[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]louvox wrote:[/QUOTENAME]Contrary to popular belief in Europe the “break free” video had nothing to do with the decline in popularity in the USA.[/QUOTE]
First of all I respect everyone's opinions on this. Still I wanted to mention this.
UNDER PRESSURE (released October '81):
Highest UK Chart Position: #1 (11 weeks on chart)
Highest USA Chart Position: #29 (15 weeks on chart)
BODY LANGUAGE (released April '82):
Highest UK Chart Position: #25 (6 weeks on chart)
Highest USA Chart Position: #11 (14 weeks on chart)
IMHO, saying that the USA stopped liking Queen only because of their new pop sound simply isn't true. But there have been endless discussions about this already so I probably shouldn't have mentioned this.
I do agree with you though that, looking back on their entire career, it was Queen's least interesting period album-wise.
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The Break-Free video DID end Queen's career in the US and i base this on absolutely nothing.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]August R. wrote: [/QUOTENAME]You made some good points. A couple of things that caught my attention.
SHA: You might be on to something here. Especially the B-side of the album sounds unfocused with all those short songs going to different directions.
The Works: For some reason I like this album. It's one of those few occasions when Queen tried to make a point with their songs. World We Created, Hammer To Fall, Machines. I also recall Radio Ga Ga was originally intended as a protest song against MTV (or something??). Apparently Freddie changed some lyrics as well. Musically, it's not so interested and the band recycle their old ideas, but the album has its moments. I think Keep Passing The Open Windows and Machines are way underrated.
AKOM: I agree, as an album it's not coherent. They probably should have make a proper soundtrack album instead. But can you honestly say, that Who Wants To Live Forever isn't one of the strongest songs they wrote in the 80's??
MIH: I actually like this one as well, even if it's robbing Freddie's grave (if he had one) in some ways. But I like the album as a whole. There's a good atmosphere, and it's a good farewell album. [/QUOTE]You're right, the best song on "Magic" is "Who want's to live forever", but reminds me of a typical power ballad of the time.
SHA: You might be on to something here. Especially the B-side of the album sounds unfocused with all those short songs going to different directions.
The Works: For some reason I like this album. It's one of those few occasions when Queen tried to make a point with their songs. World We Created, Hammer To Fall, Machines. I also recall Radio Ga Ga was originally intended as a protest song against MTV (or something??). Apparently Freddie changed some lyrics as well. Musically, it's not so interested and the band recycle their old ideas, but the album has its moments. I think Keep Passing The Open Windows and Machines are way underrated.
AKOM: I agree, as an album it's not coherent. They probably should have make a proper soundtrack album instead. But can you honestly say, that Who Wants To Live Forever isn't one of the strongest songs they wrote in the 80's??
MIH: I actually like this one as well, even if it's robbing Freddie's grave (if he had one) in some ways. But I like the album as a whole. There's a good atmosphere, and it's a good farewell album. [/QUOTE]You're right, the best song on "Magic" is "Who want's to live forever", but reminds me of a typical power ballad of the time.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]lyricalassasin_77 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Hmmm....You must have taken a vacation on Queen in the 80's. Brutalizing HOT SPACE, THE WORKS, and A KIND OF MAGIC. I will say this I never am surprised when people dump on JAZZ. I myself think JAZZ was a strong album and the last one they put out that showcased just what diversity they had. Isn't that why A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is so loved? You tell me what they did on that album that makes it such a masterpiece besides BO RAP?? They was all over the place on that album. Hard Rock, Metal, Vaudeville, Ballads, Pop Rock, and I can name a few more......JAZZ was the same. I agreed for the most part about all your reviews of the albums from the 70's but with the 80's I think not only did Queen lose you but You LOST QUEEN....LoL.....Also THE GAME for what it was I thought was a classic and very bold first attempt into the world of rhythmic rock and the use of synthesizers.....Hope you don't think I came at your review too harsh. Peace......[/QUOTE]Just about everything on "Opera" is stellar with the exception of "Sweet Lady". Plus the production and presentation are unequalled. I never lost Queen at any point. Most of their problems I have with their albums in the 80's is the producing and the fact they stopped trying to make things their own. All they did for the most part was copy what others were doing at the time.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=green>Bren<font color=orange>ski wrote: [/QUOTENAME]the whole "opinion" thing is subjective...be a dull old world if we all agreed
for what it's worth most of us agree with some of the reviews...it's natural
to the guy who said "cool cat" had a 2½ octave range...so what? doesn't make it a good song...it may just be a shitty song with a big range
my own personal opinion?...
Queen & Queen II - top notch (queen II) being the peak of tha bands quality (creatively, song writing and production)...the breathtaking tenderness of "nevermore" sandwiched between the hectic chaos of "Fairy Feller" and the manicly-melodic "Black Queen" make for the most anticpated appetiser for Bo-Rhap you could hope for....
"Races" - in my opinion produced much better songs than "Opera" - and their own production techniques gave it more of the band's own feel
"Jazz" - is a great pop album - in the past i've likened it's feel and layout to "Rubber Soul" (one of my most cherished beatles recordings...
"NOTW" - it was meant to feel sparse....it was almost in keeping with the times (punk was breaking out all over, and the sex pistols were in the next studio to queen)....
[/QUOTE]Very well said.
for what it's worth most of us agree with some of the reviews...it's natural
to the guy who said "cool cat" had a 2½ octave range...so what? doesn't make it a good song...it may just be a shitty song with a big range
my own personal opinion?...
Queen & Queen II - top notch (queen II) being the peak of tha bands quality (creatively, song writing and production)...the breathtaking tenderness of "nevermore" sandwiched between the hectic chaos of "Fairy Feller" and the manicly-melodic "Black Queen" make for the most anticpated appetiser for Bo-Rhap you could hope for....
"Races" - in my opinion produced much better songs than "Opera" - and their own production techniques gave it more of the band's own feel
"Jazz" - is a great pop album - in the past i've likened it's feel and layout to "Rubber Soul" (one of my most cherished beatles recordings...
"NOTW" - it was meant to feel sparse....it was almost in keeping with the times (punk was breaking out all over, and the sex pistols were in the next studio to queen)....
[/QUOTE]Very well said.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]louvox wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]August R. wrote: [/QUOTENAME]AKOM: ...But can you honestly say, that Who Wants To Live Forever isn't one of the strongest songs they wrote in the 80's??[/QUOTE]
You're right, the best song on "Magic" is "Who want's to live forever", but reminds me of a typical power ballad of the time.[/QUOTE]
OMG...WWTLF reminds you of a "typical power ballad"? I can't believe you just likened it to things like "I Wanna Know What Love Is", "November Rain" or any other 80's tripe. Sorry, but Queen were in a different league with a song like this one. I've never thought of the song as a Power ballad. NO Way.
Adam.
You're right, the best song on "Magic" is "Who want's to live forever", but reminds me of a typical power ballad of the time.[/QUOTE]
OMG...WWTLF reminds you of a "typical power ballad"? I can't believe you just likened it to things like "I Wanna Know What Love Is", "November Rain" or any other 80's tripe. Sorry, but Queen were in a different league with a song like this one. I've never thought of the song as a Power ballad. NO Way.
Adam.
Ironically, Adam, I want to know what love is may be Brian's favourite song from the 80s. I recall him talking about it in a magazine, and how powerful he felt it was. I'm guessing it was around the time his marriage was falling apart, and the whole Anita thing was happening. Looking back at some of those interviews and not knowing what was going on with the guys (pre-internet days of course) gives a different twist to things.
Good point s louvox, although I still don't know why Sweet Lady takes such a rap. I think you're intelligent enough to know the conversational format of the song, and that some of the lines are intentionally tongue in cheek, but most people totally miss that and get hung up on the "cheese" thing. I think that the band's playing is really tight, and that's a fantastic outro.
Good point s louvox, although I still don't know why Sweet Lady takes such a rap. I think you're intelligent enough to know the conversational format of the song, and that some of the lines are intentionally tongue in cheek, but most people totally miss that and get hung up on the "cheese" thing. I think that the band's playing is really tight, and that's a fantastic outro.
*****(Classic) ****(Excellent) ***(Good) **(Fair) *(Poor) = overall album ratings.
Queen I ***1/2
The guys clearly went through a lot of trials and tribulations to get this album finished. You can tell that Freddie and Brian, are very confident and prolific songwriters. Nice contribution from Rog as well. I don't know of anyone else that was doing progressive blues/hard rock at the time. You gotta have it. It's one of the best debut albums of all time
Strongest song: "Great King Rat"
Queen II ****1/2
Once again, these guys delve (this time a little deeper) into the progressive side of their music. To me it's recorded and produced like a concept album, even though I don't believe it is. It's so well done and produced, you just get chills listening to it. Brian really comes out of his shell on this album. You can really hear that they're in their element. This is the only Queen album that features a song that is polyrhythmic. Which means that there's two or more instruments playing in different meters. "March of the Black Queen," clearly you hear that a masterpiece is in the making.
Strongest song: “March Of The Black Queen”
Sheer heart attack ****
Brian's illness kind of screwed with the focus of the album. Great production...Very cod and humourous lyrical topics. Freddie's songs flow really well on this album...I love every song on this record. But, the other stuff thrown in just doesn't jive for me. Brian rebounds from his illness to craft one of the greatest "guitar" rock songs of all time.
Strongest song: “Brighton Rock”
A night at the opera *****
There's no debate about this album. They're at their progressive peak here. All the guys contribute well to this! I gotta go against the grain of what I think the strongest song is. I love every song on this album as well! Phenominal!
Strongest song: “The Prophet's Song”
A day at the races *****
Louvox is absolutely right about this one. "This album never seems to get the recognition it so richly deserves. Every bit as good as it’s predecessor and in some ways better." Brian emerges as the stronger writer on this album. "Millionare Waltz," is one of the last great progressive song we hear from Freddie. Great songs from all of the guys on this one.
Strongest song: “Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)”
News of the world ***1/2
Mostly straight up Rock 'n Roll to me. Kinda dissapointing that they strayed from their progressivism from their previous records. Everyone gets to finally see more proof of how gifted of a musician John Deacon is on tracks like "Who Needs You," and "Spread Your Wings." To my knowledge it was their response to the rise of punk music. Louvox was dead on in saying that they should've recorded the fast version of "We Will Rock You" for the album.
Strongest song: “It’s Late”
Jazz ***
I thought this was a bit of an odd blend of songs, even for Queen. More straight up heavier rock, with pop rock and progressive pop thrown in there. Freddie saves the progressive fans with "Bicycle Race." Genius composition...He truly was a great musician. I had higher expectations (after hearing the US Greatest Hits; I went back and listened to the albums in order of release). Antother departure for them, I think.
Strongest song: "Dead On Time"
Live Killers ***
Good teaser as to what to expect when you saw them live. I wish they'd have thrown "It's Late." Or maybe even they should've taken good live renditions of songs and medleys from their career. Don't know if it would've worked but I think its a neat idea.
The Game ***1/2
Yet another departure for Queen. A lot of tight and well engineered pop on this album. I was dissapointed with the fact that they broke the "no synthesizers" policy. What can I say...I'm an American fan. Good material from everyone on this album, the only song that dissapoint
Queen I ***1/2
The guys clearly went through a lot of trials and tribulations to get this album finished. You can tell that Freddie and Brian, are very confident and prolific songwriters. Nice contribution from Rog as well. I don't know of anyone else that was doing progressive blues/hard rock at the time. You gotta have it. It's one of the best debut albums of all time
Strongest song: "Great King Rat"
Queen II ****1/2
Once again, these guys delve (this time a little deeper) into the progressive side of their music. To me it's recorded and produced like a concept album, even though I don't believe it is. It's so well done and produced, you just get chills listening to it. Brian really comes out of his shell on this album. You can really hear that they're in their element. This is the only Queen album that features a song that is polyrhythmic. Which means that there's two or more instruments playing in different meters. "March of the Black Queen," clearly you hear that a masterpiece is in the making.
Strongest song: “March Of The Black Queen”
Sheer heart attack ****
Brian's illness kind of screwed with the focus of the album. Great production...Very cod and humourous lyrical topics. Freddie's songs flow really well on this album...I love every song on this record. But, the other stuff thrown in just doesn't jive for me. Brian rebounds from his illness to craft one of the greatest "guitar" rock songs of all time.
Strongest song: “Brighton Rock”
A night at the opera *****
There's no debate about this album. They're at their progressive peak here. All the guys contribute well to this! I gotta go against the grain of what I think the strongest song is. I love every song on this album as well! Phenominal!
Strongest song: “The Prophet's Song”
A day at the races *****
Louvox is absolutely right about this one. "This album never seems to get the recognition it so richly deserves. Every bit as good as it’s predecessor and in some ways better." Brian emerges as the stronger writer on this album. "Millionare Waltz," is one of the last great progressive song we hear from Freddie. Great songs from all of the guys on this one.
Strongest song: “Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)”
News of the world ***1/2
Mostly straight up Rock 'n Roll to me. Kinda dissapointing that they strayed from their progressivism from their previous records. Everyone gets to finally see more proof of how gifted of a musician John Deacon is on tracks like "Who Needs You," and "Spread Your Wings." To my knowledge it was their response to the rise of punk music. Louvox was dead on in saying that they should've recorded the fast version of "We Will Rock You" for the album.
Strongest song: “It’s Late”
Jazz ***
I thought this was a bit of an odd blend of songs, even for Queen. More straight up heavier rock, with pop rock and progressive pop thrown in there. Freddie saves the progressive fans with "Bicycle Race." Genius composition...He truly was a great musician. I had higher expectations (after hearing the US Greatest Hits; I went back and listened to the albums in order of release). Antother departure for them, I think.
Strongest song: "Dead On Time"
Live Killers ***
Good teaser as to what to expect when you saw them live. I wish they'd have thrown "It's Late." Or maybe even they should've taken good live renditions of songs and medleys from their career. Don't know if it would've worked but I think its a neat idea.
The Game ***1/2
Yet another departure for Queen. A lot of tight and well engineered pop on this album. I was dissapointed with the fact that they broke the "no synthesizers" policy. What can I say...I'm an American fan. Good material from everyone on this album, the only song that dissapoint
Interesting comments...Firstly you obviously most enjoy the 70's Queen(are you American by the way?)and seem to trash Hot Space and beyond,right up to Innuendo which achieved rather good reviews in the u.s (for a change)and circulated various rumours that Queen would perform again in America.Sadly,of course this could not happen due to Freddie's illness taking over but at least there was good response from the public in 1991 for Classic Queen and Greatest Hits again which sold in huge numbers and put Queen up there in the states once more! Did the band care,being so huge in the rest of the world? Yes,actually! the US is such a vast and important market to eveyone!
I am an American fan...For the record I don't hate the Hot Space album. I just was dissapointed with it. Great compositions...the sound and production was just cheesy and dated to me. The only Queen album I dislike is The Works...I thought the "I Want to Break Free" video was hilarious. That record just had too many synthesizers for my taste. I'm not a fan of 80's music...period. Select stuff I will listen to; but that's limited to the good guitar oriented music. ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Queen (of course), Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Halen, Satch, Vai, etc. and so on.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]redspecial85 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I am an American fan...For the record I don't hate the Hot Space album. I just was dissapointed with it. Great compositions...the sound and production was just cheesy and dated to me. The only Queen album I dislike is The Works...I thought the "I Want to Break Free" video was hilarious. That record just had too many synthesizers for my taste. I'm not a fan of 80's music...period. Select stuff I will listen to; but that's limited to the good guitar oriented music. ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Queen (of course), Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Halen, Satch, Vai, etc. and so on. [/QUOTE]I recently listen to “Hot Space” in its entirety the other day. My opinion has not changed since I first heard that record. It still stinks as much now if not more than when it was first released. I am all for artist trying new things, but there is nothing new or interesting on this album. Just a bunch of funk, disco & techno recorded with no inspiration, soul or heart. Instead of incorporating new styles into Queen and making it their own, they simply copied what others were doing at the time. The sound and production are down right awful! Most everything sounds flat & lifeless. Even songs like “Palabras”, “Put out the fire” & “Life is real” are week by their standards and sound more like B-sides. You get the feeling they were rushing to cash in on the success of “Another one bites the dust” and put little or no thought into this disaster. It truly is an embarrassment.
I will admit that the live versions of “Staying power”, “Back chat” & “Calling all girls” sound much better and show potential, had they recorded the album with same depth & drive as their earlier albums or had a better/stronger producer it probably would faired much better.
The Works album is pretty bad too as far as song writting & production.
I will admit that the live versions of “Staying power”, “Back chat” & “Calling all girls” sound much better and show potential, had they recorded the album with same depth & drive as their earlier albums or had a better/stronger producer it probably would faired much better.
The Works album is pretty bad too as far as song writting & production.
Though the Hot Space album isn't a genius rock-album, or with some genius pieces of songwriting, but It's one of my favourite albums to listen to when I'm doing things like surfing on queenzone.com .... Just by the 'simplicity' (is that the right word?) of the album!
I too am an American fan and I think one of thr reasons Hot Space did not fare well over here was that it was a couple of years late on the scene. The fall of 1979 was pretty much the demise of disco music here in the U.S. and it really did not rebound until around 1984 or so when the U.K. began putting out a lot of quality electronic dance music from the likes of Tears for Fears, Naked Eyes, Falco, ABC, etc.
Also here in the U.S., as a rule, very few rock and rollers also listened to dance music, so when Queen released Hot Space and folks heard "Body Language" and "Staying Power" as the first few songs off the album, they cast them aside and went on to other up and coming rockers of the time like Def Leppard and Judas Priest.
Also a lot of the rocker guys here in the U.S. in the 1980's were homophobes and freaked out at anything that smacked of being gay, so when Freddie cut his hair, grew a mustache and pranced around the stage calling everyone "darling", these close minded individuals just couldn't cope. You can imagine the shock when they later on found out one of the "toughest" rock acts (Judas Priest) was also fronted by a gay man!!!! Gotta Love it..
Also here in the U.S., as a rule, very few rock and rollers also listened to dance music, so when Queen released Hot Space and folks heard "Body Language" and "Staying Power" as the first few songs off the album, they cast them aside and went on to other up and coming rockers of the time like Def Leppard and Judas Priest.
Also a lot of the rocker guys here in the U.S. in the 1980's were homophobes and freaked out at anything that smacked of being gay, so when Freddie cut his hair, grew a mustache and pranced around the stage calling everyone "darling", these close minded individuals just couldn't cope. You can imagine the shock when they later on found out one of the "toughest" rock acts (Judas Priest) was also fronted by a gay man!!!! Gotta Love it..
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]reeddr wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I too am an American fan and I think one of thr reasons Hot Space did not fare well over here was that it was a couple of years late on the scene. The fall of 1979 was pretty much the demise of disco music here in the U.S. and it really did not rebound until around 1984 or so when the U.K. began putting out a lot of quality electronic dance music from the likes of Tears for Fears, Naked Eyes, Falco, ABC, etc.
Also here in the U.S., as a rule, very few rock and rollers also listened to dance music, so when Queen released Hot Space and folks heard "Body Language" and "Staying Power" as the first few songs off the album, they cast them aside and went on to other up and coming rockers of the time like Def Leppard and Judas Priest.
Also a lot of the rocker guys here in the U.S. in the 1980's were homophobes and freaked out at anything that smacked of being gay, so when Freddie cut his hair, grew a mustache and pranced around the stage calling everyone "darling", these close minded individuals just couldn't cope. You can imagine the shock when they later on found out one of the "toughest" rock acts (Judas Priest) was also fronted by a gay man!!!! Gotta Love it.. [/QUOTE]I think you right on the money with your views, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that “Hot space” is just a plain crappy album. Even subsequent follow up’s releases in the 80’s are still sub-par at best. Every article or interview regarding their status in the USA after “Hot Space” I have read, they only gave off the cuff answers like “We were too busy elsewhere to be concerned about the USA”.
Also here in the U.S., as a rule, very few rock and rollers also listened to dance music, so when Queen released Hot Space and folks heard "Body Language" and "Staying Power" as the first few songs off the album, they cast them aside and went on to other up and coming rockers of the time like Def Leppard and Judas Priest.
Also a lot of the rocker guys here in the U.S. in the 1980's were homophobes and freaked out at anything that smacked of being gay, so when Freddie cut his hair, grew a mustache and pranced around the stage calling everyone "darling", these close minded individuals just couldn't cope. You can imagine the shock when they later on found out one of the "toughest" rock acts (Judas Priest) was also fronted by a gay man!!!! Gotta Love it.. [/QUOTE]I think you right on the money with your views, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that “Hot space” is just a plain crappy album. Even subsequent follow up’s releases in the 80’s are still sub-par at best. Every article or interview regarding their status in the USA after “Hot Space” I have read, they only gave off the cuff answers like “We were too busy elsewhere to be concerned about the USA”.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]reeddr wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I too am an American fan and I think one of thr reasons Hot Space did not fare well over here was that it was a couple of years late on the scene. The fall of 1979 was pretty much the demise of disco music here in the U.S. and it really did not rebound until around 1984 or so when the U.K. began putting out a lot of quality electronic dance music from the likes of Tears for Fears, Naked Eyes, Falco, ABC, etc.
Also here in the U.S., as a rule, very few rock and rollers also listened to dance music, so when Queen released Hot Space and folks heard "Body Language" and "Staying Power" as the first few songs off the album, they cast them aside and went on to other up and coming rockers of the time like Def Leppard and Judas Priest.
Also a lot of the rocker guys here in the U.S. in the 1980's were homophobes and freaked out at anything that smacked of being gay, so when Freddie cut his hair, grew a mustache and pranced around the stage calling everyone "darling", these close minded individuals just couldn't cope. You can imagine the shock when they later on found out one of the "toughest" rock acts (Judas Priest) was also fronted by a gay man!!!! Gotta Love it.. [/QUOTE]
Very good points here...kudos...
Also here in the U.S., as a rule, very few rock and rollers also listened to dance music, so when Queen released Hot Space and folks heard "Body Language" and "Staying Power" as the first few songs off the album, they cast them aside and went on to other up and coming rockers of the time like Def Leppard and Judas Priest.
Also a lot of the rocker guys here in the U.S. in the 1980's were homophobes and freaked out at anything that smacked of being gay, so when Freddie cut his hair, grew a mustache and pranced around the stage calling everyone "darling", these close minded individuals just couldn't cope. You can imagine the shock when they later on found out one of the "toughest" rock acts (Judas Priest) was also fronted by a gay man!!!! Gotta Love it.. [/QUOTE]
Very good points here...kudos...