I want to discuss the lost opportunity that was "Queen Rocks" It was suppose to be the album that showed the average rock fan how Queen were more than "another one bites the dust" type songs. I remember some of my hard rock friends at the time buying this album and me thinking how cool that was. The album was good but somehow missed the mark. The album has it's good songs, tie your mother down, sheer heart attack, stone cold crazy, but also some what were you thinking? songs, like "put out the fire" and the only freddie song "seven seas" "only the good die young" "I can't live with you" didn't even belong. All these songs are good, but, If Queen really wanted to make their mark with hard rock fans they would have replaced those songs with "orge battle" "brighton rock" "liar" and "Innuendo/The show must go on" Queen rocks was a great idea, but the song selection didn't work in my opinion.
Thread
Posts in chronological order
Talking about commercial songs: I can't see how replacing of I Can't Live With You on Ogre Battle would help to sell more of that compilation to non-Queen fans for whom both of those songs means nothing at all...
I see it as a basically irrelevant compilation because it was only a couple of years before people wound up just making their OWN damn CDs!! I see little point in getting Brian May to pick songs for a mix tape to go in my car (theoretically of course - I don't actually drive) when I can just pick the songs myself.
I liked it at the time because it had No One But You on it. Call me a softy.
I liked it at the time because it had No One But You on it. Call me a softy.
I see this album as when Brian had his hardest boner going to show everyone that "Hello, I was in Queen too. Queen wasn't just Freddie."...
So the song collection was 90% Brian, a Roger, and some of Freddie's lamest tracks...and John who?
This album came out at the same time when in interviews Brian was really boasting up his own accomplishments in the band and downplaying everyone elses. I have a 1993 interview from GFTPM U.S.A where a casual reader would walk away from the article thinking that with the exception of Bo Rhap, Brian May wrote every other hit in the Queen catalog.
Personally, I feel Brian has always kind of hated the fact that as far as the charts go, Freddie was the bands chief songwriter.
And maybe that would be hard?? Think of all the great hits Brian has wrote....and yet he still (according to the charts and the buying public) got upstaged by someone in his own group.
So the song collection was 90% Brian, a Roger, and some of Freddie's lamest tracks...and John who?
This album came out at the same time when in interviews Brian was really boasting up his own accomplishments in the band and downplaying everyone elses. I have a 1993 interview from GFTPM U.S.A where a casual reader would walk away from the article thinking that with the exception of Bo Rhap, Brian May wrote every other hit in the Queen catalog.
Personally, I feel Brian has always kind of hated the fact that as far as the charts go, Freddie was the bands chief songwriter.
And maybe that would be hard?? Think of all the great hits Brian has wrote....and yet he still (according to the charts and the buying public) got upstaged by someone in his own group.
Hmm, I don't really buy into that theory too much. I'm sure Brian has felt that way at times but the way I see it, this compilation was just an excuse to have a place to put the new song. And being geared towards heavier tracks, Brian's guitar-driven stuff got picked the most.
But regardless of that, what does it hurt? There's so much animosity towards anything Brian does which might assert his role in Queen. People just want to bitch about something.
Brian put in the years of songwriting, recording, touring, promoting Queen just as much as the other guys and I respect his right to take a more visible/vocal approach to the Queen legacy, just as I respect Roger's more laid-back approach and John's decision to retire. Nobody's gonna forget Freddie's input in Queen. I don't think Brian could do anything to reduce that.
"Results 1 - 20 of about 450 from brianmay.com for freddie."
Brian's own site certainly doesn't shy away from mentioning Freddie.
But regardless of that, what does it hurt? There's so much animosity towards anything Brian does which might assert his role in Queen. People just want to bitch about something.
Brian put in the years of songwriting, recording, touring, promoting Queen just as much as the other guys and I respect his right to take a more visible/vocal approach to the Queen legacy, just as I respect Roger's more laid-back approach and John's decision to retire. Nobody's gonna forget Freddie's input in Queen. I don't think Brian could do anything to reduce that.
"Results 1 - 20 of about 450 from brianmay.com for freddie."
Brian's own site certainly doesn't shy away from mentioning Freddie.
There's a lot of great Queen rock songs that weren't in this compilation: Great King Rat, Son & Daughter, Father To Son, Ogre Battle, Brighton Rock, White Man, Dead On Time, Princes Of The Universe, Was It All Worth It, I Go Crazy for some examples.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Scott_Mercury wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I see this album as when Brian had his hardest boner going to show everyone that "Hello, I was in Queen too. Queen wasn't just Freddie."...
So the song collection was 90% Brian, a Roger, and some of Freddie's lamest tracks...and John who?
This album came out at the same time when in interviews Brian was really boasting up his own accomplishments in the band and downplaying everyone elses. I have a 1993 interview from GFTPM U.S.A where a casual reader would walk away from the article thinking that with the exception of Bo Rhap, Brian May wrote every other hit in the Queen catalog.
Personally, I feel Brian has always kind of hated the fact that as far as the charts go, Freddie was the bands chief songwriter.
And maybe that would be hard?? Think of all the great hits Brian has wrote....and yet he still (according to the charts and the buying public) got upstaged by someone in his own group.
Where does all this Brian May bashing come from? Do any of you know for a fact that he had sole control over what songs were picked for that compilation? I’m sure their record company had a lot to say over what songs were to be included.
Brian contributed almost as much as Freddie from 1973 to 1980. His contributions of course decreased from that point on, but none of us will ever know the real reason why. I suspect that he wasn’t real happy with the direction the group decided to take his songs were either shot down by the others or didn’t fit in with the context of the albums. We also know he was going through difficulties in his personal life, so that may have had something to do with it. Just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily make it good. So the upstage part doesn’t really fly. It’s no big surprise that it’s 90% his songs on that compilation considering his style. I agree there are better Freddie songs that should have been included (Death on two legs, Ogre battle, Let me entertain you) but as far as Roger & John’s songs the vast majority of theirs were more pop orientated.
[/QUOTE]
So the song collection was 90% Brian, a Roger, and some of Freddie's lamest tracks...and John who?
This album came out at the same time when in interviews Brian was really boasting up his own accomplishments in the band and downplaying everyone elses. I have a 1993 interview from GFTPM U.S.A where a casual reader would walk away from the article thinking that with the exception of Bo Rhap, Brian May wrote every other hit in the Queen catalog.
Personally, I feel Brian has always kind of hated the fact that as far as the charts go, Freddie was the bands chief songwriter.
And maybe that would be hard?? Think of all the great hits Brian has wrote....and yet he still (according to the charts and the buying public) got upstaged by someone in his own group.
Where does all this Brian May bashing come from? Do any of you know for a fact that he had sole control over what songs were picked for that compilation? I’m sure their record company had a lot to say over what songs were to be included.
Brian contributed almost as much as Freddie from 1973 to 1980. His contributions of course decreased from that point on, but none of us will ever know the real reason why. I suspect that he wasn’t real happy with the direction the group decided to take his songs were either shot down by the others or didn’t fit in with the context of the albums. We also know he was going through difficulties in his personal life, so that may have had something to do with it. Just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily make it good. So the upstage part doesn’t really fly. It’s no big surprise that it’s 90% his songs on that compilation considering his style. I agree there are better Freddie songs that should have been included (Death on two legs, Ogre battle, Let me entertain you) but as far as Roger & John’s songs the vast majority of theirs were more pop orientated.
[/QUOTE]
Where does all this Brian May bashing come from? Do any of you know for a fact that he had sole control over what songs were picked for that compilation? I’m sure their record company had a lot to say over what songs were to be included.
Brian contributed almost as much as Freddie from 1973 to 1980. His contributions of course decreased from that point on, but none of us will ever know the real reason why. I suspect that he wasn’t real happy with the direction the group decided to take and his songs were either shot down by the others or didn’t fit in with the context of the albums. We also know he was going through difficulties in his personal life, so that may have had something to do with it. Just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily make it good. So the upstage part doesn’t really fly. It’s no big surprise that it’s 90% his songs on that compilation considering his style. I agree there are better Freddie songs that should have been included (Death on two legs, Ogre battle, Let me entertain you) but as far as Roger & John’s songs the vast majority of theirs were more pop orientated.
Brian contributed almost as much as Freddie from 1973 to 1980. His contributions of course decreased from that point on, but none of us will ever know the real reason why. I suspect that he wasn’t real happy with the direction the group decided to take and his songs were either shot down by the others or didn’t fit in with the context of the albums. We also know he was going through difficulties in his personal life, so that may have had something to do with it. Just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily make it good. So the upstage part doesn’t really fly. It’s no big surprise that it’s 90% his songs on that compilation considering his style. I agree there are better Freddie songs that should have been included (Death on two legs, Ogre battle, Let me entertain you) but as far as Roger & John’s songs the vast majority of theirs were more pop orientated.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Serry... wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Talking about commercial songs: I can't see how replacing of I Can't Live With You on Ogre Battle would help to sell more of that compilation to non-Queen fans for whom both of those songs means nothing at all...[/QUOTE]
I wouldnt care about the sales. I knew mates who liked heavy stuff, and if this album had all the heavy stuff then they could see a different side of queen. dig it.
I wouldnt care about the sales. I knew mates who liked heavy stuff, and if this album had all the heavy stuff then they could see a different side of queen. dig it.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]shemp wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Serry... wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Talking about commercial songs: I can't see how replacing of I Can't Live With You on Ogre Battle would help to sell more of that compilation to non-Queen fans for whom both of those songs means nothing at all...[/QUOTE]
I wouldnt care about the sales. I knew mates who liked heavy stuff, and if this album had all the heavy stuff then they could see a different side of queen. dig it.[/QUOTE] yea, I think serry missed my point. Sales have nothing to do with it. It was a chance for hard rock fans to see a side of queen that you don't get from the greatest hits. I'm not bashing brian may at all, he was in fact the sound of queen. I'll always say all four members were Important, but freddie and brian were the genious of this band. That will always be my opinion. "seven seas" was a great song, it's not lame at all, but it belongs on greatest hits, not on "rocks." It's not a huge deal, but these little things irk me....Orge battle deserves to be noticed.
I wouldnt care about the sales. I knew mates who liked heavy stuff, and if this album had all the heavy stuff then they could see a different side of queen. dig it.[/QUOTE] yea, I think serry missed my point. Sales have nothing to do with it. It was a chance for hard rock fans to see a side of queen that you don't get from the greatest hits. I'm not bashing brian may at all, he was in fact the sound of queen. I'll always say all four members were Important, but freddie and brian were the genious of this band. That will always be my opinion. "seven seas" was a great song, it's not lame at all, but it belongs on greatest hits, not on "rocks." It's not a huge deal, but these little things irk me....Orge battle deserves to be noticed.
I dunno. If I were Brian May I'd have a boner too.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]mike hunt wrote: [/QUOTENAME]yea, I think serry missed my point. [/QUOTE]
I'm really sorry Mike, maybe I missed your point, maybe I missed my brain, but my reply was to azzadude who wrote about "commercial songs". That's why I can't understand why you and shemp are arguing with me...
I'm really sorry Mike, maybe I missed your point, maybe I missed my brain, but my reply was to azzadude who wrote about "commercial songs". That's why I can't understand why you and shemp are arguing with me...
I remember at the time a Brian´s interview where he said that the band was aproached by EMI to do this project, and he was thinking about a different setlist, but in the end some of the hits already on GH1&2 were there to help selling the CD.
So, let´s not blame Brian of everything bad that hapens to Queen after Freddie´s death. It´s a pitty that the CD didn´t sell because they were thinking on the Volume 2, and that would mean the second Queen (with John) collaboration.
If you guys look at Queen back catalogue it´s only normal that Brian has the best songs to feature on the best Rocks compilation.
On the other hand, if some Love songs or romantic songs were put together it would be Freddie´s the major contributor.
I don´t know why every now and then this issue comes to discussion, like Brian is jealous of Freddie, or the royalties stuff. Brian looked for 30 years for the original songwriters of what would be Queen´s "See what a fool i´ve been" to guive them the royalties to the song. Since the guy was already dead he said the family would receive it instead.
I don´t think Brian does his musical decisions based on money anymore. He has plenty of it!
Take care
So, let´s not blame Brian of everything bad that hapens to Queen after Freddie´s death. It´s a pitty that the CD didn´t sell because they were thinking on the Volume 2, and that would mean the second Queen (with John) collaboration.
If you guys look at Queen back catalogue it´s only normal that Brian has the best songs to feature on the best Rocks compilation.
On the other hand, if some Love songs or romantic songs were put together it would be Freddie´s the major contributor.
I don´t know why every now and then this issue comes to discussion, like Brian is jealous of Freddie, or the royalties stuff. Brian looked for 30 years for the original songwriters of what would be Queen´s "See what a fool i´ve been" to guive them the royalties to the song. Since the guy was already dead he said the family would receive it instead.
I don´t think Brian does his musical decisions based on money anymore. He has plenty of it!
Take care
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Bobby_brown wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I remember at the time a Brian´s interview where he said that the band was aproached by EMI to do this project, and he was thinking about a different setlist, but in the end some of the hits already on GH1&2 were there to help selling the CD.
So, let´s not blame Brian of everything bad that hapens to Queen after Freddie´s death. It´s a pitty that the CD didn´t sell because they were thinking on the Volume 2, and that would mean the second Queen (with John) collaboration.
If you guys look at Queen back catalogue it´s only normal that Brian has the best songs to feature on the best Rocks compilation.
On the other hand, if some Love songs or romantic songs were put together it would be Freddie´s the major contributor.
I don´t know why every now and then this issue comes to discussion, like Brian is jealous of Freddie, or the royalties stuff. Brian looked for 30 years for the original songwriters of what would be Queen´s "See what a fool i´ve been" to guive them the royalties to the song. Since the guy was already dead he said the family would receive it instead.
I don´t think Brian does his musical decisions based on money anymore. He has plenty of it!
Take care[/QUOTE]
Well said!
So, let´s not blame Brian of everything bad that hapens to Queen after Freddie´s death. It´s a pitty that the CD didn´t sell because they were thinking on the Volume 2, and that would mean the second Queen (with John) collaboration.
If you guys look at Queen back catalogue it´s only normal that Brian has the best songs to feature on the best Rocks compilation.
On the other hand, if some Love songs or romantic songs were put together it would be Freddie´s the major contributor.
I don´t know why every now and then this issue comes to discussion, like Brian is jealous of Freddie, or the royalties stuff. Brian looked for 30 years for the original songwriters of what would be Queen´s "See what a fool i´ve been" to guive them the royalties to the song. Since the guy was already dead he said the family would receive it instead.
I don´t think Brian does his musical decisions based on money anymore. He has plenty of it!
Take care[/QUOTE]
Well said!
At the time of it's release, this was the only way US fans could get No One But You and the new version of I Can't Live With You, which is probably why it sold fairly well here. But I agree, the tracks don't all "rock".
A much better Queen Rocks was the Hollywood 4CD set that was released at the time Innuendo came out as a promo only deal.
A much better Queen Rocks was the Hollywood 4CD set that was released at the time Innuendo came out as a promo only deal.