Did they know it was their last

Did the band know that Knebworth '86 would be their last concert.

No

No

Maybe they knew it was something they wouldn't be doing for some time. Or that they wouldn't do it as often. But they surely didn't know it was their last with Freddie

I'm sure I've watched, heard or read an interview of Brian's recently where he said that basically they did all have the feeling at the time this would be their last ever concert.

Can anyone else confirm I'm not imagining things?

yes, at least freddie knew.

During the 1989 hour long BBC radio interview with all 4, all but Freddie said that they had wanted to tour with The Miracle, and Freddie listed various reasons why he didn't want to. If you take it at face value that the 3 wanted to tour, then it's unlikely that they could have known Knebworth was going to be the last show. I presume Freddie would have realised after his diagnosis that he would not be strong enough to tour again. Personally i think that hindsight and bereavement bring out all sorts of feelings in people that they somehow knew certain things were going to happen.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]nationofhaircuts44 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]During the 1989 hour long BBC radio interview with all 4, all but Freddie said that they had wanted to tour with The Miracle, and Freddie listed various reasons why he didn't want to. If you take it at face value that the 3 wanted to tour, then it's unlikely that they could have known Knebworth was going to be the last show. I presume Freddie would have realised after his diagnosis that he would not be strong enough to tour again. Personally i think that hindsight and bereavement bring out all sorts of feelings in people that they somehow knew certain things were going to happen. [/QUOTE]
What were the reasons Freddie stated?

I cant remember the whole answer, but he joked he was too old to be prancing around in leotards or words to that effect.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Bohardy wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I'm sure I've watched, heard or read an interview of Brian's recently where he said that basically they did all have the feeling at the time this would be their last ever concert.

Can anyone else confirm I'm not imagining things?[/QUOTE]

You're not daydreaming, Bohardy :) he did say something to that effect some time ago.

Cheers

Ogre-

I was at that wonderful show. During the show i was drawn into an incident of Hells Angels stabbing a Status Quo fan and i tried to get him to the red cross posts in time, but he didn't make it. (I never learned about who he was. If anybody knows, please tell me...) After the show, the band were told about the incident, and Freddie said: "if people have to die because they wanna see us, i'll NEVER perform live again." It is a fact they never did a gig after that....but i don't know if they new BEFORE the show, if it was going to be their last show together. The size of the venue couldn't have been the problem, or the fear that it was impossible to ever "top" this occasion...They did Rio after all, and this came after Rio...and at that time they thought Rio was impossible to top. Yet they did the Knebworth thing. The stabbing and death of a fan, was something that really made an impact on all bandmembers and other people present...and knowing Freddie, it might very well have added to the fact that they never did tour again i guess.

there were plans to take the Magic Tour to Japan so i doubt anyone knew Knebworth would be the last show.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Bohardy wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I'm sure I've watched, heard or read an interview of Brian's recently where he said that basically they did all have the feeling at the time this would be their last ever concert.

Can anyone else confirm I'm not imagining things?[/QUOTE]

You're probably imagining things, but this one thing is true. It was on the Wembley DVD, where Brian said there was a fight or something backstage at one of the gigs and Freddie said something like, "I won't be doing this forever, you know", and Brian thought that was Freddie's way of saying that their days as a live band were coming to an end.

As someone said, hindsight is 20/20; they probably had no idea 1986 would be their last year.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]stateside fan wrote: [/QUOTENAME]there were plans to take the Magic Tour to Japan so i doubt anyone knew Knebworth would be the last show.[/QUOTE]

I've never heard that before. It's widely known that the boys wanted a break after the European tour. What's your source?

You're the same guy who said Queen's Live Killers was originally called "Queen: Live Worldwide". I emailed that Philadelphia DJ, btw, and I haven't gotten a reply, and that was weeks ago. And I still haven't received that recording you promised me, at least half a year ago.

I'm starting to doubt every word you say, John.

Well it's a tricky one. On the Live At Wembley disc 2, Brian mentions an argument between Fred and John in Spain which was the leg before Knebworth. Freddie said that soon, he would no longer be able to tour, which seems to me a suggestion that he was feeling the first effects of AIDS. This view is supported by Mercury's tired appearance at several of the shows and more limited mobility though no one noticed because he cleverly went on massive stage-long runs during Now I'm Here and One Vision etc. I think the sheer scale of the Knebworth show gave an unspoken finale feeling, as did Freddie's decision to not attend the after show party.

Referring to 1989, the others definitely wanted to tour, which seems to imply that in 1988, they noticed nothing particualarly odd about Fredie's condition, so my answer is they didn't know for sure in 86 but the doubts were there.