So are most operas.
I don't think the success of album sales (of anyone) can really be compared to the success of a musical theatre production. If people want to see WWRY a second time, they have to buy the ticket again. This is what makes the production a "hit".
I don't think the success of album sales (of anyone) can really be compared to the success of a musical theatre production. If people want to see WWRY a second time, they have to buy the ticket again. This is what makes the production a "hit".
Thanks for the replies, What must he think and Donna 13. For WMHT, I wasn't calling Asterik a Stepford or anyone else a Stepford for enjoying post-'82 Queen, I called him a Stepford because he implied I was a dinosaur without knowing a thing about me or my likes.
You are correct, the US market doesnt like it when an artist changes, but people always like to use the video for IWTBF as THE reason Queen lost suport in North America. I'm pretty sure that the Rolling Stones and U2 didn't lose a whole lot of support when they did drag for videos.
And Donna13, Brian is using sales as a rebuttal to all criticism. Album sales CAN be compared to the success of a musical theatre production or anything that sells a lot. Not to equate WWRY or Queen to a couple of hucksters, but Ron Popeil and Tony Little have made a career of selling millions of units of products of dubious quality. Are they supposed to be above criticism because they've sold a lot of units? If I can a Tony Little abdomenizer and it falls apart, I would hope Tony's response wouldn't be "I've sold millions of these, you're wrong", which seems to be Brian's response to any criticism, even the fair spirited ones.
You are correct, the US market doesnt like it when an artist changes, but people always like to use the video for IWTBF as THE reason Queen lost suport in North America. I'm pretty sure that the Rolling Stones and U2 didn't lose a whole lot of support when they did drag for videos.
And Donna13, Brian is using sales as a rebuttal to all criticism. Album sales CAN be compared to the success of a musical theatre production or anything that sells a lot. Not to equate WWRY or Queen to a couple of hucksters, but Ron Popeil and Tony Little have made a career of selling millions of units of products of dubious quality. Are they supposed to be above criticism because they've sold a lot of units? If I can a Tony Little abdomenizer and it falls apart, I would hope Tony's response wouldn't be "I've sold millions of these, you're wrong", which seems to be Brian's response to any criticism, even the fair spirited ones.
As for record sales (worldwide):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_worldwide
So Queen has listed greatest hits and greatest hits II and that's it. So, from that point of view queen isn't that much of a supergroup.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_worldwide
So Queen has listed greatest hits and greatest hits II and that's it. So, from that point of view queen isn't that much of a supergroup.
I think that Brian truly is proud of it. He doesn't need to bring up sales numbers to defend it, however, if the sales go downhill, then the whole production gets canceled. That is why it is very different from album sales.
With all due respect Donna, that's ridiculous. Sales are sales. They indicate nothing but what is popular at a point in time, they aren't always a sign of top quality, though they can be. I don't care how proud Brian is of the musical, putting bums in the seats doesn't absolve it of legitimate criticism. If there are flaws in the plot, and a story that appears to virtually every critic to be constructed to get to the songs, then does that mean that Brian can point to attendance figures and say, "sorry, our plot is good because we sold out last night?" Are movies the same as musical productions, in that they're different than albums? If the movie Snakes on a Plane opens up to a $100 million weekend, does that mean that despite all types of buzz on how stupid it is, that it's actually brilliant because lots of people watched it?
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Asterik wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Boy Thomas Raker wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Best SELLING albums, Leah. That's why I said Brian's criteria of sales is kind of weak for refuting criticism.
And while I agree the US for the most part didn't get Queen, Fireplace, it had nothing to do with IWTBF and the drag video. That's an incredible cop out by fans and people who believe that. In North America, Queen was a hard rock band in the company of Zeppelin, The Who, Aerosmith et al. Then they became something poppy and entirely without a guitarist for virually 4 years on American rock radio, so the had no songs that fit the format that they were best suited for. CLTCL (did and does get rock radio airpaly) AOBTD, Body Language, Calling all girls, Radio Ga Ga and IWTBF were the singles from '80 to ''84. None of them featured Brian in the way people were used to hearing it, so they lost their rock audience who didn't like the keyboard heavy stuff, and the people who bought the singles for CLTCL and AOBTD weren't enough to keep them popular.[/QUOTE]
So you're another one of the dinosaurs are you, that couldn't stomach change?[/QUOTE]
No way... he's 100% correct. I think a large number of Queen fans lost interest in the band when The Game came out. The Jazz album was mediocre, and in 1980, Queen made the jump from rock band to pop band. A good chunk of their listening audience at the time were singles buyers. I bet half of the sales of AOBTD were people who hadn't heard a Queen song before. Do the words "top crossover hit" ring a bell?
And while I agree the US for the most part didn't get Queen, Fireplace, it had nothing to do with IWTBF and the drag video. That's an incredible cop out by fans and people who believe that. In North America, Queen was a hard rock band in the company of Zeppelin, The Who, Aerosmith et al. Then they became something poppy and entirely without a guitarist for virually 4 years on American rock radio, so the had no songs that fit the format that they were best suited for. CLTCL (did and does get rock radio airpaly) AOBTD, Body Language, Calling all girls, Radio Ga Ga and IWTBF were the singles from '80 to ''84. None of them featured Brian in the way people were used to hearing it, so they lost their rock audience who didn't like the keyboard heavy stuff, and the people who bought the singles for CLTCL and AOBTD weren't enough to keep them popular.[/QUOTE]
So you're another one of the dinosaurs are you, that couldn't stomach change?[/QUOTE]
No way... he's 100% correct. I think a large number of Queen fans lost interest in the band when The Game came out. The Jazz album was mediocre, and in 1980, Queen made the jump from rock band to pop band. A good chunk of their listening audience at the time were singles buyers. I bet half of the sales of AOBTD were people who hadn't heard a Queen song before. Do the words "top crossover hit" ring a bell?