Spotlight on... Queen
July 17th, 2009 by Rodney LeeThe band: Queen
On vocals and piano: Freddie Mercury
On guitar: Brian May
On bass: John Deacon
On drums: Roger Taylor
It was a sad day when Freddie Mercury died in 1991. Queen was more than just a band. More than just artists. More than just performers. They were musical geniuses. And their videos - pieces of art.
Who could forget the famous Bohemian Rhapsody:
Here's a few of my favorites:
I Want To Break Free (check out the weird performance in the middle of the video):
It's a Kind of Magic (please bear with the 2 minute intro):
I'm Going Slightly Mad:
And even though Freddie has passed on, I'm sure he'd say "The Show Must Go On" (a little montage of some of Queen's videos):
What are your Queen memories? We're you lucky enough to see them perform live? What are your favorite Queen songs? Do you know what Queen song featured David Bowie? Share your Queen memories.
Tags: Bohemian Rhapsody, Brian May, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, I Want To Break Free, I'm Going Slightly Mad, It's a Kind of Magic, John Deacon, Memories, midlife crisis blog, Queen, Queen band, Rodney Lee, Roger Taylor, The Show Must Go On
July 17th, 2009 at 4:17 am
Queen was one of the greats, for sure. Freddie, tho...Freddie Mercury was one of Rock's all time greatest frontmen, bar none. His persona, his voice, his warm personality that still shines to this day.
I first heard Queen back in the mid 70's; my best friend's older sister was a huge fan of theirs. I was a "fan" of her, so I got into them. Of course, Bohemian Rhapsody was all over the radio back then, and Somebody to Love is STILL one of the best Rock tracks around. A Day at the Races and News of the World are amazing albums; not just the obvious tracks, but the lesser know songs the pepper these works...
I shed a tear the day Freddie passed, no doubt, and more than a few since for the man...his humanity and legacy touched me, along with half the people on the planet...he's always missed, but thankfully, still with us...
July 17th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Queen's music does not resonate with me, but I admire their talent and passion. Freddy Mercury was an iconoclast and innovator, both musically and culturally.
I REALLY dislike "Bohemian Rhapsody" since I heard it 17 times in the course of a long weekend in 1982. It's too bad - it's a very unusual song, very long for its time, even for prog-rock. I can't remember another Top 40 song that uses such an operatic structure.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Good Morning Rodney,
Was never a true Queen follower but I do love his voice and style. I saw a show ...I think A&E Bio... about Queen and it made me admire them even more.
Also saw a concert a few years back, these bands tour as Beatles, Freddie Mercury and ABBA. The Freddie dude was awesome, I really got into it.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:27 am
Good Morning All!
I love Queen's music. I think Freddie had a particular sound that was awesome.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:44 am
It was only when "Bohemian Rhapsody" was lip synced in Wayne's World that I started to listen to Queen. Great band for sure but something about Mr. Mercury that didn't hang for me.
July 17th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Queen was (and still is) one of the great rock bands, esp because they were progressive and didn't sound like any one else. My favorite Queen song is "You're My Best Friend." "Fat Bottomed Girls" rocks pretty hard too. I grew up with Bohemian Rhapsody...lots of memories.....
July 17th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Good Morning Rodney and MLCer's!
I can't see any videos
Queen's music will live on forever.
July 17th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Yup, count me as a huge fan. Did I hear right, that all 4 held masters degrees? it would explain a lot.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:09 am
I didn't really get into Queen until freshman year in college, when I had a couple of friends who were truly obsessed with Freddie Mercury. I did come to understand their obsession.
I truly hate that every season of "American Idol" means hearing one or more great Queen songs get shamelessly massacred. I truly love that Brian May is a rocket scientist, well, holding a Ph.D in astrophysics, anyway.
My favorites: Flash Gordon theme and soundtrack, Tie Your Mother Down, Fat Bottomed Girls, Keep Yourself Alive, You're My Best Friend. Hard not to like, or at least appreciate Bohemian Rhapsody as a very significant piece of work, but it got so overplayed especially following "Wayne's World" there is a burnout factor.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Hey Rodney!
"Under Pressure"...............I still remember that song "performed" by the hottest hapa dancer at Club Arirang.....you know, the one with the infamous "Charlotte".
I think that's the song with David Bowie.
OL
July 17th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Dude, I LOOOOOVE Brian May's guitar. He built it with his father from scaps from a fireplace or something. Musically, the band is legendary, but I just think that Brian May is one of the most underrated guitarists of all time.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I had to drop by for this one, Uncle Rodney. Queen is probably my favorite band. I saw Brian May perform on top of Buckingham Palace in 2002 for the Queen of England's jubilee celebration (50 years on the throne). Freddie was incredible. His voice was just piercing, I have a couple of their concerts on dvd (Leeds and Wembly) and they are so much fun to watch.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:21 am
They rocked...enough said
July 17th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Rodney:
For a moment thereI thought you were spotlighting on THE Queen.....Queenie of O&E
Some Queen songs that I'm partial to:
I want it all
The show must go on
Love of my life
A kind of magic
We will rock you
July 17th, 2009 at 10:15 am
According to May, who is now 60 years old, he always wanted to complete the degree. He "didn't want an honorary degree. I wanted the real thing that I worked for."
Finished and published his doctorate in astrophysics at Imperial College London,
"Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud," with astronomical observations at an observatory in Spain's Canary Islands.
oops, forgot to note the site.
I always thought music and science were related in the brain.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:20 am
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/06/brian_mays_homemade_guitar.html
(all quotes, not my words)
awesome 1992 video of Queen's Brian May talking about "The Fireplace," his famous electric guitar that he and his dad built from scrap bits such as a mantle from a 100-year old fireplace (hence the name), a chunk of a table, a spring from a motorcycle, a piece from his mother's knitting needle, etc. Amazingly, this is not some fragile relic he keeps in the closet, but a working guitar, one you've heard on many Queen songs. His family was poor and his dad built most of their home electronics, including their television and radio. Wonderful, inspiring little piece. I love the opening quote from him:
"I'm still a kid. Basically, I LOVE the sound of the guitar. I love making it. I love standing there and making that noise.
Brian May guitar 1992
July 17th, 2009 at 10:20 am
BUT is IS pretty much a far simpler path to the higher degrees when you have those two invaluable elements that Brian May has plenty of: Time and Money...
July 17th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Mornin everbody
Sorry neva was a Queen fan
not even the other Queen 
NKHEA....hope the other Queen no see this
July 17th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Sorry, only listen to few of Queen's songs. Never went to big concerts. Didn't have the venues before. At least can now watch concerts on DVDs.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:55 am
i liked a lot of queen's music - my brother had all their albums - but, at first, i couldn't get used to freddie mercury. he was so flamboyant and out there, to say the least. my parents were pretty conservative so i was kind of shocked by him when i was little. however, as i got older, i grew to appreciate his uniqueness. i love bohemian rhapsody, we will rock you (though, i always wonder what the band thinks about it being played at every sporting even known to man... ), and the show must go on.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I really like "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Bicycle Race". Well, Bicycle race just makes me giggle.
I remember the day Freddie Mercury died my parents were pretty upset. That was the first time I realized people on TV were really real and that they could die and affect others. Maybe it was easier to understand because we used to watch MTV a lot and I'd seen videos of Queen, so I had a face to associate with the death.
What do/did you guys think of the replacement, Paul Rodgers? I thought he was pretty good, but his voice wasn't as powerful as Freddie's.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Easy come.... easy go..... little high..... little low
July 17th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Paul Rogers had a great voice with Bad Company, but not so much today. I don't see why these guys feel the need to recreate their old bands so much? Oh, yeah, money....I heard people floating around Adam Lambert's name (the girly man from American Idol). I can see that.....
July 17th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Oooh, almost forgot... Princes of the Universe, from the first "Highlander" movie and also used for "Highlander: The Series" theme song :: tries not to go off-topic about immortals and especially immortals with Rottweilers ::
July 17th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Anyone remember Flash Gordon?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_-9rfzPSBo
July 17th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Ooh, you tease!!
I also like Queen's music though I never knew who the members were!
July 17th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Aww, Queenie. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Ocean Lover is correct - Under Pressure features David Bowie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrEN-YKLBM
@Sally, I remember seeing a biography on Queen - which sparked my interest in them. Until I saw it, I never realized Freddie Mercury was so buck toothed. But damn, he could sing.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
oooh Queen! (the band) ho.....that Freddy Mercury could wail!
i got into them with stuff like We Will Rock You, Another One Bites the Dust and Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
this scene with Anne Hathaway from Ella Enchanted always comes to mind when i hear Somebody to Love. good song with.....ahem......nice visuals.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
My favorite would have to be You're My Best Friend but I like the beat of We Will Rock You and Another One Bites the Dust.
I remember thinking how sad it was when I saw photos of Freddy Mercury before he died. He looked so gaunt and emaciated. He was a great showman and entertainer.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Queen is such a cool group. It's too bad Freddie is no longer with us in person, though these videos will ensure his memory lives on for a long time. There are so many songs that I like besides the ones posted above.
Thanks for the flashback Mistah MLC
July 17th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Who remembers this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEI4U5KyAS0
July 17th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I often forget that it's Queen singing this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrelPOP518g
July 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Rodney, I never did see Flash Gordon (unbelievable yah) but I did see Flesh Gordon, the spoof B movie, was so junk and stoopid I don't even remember what went on. Or maybe cuz it was at Kam Drive In.
Sally>>> blushing
July 17th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Sally, I never did see Flash Gordon either.
Flesh Gordon - wasn't that playing at Queen theater?
July 17th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
no no no, I never went there. Musta been Kam. BF and I used to go there all the time. No mo' money, gotta do cheap stuff.
July 18th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Kinda late post, but those who don't really fancy Queen had to have been on the scene at that time. It was David Bowie and Queen that started the electronica rock. The Beatles with Strawberrry Fields, with the Moog (Synthesizer) and fuzz bass never really caught on, till Queen and David Bowie started going with spacey music.
It's a particular person that gets affected by Queen, just like I was never turned on by MJ, even when it was J5. But then again I like music that is far, far out there, I guess it's the random (warp) mind that needs to figure it out. Okay, enough said.