QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you

[TAC]

 

[DragonAttack]

Well, sometimes life and strife intrudes on the hundreds of hours something like this takes. I have even more admiration for TAC and Orbert and others who have taken on these types of endeavors.   

Or, the wife, and a couple days away, part of which was to see Jordan.  What a delight!  My wife rated it as one of her ten best concert or theater experiences

One hell of a treat to hear him play the piano AND sing 'Beneath the Surface'. And show off his skills of eight months on guitar.  He is amazingly gifted (understatement)

the remainder of the last Queen North American tour later tonight.

[TAC]

Or, the wife, and a couple days away, part of which was to see Jordan.  What a delight!  My wife rated it as one of her ten best concert or theater experiences

One hell of a treat to hear him play the piano AND sing 'Beneath the Surface'. And show of his skills of eight months on guitar.  He is amazingly gifted (understatement)

That's really cool!

[DragonAttack]

Hope I enjoy Petrucci's show as half as much. If so, it’ll be fantastic  .

anyhoo,  back to the 'Rock n' America Tour'.....


Brendan Byrne Arena,  East Rutherford, New Jersey,  August 9th   Attendance: 14,000   https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcK_ejDYMMY&t=3797      Quality: B
‘Life Is Real’ is played for one of a handful of times. 

Quoting Ryan Newton: “This show was a clusterf*ck!  It ranks as one of their worst.”  Both Freddie’s and Roger’s voices are bad, a steady drone can be heard throughout, and Brian tosses his backup Red Special over the amps in a fit of rage during the guitar solo.
The arena was only 70% capacity.  A second show was cancelled due to poor sales.
******
New Haven, Connecticut, August 10th
Concert footage from this show appeared later on an 'Entertainment Tonight' show during an interview with Freddie   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywyzFJYGOig
*******
Poplar Creek Music Theatre, Hoffman Estates, Illinois,  August 13th,   Attendance: 20,000 https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYnNcA82GAk  Quality: A-
An outdoor venue in a Chicago suburb. Acoustics aren’t the best, but it’s one of the best shows of this leg of the tour.  The only other taped performance of ‘Life Is Real’
*********
Other concerts followed, including Dallas: (12,000 attendance, 65% capacity),   Denver (10,000, 60%),  and Vancouver (10,000, 65%).

Alameda County Coliseum Arena,  Oakland, California, September 7th   Attendance: 15,000   https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8pdYC2GsvM   Quality/ A-   (actual attendance 10,900)
‘Put Out The Fire’ included in the ‘Now I’m Here’ medley. This tape is missing the second encore.  ‘Somebody To Love’ and ‘Staying Power’ not included.  Freddie’s voice is off again.

A good performance, and yet another high quality recording with a typically enthusiastic Oakland crowd.  It's also the last available tape of a Queen concert in the States.
*********


LA Forum, Inglewood, California, September 14 and 15
The original tour itinerary also had them listed for the 17th and 18th.  Once again, poor sales resulted in cancelled shows.  Only 20,000 total were in attendance for both nights (27,000 capacity)

The final nights of the North American tour. On one of those nights, Lisa Marie Presley once stated that the first rock concert she attended was by Queen in Los Angeles in the late seventies. After the concert she met Freddie Mercury backstage and gave him a scarf that belonged to her late father. queenlive.ca

 For a bit of fun, they play ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’ before ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, and Billy Squier joins them onstage to help with backing vocals during ‘Jailhouse Rock’, inserted into the encore.


Sadly, there are no Grade A quality Mike Millard tapes of these shows as in prior years, or any tapes available for that matter.  Sadder still,
September 15th, 1982 would be the last time Queen would perform a concert in North America.

**********
Sidenote: Brian and Roger would not perform on stage together in the States for another twenty years, at Club 1650 after they got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. My wife and I (and my Hot Space tee shirt ) would get to meet them before the show on Day One of our honeymoon



A ten day break after the LA shows would follow.

Tomorrow:  'Saturday Night Live'

[KevShmev]

Well, sometimes life and strife intrudes on the hundreds of hours something like this takes. I have even more admiration for TAC and Orbert and others who have taken on these types of endeavors.   

All in good fun, sir. Take your time. 

[DragonAttack]

Phew!  Good, because I forgot about a couple of other releases, so this might take until 2066! 

Nah, I better speed it up, because by then, they'll probably release another dozen compilations with a few unofficially released demos finally polished up to their satisfaction. And that will only add on even more weeks (years).

Besides, *I* am looking forward to having the last century’s recaps done by the end of September.  The releases this century of ‘QUEEN’ will mostly be a one paragraph recap, while referencing the page in this thread that has those specific original comments…..

because *I* want to (re)visit so many shows I never had the time to watch or listen to this year….many of which were new to my eyes and ears as I fell a bit too far into the concert’ ‘rabbit hole’.

The ‘plus’ stuff will be commented on as time goes along afterwards, but much of that I’d probably do in a different thread….if and when I get the urge….next year. 

Also…., I don't want to be a centenarian with this still hanging over my head..........as you do your newest Taylor Swift countdown

[DragonAttack]

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

30 Rockefeller Center, Studio 8H, New York City, September 25th  Attendance: 285 or so
 

Photo used during the opening credits
 https://snl.fandom.com/wiki/September_25,_1982?file=Queen.jpg 

and Chevy Chase during the show  https://snl.fandom.com/wiki/September_25,_1982?file=Chevy_s8.jpeg (sorry that the images won't show here)

The season opener, with the original cast having departed for a year or so, now with the 'new' headliners Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo. The host for the night is Chevy Chase (his third time since leaving). The show opens with Chase announcing from a TV screen that because of a missed flight, he would have to host the show via satellite from California. (the first preCovid 'Zoom' host?)  He prepares to begin the first skit, but a stagehand accidentally knocks over his TV (a spoof of his Gerald Ford pratfalls).  [roll credits]

For his opening monologue, he speaks from a broken TV at the foot of the stage.

At the regular point of the show for the musical guests, Chase rambled on until Danny DeVito appears, pushes the TV aside, and simply says, "Ladies and gentlemen.  Queen" 

'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mmLxAZ5NqA    (thanks to NBC, the official version isn’t allowed……)



The song they perform later on is 'Under Pressure'    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deg7p4BNQOU        Freddie’s voice cracks throughout both songs, after having gotten into a now well documented shouting match the night before with boyfriend Bill Reid.  Roger steps up to try and help cover up this shortcoming.

All these years later, I still remember the buzz and excitement for this season opening show, mixed in with a bit of trepidation (man, they better not play 'Body Language!!!!  )  Watched it with my best friend and roommate who'd gone to the Kalamazoo '78 and Detroit '80 and '82 shows with me, along with a few others.

The first time I heard the two songs live other than in concert.  And, little did I or anyone else know at the time, that this would be Queen's last performance on American soil.



tonight:  on to Japan
   

 

[TAC]

Those links didn't work Joe..

I found these:
CLTCL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mmLxAZ5NqA

UP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deg7p4BNQOU
I like the almost spoken word during the 2nd verse.


The thing is, it was clearly not Freddie's best night, but I loved the performance!




Sept 25, 1982 was 3 days after I turned 14. I had just started high school a couple of weeks earlier.

I watched SNL every week during this time as this is my favorite cast. Don Kirshner's Rock Concert used to come on right after SNL. Great days.

[DragonAttack]

^
Thanks, Tim!

The links from my Word doc worked, but they still wouldn't when I retried this morning.  So I went to the websites themselves just now and copied/pasted back into my post, and they now work.  Still can't get those first two images to show up.   I am going to hate it if I have to do that for all of the links I have already stored, but at least I'll make sure to look ahead of my posts.  Once again, 'thank you'.

Yeah, I thought the performances were good.  I thought bits were simply 'nerves'.  Also, it's not like any of the bands that appeared could start a bit slow and get into a flow.  Do a song, sit for a half hour, then do another.  It wasn't until I read about the background that I really took note (and that was decades later).

SNL started during my senior year of HS, and it wasn't long before I'd stop at a friend's house and there might be 5-10 of us watching.  College was somewhat similar. 
*******
any way the wind blows.....we had gusts of 85 MPH come through here a few nights ago ahead of a rainstorm.  Fortunately, only lost one big limb off one of our trees, with intermittent flickers of lost power that night, unlike the 50,000 that lost power in our county, some who just got it back this morning. 

Then we had an 'active shooter' a block away last night.  A dozen or so police and SWAT members were called in.  No injuries, just some frazzled nerves.  Even the 'sleepiest' of neighborhoods......

Japan '82 to be posted some time during The Open.

[DragonAttack]

JAPAN Hot Space Tour
 


A  two week + break, and then on to Japan for six shows to conclude this seven month tour.



No idea about the drum head, but Roger’s face has ‘disappeared’ for good.
 
Memorial Gymnasium, Fukuoka, Japan October 19th Attendance: 2,000   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqKMSDpT2Yo  Grade:  A-
The set lists for this leg of the tour would basically be the same as the end of the North American tour.  The final performance of ‘Back Chat’.  Elton’s ‘Saturday Night’s (Alright For Fighting)’ is played for the first time since ’77.  An off night, but a great recording.
**************
The second night   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKAXzWG723Y 

‘The Hero’ and ‘We Will Rock You [fast] return as the openers, as ‘Rock It’ is dropped.  This is only 26 minutes, but it does have the return of this great opener intact.


L-R Paul Prenter, ‘Crystal’ Taylor (Mister 'Bobbing Head' at the beginning of Milton Keynes) and ? standing
**************
Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium, Nishinomiya, October 24th      Attendance: 35,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTOWl9sGSQA      Grade:  A / A-

This would be the last time that the full version of ‘Somebody To Love’ would ever be played.  <sigh> (replacing ‘Play The Game’)  A minute of ‘Spread Your Wings’  and ‘Saturday Night’ are improvised  before ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.   ‘Jailhouse Rock’ makes its one time Japan appearance as an encore.  Although the band is in pretty good form here, there are still moments where they sound a bit tired.  It’s still the best Japan ’82 show.
**************
International Exhibition Hall, Nagoya, October 26th,   Attendance: 20,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuJEJUwg3A0  Quality:  A

‘Rock It’ replaces ‘The Hero’.  ‘Play The Game’ replaces ‘Somebody To Love’.  Quite a bit of good improvising done throughout the show.
***************
Tsukisamu Green Dome, Sapporo, October 29th,   Attendance: 5,800   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZA7XWepa9Q&t=944s   Quality: A/B+

‘Teo Torriate’ is finally played (replacing ‘Save Me’), one of two times the song is played in full.  A dress rehearsal for the final show.  The final performance of ‘Rock It’.  Freddie is hit or miss during the night, and the show does sound rushed, as if they need a break.  The intro of ‘Death On Two Legs’ is played again before ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.  A nice vocal improv during ‘We Will Rock You’.
***************
Tokorozawa, Japan, Seibu Lions Stadium, November 3rd, Attendance:  35,000 +   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5qIycQIobs&list=PLHCF7sLluO6HGYdqlCNNAQ3yGaMU8a_pj   Quality: A  (Chinwonder2  divided it up, but this guy is good)
or undivided  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYpwPWC9fy4  with video footage inserted (see next post)

Setlist:   
Flash (tape)/ The Hero/ We Will Rock You (fast)/ Action This Day/ Play The Game/ Calling All Girls/ Now I'm Here/ Put Out The Fire/ Dragon Attack/ Now I'm Here (reprise)/ Love Of My Life/ Save Me/ Get Down Make Love/ guitar solo/ Body Language/ Under Pressure/ Fat Bottomed Girls/ Crazy Little Thing Called Love/ Bohemian Rhapsody/ Tie Your Mother Down

Encore 1:  Teo Torriatte/ Another One Bites The Dust   Encore 2 We Will Rock You/ We Are The Champions/ God Save The Queen

The full version of ‘Teo Torriate’  is played in the encore, the last time it would be performed.  Not even an edited version would occur in '85.  ODD.   

The final night of a tour that started in Gothenburg, Sweden in April.  There is no doubt that the band were looking forward to some time off, as the tempos of many songs are quite fast (or are there other ‘influences’😉).  Still, the band are clearly having fun on stage at many points during this last show (as seen on the video), particularly during ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’. Freddie even stops playing his guitar for a couple bars to have a quick swig of beer. It is perhaps the definitive version of the song, with a long jam at the end, prominently highlighting Fred Mandel on the piano. This would be Mandel's last show with the band. He would go on to play with artists like Supertramp and Sir Elton John, one of his idols.

The tour would see Queen's final performances of The Hero, We Will Rock You [fast], Rock It, Action This Day, Play The Game, Calling All Girls, Put Out The Fire, Save Me, Get Down Make Love, Body Language, Fat Bottomed Girls, and Teo Torriate (not played in Japan in ’85 (?)), the full versions of Staying Power and Somebody To Love.

The band's next concert would not take place until August of ’84. They would take a well deserved break for most of the following year (as well as perhaps a needed break as 'Queen'). 
 

[DragonAttack]

 QUEEN LIVE IN JAPAN

If you've been following along, you've seen all the official concert videos that are now available:  Rainbow '74, Hammersmith Odeon '75,  Montreal '81, and Milton Keynes '82.  There have been the unofficial releases, complete and incomplete, of: Hyde Park '76, Earl's Court '77, Houston '78, Paris and Hammersmith '79, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo '81.

This would actually be the first live video that was released on VHS, and that took place in 1983.



Tokorozawa, Japan  November 3rd
Produced for Raincloud Productions 
58 minutes

VIDEO:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLUXhCqtodw   

Flash (Intro) / The Hero / Now I'm Here  / Put Out The Fire / Dragon Attack / Love Of My Life / Save Me / Guitar Solo / Under Pressure / Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Bohemian Rhapsody / Tie Your Mother Down / Teo Torriate/ We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions / God Save The Queen

This has a superb video for 'Bohemian Rhapsody'...and ending...and so much more.  Not all of this was included on the ‘Live At The Bowl’ DVD.  Pity. It's also a pity that all of the concert was not made available.  From reading the reviews, and checking in on the entire show, Freddie's voice was not in the best of shape at times, so various songs were cut.

A real treat back in the day, to have sat down with the wife in '02 for my first viewing. And of course, being the collector that she was, she had a Japanese copy.

[TAC]

Tokorozawa, Japan  November 3rd
Produced for Raincloud Productions 
58 minutes

VIDEO   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYpwPWC9fy4   

I dropped the needle in the middle of this during Now I'm Here. Brian has a great rocking solo.

Cool seeing Brian play the piano at the start of Save Me. Joe, was it always this way, or did Freddie ever do it?
Obviously Fred Mandel takes over from there.

Joe, does the actual VHS have the screen stills?

[DragonAttack]

Tokorozawa, Japan  November 3rd
Produced for Raincloud Productions 
58 minutes

VIDEO   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYpwPWC9fy4   

I dropped the needle in the middle of this during Now I'm Here. Brian has a great rocking solo.

Cool seeing Brian play the piano at the start of Save Me. Joe, was it always this way, or did Freddie ever do it?
Obviously Fred Mandel takes over from there.

Joe, does the actual VHS have the screen stills?

    D'oh! 

Try this one  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLUXhCqtodw  I fixed the original post.

[DragonAttack]

Happy 75th, Doctor May! 

[TAC]

Our generous host has requested some Spotify streaming numbers from the Milton Keyes and Montreal live albums..


On Fire: Live At The Bowl

Flash Intro...663k
The Hero...608k
We Will Rock You (fast)....768k
Action This Day....563k
Play The Game...687k
Staying Power....1.06m
Somebody To Love....3.2m
Now I'm Here....487k
Dragon Attack....492k
Now I'm Here (reprise)....348k
Love Of My Life....1.17m
Save Me....660k
Back Chat...522k.
Get Down Make Love....361k
Guitar Solo....333k
Under Pressure....822k
Fat Bottomed Girls....949k
Crazy Little Thing Called Love....1.0m
Bohemian Rhapsody....972k
Tie Your Mother Down....465k
Another One Bites The Dust....803k
Sheer Heart Attack....360k
We Will Rock You....578k
We Are The Champions....564k
God Save The Queen....321



Queen Rock Montreal

Intro....1.9m
We Will Rock You (Fast)....3.8m
Let Me Entertain You....3.1m
Play the Game....3.6m
Somebody to Love....10.4m
Killer Queen....4.8m
I'm In Love With My Car....2.8m
Get Down, Make Love....2.2m
Save Me....4.3m
Now I'm Here....2.0m
Dragon Attack...2.2m
Now I'm Here (Reprise)....1.4m
Under Pressure....5.3m
Keep Yourself Alive....2.4m
Drum solo....1.5m
Guitar solo...1.2m
Flash....2.0m
The Hero....1.6m
Crazy Little Thing Called Love....3.8m
Jailhouse Rock....2.3m
Bohemian Rhapsody....10.5m
Tie Your Mother Down....2.2m
Another One Bites the Dust....3.8m
Sheer Heart Attack....
Jailhouse Rock....1.6m
We Will Rock You....11.3m
We Are the Champions....6.8m
God Save the Queen....1.7m

[DragonAttack]

Our generous host has requested some Spotify streaming numbers from the Milton Keyes and Montreal live albums..


On Fire: Live At The Bowl

Staying Power....1.06m
Somebody To Love....3.2m
Love Of My Life....1.17m
Under Pressure....822k
Fat Bottomed Girls....949k
Crazy Little Thing Called Love....1.0m
Bohemian Rhapsody....972k
Another One Bites The Dust....803k

Queen Rock Montreal

Somebody to Love....10.4m
Killer Queen....4.8m
Under Pressure....5.3m
Crazy Little Thing Called Love....3.8m
Bohemian Rhapsody....10.5m
Tie Your Mother Down....2.2m
Another One Bites the Dust....3.8m
We Will Rock You....11.3m
We Are the Champions....6.8m

As always, 'thank you, Tim!' 

Nothing real shocking about the comparative totals above for each album.  Always surprised that WWRY gets more views than WATC.

I was quite surprised at how the Montreal totals were so much higher than Milton Keynes.  I thought it would be the other way around.

[DragonAttack]

1983

A year that resulted in one spontaneous solo album, with the start of a band project near the end of the year.  That would also include the unreleased tracks 'Let Me In Your Heart Again' and Freddie's recordings with Rod Stewart on 'Let Me Live'.



Brian moved to LA to sort things out after losing interest at the end of the last tour. Roger somewhat started a new LP (in '82 he did play drums on Kansas' 'Play The Game Tonight' (of all titles).  John wrote, produced, and played bass on a rap track by Man Friday & Jive Junior called 'Picking Up Sounds'.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H-vjCQFcw4 (never been able to make it through more than thirty seconds).  A tough period for him, because as he admitted, since he could not sing, there really was no opportunity of him doing any real type of solo work.

Freddie also moved to LA, and totally immersed himself in the gay underground scene.  He also worked on three songs with Michael Jackson.  It was MJ who suggested that 'Another One Bites The Dust' should be released as a single after Queen's LA Forum show in '80.



And it's likely the topic of working on something together came about after their last performance in the States in '82



A few sessions took place in '83, resulting in

There Must Be More To Life demo    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xCWGimFcEM
State of Shock     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax3FOTiWwz0 
They also worked on ‘Victory’.

Whether there was cocaine use by Freddie in the studio, or he got tired of having MJ's llama in the recording studio, nothing would see the light of day until three decades later of their work together.  Freddie's version of 'There Must Be More To Life Than This' would appear on his solo album in '85.

Also during '83, Freddie (at Paul Prenter's insistence?) was so upset with Elektra records, ending the band's contract, with Queen signing on with Capitol Records.

this afternoon: Brian's two day 'Star Fleet Project' (with notable friends)

[DragonAttack]

BRIAN MAY + FRIENDS   STARFLEET PROJECT
Released:  October 31, 1983 UK (EMI), USA (Capitol)
Charts:  UK #35, USA #125

Singles:  Star Fleet b/w Son Of Star Fleet
Charts: UK #65: USA, Canada, Germany, Spain, Argentina (DNC)



PRODUCED BY BRIAN MAY
Recorded at the Record Plant, Los Angeles, California, April 21-22, 1983
Mixed at SARM East and SARM West, London, England
Mixed by: Mack
Engineered by: Mike Beiriger
Additional Engineering by: Nick Froome

Vocals & Guitars: BRIAN MAY
GUITAR: EDWARD VAN HALEN (Edward Van Halen appears courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.)
Drums: ALAN GRATZER (Alan Gratzer appears courtesy of Epic Records)
Bass: PHIL CHEN
Keyboards: FRED MANDEL

(Roger did provide some BVs added on later)

********
SIDE ONE
Star Fleet (Paul Bliss / arr. May)   8:04
Let Me Out  (May)   7:13

SIDE TWO
Blues Breaker  (May /Edward Van Halen / Alan Gratzer / Phil Chen / Fred Mandel)  12:48
Album audio  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zux1-a2rRHc
********
Star Fleet 45  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16UypAOUMXk
VIDEO   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16UypAOUMXk&t=1s
Son of Starfleet  inst  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQTLyWz-R2s.
 
Inner sleeve and liner notes  http://www.queenvault.com/linernotes/starfleetprojectlinernotes.html


Inspired by Brian’s son’s love of the TV show.
Nice to have neighbors like Alan Gratzer (drummer for REO Speedwagon), Phil Chen, and Fred Mandel (who played keyboards with Queen in North America and Japan in ’82).  Oh, and some guy by the name of Eddie Van Halen.  Quite the two day session.

I totally fell for ‘Let Me Out’ all those decades ago. The mixing on this is very much of ‘The Game’ era, and I would have loved to have seen it appear on that album, especially since Brian said it was an ‘old’ song.  It also provided me with another song (along with Roger's 'Let's Get Crazy') to help me fix up Side One of 'Hot Space'.

The various versions of the title track are quirky, and the video is silly fun.  ‘Bluesbreaker’ is a bit tedious at twelve minutes, but there are many shining moments of Brian, Eddie, and Fred to make it worth a listen or two.


 

[DragonAttack]

'Star Fleet Project' is available on two CD formats. It was first re-issued as part of May's 'Back to the Light' single, in two CDs: the first featured 'Star Fleet' and 'Let Me Out', the second 'Blues Breaker'.
In 1993, the songs were re-issued as tracks 6-8 of the Japanese mini-album 'Resurrection'.

Brian talked about revisiting this after Eddie's death.....but he tends to make those types of statements of various other projects at times (Earl's Court, Hammersmith '79 etc......)
https://www.vhnd.com/2021/08/06/brian-may-on-planned-star-fleet-reissue-unheard-eddie-van-halen-solos/
 




PHIL CHEN:  He first joined Jimmy James and the Vagabonds in 1965, then became a session musician.  He went on to record with Donovan on his album Cosmic Wheels (1973), Jeff Beck on ‘Blow by Blow’ and parts of ‘Wired’, and Joan Armatrading on Back to the Night (1975).He also joined the Butts Band, led by Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, and recorded their 1974 self-titled debut with them.

Chen joined Rod Stewart band performing on three of his most famous albums, "Blondes Have More Fun", "Foot Loose & Fancy Free" and "Foolish Behaviour" and performed on some of his biggest hits such as "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", "Young Turks" and "Hot Legs".

Other musicians with whom Chen performed and recorded include Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, Desmond Dekker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Jackson Browne, Dave Edmunds, and Linda Lewis, among others.[5][4]

In 2004, he joined Krieger and Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek in their Doors reformation, Manzarek–Krieger. He was also a member of their Doors tribute band Riders on the Storm.

Phil Chen passed away last December at the age of 75.



Alan Gratzer was a founding member of REO Speedwagon with Neil Doughty back in ’66.  He stayed on until September ’88, leaving  to open a restaurant, a short time before Gary Richrath left (was fired) in ’89. 





Alan Gratzer, Brian May, Phil Chen, Fred Mandel, Eddie Van Halen

[Kwyjibo]

This is a fun little thing.

Yes, the Bluesbreakers session is a bit long, but it's interesting to hear that Eddie sounds like Eddie, even when he plays the blues.

[TAC]

Ooh, I gotta check these out! Eddie Van Halen? Cozy Powell?

When I saw Brian in '93, he had Cozy with him, and Neil Murray.

[DragonAttack]

This is a fun little thing.

Yes, the Bluesbreakers session is a bit long, but it's interesting to hear that Eddie sounds like Eddie, even when he plays the blues.

I have an easier time distinguishing who is playing lead on this than I do on 'Let Me Out'.  It was a needed break for me at the time to hear sessions where it's mainly just music and fun, no desire for any sort of mega hit.  It was all for fun, and by so, nothing sounds dated.

Ooh, I gotta check these out! Eddie Van Halen? Cozy Powell?

When I saw Brian in '93, he had Cozy with him, and Neil Murray.

Oh, you mean the Scottish bass player who played with Whitesnake, Brian, Black Sabbath and Gary Moore?   It's been a 'six degrees of Kevin Bacon....er, Gary Moore throughout this tread.  And he'll get another couple of mentions later on.

later today:  Felix Taylor inspires his dad to write his first Top Ten and #1 hit.

[Stadler]

Ooh, I gotta check these out! Eddie Van Halen? Cozy Powell?

When I saw Brian in '93, he had Cozy with him, and Neil Murray.

I saw that tour as well.   Cozy was so good.

[Schurftkut]

Cozy died 6 weeks before i saw them. Brian brought Eric Singer as the drummer

[DragonAttack]

Ooh, I gotta check these out! Eddie Van Halen? Cozy Powell?

When I saw Brian in '93, he had Cozy with him, and Neil Murray.

I saw that tour as well.   Cozy was so good.

Of course, you ers saw that tour!      I did not, due to my work relief not showing up on time.

I'll comment and complain further, while I look forward to your accounts when we get to Brixton.

Cozy died 6 weeks before i saw them. Brian brought Eric Singer as the drummer

Such a loss, and a tragic incident   As to Brian, finding happiness on the road (finally) after being around Freddie during those final years, to lose Cozy was such a gut punch.  Music is supposed to bring some joy and happiness, right?  <sigh>

[DragonAttack]

RADIO GA GA b/w I Go Crazy 

Released:  January 16, 1984

Charts:  UK #2, USA #16

#1 in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden
#2 in Australia, Austria, Norway
Switzerland #3, New Zealand #4, South Africa #4, Canada #11, France #28

Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) #1 

2018:  Canada #25, Japan #37, US Hot Rock (Billboard) #17, Italy #80

2019:  US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)   #23

Certifications: Platinum in UK, USA, and Italy
Gold in Denmark

VIDEO  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azdwsXLmrHE  277 MILLION VIEWS



Recorded August September 1983 at The Record Plant, Los Angeles
Written by Roger Taylor
Produced by Queen and Mack

5:48 (7" album version)
4:23 (USA radio edit)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpqjthbjLZg
6:53 (12" extended version)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGCbbm_aijY
6:01 (12" instrumental version)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKltU4Uslxs

I Go Crazy (Brian May)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5c5V1koCaE
***********
My first 12” single record, purchased only because it had the non album song ‘I Go Crazy’ (a real shame that it wasn’t included on the album). The extended and instrumental versions are basically the same, and quite boring.
But it currently goes for $64 on Amazon!

I much prefer the USA radio edit.  It’s shorter, and besides, I’m not that much of a fan of the song.  Plodding, programmed drums, Roger’s infatuation with ‘robotic machine’ vocals. 

Oh, but those live versions!  :DShorter intro, faster pace, real drums, and the guilty fun of doing the raised hand claps!    Roger can somewhat thank his then young son Felix for the ‘Radio Ca Ca’ line, and this did give Queen the distinction of being one of the few bands with all four band members writing chart topping singles.

Of note: Freddie in a tank top, John with an Afro.  The image of the band certainly changed in less than five years.

[Stadler]

I love this song, and I agree, some of the live versions - I'm thinking of one in particular - are amazing.

[The Curious Orange]

Kept off the UK Number One spot by Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax. Looking back now, the two songs seem years apart. Odd that a song about radio was kept off the top spot by a song that was banned from radio...

After discovering the Greatest Hits album, this was my first new Queen...

[DragonAttack]

I love this song, and I agree, some of the live versions - I'm thinking of one in particular - are amazing.

A couple dozen more version coming up in the next few weeks .....

Kept off the UK Number One spot by Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax. Looking back now, the two songs seem years apart. Odd that a song about radio was kept off the top spot by a song that was banned from radio...

After discovering the Greatest Hits album, this was my first new Queen...

Interesting observation   And, the new Queen had to be a bit jarring....

[DragonAttack]

THE WORKS

Released:  UK (EMI) February 27, 1984  USA (Capitol) February 28, 1984
Charts:  UK #2, USA #23

The Netherlands #1, Austria #2, Norway #2,  Sweden #3, Switzerland #3, West Germany #3, Japan #7, New Zealand #9, Australia #12, France #14, Canada #22

Certifications:  Platinum in UK, Gold in USA
Gold in Italy, The Netherlands, Spain
Platinum in Austria, Canada, West Germany,  Poland, Switzerland
2x Platinum in Australia   

Singles: 
Radio Ga Ga b/w I Go Crazy
Released:  January 16
Charts and certifications already listed.
*****************
I Want To Break Free b/w Machines 
Released: April 2, UK (EMI), USA (Capitol)

Charts: UK #3, USA #45
#1 in Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa
Ireland #2, Switzerland #2, EUROPE #3, West Germany #4, Spain #5, New Zealand #6, Australia #8, France #9, 

2018: Sweden #11, US Hot Rock #16, Hungary #18, Canada #33, Poland #59

Certifications:  Platinum in UK, USA, Italy
Gold in Denmark

VIDEO  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Mc-NYPHaQ  528 MILLION VIEWS

(there are other links with 175 million views, and another with 101 million)
***************************
It’s A Hard Life b/w Is This The World We Created 
Released:  USA (Capitol) July 6, UK (EMI) July 16

Charts: UK #6, USA #72
Ireland #2, Netherlands #4, Germany #26, New Zealand #30, Belgium #30

Video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHP-qgzUVLM  34 MILLION VIEWS
************************
Hammer To Fall (45 version) b/w Tear It Up UK #13 USA (DNC)
Released:  UK (EMI) September 10,  USA (Capitol) October 12

Charts:  UK #13, USA (DNC)
South Africa #3, Poland #24, Australia #55

1992: US #35

2018: USA Billboard Hot Rock #23, Japan #88

Certifications:
Silver in UK

VIDEO (45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU5LMG3WFBw  22 MILLION VIEWS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Works_(Queen_album)
 


Produced by: QUEEN / MACK
Engineered by MACK
Recorded at: The Record Plant and Musicland Studios, August 83-January 84
Thanks to Fred Mandel for rip-roaring piano finale on 'Prow', synthesizer arrangement and programming on 'Radio GaGa'.  Also synth on 'Break Free' and candy-floss on 'Hammer To Fall'.
Demolition Fairlight programming on 'Machines' by Mack

This is the first album to come to you through the EMI-CAPITOL Organisation world wide.

SIDE ONE
Radio Ga Ga (Taylor) 5:50
Tear It Up (May) 3:25
It's A Hard Life (Mercury) 4:05
Man On The Prowl (Mercury) 3:25

SIDE TWO
Machines (or 'Back To Humans') (May/Taylor)  5:08
I Want To Break Free (Deacon)  3:19
Keep Passing The Open Windows (Mercury)  5:21
Hammer To Fall (May)   4:25
Is This The World We Created...? (Mercury/May)   2:13

*******
2011 Universal reissue bonus disc
I Go Crazy" (B-side to "Radio Ga Ga")/ I Want to Break Free (Single remix) / Hammer to Fall (Headbanger's mix) /   
Is This the World We Created...? (Live in Rio, '85) / It's a Hard Life (Live in Rio, '85) / Thank God It's Christmas (Non-album single, Nov. 84)

ALBUM AUDIO  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LU53U0L_No
(if you click ‘SHOW MORE’, you can go song to song with its time stamps)
******
A great set of bonus selections.  The extended version of ‘It’s A Hard Life’, is my favorite version of the song, but it is not included.  Live versions of  ‘I Want To Break Free’, ‘Hammer To Fall’, and of course ‘Radio Ga Ga’ should have been added.

Demos exist of ‘Let Me In Your Heart Again’, ‘Let Me Live’, and ‘Love Kills’, which would be released in one form or another later on.  Roger’s ‘Man On Fire’ (coming soon) was also worked on at this time, as well as what would be Freddie’s ‘There Must Be More To Life’ than this.  It was bumped for ‘Is This The World We Created?’ for the album.  Two high quality songs that should have both found their way on this release.

Man Made Paradise (Mercury),  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp_ALAEE8F4  interview
Love Kills (Mercury/Moroder), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcgBgJCaC-M

 Sorry/You Are The Only One, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBu3OhsplsQ

Coming On Far Too Strong, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvgYXw2hC30

Whipping Boy, Take Another Piece Of My Heart....  were other demos

************
 

This was an OK album for me.  It was an improvement over its predecessor (what wouldn’t have been?), but that excitement I had with prior purchases was now met with more than a bit of trepidation. 

The title is referenced by the band as 'throwing in the kitchen sink', more  back to more of their roots.  It was also the name of a gay nightclub that Freddie frequented during his time in The Big Apple.

And the cover is an homage to the sleeve for 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.

For the DT fans who thought that ADToE was a copy of 'Images & Words', well.....'Tear It Up' from 'We Will Rock You', 'It's A Hard Life' from 'Play The Game', 'Man On The Prowl' from 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' ...  would like to have some words with you. 

As is, IMHO,  if they'd have included 'I Go Crazy' before 'Man On The Prowl' on side one, and used Roger's 'Man On Fire' or 'It's An Illusion' from his upcoming solo album (and worked on during these sessions) in place of 'Machines', you'd have a damn fine album.  As well as using the extended version of 'It's A Hard Life'.

And then there's the demos that we wouldn't hear for over three decades shined up and polished, and it would have been an absolute killer album.   But it sold well outside of North America as is.

‘Keep Passing The Open Windows’ is one of my top 20 Queen songs, in spite of (or because) of Freddie stealing Joe Jackson’s ‘Stepping Out’ piano.  I always envisioned a video of this song, having a sped up camera racing through a ‘metropolis’ of skyscrapers during various segments of the song, and then sped up even more during the instrumental middle 

Brian continues his real hard edge rock lead guitar in 'Hammer To Fall', just as he did in 'Put Out The Fire'.  Fred Mandel provided some great piano work in 'Man On The Prowl', and also provided the famous non-guitar synth in 'I Want To Break Free' (John just ain't gonna let Brian have a lead guitar segment in his songs....).

Some smart and actual political lyrics throughout, and then the closing 'Is This The World We Created....?  Damn, a little two minute mellow song with more meaning than most of their last three albums.

With the introduction of 12" vinyl singles, and their extended (and too often boring) versions finding a foothold at this time, I'll do a separate post of them and all the single covers tomorrow.

[DragonAttack]

TAC was kind enough to send the Spotify numbers before his vacation..

Queen-The Works

Radio Gaga...400.1m
Tear It Up...5.9m
It's A Hard Life...66m
Man On The Prowl....3.5m
Machines (Or Back To Humans)....2.7m
I Want To Break Free....175m
Keep Passing The Open Windows....3.3m
Hammer To Fall....19m
Is This The World We Created?....8.9m

Thank you, Tim

[KevShmev]

Hammer to Fall is a top 5 Queen song for me, always. 

Is This the World We Created? is a tasty little tune as well.

I like I Want to Break Free quite a bit, as I was used to the greatest hits version before I heard the album version, I didn't care for the album version with the intro and middle instrumental section both missing. 

Radio Ga Ga is really good, but the studio version leaves me a bit hollow. The live version at Wembley is money.

I don't much of Tear It Up on the album, but the little the excerpt they did of in the In the Lap/Seven Seas/Tear It Up medley on the Wembley concert was really nice. 

Of the rest, Man on the Prowl is the only other one I like.

Just a weird album overall, one I never listen to anymore.  Like many Queen albums, it has songs I listen to often, but it's just not an album I feel I need to give full listens anymore.

[TAC]

I know three songs on this album, and I'll run through the rest when I get home and post my thoughts.

That said, I scanned the writing credits looking for the Deacon tunes. Seems he has only one credit..I Want To Break Free. This is one of the songs I'm familiar with, having seen the video on MTV a bunch.
I just watched it for probably the first time in over 35 years. In 1984 I spent most of the year as a 15y/o turning 16 in September. I NEVER disliked Queen. They were really just another band on the radio that just didn't do what I was into. I always thought the video to I Want To Break Free was kind of goofy. At least they had a sense of humor right?

Two things about the song that I thought of while watching it just now..

1. John Deacon's songs feel built around a bassline. They are quite linear and groovy.
2. This is a sneaky good vocal by Freddie.

[MoraWintersoul]

I always thought The Works is a perfect introduction album. It has a top top top song for each of the four songwriters, and the deeper cuts that weren't on MTV are varied and interesting.

[DragonAttack]

THE EXTENDED VERSIONS

It was the beginning of that era, so I thought I'd add these in with their sleeves



Radio Ga Ga (extended version)  b/w Radio Ga Ga (instrumental) / I Go Crazy
Nothing special about the extended or instrumental versions.  'I Go Crazy' was the bright light of this purchase. 



I Want To Break Free (ext version) b/w Machines

Skip this extended version as well.  It drones on after the fade out point, and then snippets of other songs from the album (similar to 'More Of That Jazz') are inserted.   
As to the 45, perhaps having four different sleeves helped sales in the UK and the States (yes, the wife has all four...)




I know their spoof of 'Coronation Street' in the video certainly didn't help their sales or image over here. And yet, I remember it getting quite a bit of airplay
after 'Live Aid'.



It's A Hard Life (Extended Mix) b/w It's A Hard Life / Is This The World We Created...?

Saw this for the first time in '03, and last night for the second time.  I know Roger hated his outfit and the video, and no one looks happy (other than Freddie).
The extended mix is the version I use on my Queen 'ReWORKed' album version. 



Hammer To Fall (The Headbanger's Mix) b/w Tear It Up

Additional guitars here and there make this a worthwhile listen.    The video listed above is the 45 version, and the first look at the massive lighting rig they used on the tour. 
And, for some reason, they withdrew the sleeve below.  The wife gave this to me on our first Christmas



*************
Forgot to mention this about 'Keep Passing The Open Windows'.  Queen was asked by producers to compose an entire soundtrack for the film "The Hotel New Hampshire", but the producers later changed their minds in favor of classical music. Or after someone heard 'Flash'.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hotel_New_Hampshire_(film)
The Hotel New Hampshire is a 1984 British-American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tony Richardson based on John Irving's 1981 novel of the same name. A co-production from the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, it stars Jodie Foster, Beau Bridges, Rob Lowe, Nastassja Kinski, also featuring Wilford Brimley, Amanda Plummer, Matthew Modine, and Seth Green. The film follows the Berry family that weathers all sorts of disasters and keeps going in spite of it all. (wiki)  Some day I have to sit down and watch it.




Freddie's anti-suicide song kept my spirits up during many low moments, and certainly added to many of the highs.  Always thought that this would have made a better lead or second single in the States to gain back some of their lost popularity.