QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you

[DragonAttack]

He looks a lot older than 17.

 

‘…and all he wants to do is disappear….
Sheeeeeeeeeeeer heart attack’

[Stadler]

One chance 'legendary' meeting took place during the studio sessions at Wessex Studios.  The Sex Pistols were recording next door.  One day, Sid Vicious entered Queen’s recording space and saw Freddie.

“Ah, Freddie Mercury. Have you succeeded in bringing ballet to the masses, then?”, asked Sid, referencing an interview in the NME.

“Oh, yes, Simon Ferocious”, Mercury said. “We’re trying our best, dear”. Mercury got up from his chair and started fiddling about with the safety pins on Vicious’ leather jacket.

“Tell me, did you arrange these pins just so?”, Mercury asked.

When Sid came towards Mercury, Mercury pushed him back and said “What are you going to do about it?”. Vicious left the room.

(or something along these lines.................)

I love stories like that!  I always figured punk rockers were mostly posers, but I don't know if I would've pegged Freddie as a badass.  Additional respect has been unlocked.

I'm liking that too, for some reason. I have no animosity to Sid Vicious in any way, but knowing that Freddie kicked his insouciant ass would be funny.

NOTW is not an album I go to often, but when I do, I really enjoy it.  It would rank pretty high, especially among the albums of this period.  I think it's got a flavor to it that is the essence of Queen; later, they tried to follow the path of popular music to an unfortunate degree ("Hot Space") but in this case, it resulted in a solid record.  I particularly LOVE "Spread Your Wings"; what a vocal on that.  Freddie at his most emotive. 

[KevShmev]

Aside from the two monster hits, News of the World is more miss than hit for me.  Spread Your Wings is good, and It's Late is quite nice as well, but I have little to no use for everything else.  And I think the song Sheer Heart Attack sucks major swamp water. 

[jammindude]

I’ve been lurking…but I had to chime into say that NOTW is Queen perfection to me. And It’s Late is a top 3 Queen track in a constant battle with The Prophet’s Song and Fat Bottomed Girls.

[DragonAttack]

Aside from the two monster hits, News of the World is more miss than hit for me.  Spread Your Wings is good, and It's Late is quite nice as well, but I have little to no use for everything else.  And I think the song Sheer Heart Attack sucks major swamp water.

Always love diplomatic responses   SHA...with an aversion to high pitched noises, I mentioned I would have gotten rid of the 'nails on the blackboard' guitar.  I do always think back to when it was released, and friends who were big on Aerosmith, KISS, Nugent, AC/DC, Styx, Yes.... and even Rush having this album.

I’ve been lurking…but I had to chime into say that NOTW is Queen perfection to me. And It’s Late is a top 3 Queen track in a constant battle with The Prophet’s Song and Fat Bottomed Girls.

Quite the interesting trio of songs grouped together.  'Perfection' is quite the comment.  As future releases came about, I felt it was the last one that really 'bonded' well until their last album.

RAW SESSIONS to be posted later today.

[DragonAttack]

NEWS OF THE WORLD 40th Anniversary box set

In 2017 came the release of some long awaited gems in one package (albeit overpriced).  It included the vinyl, the 2011 remastered CD, a DVD, and two bonus discs.  I would gladly have paid for a separate two disc offering of the 'Raw Sessions', BBC Session 6 with live material, but that wasn't offered.  I thank my local library for the 'Raw Sessions' disc.  Disc Three is available via youtube hunting.
 
   

Disc Two:  Raw Sessions  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-bzqylNf08&list=PL-sj4xR8SOmOHMY5KfsqykZgrxRfXxrl5 

1.   We Will Rock You (Alterative Version)   2:26
2.   We Are the Champions (Alternative Version)   4:33
3.   Sheer Heart Attack (Original Rough Mix)   4:17
4.   All Dead, All Dead (Original Rough Mix)   3:08
5.   Spread Your Wings (Alternative Take)   4:56
6.   Fight from the Inside (Demo Vocal Version)   3:08
7.   Get Down, Make Love (Early Take)   4:02
8.   Sleeping on the Sidewalk (Live in Boston, November 1977)   3:49
9.   Who Needs You (Acoustic Take)   2:49
10.   It's Late (Alternative Version)   6:44
11.   My Melancholy Blues (Original Rough Mix)   3:36

There is certainly a lot to like on this.  Lots of noticeable differences throughout.  'We Are The Champions' has extra choruses at the end.

'Sheer Heart Attack' has an added guitar intro, an extended jam at the end, no vocals, but somehow the 'nails on the chalkboard' guitar still exists.  I was really hoping for vocals minus that guitar.

The Freddie fans will love 'All Dead, All Dead' as he provides the lead vocals.  Also of note, the original lyric sheet includes some line of text in italics.  Those lyrics were not on the official release, but are sung here.  An added piano intro for 'Spread Your Wings' and other variations on a song that is always a joy to listen to.  Still doesn't match up to the BBC version.

Since  ‘Sleeping On The Sidewalk' was done in one vocal take, it's rather nice to have a live version of Freddie singing it (one of three times before it was dropped).  A great version of It's Late' with piano added in during the middle instrumental, something they did live during the NOTW tour. 

Here is a  fan made hybrid mix of 'All Dead, All Dead'....first with Freddie's LVs, then Brian's to finish.  Quite enjoyable as I enjoy both in a haunting way.  The lyrics and guitar always make me think of the album cover for some odd reason    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyv0nMju_1w

Disk Three finally has a 'News of the World' re-release with all the BBC Session 6 songs included.  Took them how many prior attempts?   As well as the great 'Feelings Feelings' demo, and the oddly edited USA 45 version of 'It's Late' (good for one novelty listen).

And finally, some live versions of all the songs from the album that were performed in concert!  Yea!  Except for 'It's Late'! Boo!  And, typically, only one from the NOTW tour.

1.   Feelings Feelings (Take 10, July 1977)   1:55
2.   We Will Rock You (BBC Session)   1:36
3.   We Will Rock You (Fast) (BBC Session)   2:52
4.   Spread Your Wings (BBC Session)   5:33
5.   It's Late (BBC Session)   6:39
6.   My Melancholy Blues (BBC Session)   3:13
7.   We Will Rock You (Backing Track)   2:03
8.   We Are the Champions (Backing Track)   2:59
9.   Spread Your Wings (Instrumental)   4:23
10.   Fight from the Inside (Instrumental)   3:02
11.   Get Down, Make Love (Instrumental)   3:49
12.   It's Late (USA Radio Edit 1978)   3:52
13.   Sheer Heart Attack (Live in Paris, February 1979)   3:35
14.   We Will Rock You (Fast) (Live in Tokorozawa, November 1982)   2:59
15.   My Melancholy Blues (Live in Houston, December 1977)   4:11
16.   Get Down, Make Love (Live in Montreal, November 1981)   4:35
17.   Spread Your Wings (Live in Europe, February 1979)   5:20
18.   We Will Rock You (Live at the Milton Keynes Bowl, June 1982)   2:08
19.   We Are the Champions (Live at the Milton Keynes Bowl, June 1982)

[TAC]

8.   Sleeping on the Sidewalk (Live in Boston, November 1977)   3:49

I find it interesting that it's Boston, because if I recall, my first impressions said this:

Sleeping On The Sidewalk...Joe Perry must've covered this at some point, no?

Proof, that...I am a genius!


Awesome version though. Freddie on vocals, and Brian has some killer licks.

[Podaar]

Oddly, that's the second time I've heard that phrase today. I've literally never heard that before, so I have no idea what it means.

"Tim lives under a rock" is such a worn out DTF cliche, but man, I've never lived in an English speaking country

 

What can I say? I've never heard that phrase before.

[TAC]

Podaar, you can bust my balls in any thread. At least  if you drop in here you could relish us with your old man Queen stories. 

[Podaar]

I don't have any stories, and I was just trying to illustrate what pearl clutching is by posting a gif. I'll get my hat...

[KevShmev]

Aside from the two monster hits, News of the World is more miss than hit for me.  Spread Your Wings is good, and It's Late is quite nice as well, but I have little to no use for everything else.  And I think the song Sheer Heart Attack sucks major swamp water.

Always love diplomatic responses   SHA...with an aversion to high pitched noises, I mentioned I would have gotten rid of the 'nails on the blackboard' guitar.  I do always think back to when it was released, and friends who were big on Aerosmith, KISS, Nugent, AC/DC, Styx, Yes.... and even Rush having this album.

I am usually pretty positive when it comes to Queen, as there is much to be positive about, but I don't always hold back when it's something I do not like.  I may need to refrain from posting altogether when you feature their bag of crap 1981 album.

But I am not surprised many hard rock fans owned this album back in '77.  Queen had already built up some good equity, and the big hits from this album were monsters, so I can imagine many couldn't get wait to buy the vinyl or 8-track. 

[DragonAttack]

8.   Sleeping on the Sidewalk (Live in Boston, November 1977)   3:49

I find it interesting that it's Boston, because if I recall, my first impressions said this:

Sleeping On The Sidewalk...Joe Perry must've covered this at some point, no?

Proof, that...I am a genius!

Awesome version though. Freddie on vocals, and Brian has some killer licks.

No one has ever questioned that here!

Good catch!  Also, a pity in regards to the song.  There's been (and will be) some great Queen audience recordings from Boston.  Sadly, not this show.  But Queen Productions has this gem, and won't provide anything else from this show (or it just hasn't surfaced yet).

[DragonAttack]

Aside from the two monster hits, News of the World is more miss than hit for me.  Spread Your Wings is good, and It's Late is quite nice as well, but I have little to no use for everything else.  And I think the song Sheer Heart Attack sucks major swamp water.

Always love diplomatic responses   SHA...with an aversion to high pitched noises, I mentioned I would have gotten rid of the 'nails on the blackboard' guitar.  I do always think back to when it was released, and friends who were big on Aerosmith, KISS, Nugent, AC/DC, Styx, Yes.... and even Rush having this album.

I am usually pretty positive when it comes to Queen, as there is much to be positive about, but I don't always hold back when it's something I do not like.  I may need to refrain from posting altogether when you feature their bag of crap 1981 album.

Oh, to quote someone famous, I'll be 'travelling at the speed of light' once I get to that era

Before I move on to the tour Monday or Tuesday, I will bring up again the really good bonus stuff that finally saw the light with this era.  'We Will Rock You' [fast] :  this was actually offered on a CD in 'The Sun' newspaper or magazine back in the early '00s.  That's how I got my first 'clean' version of it.  I still don't know which version was recorded first.  The various 'All Dead, All Dead' versions, the aforementioned 'Sleeping On The Sidewalk', 'Feelings Feelings, 'Spread Your Wings BBC, and any others.

[DragonAttack]

But I am not surprised many hard rock fans owned this album back in '77.  Queen had already built up some good equity, and the big hits from this album were monsters, so I can imagine many couldn't get wait to buy the vinyl or 8-track. 

Like this?

[KevShmev]

Exactly.

I know many fans love this record and the next one, but I think both are more miss than hit.  Then again, I am someone who can name the number of Queen albums that I can listen to from start to finish without ever hitting the skip button on one hand, so I may not be the best judge.

[DragonAttack]

Exactly.

I know many fans love this record and the next one, but I think both are more miss than hit.  Then again, I am someone who can name the number of Queen albums that I can listen to from start to finish without ever hitting the skip button on one hand, so I may not be the best judge.

Well, the same applies to me, and we just passed those five.  NOTW is an optional sixth (SHA being removed on the copy when listening to it with the wife).

Just started listening to News Of The World on Spotify.

Speaking of Spotify, here are the stream totals..

We Will Rock You....853m
We Are The Champions....493.4m
Sheer Heart Attack....17.9m
All Dead, All Dead....20.6m
Spread Your Wings....40.8m
Fight From The Inside....3.8m
Get Down, Make Love....15.9m
Sleeping On The Sidewalk....13.9m
Who Needs You....4.5m
It's Late....21.4m
My Melancholy Blues....8.5m

Wow, Fight From The Inside and Who Needs You apparently fell off a cliff.

A bit surprised that WWRY has 360 million more plays than WATC. I realize this is not radio where both were played together, but it's surprising nonetheless.

Maybe they hit WWRY for sporting events?  The difference in video views was surprising as well.  Then again, if I want to hear WATC because of the joy after a sporting event, I always go to the Wembley version.

The numbers were quite good for SYW and It's Late....more than 'Keep Yourself Alive'   But, somehow, 'Fight From The Inside' and 'Who Needs You' had more listens than 'Father To Son'.  What can I say.....

other than that, I’ll be moving on.......

[TAC]

So Joe, this came up in the Rush thread, where if someone was not into Rush, they still may own Moving Pictures because it's "the one with Tom Sawyer on it".

You mentioned a lot of rockers had this album,. but it could also be due to being "the one with We Will Rock You on it".

Plus I think we're basically in Queen's prime, but it doesn't always necessarily mean that the early albums will benefit.

[DragonAttack]

So Joe, this came up in the Rush thread, where if someone was not into Rush, they still may own Moving Pictures because it's "the one with Tom Sawyer on it".

You mentioned a lot of rockers had this album,. but it could also be due to being "the one with We Will Rock You on it".

I remember quite a few also had the 'Sheer Heart Attack' album.  With AOR stations, I'd often hear 'It's Late', 'Spread Your Wings', and 'Get Down Make Love'.  Back in the day, I'd often buy an album when I heard a second song get airplay that I liked.  I think that worked with some of them.  'News' was Top Twenty in the States for nineteen weeks, so there had to be more working for it than WWRY/WATC. (my guess)

A couple different sets of friends would play one album side of a band, then another, then another, etc to watch ballgames, play cards, or I might even do some schoolwork with them   Oh, I'd get a Queen request or two in at times (I also wanted to hear album sides I didn't own at the time).  Side Two of 'News', as well as the Side One's of Queen II and 'Sheer Heart Attack' would be made, because more often than not, those guys and gals also owned them.   

I'd never suggest Side 1 of 'News', and it was very rare to hear it. 
Short answer long:  yes and no

[DragonAttack]

NEWS OF THE WORLD - North American Tour



Their fifth tour of North America (not just a USA tour, as there is ONE show in Toronto ).  Yet again, it’ll be in the winter, which will cause problems for a couple of shows. There have been some spectacular shows made available in the last couple of years, Detroit NYC, and Long Beach topping the bill.  And then there’s Houston!

There would be two sold out nights each for Detroit, Philly, NYC, and Long Beach.  There were no warm up bands for this tour.  Concert times ranged from 2-2 1/2 hours.  There were stage changes, the b/w and silver leotards, along with the leather jacket for Freddie.  Freddie on stage in a spotlight during the WWRY tape intro, coming up from the floor at the end of the opera part of BoRhap…..
************

Typical setlist: We Will Rock You (slow/fast)/ Brighton Rock/ Somebody To Love / Medley: Death On Two Legs - Killer Queen - Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy - I'm In Love With My Car - Get Down Make Love - The Millionaire Waltz - You're My Best Friend/ Spread Your Wings/ It's Late/ Sleeping On The Sidewalk/ Liar/ Now I'm Here/ Love Of My Life/ '39/ My Melancholy Blues/ White Man/ vocal/guitar solos/ The Prophet's Song/ Keep Yourself Alive/ Stone Cold Crazy/ Bohemian Rhapsody/ Tie Your Mother Down/

Encore 1:We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions   Encore 2: Sheer Heart Attack, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen

*************
Gone are ‘Ogre Battle’ (other than briefly in the medley in Philly)  and ‘White Queen’…meaning that nothing is played from Queen II !  ‘Bring Back That Leroy Brown’, ‘You Take My Breath Away’, ‘Sweet Lady’, and ‘In The Lap Of The Gods…revisited’ (sadly, but I guess it is time ), as well as  ‘Big Spender’
‘Brighton Rock’ is much shorter, and played earlier in the show without the guitar solo.  ‘I’m In Love With My Car’ and the acoustic duet version of ‘Love Of My Life’ are introduced.  ‘Liar’ is back into the concert proper, as is ‘Now I’m Here’.  ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ is moved from the opener to the concert proper closer, where it would remain for all but a few shows through 1982.   

EIGHT News of the World songs have been added, plus the fast version of ‘We Will Rock You’. A ninth, ‘Sleepin’ On The Sidewalk, would be performed three times.
‘It’s Late’ and ‘Spread Your Wings’ were often alternated. 
It is very odd when listening to these shows for the first time to hear ‘We Will Rock’ and ‘We Are The Champions’ as the first encore.  Many songs are shorter versions, with varying amounts of verses removed.  One begins to get used to that, but certain ones such as ‘We Will Rock You’ are quite jarring.

The North American tour would begin in Portland, Maine on November 11th (Happy Birthday, Mom).  The next show would be in Boston, which is where the live version of ‘Sleepin’ On The Sidewalk’ was taken from for the ‘Raw Sessions’ release.  Sadly, that’s the only song from this show currently available.  Pity
*********

Cobo Hall, Detroit, November 18th, 1977  Attendance: 12,000    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZebe8iBuC0&t=61s    Quality: B+/A-



This is the earliest circulating recording from the News of the World Tour, and it's a truly fantastic show, though ‘Now I’m Here’, ‘Stone Cold Crazy’, and the second encore are missing (which can fixed by borrowing from other shows).  The first of two nights. 

"A woman near the taper keeps shouting "rock and roll!" and "kick him off!" towards Brian May, as she is clearly not enjoying his long and meandering guitar solo after White Man. She even yelled "no!" after Freddie asks everyone if they liked My Melancholy Blues. After the explosion into the tail end of Bohemian Rhapsody, however, she lets out a far more emphatic "rock and roll!" in approval, along with about 12 thousand others - perhaps the best audience reaction to the climax of the song ever captured on tape."  queenlive.ca  (personal bias aside as to my old home state and the great Detroit crowds, I couldn't agree more with the last line of this review )

This is easily in my all time Queen Top Five audience recordings concert list
*************
sidenote: two sold out nights in Detroit. I thought of driving down for this show.  With morning work and a huge Central Michigan-Western Michigan football game that Saturday afternoon, I chose the football game.  A couple guys left at halftime for the three hour drive for Saturday's concert.  Damnit (the Chippewas won, as they often did during that 36-5-1 four year run)

**********************************
Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, November 21st, Attendance: 16,500       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIY-YqBw2ws&t=5488s    Quality: B/B+
Just made available nine months ago.   Absolutely stunning pix on www.queenlive.ca 

There are slight cuts in Ogre Battle and Jailhouse Rock for tape flips. The show is otherwise complete.
After Brian's great solo at the end of Spread Your Wings, an audience member close to the taper says, "He's better than fu*king Page!," of course referring to Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Another is overwhelmed by the power of the music, and exclaims, "I can't handle it." Then, after the nine-and-a-half minute rendition of Liar, he has seemingly hit a state of musical ecstasy and says, "I'm f*cking dying."

JAN. 24th EDIT  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ2DjQZGS7c  Quality of this concert:  A- / B+

"In 2021, the first recording from this show came to light. A year on from then, a much better sounding source covering the first 86 minutes of the show has surfaced. Best of all, it covers all the missing portions from the first tape, making the show musically complete (with some speeches still cut between songs on the 2021 source). Given that the band didn't play 'Spread Your Wings' or 'It's Late' when Mike Millard saw them a month later, this tape features the highest-quality versions of those songs from this tour thus far. This upload is a merge of the two sources created by Ed.

The News of the World Tour was Queen at their peak. The large setlists were packed with many old songs and hits from the new album, and musically speaking the band was firing on all cylinders. Freddie's voice began to really improve on this tour as well; compared to the Toronto gig back in February 1977, he was good there, but he's better here." queenlive.ca


from the ADATR tour, but I forgot to include them then

this is a work in progress.  Philly, NYC, Houston, and Long Beach tonight

[TAC]

OK, good. I've been waiting for you post some show recommendations. I've been searching on youtube, but the quality of recordings from this tour are iffy.

I did listen to a bit of a Euro '78 show, well a few actually, but again, the quality wasn't great. I did enjoy one, but now I forget which show it was. Looking forward to your recs from that leg as well.

[TAC]

That is a GREAT picture.



I love this one from Providence on 11-15-77.



I saw so many concerts in that building as a teenager, and I can show you in that pic where I sat for every one of them.

[DragonAttack]

You need to host a TAC tour 'tour' 

I was so hoping in doing new searches that Dan Lampanski had attended and recorded the Providence show, and that it had recently been made available.  No such luck (yet).

[KevShmev]

Exactly.

I know many fans love this record and the next one, but I think both are more miss than hit.  Then again, I am someone who can name the number of Queen albums that I can listen to from start to finish without ever hitting the skip button on one hand, so I may not be the best judge.

Well, the same applies to me, and we just passed those five.  NOTW is an optional sixth (SHA being removed on the copy when listening to it with the wife).

Their 1991 album is my 1b to Sheer Heart Attack's 1a, so one of my two favorites, and one of the few I pretty much love from start to finish, is still to come.  Will be a rough ride getting there, though. 

[DragonAttack]

Exactly.

I know many fans love this record and the next one, but I think both are more miss than hit.  Then again, I am someone who can name the number of Queen albums that I can listen to from start to finish without ever hitting the skip button on one hand, so I may not be the best judge.

Well, the same applies to me, and we just passed those five.  NOTW is an optional sixth (SHA being removed on the copy when listening to it with the wife).

Their 1991 album is my 1b to Sheer Heart Attack's 1a, so one of my two favorites, and one of the few I pretty much love from start to finish, is still to come.  Will be a rough ride getting there, though. 

Fortunately (and sadly IMO), there were enough good/very good solo offerings and nonalbum B-sides to help fill the holes.   

[DragonAttack]

 the tour continues....

The Spectrum, Philadelphia, November 23rd   Attendance: 18,200   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIZ6OvAd1Ts&t=6134s  Quality: B
Up until 2017, this was the earliest circulating show from the NOTW Tour.  The setlist also has a surprise, as the band perform Ogre Battle (albeit in an abbreviated form) .  'Now I'm Here' is played between BoRhap and TYMD.
*****************
Madison Square Garden New York City, December 1st   Attendance: 20,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYHjmHprGZ0&t=5898s  Quality: B+/B-
Part of 'Jailhouse Rock' and all of GSTQ are missing, as this show ran over two hours.  This was a week after Freddie suffered severe laryngitis at their Landover, Maryland show, and took a thirty minute break because of his condition.
******************
Madison Square Garden, New York City, December 2nd   Attendance: 20,000   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7qyiMNarsU&t=4945s  Quality: B
Brian’s mom and Dad are flown in for their first Stateside concert.  Both shows have your typical NYC energy (and attitude), and Freddie is more than up to the task on both accounts.  'Spread Your Wings', 'It's Late', and 'My Melancholy Blues' are not played this night.  'Doing Alright' (for the last time) and 'Saturday Night's (Alright For Fighting) are played instead.  Odd.
*******************
For the longest time, the 'Holy Grail of concerts' for many (my wife and I each snuck in mini cassette recorders at the ’03 N.A. Convention just to get the audio while watching the following show....)

The Summit, Houston, December 11th   Attendance: 16,000[/b]    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aihbsOW6so&t=58 Quality: A+ Video    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5PoUT39eU&t=2s



The concert was filmed because of an agreement the venue had with many artists who played at the Summit during this period. It is owned by Queen Productions, and there were talks of it finally being made commercially available a decade ago.  Unlike Springsteen and others who have touched up and provided official releases of their performances, time keeps ticking by....

Because it is a soundboard recording, the lack of normal crowd noise is a negative, as well as ‘Spread Your Wings’ and ‘It’s Late’ not being played (along with ‘The Prophet’s Song’) to save room on the film. 

In 1989, ‘My Melancholy Blues’ from this show was released on the UK CD and 12" "The Miracle" vinyl singles .
 
 *   To this day, Houston ‘77 remains the ONLY available completely filmed United States Queen concert.
***************
Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, December 20th    Attendance: 15,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngZMrFIGEx4  Grade:  A+   
 ‘Stone Cold Crazy’ is slightly cut, but yet another high quality audience recording of the late Mike Millard that was just released within the last eighteen months.
********************
LA Forum, Inglewood, California, USA December 22nd   Attendance: 18,000     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEWJ6xrSBgs&t=3748s    Quality: B-
A festive Winter Solstice evening.  The final American NOTW tour show, and with the upcoming holidays, it all adds up to a festive night. It ends at the Guitar Solo, but it does include ‘White Christmas’.  ‘Big Spender’ was even rolled out during the encores.

[DragonAttack]

NEWS OF THE WORLD  European Tour
 


Typical setlist:  We Will Rock You (slow/fast)/ Brighton Rock/ Somebody To Love/ Death On Two Legs/ Killer Queen/ Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy/ I'm In Love With My Car/ Get Down Make Love/ The Millionaire Waltz/ You're My Best Friend/ Spread Your Wings/ It's Late/ Now I'm Here/ Love Of My Life/ '39/ My Melancholy Blues/ White Man/ The Prophet's Song/ guitar solo/ The Prophet's Song (reprise)/ Stone Cold Crazy/ Bohemian Rhapsody/ Keep Yourself Alive/ Tie Your Mother Down/ We Will Rock You/ We Are The Champions/ Sheer Heart Attack/ Jailhouse Rock/ God Save The Queen

First European show
 Johanneshovs Isstadion Stockholm, Sweden April 12th, 1978 Attendance: 9,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cColBVoxUM8&t=4890s   Quality: B+

Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen, Denmark April 13th  Attendance: 2,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucuwz4xqFtE&t=5134s  Quality: A-
great guitar solo it’s late syw  first pix of Frank on the drum, as opposed to the crest

spent $20 on each of these some 20 years ago, now new and improved
 


Pavillon de Paris,  April 23rd  Attendance: 10,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqyat_gBqDM  Quality: B+
Their first show EVER in Paris!

Deutschlandhalle Berlin, West Germany April 28th,    Attendance: 11,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FshGToUqHg&t=5144s     Quality: B+
'Big Spender' is added for the night

the Stadthalle Vienna, Austria May 2nd,   Attendance: 14,100  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eork7chHvLc    Quality: B+
The final time that 'Stone Cold Crazy' would be performed in it's entirety. :'(  Snippets of it would appear briefly in ‘84

On to the UK for a very short tour



Three nights at the Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena)  Only five shows in the UK

May 13th  This is the last show of the News Of The World tour.  The giant crown lighting rig  (the Crown Jewel) would soon be disassembled, and parts of it would be used for ELO's space ship lighting rig, which can be seen on that band's Live At Wembley '78 DVD.
 


(good enough for City work )

[TAC]

The Houston video is freaking awesome. I watched that last week. I love the in house camera angles, especially on Roger.
I downloaded the Long Beach show when it was released on Dime. That guy's shows are not to be missed. I listened again to it last week.

I clicked the link to the Philly show after seeing that Ogre Battle was played, even briefly, and you can hear a fan nearby go "OHH Shit!! in joy. I miss the days when you had no idea what the band was going to play until..they played it.


In preparation, I checked out quite a few of the European shows. Yes, it was the Copenhagen one that was the winner!

[KevShmev]

Fortunately (and sadly IMO), there were enough good/very good solo offerings and nonalbum B-sides to help fill the holes.

I am not really familiar with any of their solo albums except the one Brian May released in 1998, which I like quite a bit, but even though their albums started really getting spotty, IMO, with News of the World, nearly every album still had at least a few major winners.  I could probably do a Queen top 25 and there'd be something on there from nearly album they did from the debut through Innuendo.

[Stadler]

Fortunately (and sadly IMO), there were enough good/very good solo offerings and nonalbum B-sides to help fill the holes.

I am not really familiar with any of their solo albums except the one Brian May released in 1998, which I like quite a bit, but even though their albums started really getting spotty, IMO, with News of the World, nearly every album still had at least a few major winners.  I could probably do a Queen top 25 and there'd be something on there from nearly album they did from the debut through Innuendo.

Right after Maiden? 

[KevShmev]

I wouldn't even think of doing a Queen one until Joe finishes this thread, as I do not want to step on any toes, so let's plan on that for 2023. 

[TAC]

 

He's doing a great job though. Tons of content.

[KevShmev]

Absolutely.

I am just poking a little fun, all good natured of course. 

[Stadler]

Absolutely.

I am just poking a little fun, all good natured of course. 

As am I.  I'm loving all of this and am very, very appreciative of the time and effort being put in by both of you.  With no exaggeration, it's almost an embarrassment of riches.

[DragonAttack]

Thanks, guys 
Just giving people time to with the prior albums and some BBC session songs another spin.

Also impossible to do any of this on a cellphone when some times caretaking for a friend ☹️

Add on Track 11 from the next album, and my plans for having this done by the middle of June are taking a hit.

Kev, just don’t be doing a Beatles, Zeppelin, Yes, Jethro Tull, or Benny Goodman countdowns in the meantime 😀

[DragonAttack]

News of the World album cover



Roger had seen a piece of artwork that first appeared in the October 1953 issue of Astounding Science Fiction magazine.  In keeping with the new image they wanted to present for 'News Of The World', they approached the artist Frank Kelly Freas to recreate the piece with the robot mutilating the band members instead.



In Norfolk, Virginia, at the Norfolk Scope, capacity 11,000, Queen played to a sold out show on November 25th, 1977.  On the day after the show, the band stopped at the Chrysler Museum of Art for a meet and greet with the artist.

Freas had an exhibit at the museum at the time, including the original robot painting.





An interesting article in this magazine, about how the budget for the 50's movie 'War of the Worlds' came out to a whopping $2 million dollars.

And to bore you, I wrote a five page paper for a college Composition class relating the similarities between the NOTW album cover to the movie 'Forbidden Planet', and how the monster (success) from their dreams was becoming too big, and was going to destroy the band and others.  Got an A- :tupI like to believe I was more 'semi compulsive' than 'obsessive' over the 40+ years since the album was released. 


An interesting documentary that was included on the NOTW box set https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckdFuW-sTTo   



coming up Friday or Saturday....Bi-cycle, bi-cycle, bi-cylce...............