i never got this hot space bashing shit. I think it's an enjoyable listen, but it is a bit inconsistent. with a few changes it could have been very strong, just listen to milton kynes.
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imho Hot Space really does suffer in comparison to Innuendo, esp when you consider the balance of guitar work, eg Headlong's large hairy testicles are in the guitar solos, material which charted higher (at least here in the US, perhaps other countries too) than anything from HS, including the truly brilliant "Under Pressure."
the context of HS is outright decadence and excess, whether it's politics, war, sex, whatever, but Innuendo throbs with the heartbeat of questions about mortality and the meaning of success. the "Innuendo" video was on Headbanger's Ball, the video squarely aimed at the Desert Storm situation. the video's harlequin characters resonate with video for "It's a Hard Life" ...
the David Bowie vocals on "Cool Cat" are fine...why publish less of a song? Why release "Body Language" as a single? Is that actually a song? LOL I played the album for a friend in band in high school and he said, "I could play that song on one keyboard...but only he could sing it!" So true. imho "Body Language" should have been on Freddie's solo album.
"Put Out the Fire" and "Headlong" draw interesting comparisons, but "Calling All Girls" and "Under Pressure" to my ears anyway were the best singles. As other folks observed earlier in the thread, the MK Bowl versions of "Staying Power" & "Action This Day" show the HS album captures less of the live power of Queen's performance. Freddie's statement that the filming of the "Headlong" video had the band 'in full swing again' says something about what he considered the real core of the band's music.
oh boy the faces in the "Body Language" video...are Roger John & Brian ok?
overall the Hot Space album is an interesting experiment, like the funk track "My Baby Does Me," from an album with the most obvious keyboard presence since Hot Space. But Innuendo takes the science and applies it!
the context of HS is outright decadence and excess, whether it's politics, war, sex, whatever, but Innuendo throbs with the heartbeat of questions about mortality and the meaning of success. the "Innuendo" video was on Headbanger's Ball, the video squarely aimed at the Desert Storm situation. the video's harlequin characters resonate with video for "It's a Hard Life" ...
the David Bowie vocals on "Cool Cat" are fine...why publish less of a song? Why release "Body Language" as a single? Is that actually a song? LOL I played the album for a friend in band in high school and he said, "I could play that song on one keyboard...but only he could sing it!" So true. imho "Body Language" should have been on Freddie's solo album.
"Put Out the Fire" and "Headlong" draw interesting comparisons, but "Calling All Girls" and "Under Pressure" to my ears anyway were the best singles. As other folks observed earlier in the thread, the MK Bowl versions of "Staying Power" & "Action This Day" show the HS album captures less of the live power of Queen's performance. Freddie's statement that the filming of the "Headlong" video had the band 'in full swing again' says something about what he considered the real core of the band's music.
oh boy the faces in the "Body Language" video...are Roger John & Brian ok?
overall the Hot Space album is an interesting experiment, like the funk track "My Baby Does Me," from an album with the most obvious keyboard presence since Hot Space. But Innuendo takes the science and applies it!
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]7Innuendo7 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]imho Hot Space really does suffer in comparison to Innuendo, esp when you consider the balance of guitar work, eg Headlong's large hairy testicles are in the guitar solos, material which charted higher (at least here in the US, perhaps other countries too) than anything from HS, including the truly brilliant "Under Pressure."
the context of HS is outright decadence and excess, whether it's politics, war, sex, whatever, but Innuendo throbs with the heartbeat of questions about mortality and the meaning of success. the "Innuendo" video was on Headbanger's Ball, the video squarely aimed at the Desert Storm situation. the video's harlequin characters resonate with video for "It's a Hard Life" ...
the David Bowie vocals on "Cool Cat" are fine...why publish less of a song? Why release "Body Language" as a single? Is that actually a song? LOL I played the album for a friend in band in high school and he said, "I could play that song on one keyboard...but only he could sing it!" So true. imho "Body Language" should have been on Freddie's solo album.
"Put Out the Fire" and "Headlong" draw interesting comparisons, but "Calling All Girls" and "Under Pressure" to my ears anyway were the best singles. As other folks observed earlier in the thread, the MK Bowl versions of "Staying Power" & "Action This Day" show the HS album captures less of the live power of Queen's performance. Freddie's statement that the filming of the "Headlong" video had the band 'in full swing again' says something about what he considered the real core of the band's music.
oh boy the faces in the "Body Language" video...are Roger John & Brian ok?
overall the Hot Space album is an interesting experiment, like the funk track "My Baby Does Me," from an album with the most obvious keyboard presence since Hot Space. But Innuendo takes the science and applies it![/QUOTE]
You speak a lot of sense, my friend. With Innuendo, Queen suddenly remembered how to be a serious act again, albeit one with tongue-in cheek humour as well. The genrousity of spirit on Innuendo is particuarly striking, it's the sound of them as a band. I think Freddie returned to how he was in Queen's early years-slightly shy (ill health caused that), rather campy, with crystal vocals and clever songwriting. That had faded in the eighties-with Innuendo you see more of the real Freddie.
Hot Space is very vaccuous at times, sex seemed to be a big part in that, (Staying Power, Body Language, Dancer, even Action This Day has a worryingly suggestive title), it's not really very endearing. And best of all, Innuendo is one of Queen's heaviest rock albums too.
the context of HS is outright decadence and excess, whether it's politics, war, sex, whatever, but Innuendo throbs with the heartbeat of questions about mortality and the meaning of success. the "Innuendo" video was on Headbanger's Ball, the video squarely aimed at the Desert Storm situation. the video's harlequin characters resonate with video for "It's a Hard Life" ...
the David Bowie vocals on "Cool Cat" are fine...why publish less of a song? Why release "Body Language" as a single? Is that actually a song? LOL I played the album for a friend in band in high school and he said, "I could play that song on one keyboard...but only he could sing it!" So true. imho "Body Language" should have been on Freddie's solo album.
"Put Out the Fire" and "Headlong" draw interesting comparisons, but "Calling All Girls" and "Under Pressure" to my ears anyway were the best singles. As other folks observed earlier in the thread, the MK Bowl versions of "Staying Power" & "Action This Day" show the HS album captures less of the live power of Queen's performance. Freddie's statement that the filming of the "Headlong" video had the band 'in full swing again' says something about what he considered the real core of the band's music.
oh boy the faces in the "Body Language" video...are Roger John & Brian ok?
overall the Hot Space album is an interesting experiment, like the funk track "My Baby Does Me," from an album with the most obvious keyboard presence since Hot Space. But Innuendo takes the science and applies it![/QUOTE]
You speak a lot of sense, my friend. With Innuendo, Queen suddenly remembered how to be a serious act again, albeit one with tongue-in cheek humour as well. The genrousity of spirit on Innuendo is particuarly striking, it's the sound of them as a band. I think Freddie returned to how he was in Queen's early years-slightly shy (ill health caused that), rather campy, with crystal vocals and clever songwriting. That had faded in the eighties-with Innuendo you see more of the real Freddie.
Hot Space is very vaccuous at times, sex seemed to be a big part in that, (Staying Power, Body Language, Dancer, even Action This Day has a worryingly suggestive title), it's not really very endearing. And best of all, Innuendo is one of Queen's heaviest rock albums too.
David Bowie's vocals were removed from Cool Cat at his request, I believe.
[As a side note may i take a deep breath and take in this refreshing resurfacing of Album Discussion threads (THANKS LESTER!)... ok moment over]
I just got HS last week.
Now being an abbid music lover to the core, and also seeing what a negative stigma this album had (and being a HUGE QUEEN fan), naturally made me curious.
So as soon as i got it, i listened to it. Now mind you i had only seen the live performances of "Staying Power" and "Action This Day" live on the MK Bowl, and fell in love with them. And i enjoyed the songs from this album on GVH2 as well. So i think to myself, how bad can this be?
Now, admittedly, i can see how this is a "WTF?!?!" moment in Queen's musical history when i first heard "SP" on the album. (i giggled to myself at the over the top, yet good horn arrangements on the song) And to me it got progressively better. And now i've grown to appreciate "SP" as a studio version.
Yes, although funk was far from Queens usual element, its still fun to dance to, and i enjoy the lyrics as well. I do agree however that Roger and Brian seemed to (on the whole) take a backseat with their crafts as synths and drum machines took over. This album to me, seemed clearly indulgent on behalf of John and Freddie as John enjoyed that funkesque catergory element, and of course Freddie with the dance elements.
Yet the elements of QUEEN still lay (albeit rather deeply) beneath the surface of it all. Such as the guitar solo's in "Back Chat" etc.
"Put out the Fire" is another GREAT sort of social/psuedopolitical commentary (like what resonates in WHITE MAN) on gun control and the justice system regarding such things. A Queen Rocker, and an extremely underrated track in my opinion.
"Life is Real (song for Lennon" is also a beautiful song filled with images and wordplay (such as "Breastfeeding myself..." and "love is a roulette wheel") that are absolutely great imagery, and makes the song IMO extremely poetic, outside of Queens usual poetry. (if that makes sense)
I know many people dont like Body Language, its not one of my faves either. Brian and Roger even said this song was nothing but indulgent for Freddie. But i must say, the video gives me a giggle everytime. Especially the close up of John's face towards the end haha, i kept rewinding that part over and over and laughing. But you have to admit, at certain times, this songs a bit of a guilty pleasure. Dont worry, you dont have to say it aloud. ;-)
I'm warming up to "cool Cat", i like Freddies falsetto, someone reminiscent of the early songs from QI and QII when he sang in such a voice (although slightly different as his voice took on the huskier quality at this point). Some what camp lyrics in my opinion "...cool cat.... with you're new hat...." All in all, an enjoyable track.
"Las Palabras" is sheer brillance. Its beautiful and gives me chills everytime, its a very toned down ballad with power seering throughout it very subtly. I always love when they do songs in other languages, shows their appreciation for traveling and other cultures. Its always daring when a band attempts doing a chorus in another language, especially one as beautiful as Spainish. And they pull it off fantastically.
Action this Day-- theres no words for me with this song. Its sort of a theme song for myself in the way i feel about where i live and how i feel about society and the state in which my generation is in. Its mind-blowing live!
Under pressure-- you can definatly tell its sort of put on there as an extra as it doesnt quite fit the mode of the rest of the album. However its a fantastic song nonetheless. Definatly another anthemic song for my lost generation and any other epochs like it. And "Why can't we give love?"
All in all, i really really enjoyed this album. Not going to say its one of Queen's best. But i admi
I just got HS last week.
Now being an abbid music lover to the core, and also seeing what a negative stigma this album had (and being a HUGE QUEEN fan), naturally made me curious.
So as soon as i got it, i listened to it. Now mind you i had only seen the live performances of "Staying Power" and "Action This Day" live on the MK Bowl, and fell in love with them. And i enjoyed the songs from this album on GVH2 as well. So i think to myself, how bad can this be?
Now, admittedly, i can see how this is a "WTF?!?!" moment in Queen's musical history when i first heard "SP" on the album. (i giggled to myself at the over the top, yet good horn arrangements on the song) And to me it got progressively better. And now i've grown to appreciate "SP" as a studio version.
Yes, although funk was far from Queens usual element, its still fun to dance to, and i enjoy the lyrics as well. I do agree however that Roger and Brian seemed to (on the whole) take a backseat with their crafts as synths and drum machines took over. This album to me, seemed clearly indulgent on behalf of John and Freddie as John enjoyed that funkesque catergory element, and of course Freddie with the dance elements.
Yet the elements of QUEEN still lay (albeit rather deeply) beneath the surface of it all. Such as the guitar solo's in "Back Chat" etc.
"Put out the Fire" is another GREAT sort of social/psuedopolitical commentary (like what resonates in WHITE MAN) on gun control and the justice system regarding such things. A Queen Rocker, and an extremely underrated track in my opinion.
"Life is Real (song for Lennon" is also a beautiful song filled with images and wordplay (such as "Breastfeeding myself..." and "love is a roulette wheel") that are absolutely great imagery, and makes the song IMO extremely poetic, outside of Queens usual poetry. (if that makes sense)
I know many people dont like Body Language, its not one of my faves either. Brian and Roger even said this song was nothing but indulgent for Freddie. But i must say, the video gives me a giggle everytime. Especially the close up of John's face towards the end haha, i kept rewinding that part over and over and laughing. But you have to admit, at certain times, this songs a bit of a guilty pleasure. Dont worry, you dont have to say it aloud. ;-)
I'm warming up to "cool Cat", i like Freddies falsetto, someone reminiscent of the early songs from QI and QII when he sang in such a voice (although slightly different as his voice took on the huskier quality at this point). Some what camp lyrics in my opinion "...cool cat.... with you're new hat...." All in all, an enjoyable track.
"Las Palabras" is sheer brillance. Its beautiful and gives me chills everytime, its a very toned down ballad with power seering throughout it very subtly. I always love when they do songs in other languages, shows their appreciation for traveling and other cultures. Its always daring when a band attempts doing a chorus in another language, especially one as beautiful as Spainish. And they pull it off fantastically.
Action this Day-- theres no words for me with this song. Its sort of a theme song for myself in the way i feel about where i live and how i feel about society and the state in which my generation is in. Its mind-blowing live!
Under pressure-- you can definatly tell its sort of put on there as an extra as it doesnt quite fit the mode of the rest of the album. However its a fantastic song nonetheless. Definatly another anthemic song for my lost generation and any other epochs like it. And "Why can't we give love?"
All in all, i really really enjoyed this album. Not going to say its one of Queen's best. But i admi
Dreamin, It's refreshing to hear your view on this album. It's better than the same old "it's crap" statments. Keepin an open mind is always important if your a queen fan. I find hot space enjoyable, not nearly their best but still good.
Wow this is cool, this site has alot of interesting discussions! :) Sorry, I like most of Hot Space, but i always wandered, What the heck were they thinking when they recorded Body Language? lol It's ok, but i just don't get it.
I do love the track "Live is Real" maybe it's just the meaning of the song, and has kind of dramatic lyrics. I don't know exactly. lol
I do love the track "Live is Real" maybe it's just the meaning of the song, and has kind of dramatic lyrics. I don't know exactly. lol
like many of you have stated, i too had trouble getting comfortable with Hot Space. it took me along time to actual sit down and listen to all the way through. it really is a great album though. it's probably the one album that sticks out like a sore thumb along with the flash gordon soundtrack).
i give the band great respect for going out on a limb and trying out some very different sounds.
it's because of their drive and to always make a gradule progression and to never repeat themsevles that makes them great.
i wish bands today would take some of the risks that queen took.
i still think that Life Is Real is one of the most overlooked queen/freddie songs ever recorded. this song doesn't follow any of the tradmarks on the album and it really stands alone as a stipped down, raw performance by the band. apart from the multilayered vocals in the middle, it's a very basic song.
i can honestly say though, that i can not stand when freddie sings the high notes on cool cat. it makes me turn the volume down.
i give the band great respect for going out on a limb and trying out some very different sounds.
it's because of their drive and to always make a gradule progression and to never repeat themsevles that makes them great.
i wish bands today would take some of the risks that queen took.
i still think that Life Is Real is one of the most overlooked queen/freddie songs ever recorded. this song doesn't follow any of the tradmarks on the album and it really stands alone as a stipped down, raw performance by the band. apart from the multilayered vocals in the middle, it's a very basic song.
i can honestly say though, that i can not stand when freddie sings the high notes on cool cat. it makes me turn the volume down.
Personally, I've always wondered what the stigma against Hot Space was all about.
Yes, the production is garbage, but to be honest, it can be overlooked.
Not going to touch on every track, btw.
Body Language - The video is the only good thing about this. And Deaky's smirk at the end.
Dancer - This song is begging to be put into Dance Dance Revolution. Great vocals from Frederator, slinky bassline, pounding drum (machine), and it sounds like someone injects the life of the party into the tune with Bri's solos. I love it to pieces. If I ever make a Google Idol video, this is gonna be it.
Action This Day - Or this one. A great rock/dance tune, although I do prefer the demo version of it (I do of most HS tunes, actually). The synthwork on this is great.
Put Out The Fire - Although it's an OK rock tune, I'm not a big fan of it, namely becuase it sounds like Freddie's trying to imitate the Gibb Brothers. :P
Las Palabras de Amor - I love this tune, synths and all. Heard it first on GH3, but really enjoyed it when I found the Hot Space demo of it. Mix down the synths, I like it!
Under Pressure - I dunno. Growing up in the post-Vanilla Ice era has always tainted this tune for me, plus I have a low tolerance for Bowie. However...
Feel Like (the demo) - This was good. A little bit like a studio/garage jam, and as close to a diamond in the vault that Queen's left behind that I've heard (Self-Made Man comes close, though).
Yes, the production is garbage, but to be honest, it can be overlooked.
Not going to touch on every track, btw.
Body Language - The video is the only good thing about this. And Deaky's smirk at the end.
Dancer - This song is begging to be put into Dance Dance Revolution. Great vocals from Frederator, slinky bassline, pounding drum (machine), and it sounds like someone injects the life of the party into the tune with Bri's solos. I love it to pieces. If I ever make a Google Idol video, this is gonna be it.
Action This Day - Or this one. A great rock/dance tune, although I do prefer the demo version of it (I do of most HS tunes, actually). The synthwork on this is great.
Put Out The Fire - Although it's an OK rock tune, I'm not a big fan of it, namely becuase it sounds like Freddie's trying to imitate the Gibb Brothers. :P
Las Palabras de Amor - I love this tune, synths and all. Heard it first on GH3, but really enjoyed it when I found the Hot Space demo of it. Mix down the synths, I like it!
Under Pressure - I dunno. Growing up in the post-Vanilla Ice era has always tainted this tune for me, plus I have a low tolerance for Bowie. However...
Feel Like (the demo) - This was good. A little bit like a studio/garage jam, and as close to a diamond in the vault that Queen's left behind that I've heard (Self-Made Man comes close, though).
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]mike hunt wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Dreamin, It's refreshing to hear your view on this album. It's better than the same old "it's crap" statments. Keepin an open mind is always important if your a queen fan. I find hot space enjoyable, not nearly their best but still good.[/QUOTE]
Thanks Mike. :-D
I agree, it HELPS to be open-minded as a QUEEN fan, and a music fan in general. You never know what you may like.
But although overall HS tanked, I'm glad Queen did it because it showed that they were never afraid to try something. And it showed that they had the confidence to try such a thing. They refused to fall into the stigma of making every album sound the same, like some of their counterparts of that time did.
Thanks Mike. :-D
I agree, it HELPS to be open-minded as a QUEEN fan, and a music fan in general. You never know what you may like.
But although overall HS tanked, I'm glad Queen did it because it showed that they were never afraid to try something. And it showed that they had the confidence to try such a thing. They refused to fall into the stigma of making every album sound the same, like some of their counterparts of that time did.