QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you

[DragonAttack]

I was 'goin back' and checking on a few prior posts as references for tomorrow's post.  Sad to see many personally taken pix disappear, thanks to their reference numbers changing on Messenger.      I'll fix them some time next week.

Since I'm easily sidetracked, never did thank MoraWintersoul for The Works pix.  Tonight was the first time I looked at them on the home computer, and was finally able to see Brian's 'I'm bored' and 'Me, too' quotes for the IAHL photos.  And, seriously, a couple of those were taken with the old 'potato ploy'?

KevShmev...you're comments as to IWTBF were spot on.  Everyone prefers the longer single version to the album version.  I had the question ready before the album posts, and should have put it out to everyone...even as a separate thread:  'How many single versions have been released that are noticeably longer than the album version?'

And, Stadler, the silly 'One Vision' lyrics are shown being played in the documentary...John Deacon and everything else

anyhoo....time waits for no one.  AKOM LP post tomorrow, and then another short vacation (with a Zoom meeting or two thrown in )

[TAC]

Time is PHENOMENAL. Wow! One of the best tracks I've heard in this thread so far.

Is it me, or are his cheeks showing some..bloating... in the video?

I should've listened to In My Defense first. It's definitely nice, but after Time, what can I say?
Is Brian playing the solo in In My Defense, or is it some dude trying to sound like him?



Joe, do we know who played piano on these tracks, particularly on Time?

[DragonAttack]

Time is PHENOMENAL. Wow! One of the best tracks I've heard in this thread so far.

The original or the '92 remix? I'd say 'yes' to both

I should've listened to In My Defense first. It's definitely nice, but after Time, what can I say?

Is Brian playing the solo in In My Defense, or is it some dude trying to sound like him?

Joe, do we know who played piano on these tracks, particularly on Time?

As to the original versions from '86, the musicians were:

TIME  (music and lyrics by Dave Clark and John Christie)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_(Freddie_Mercury_song)
Keyboards:  ike Moran,   Guitars: Ray Russell,   Drums: Brett Morgan,   BVs: Freddie, John Christie, Peter Straker    Vocal backing arrangements: Freddie
Arranged by:  Mike Moran and Freddie     

IN MY DEFENCE (music and lyrics by Dave Clark, David Soames and Jeff Daniels)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_My_Defence
Piano: Mike Moran     Guitars: Paul Vincent     Bass: Andy Pask    Drums: Graham Jarvis     Synthesizers: Peter Banks    BVs: Freddie
Arranged by: Mike Moran and Freddie

The vinyl sleeves for the soundtrack listed all the participants for each individual song.  That was a nice touch.  It was also the first time in decades that I had looked through that release.
*********
Paul Vincent Gunia    https://second.wiki/wiki/paul_vincent   He played the similar sounding Brian lead guitars on the 'Mr. Bad Guy' LP (and the nonalbum B-side 'She Blows Hot And Cold')   
Mike Moran    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moran_(music_producer)

Brian does not play on any of the originals or remixes.  Niles Rodgers redid 'Time', Ron Nevison did 'In My Defence'.  I believe all the improvements were from adjustments on the control board.

Is it me, or are his cheeks showing some..bloating... in the video?

Many theories and rumors abound that he had begun taking various meds because he was HIV+.  He had 'settled down' with Jim Hutton, and his hard partying days were mostly a thing of the past. He also looked like he had bulked up some, or maybe that's from steroid use. 

Or it's just the shorter haircuts that Jim Hutton was giving him.

This is my somewhat lack of knowledge talking.  I don't know all that was taking place in his life at the time.  I've read more than my share from various authors, especially in the 90s.  But I didn't read 'everything', and it's been more of a 'casual' interest since, or when the topic was in front of me....., if that makes sense.  I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands of fans who are more knowledgeable....always interested to borderline obsessive when it comes to learning about the what's and where's and when's of his physical history.

My best guess, Admiral

[DragonAttack]

A KIND OF MAGIC

Released: June 2, UK (EMI), June 3 USA (Capitol)

Charts:  UK #1, USA #46
Argentina #1, Netherlands #2, Austria #3, Switzerland #4, West Germany #4, Norway #5, France #6, New Zealand #9, Sweden #9, Australia #12, Japan #25, Canada #50

2005:  Italy #94   

2011:  Belgium #88, Spain #91

2022:  Poland #42

Certifications: 2x Platinum in UK, Gold in USA
Gold in France, Italy, New Zealand
3x Gold in Germany
Platinum in Austria, Spain
2x Platinum in Switzerland
3x Platinum in Poland

Singles:
One Vision b/w Blurred Vision (already mentioned)

A Kind Of Magic b/w A Dozen Red Roses For My Darling (already mentioned)

Princes Of The Universe   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEJ8lpCQbyw  38 MILLION views
Released: March ‘86,
Charts: DNC in Australia, Canada, Japan, USA !!!!
********
Friends Will Be Friends  b/w Seven Seas Of Rhye  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AIlz08fZos  38 MILLION views
Released:  June 9

Charts:  UK #14, USA (DNC)
Ireland #4, Netherlands #17, Switzerland #19, West Germany #20, New Zealand #50
*************
Who Wants To Live Forever (7" Version)  b/w Killer Queen
Released:  September 15

VIDEO (45 version)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE  145 MILLION views
(so what if the candles are reminiscent of The Police’s ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’…)

Charts: UK #24, USA (not released)
Netherlands #6, Belgium #44, Germany #52

1992:  Netherlands #59

Certifications:  Gold in UK and Italy
***********
Pain Is So Close To Pleasure (45 Remix) b/w Don't Lose Your Head
Released:  August 20, USA (DNC)
 


Queen are:
Freddie Mercury - vocals, keyboards
John Deacon - bass guitar, keyboards, occasional guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, occasional vocals, keyboards
Brian May - guitar, occasional vocals, keyboards

Extra keyboards: Spike Edney
Computer keyboards: UMI & BBC B

'One Year Of Love' String arrangement by Lynton Naiff, Saxophone by Steve Gregory

'Who Wants To Live Forever'
Orchestra arranged by Michael Kamen/Brian May
Performed by hte National Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded by Eric Tomlinson at Abbey Road Studios

'Don't Lose Your Head' incidental vocals by Joan Armatrading courtesy of A&M Records

Recorded mainly at The Townhouse Studios, London.
Musicland Studios, Munich and Mountain Studios, Montreux.

Some songs on this album appear in different form in the film 'Highlander'.

Assistant engineer: Croydon  Photograph by Peter Hince.

Many people are thanked on the album, but Paul Prenter has finally been given the boot, and his name does not appear.  David Richards, who played on and helped produce Roger’s ‘Strange Frontier’ album, co-produced ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, ‘Gimme The Prize’, and ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’, with Mack co-producing the others

ALBUM AUDIO   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqzbej78JHM&list=PL-Dlrh3xUEoR5hvzcGlIuUlYYebLWdnv4

WITH BONUS TRACKS   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAKySJmmBpw

Documentary  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X52meuakDk
****************
SIDE ONE
One Vision (Queen)  5:10
A Kind Of Magic (Taylor)  4:24
One Year Of Love (Deacon)  4:26
Pain Is So Close To Pleasure (Mercury/Deacon)  4:21
Friends Will Be Friends (Mercury/Deacon)  4:07       

SIDE TWO
Who Wants To Live Forever (May)   5:15
Gimme The Prize (Kurgan's Theme) (May)  4:34
Don't Lose Your Head (Taylor)  4:38
Princes Of The Universe (Mercury)  3:32

2011 Universal bonus disc
A Kind of Magic (Highlander version) / One Vision (Single Version) / Pain Is So Close to Pleasure (Single Remix) / Forever / A Kind of Vision (Demo) / One Vision (Wembley, July 11) / Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends (extended version)
************
To give credit where credit is due…..the extended version of ‘Friends Will Be Friends’ and ‘Forever’ were included here, and way back on the ’92 Hollywood Records CD reissue as well.  FWBFWBF is one of those rare extended versions that are better than the album version, and hearing ‘Forever’ for the first time months after Freddie died certainly choked me up.  And it was very interesting to hear the ‘A Kind Of Vision’ demo, from which both ‘One Vision’ and ‘A Kind Of Magic’ emerged.

But there was enough bonus material available for two discs from these sessions.  A great and eerie demo of ‘Princes Of The Universe’.  Demos of ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, with Freddie singing the first two lines instead of Brian, and including the double chorus at the end…a similar ending to the 45 version, that also should have been included. Demos also exist of the title track, ‘One Year Of Love’, and ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’.  ‘Gimme The Prize’, minus the soundtrack noises would have been nice, as well as the extended versions of ‘A Kind Of Magic’ and ‘One Year Of Love’.

The single version of ‘One Vision’, and the oddball instrumental non album B-sides ‘Blurred Vision’ and ‘A Dozen Red Roses For My Darling’ could have been added to make this complete.

Various alternate versions from ‘Highlander’ would have made nice additions, as well as the ‘New York, New York’ segment. The highlander version of AKOM is fleshed out, but it is not the version that was actually used over the ending credits.  That would have been yet another worth while bonus.

And then there’s the live material.  ‘One Vision’ is great, but providing the versions played at their final concert in Knebworth Park of this, the terrific ‘A Kind Of Magic’, and ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ would have made much more sense. Heck, include his final ‘Day-Oh’ as well.



Six months after 'One Vision' and three months after the title track are released, the album finally hits the stores.  It comes in a gatefold cover for the only studio album after ‘Jazz’.  A really good band pic for the sleeve (I'll post that with the next post).  The album itself is hit or miss, and certainly more of a collection than a cohesive release. Two different producers, two somewhat different camps (Freddie and John in one, Brian and Roger in another), music for two different movies, and a couple other songs to fill out the album.  And a song short yet again. Rather odd and somewhat money grubbing to put out so many singles to stay in the public 'ear', that you use songs that are over ten years old for B-sides.

As to the songs.. the two great opening songs already listed, followed by John’s slow tempo  ‘One Year Of Love’.  It’s a beautiful ballad, one you want to dance oh so close to with your partner, and the saxophone is a nice touch.  (Yes, I said saxophone!) Once again though, it’s the second straight album where a different instrument is used for the instrumental segment than Brian’s guitar.  ‘Pain’ is my weak link, a nice Motown-ish song, but Freddie’s in falsetto again.  This was cowritten by him and John, as is ‘Friends Will Be Friends’.  Hey, that has Brian’s always noticeable guitar, big BVs, and finally a piano! 

Side Two is so out of order (to me), opening with one of their Top Ten ever songs in ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, with perfect orchestration added by Michael Kamen.  ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’ could have dropped or toned down most of the annoying movie dialogue, except for the classic repeated lines ‘There Can Be Only One’.  And….how often do you get to hear Brian play guitar as if it’s a bagpipe?  Or multiple ones?  ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’ has Joan Armatrading on it, the drums are a bit heavy, but I enjoy the outro.

And then you have the second ‘let’s strain Freddie’s vocal cords to the hilt’ in ‘Princes Of The Universe’ (oddly, listed as his only solo offering).  And he hits it out of the stadium and over the parking lots!!!!

The drums in the mix sound a tad heavy, unlike anything the preceeded or followed this album.  A great ‘album’?  No.  Their best since ‘The Game’?  Certainly miles ahead of ‘Hot Space’ and ‘Flash’, a toss up compared to ‘The Works’.  There was still ‘disappointment’ when it came out for me, but decades later, with the great couple of tunes that are included, and a tweak here and there, I’ve grown quite fond of it.

If it were up to me, I’d certainly switch the places of the beginning and ending songs of Side 2, to open with a heavy punch, and then end it with the mellow.

SIDE ONE
One Vision / A Kind Of Magic / One Year Of Love / Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends
SiDE TWO
Princes Of The Universe / JUST ONE LIFE * / Gimme The Prize / Don’t Lose Your Head / Who Wants To Live Forever
(the instrumental ‘Forever’ can also be added afterwards)

* from Brian’s '92 ‘Back To The Light’ LP.  The drum mix fits this album, and helps steady the flow.

Oh, and always remember: "Don't lose your head" as well as  "There can be only one!"

[Kwyjibo]

So yeah, we’ve come to this. THIS here is my favorite Queen record.

I could do without Don’t Lose Your Head and Pain Is So Close To Pleasure, the latter reminds me of I Want To Break Free, and seeing that I don’t really like that song, it’s maybe no surprise that I don’t like Pain either.

One Year Of Love is nice but nothing special, but the rest is where it’s at for me.

As I mentioned before, One Vision is a hell of a song and a good opener.

I still think that A Kind Of Magic was on the radio and tv all of the time back then and rightfully so, another really good song.

Friends Will Be Friends has that simple but effective guitar intro and a great anthemic singalong chorus.

Who Wants To Live Forever might just be the best Queen song ever at least for me. So beautiful. And the moment after the quiet part, when the whole band kicks in with the big chorus and the guitar always gives me goosebumps.

Gimme The Prize, the heaviest Queen song and the most aggressive singing from Freddie. A lot of heavy Queen songs fell flat for me, I don’t know why, but this one hits home. So much energy and so powerful. And the bagpipe guitar.  Maybe could have used a little less dialogue but then: “It’s better to burn out than to fade away”.

Princes Of The Universe has another anthemic chorus and is a good closer and for a three ad a half minute song it's fairly complex.

A lot of me liking this record has probably to do with liking the film Highlander. Back then it was one of the best films I ever saw, and you could even watch it with your girlfriend, cause it had Christopher Lambert. 

That movie and the Queen soundtrack were a perfect pop culture combination, but it was also very 80s. I haven’t watched that movie in nearly 30 years for fear, that it doesn’t hold up, that it hasn’t aged that well.

[hefdaddy42]

Definitely one of, if not my absolute favorite Queen albums.

Who Wants To Live Forever is one of my favorite songs by anyone ever.

[Deadeye21]

Oh, and since ‘One Vision’ is one of your two favorite Queen songs, I’ll assume you like the live versions with its ‘Star Fleet’ ending(?).

Wait wait. I don’t think Joe ever heard of Vision going into Star Fleet live?


As for the album, I still love this one. Princes of the Universe is a really fun song, as is Gimme the Prize and if you try to tell me that Who Wants to Live Forever isn’t one of their best ballads then you are very very mistaken.  One Vision is easily one of the best openers they ever had live too.

[Orbert]

I remember that scene from Highlander with Kurgan driving his car to the sounds of "New York, New York" and thinking that that was a totally badass version of the song, and I was ready to pick up the album just for that track.  But it's not on it.  I read many years later that it's not really an excerpt; they didn't actually record the whole song, just enough of it for that scene.  I was disappointed.  I think Mrs. Orbert has this one; she's a bigger Queen fan than me.

[Stadler]

See, I don't mind the sort of "disjointedness" that some talk about here; the only Queen album that ISN'T disjointed for me is Queen II.  IMO, this is far more... cohesive than even the legendary "ANATO". 

[TAC]

Came in to ost the Spotify stream numbers...

A Kind Of Magic

1. One Vision....47.6m
2. A Kind Of Magic....161.7m
3. One Year Of Love....11.6m
4. Pain Is So Close To Pleasure....3.9m
5. Friends Will Be Friends....73.7m
6. Who Wants To Live Forever....74.2m
7. Gimme The Prize....4.4m
8. Don't Lose Your Head....2.7m
9. Princes Of The Universe-54.4m



I do NOT recognize the bolded tracks by name. These stream numbers are astounding.

See, I don't mind the sort of "disjointedness" that some talk about here; the only Queen album that ISN'T disjointed for me is Queen II.  IMO, this is far more... cohesive than even the legendary "ANATO". 

A disjointed Queen album is an oxymoron.

[TAC]

OK..first listen impressions


One Vision- I was a young metal head in 1986. I remember this song, though I thought it was on the Vision Quest soundtrack, not Highlander which I barely remember. I do remember thinking that it was cool that Queen had a rock song finally.

A Kind Of Magic- The chorus feels a tad familiar, but if I heard it, it would've been in a documentary. I have ZERO recollection of this song. I honestly don't think I've ever heard it. It's a Roger song? It feels like a John song, with that driving bass line and straight ahead groove.

One Year Of Love-I would've bet this was a Freddie track. This song needs some Gary Moore. Nice tune.

Pain Is So Close To Pleasure- What a horrendously cringey title, especially following such a beautiful song. Nice falsetto, but... hmmm. This sounds like it'd be a cool Rod Stewart track. It's kind of weak. Brian has some nice accents in the middle, but since I now have Gary Moore on the brain...

Friends Will Be Friends-For a song with 73m streams, I definitely don't recognize this either. There's some...not sure what it is, but there's a quality to Brian's playing here that reminds me and makes me long for Gary Moore. This is now the third time in 6 tracks that I've thought this.

Who Wants To Live Forever- What is this? Walt Disney? It kind of sounds like Brian singing at the beginning. And that guitar solo...I ain't saying it again. Freddie crushes this after the solo. I'm not yet at the end of the album yet, but I would think this would be a great album closer, and not a typical Side 2 opening track.

Gimme The Prize- End Of The World anyone? I'm sorry. I have no idea what to make of this. It's pretty rocking, I'll say that. Kind of a big tease like Tear It Up.

Don't Lose Your Head- Did Roger reject this from one of his own solo albums? Sounds like early 80's synth pop which definitely isn't my thing. OK..next..

Princes Of the Universe- Freddie only has ONE full writing credit? That's weird, isn't it? I must say, I'm a little disappointed in this finish. With a title like Princes Of the Universe, I was expecting some piano driven Freddie crushing ballad-y sing along thing. Not some 3 minute punchy rocker. If it were me, I'd have switched this and WWTLF. Princes would've been much better to kick off Side 2. I did like it though. Queen was always great when playing hard rock.


OK...
1. One song by Freddie? And it's the hard rock song of the album?
2. Brian's playing, his solos and accents, are interesting to me. They truly reminded me of Gary Moore. The intro solo to Gimme The Prize felt like it "borrowed" a small section of Gary's End Of The World intro solo.
3. One thing I've noticed about these last three 80's albums is that, I don't think it's the actual songs that are the issue. It feels that the choices the band made to present these songs is the issue. And it has more to do with some dumb harr rock fan hearing too many synthesizers. OK..maybe it is.
I just feel like they didn't get the most out of these songs. I mean, 70m streams would tell me to go screw, but that is my opinion.

[Kwyjibo]

The intro to Gimme The Prize is Brian showing what he learned from EVH after they did that Starfleet Project together. 

[KevShmev]

KevShmev...you're comments as to IWTBF were spot on.  Everyone prefers the longer single version to the album version.  I had the question ready before the album posts, and should have put it out to everyone...even as a separate thread:  'How many single versions have been released that are noticeably longer than the album version?'

 

As for A Kind of Magic, it has a handful of my favorite Queen songs, but the rest is a bit iffy. 

One Vision, Who Wants to Live Forever and Princes of the Universe are all very high up on my list of favorite Queen songs.

[MoraWintersoul]

Solid Queen album, with one of my all time favorite tracks by anyone on it (Forever). The fact that "Princes" is not a Brian track and "Forever" is not a Freddie track is just I love every time a Queen writer takes on writing a song outside of their publicly designated box and tries on the box of one of the others for size.

[DragonAttack]

^
A shame that 'Forever' was not on the original vinyl as the closing track. Then I'd be OK with the song order they gave us. Or with POTU starting and WWTLF closing....as even Tim agreed with.

It also should have been the closing song on Greatest sH*ts III.  Then again, I'd have done a major overhaul on that one.

Back from vacation...should have the 12" versions up, along with a Highlander note tonight, and a few related comments (I did listen to the beginning of 'End Of The World'.....it does have a similar 'feel' to it, along with some EVH type of tapping going on at the great beginning of ‘Gimme The Prize’).

And then I can finally get to and complete the Magic tour before next weekend (and its three live albums).

[DragonAttack]

album inner sleeve

A KIND OF MAGIC 12" releases and Bonus Tracks

Again, ‘The A Kind Of Vision’ demo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMAwXpkSlIg

12” releases



One Vision (Extended Vision) b/w Blurred Vision (already posted)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OGd4gplxQM  34 MILLION Views

It would not have hurt to have included 'Blurred Vision'  on the 2011 bonus disc.

**************


A Kind Of Magic (12" version / A Dozen Red Roses For My Darling (already posted)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hwgtZhYbJQ

The extended version absolutely should have been on the bonus disc.

This is the version that was played the end of the ‘Highlander’ movie during the credits.  In mono, and with a quick fade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASw32qKppMw&list=PLXITYBwTulMN95WwC-Xf_kwobqlV5NXdm&index=5   1.7 MILLION VIEWS

Yet another bonus disc omission.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Hk1P9K9ls   this was the ‘Highlander’ bonus on the 2011 reissue.  The instrumental ending remains, and is obviously more polished than the movie version.



Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends  b/w Friends Will Be Friends (album version) /Seven Seas Of Rhye  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK8dsRIdIko

FWBFWBF was a bonus track (I prefer it over the album version).

I would also have included the audio from the official video version as well on the bonus disc.


Three months after the album was released.

Who Wants To Live Forever (single edit) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE
/ Who Wants To Live Forever (album version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TsOPjZEF6E

Side B: Killer Queen / Forever  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d89qJSU_r44 

Adding the instrumental at the end of the original album would have been a nice touch.  As is, having this along with the 45 version of WWTLF three months after the album was released would have been the only reason to buy the single.  A great reason at that, as it is a terrific version.

Slightly extended WWTLF version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeJs91wz_PM

Freddie singing the first two verses, as in the movie, and including the orchestra ending     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s5MApVQh70

Yet another omission on the bonus disc.

(Btw…you were correct Tim.  Brian sang the first two verses, the line ‘but touch my tears with your lips’ later on, as well as the closing ‘who waits forever anyway?’  Other than the BV ‘this night and evermore’ line of ‘Las Palabras de Amor’ where his voice is the strongest, it’s his first solo lines since ‘Flash’s Theme’).



ONE YEAR OF LOVE extended version b/w Gimme The Prize (France and Spain)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeK4eBW1SH8

I bought this as an anniversary present for over a hundred bucks back in the day
The demo version   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itlzDoLB6JE  Yet another omission.

EXTRAS


 
GIMME THE PRIZE This was never released as a single, but there is a good video and a couple of alternate versions available

A fan made alternate remix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHCIZxjF8ig 
From ‘The eYe’…  no radio intro,  no sword noises, no ‘there can be only one’ or crashing windows at the end.

In ’98, a video game called ‘The eYe’ was released.  The first track on each disc was the data track, the rest were short or complete karaoke versions of many songs  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen:_The_eYe

Two slightly different versions of ‘Gimme The Prize’ were included.  These did not have the movie dialogue.  Sadly, they were not remixed as well as the other songs on ‘the game’.

Inst single version released a decade later  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TMjqqBSivw as the B-side of ‘NoOne But You’

Gimme The Prize movie version  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZQUVZKrH3I&list=PLXITYBwTulMN95WwC-Xf_kwobqlV5NXdm&index=6

The alternate version would have made a nice addition on the bonus disc.

More omissions:

'Butterfly' demo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvT2PB0vtkk  50 seconds of Brian at piano…there’s hints of ’Forever’  in there. 

And then there’s ‘New York New York’.  The first 47 seconds is from the movie, the remainder is the band version only   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtx5qYjSLNk  with no annoying scream.  And rather than hearing Kurgan laugh at the end, you get Freddie. 

There is a demo called ‘Battle Scene’ that was available for years on youtube.  No idea when it was removed, or what the original link was.   An instrumental with lead guitar and ambient noises.  Fantastic? No, but I’m glad I downloaded it, as it is also missing on the bonus disc.

And, finally,  there is



PRINCES OF THE UNIVERSE,  not released in UK (listed in a prior post)

B sides: "A Dozen Red Roses for My Darling" (US), "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Japan), "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)" (Australia)
)

Released: March 1986 (US), October 1986 (Japan)
Charts: Australia #32

2000 CD single: Netherlands #45
B-side ‘Was It All Worth It’

VIDEO  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEJ8lpCQbyw  38 MILLION VIEWS

POTU demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWdXO4MQOQU 

This was also omitted from the bonus disc. Hell, I would have included this on the ‘Rocks’ release. 

I bought the AKOM LP vinyl in ’86, Capitol and EMI CDs in ’89, the Hollywood re-issue in ’92.  I would gladly have purchased the 2011 reissue at $20 had the bonus disc included the above listed omissions.

And, to finally stop beating a dead horse, there should have been the live versions of 'One Vision', 'A Kind Of Magic', and 'Who Wants To Live Forever' from Knebworth included.

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the TV intros to ‘Highlander’. I remember tuning in very often at 3pm, just to hear the intro😀

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBYKLKS15yY
season 3  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgCFRwt050Y

season 4  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypyvcfnu4Gg
(the wife did meet Adrian Paul and Christopher Lambert at a Highlander convention)

[DragonAttack]

HIGHLANDER The Movie


 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlander_(film)

Interesting wiki tidbits as to the soundtrack:
"The Highlander original orchestral score was composed by Michael Kamen. Marillion turned down the chance to record the soundtrack because they were on a world tour, a missed opportunity which guitarist Steve Rothery later said he regretted. The band's lead singer, Fish, had also accepted a part in the film but pulled out because of the scheduling conflict.  David Bowie, Sting, and Duran Duran were considered to do the soundtrack for the film. Brian May was inspired to write "Who Wants to Live Forever" after watching the love scenes between Connor and his wife Heather, and the song ultimately accompanied the film.

Despite a mention in the end credits, to date a complete soundtrack album for Highlander has not been released. s): "Princes of the Universe", "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)", "One Year of Love", "Don't Lose Your Head", "Who Wants to Live Forever", and "A Kind of Magic". The album and single edits of "A Kind of Magic" feature a different mix from the one in the film; a 2011 re-release of the album includes the long-unreleased Highlander version of the song. The album does not include Queen's recording of "Theme from New York, New York", which features briefly in Highlander. "Hammer to Fall", a Queen song heard playing from a car radio in one scene."

Another 'lost opportunity' not to have included some of the orchestral arrangements on a bonus disc.  For those who do like symphonic music (and those that don’t), there’s some very enjoyable moments throughout.  And relaxing.
***********
Opening credits  A shorter and earlier mixed version of ‘Princes Of The Universe’    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMMeHdr9Cxg&list=PLXITYBwTulMN95WwC-Xf_kwobqlV5NXdm&index=11

Soundtrack Suite   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHCFrhgTQoM
"Prelude" / "Connor's Flashback / Highlander Theme" /"Scotland,  / The Clan MacLeod" / "Incident Under The Arena" / "Ramirez Arrives" / "Training Montage" / "Connor & Brenda's Love Scene"* / "Connor Defeats Kurgan / Silvercup Showdown" / "Highlander Theme Reprise"

* Who Wants To Live Forever

Highlander score divided up  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuVtLOXvVNI&list=PLA_6nw_SiTT0F3r_OnHINsmWtylv745iA

‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ scene   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqFoiM0zxdY     

‘A Kind Of Magic’ early version played during the ending credits   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASw32qKppMw (posted earlier)
**************
Coming soon….their next album, even worse than 'Hot Space'. 

[HOF]

I was big into the Highlander TV series for a little bit growing up, and I always loved the Queen song on the opening credits. Always thought the movies were badly done in comparison to the TV show.

[Kwyjibo]

Never saw the TV show, but as far as movies go they should have stuck with "there can only be one". The sequels were horrible and among the worst films ever made.

[Orbert]

The original movie was pretty cool.  The sequels all sucked in various ways.  The TV show wasn't bad.  It expanded upon the lore of the immortals in a reasonably interesting way, which was pretty much necessary if you're going to keep cranking out new stories every week.  They eventually kinda came full circle when they started making straight-to-video movies based on the TV series.  Those weren't horrible, but by then the TV lore had expanded to the point where it was getting kinda dumb.

Totally off-topic: A friend of mine moved to France after we graduated, and ended up living there and picking up occassional acting gigs.  He guest starred in an episode of Highlander: The Raven, which was a spinoff from the TV show and lasted one season.  We were recording the series on our VCR.  After a trip to France and hanging out with him for a while (during which time he'd told us about it), we returned to check out what had been recorded while we were gone, and the episode of The Raven just happened to be the one my friend was in, so that was pretty cool.

[DragonAttack]

LIVE MAGIC

Released:  December 1, 1986  UK (EMI),
August 1996, USA (Hollywood)

Recorded: July-August 1986
Length:   47:10 (LP), 49:22 (CD)

Chart: UK #3, USA (not released)
 Austria #13, West Germany #15, Netherlands #24, Switzerland #26, New Zealand #36, Sweden #50, Australia #51

2007:  Spain #87

Certifications:  Platinum in UK
Gold in Argentina, West Germany, Spain
Platinum in Poland and Switzerland


 
Freddie Mercury - lead vocals, piano, keyboards
Brian May - guitars, backing vocals
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
John Deacon - bass guitar, backing vocals
Spike Edney - keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Produced by Queen and Trip Khalaf

SIDE ONE
1. One Vision (5:09)  *
2. Tie Your Mother Down (2:59)  *
3. Seven Seas of Rhye (1:18)  *
4. A Kind of Magic (5:32)  #
5. Under Pressure (3:48)  #
6. Another One Bites the Dust (5:52)  *

SIDE TWO
7. I Want to Break Free (2:39)  *
8. Is This the World We Created...? (1:29)  W
9. Bohemian Rhapsody (4:39)  *
10. Hammer to Fall (5:20)  W
11. Radio Ga-Ga (4:23)  *
12. We Will Rock You (1:32)  *
13. Friends Will Be Friends (1:08)  *
14. We Are the Champions (2:00)  *
15. God Save the Queen (1:19)  *
 
W Wembley, July 11th-12th:   # Budapest, July 27th:    * Knebworth Park, August 9th
***************


Other than a couple of somewhat minor saving graces, from the crappy front cover to the crap on the vinyl, this is a total load of rubbish, and I have no idea WTF the band or EMI were thinking of at the time. 

I happened to find it during the holidays of ’86, and was excited as hell to see that one Canadian copy of it in the record bin (it would not be released in the States until ’96 on CD). 

And then I looked at the back sleeve.  It was just one vinyl, even though it is a gatefold.  WTW?!?  A whole 47 minutes     Half the concert set list of the time is missing, and then a shortened version of ‘Under Pressure’, edited  and bastardized versions of ‘Tie Your Mother Down’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘We Are The Champions’ where complete choruses and verses are removed.  This gave me the assumption those segments were no longer played in concert.

Oh, and the opera section of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is missing.   

I was under yet another wrong assumption, thinking they had removed it from their shows.

The only partial saving grace is that it has bits of their final concert at Knebworth: complete (yes, complete!) versions of 'One Vision' and 'Another One Bites The Dust', Freddie’s final concert farewell before him and Brian, Roger, and John exit the stage to ‘God Save The Queen’ for the last time together. 

The CD version released in ’96 had the nerve to put an asterisk after ‘Under Pressure’, noting that it was the complete version.   They could have added whatever they had available from ‘Knebworth’ including full versions of the other hatchet jobs on the original.

Yet another in a string of generally disappointing official releases by the band in that decade.  It would be another six years before the buying public would get a true picture of what Queen had to offer on stage from that tour.

[DragonAttack]

Thanks to Tim (as always) for sending along the Spotify numbers

1. One Vision....108k
2. Tie Your Mother Down....83k
3. Seven Seas Of Rhye....87k
4. A Kind Of Magic...,95k
5. Under Pressure....110k
6. Another One Bites The Dust....98.4k
7. I Want To Break Free....119k
8. Is This The World We Created....72k
9. Bohemian Rhapsody....124.6k
10. Hammer To Fall....84.2k
11. Radio Gaga....100.4k
12. We Will Rock You....79k
13. Friends Will Be Friends....63.2k
14. We Are The Champions....80k
15. God Save The Queen....61.2k

The numbers are deservedly low. 

The reviews from progarchives are scathing, as they should be
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=8232

I haven't graded or assigned point values to any of my prior album reviews.  I will give a grade for this one, and it's simple:  "Incomplete"

[The Curious Orange]

EMI at the time were opposed to live double-CDs, they didn't think anyone would buy them. It's the reason why Iron Maiden had to split Real Live One / Real Dead One across two CDs, and why Genesis split The Way We Walk across two CDs. Queen could have gone the same route but chose to squeeze it all onto one CD.

Anyway, Live Magic is probably the worst live album ever. I can remember being so excited at this release, and so disappointed when I bought it.  It's a horrible compromise between what Queen wanted to release and what EMI were prepared to release.

[Kwyjibo]

Yeah, this is a complete bullshit release.

As I said before, A Kind Of Magic is my favorite Queen record, then seeing a live record called Live Magic, I thought it must have some tunes from my favorite record. Then it was only two and then one of those two was only a minute long.

I was never a big fan of Queen live but this one is the worst.

[The Curious Orange]

As I said before, A Kind Of Magic is my favorite Queen record, then seeing a live record called Live Magic, I thought it must have some tunes from my favorite record. Then it was only two and then one of those two was only a minute long.

One Vision, A Kind Of Magic and Friends will Be Friends. That's three.

[Kwyjibo]

See, this is so bad that I forgot almost everything about it. 

[Deadeye21]

Thank god they released not just one but technically 3 proper live albums from this tour afterwards. I say technically 3 because J have bath nights from Wembley in the DVD set.

[DragonAttack]

First of all, I hope some viewers came across a version or five of some tracks they had not heard before.

In response to the CuriousOrange's correct post as to the AKOM tracks on 'Live Tragic'

See, this is so bad that I forgot almost everything about it. 

All of my reviews are on separate Word docs to copy/paste/adjust as I go along.  Some are mostly completed a month in advance.  I totally forgot about that abomination of a release until last week.  Go figure! 

Interesting as to the EMI attitude regarding double live album releases.  As well as the fact that 'Live Magic' cost me exactly the same as 'Live Killers' ($5.99) 

btw....I did purchase the 'Highlander' anniversary disc, which has the Michael Kamen tracks of all three movies. I have never watched a second of the sequels.  The orchestral material is quite enjoyable of a listen.

and....Freddie did all of the BVs for 'New York, New York'.    

And...totally loved the totally off topic story, Orbert.    I hope your friend found some success in other endevours.

Let's move on from the worst Queen offering to some good/great stuff, shall we?

[DragonAttack]

The MAGIC Tour '86

The tour would run from June 7th to August 4th, with a couple of shows added during this time, and another tacked on at the end..  Coming on the heels of their legendary performance at Live Aid, with two major European hits AND an album that was released a week before the tour, Queen embarks on a mixture of arena shows and outdoor venues that would attract up to 200,000 attendees.

Once again, they've upped the ante as to their lighting rig.



from queenconcerts.com:
"It took up to 20 tractor-trailers to transport one stage. And the band had three:  one where they were performing, one being built, and one being taken down. Sixty trucks total for the entire Magic tour.

The amount of lights used is an unsure value, as it depended on the size of the venue and whether to use 4 folding light units or 6,…. or to use a TV screen or not. Or to use one back wall panel or three.

It took two days to construct a stage for Wembley Stadium. Therefore, the size of the rigs would vary.

Oh.......and John would eventually end up wearing waaaay too short of shorts on occasion


*************
Songs added from the new album are ‘One Vision’, ‘A Kind Of Magic’, and ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ (‘Friends Will Be Friends’ is sadly and anti-Pavlovian added to the encores the second night). A couple of acoustic oldies are added: ‘(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care’, ‘Hello Mary Lou’ and the beginning of ‘Tutti Frutti’, before kicking it into overdrive. 

‘It’s A Hard Life’ is the only ‘Works’ song dropped from the prior tour. ‘I Want To Break Free’ is replaced by ‘Radio Ga Ga’ as an encore, and is moved to earlier in the set. The complete version of ‘Now I’m Here’ is played for the first time since The Crazy Tour in ’79.

‘Big Spender’ would make a reappearance. 

The one big omission is ‘Somebody To Love’.  ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, though nice, didn’t translate all that well on stage IMO.  I would also have preferred ‘’39’ as an acoustic number (along with ‘Tutti Frutti’) replacing the two non Queen songs. 

That said, the shows are generally one highlight after another.  ‘One Vision’ and ‘A Kind Of Magic’ have a fire and energy double the studio versions, ‘Hammer To Fall’ is perfect after ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, as is ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ as the concert proper ending.  And I was won over with ‘Radio Ga Ga’ moving from the concert closer to the encore opener. 

In reading the descriptions, other than a couple of slightly off nights when temps were 40C/100F +, Freddie is in great voice, the band is improvising a bit more with lots of energy, and the crowds are into it (or more) every night. 
***************


Råsundastadion Stockholm, June 7th  Attendance: 37,500   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia1ZB1jF7IQ    Quality: A

One Vision / Tie Your Mother Down / In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited / Seven Seas Of Rhye / Tear It Up / A Kind Of Magic / Under Pressure / Another One Bites The Dust / Who Wants To Live Forever / I Want To Break Free / Bohemian Rhapsody / impromptu / guitar solo / Now I'm Here / Love Of My Life / Is This The World We Created? / (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care / Hello Mary Lou / Tutti Frutti / Hammer To Fall / Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Radio Ga Ga / We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions / God Save The Queen




Freddie’s voice is strong after a year’s stage rest.  The band is still riding the positive waves of Live Aid, and is more creative and playful on many songs.  If you are (overly) familiar with the Wembley ’86 concert, you’ll notice many obvious differences that might take some getting used to.  But it’s’all good, man 😉



*****************
The Groenoordhallen, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 11th,   Attendance: 12,800  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uefQcbJmDQM  Quality: A-

Uploaded a year ago, this is a matrix.  The crowd is quite noticeable and over the top responsive and playful, as it always has been in Leiden.  Freddie greets them with a ‘Hello, how are you bunch of cocks?’ before asking them to sing the football chant they were doing before the concert, and then the band follows with a short jam.

 (The Crazy Game is back reviewing concerts, and his comments  include his first score of ‘11’ for any song (that I’ve seen anyway)  ‘A Kind Of Magic’ along with many effing superlatives 😊 )  And what a great singalong!  What a great crowd!  They take the lead in singing quite often.

Wow…the ‘Impromptu’ took me back to some of Freddie’s ‘The Prophet’s Song’ improvising, with some ‘Dragon Attack-ish’ ending before the solo.

I started my own little write up during this, just to check out a few moments here and there....and played it straight through!   Perfect?  No.  Not with the full version of ‘Friends Will Be Friends’ inserted between WWRY and WATC. 

But is it fun?  Oh, hell yes!  One of my favorite shows of the tour by far.

This is also the first of ten Magic tour shows to be held indoors (with Brussels, Munich, Zürich, and Vienna being the other cities). 
 


Leiden, June 12, second night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWDlNh7BHBA  Quality:  B

One of two nights on the tour that ‘Big Spender’ is played (so grateful for the other night), and the last time that the complete ‘Friends Will Be Friends’ is played.  Same great crowd, just not as good of recording quality.
************

I'm going to stop here for the day, now that we’ve washed away the bad taste of ‘Live Magic’, before moving on to the ‘hottest ticket in the land’ performances.

[TAC]

Considering my review of the album....let's just say the choice of Special Guest is ....ironic.

Gary's set is also on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtchHDR9npQWwn9Jz7KF3w3afw2NDvHnM

Sounds like it could've been recorded by the same guy.

[DragonAttack]

Considering my review of the album....let's just say the choice of Special Guest is ....ironic.

Oh, c'mon, no fair….you peeked!

Man, it does sound like the same person.  I'm certainly going to come back to this entire show some time before the end of the year.  Good stuff!

[Schurftkut]

i just wanted to reply that i LOVE this thread as i'm learning all kinds of new (to me) details about Queen. Plus the awesome bootlegs with footnotes, really just wanted to thank you guys ^^

[Stadler]

First of all, I hope some viewers came across a version or five of some tracks they had not heard before.

In response to the CuriousOrange's correct post as to the AKOM tracks on 'Live Tragic'

See, this is so bad that I forgot almost everything about it. 

All of my reviews are on separate Word docs to copy/paste/adjust as I go along.  Some are mostly completed a month in advance.  I totally forgot about that abomination of a release until last week.  Go figure! 

Interesting as to the EMI attitude regarding double live album releases.  As well as the fact that 'Live Magic' cost me exactly the same as 'Live Killers' ($5.99) 

btw....I did purchase the 'Highlander' anniversary disc, which has the Michael Kamen tracks of all three movies. I have never watched a second of the sequels.  The orchestral material is quite enjoyable of a listen.

and....Freddie did all of the BVs for 'New York, New York'.    

And...totally loved the totally off topic story, Orbert.    I hope your friend found some success in other endevours.

Let's move on from the worst Queen offering to some good/great stuff, shall we?

I get the criticisms of Live... Magic!, and it's been rectified with the release of the two Wembley shows, but that's not to say that QUEEN was bad on that live record.  The version of One Vision is excellent, and that may be the best version of Under Pressure I've ever heard.   It was, for me, the next step through the gateway into the juggernaut that is Queen as a live band. I actually listened to it the other day (to try to hear the ending of One Vision). 

I just bought the Wembley DVD and the CD set (coincidence) so when they get added to the iPod, I may not listen to Live... Magic! again, but so be it.   It's not because of the material, only the presentation.

[DragonAttack]

i just wanted to reply that i LOVE this thread as i'm learning all kinds of new (to me) details about Queen. Plus the awesome bootlegs with footnotes, really just wanted to thank you guys ^^

'You're welcome'.   I've learned so much along the way as well.

I get the criticisms of Live... Magic!, and it's been rectified with the release of the two Wembley shows, but that's not to say that QUEEN was bad on that live record.  The version of One Vision is excellent, and that may be the best version of Under Pressure I've ever heard.   It was, for me, the next step through the gateway into the juggernaut that is Queen as a live band. I actually listened to it the other day (to try to hear the ending of One Vision). 

I just bought the Wembley DVD and the CD set (coincidence) so when they get added to the iPod, I may not listen to Live... Magic! again, but so be it.   It's not because of the material, only the presentation.

No arguments here.  It was a real shame, and almost a slap in the face of any fan, that it was the only thing from that tour at our disposal for six years.  And the only thing on vinyl other than 'Live Killers' for thirteen.   

[DragonAttack]

....on with the shows.......



Hippodrome de Vincennes Paris, France June 14th, Attendance: 60,000   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWs6NsE7vEc&t=67s   Quality: A-
Great recording, Freddie is again in great voice, the band is in great form.  The singalong occurs after ‘Tie Your Mother Down

DVD amateur video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb6fV-_cstY
This is shaky as all hell, but there’s a few decent moments when skimming around

Freddie enters the stage for the first time in his Queen of England outfit, and other than at Shane Castle, would do so for the remainder of the tour.

*****************************


The Forest National, Brussels, Belgium June 17th, Attendance: 9,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgmAH-Gf8zU Quality: A

quoting Ryan Newton:  "This is the smallest show Queen played on the Magic Tour.  Their massive soundscape that they achieved in 1986 can be heard nowhere better than on this recording, as the small indoor arena gives massive natural reverb and really sounds awesome, especially when the recording is as good as this. Not only is the sound fantastic, but the performance is phenomenal, with the band playing furiously. We Will Rock You has to be one of, if not the greatest version ever (not only does Freddie nearly replicate the studio vocals, but guitar-drums interplay makes it one of the funkiest versions of all time). Other fantastic renditions such as Radio Ga Ga, Friends Will Be Friends, and In the Lap of the Gods Revisited ranks this show as one of the best of the Magic Tour."
***************


As evidenced by this early poster, due to ticket demand of the June 12th and 13th shows, this third night was added.
 
Groenoordhallen, Leiden, The Netherlands June 19th,   Attendance: 12,800   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tjw3-bvdbg   Quality: B

The support act, a German band called Craaft, didn't last long because they were booed off the stage. When it was announced that they were going to play their last song, the audience cheered.

Not the best recording, but Freddie and Brian are each in top form.  Plus, it’s yet another festive Leiden crowd, and well worth skimming through for their responses between songs, as well as the chorus throughout.


*****
Maimarktgelände, Mannheim, Germany, June 21,  Attendance 87,500

   



Marillion[/b]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYhnztTu-o0
01.Garden Party 02.Freaks 03.Assassing 04.Pseudo Silk Kimono 05.Kayleigh 06.Lavender 07.Bitter Suite 08.Heart of Lothian 09.Waterhole (Expresso Bongo) 10.Lords of the Backstage 11.Blind Curve 12.Childhood's End? 13.White Feather 14.Forgotten Sons

Short video   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYXrGhM971U

Level42 and Gary Moore also appeared



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l6OrvIizZo&list=PLtchHDR9npQVumznI8xUlC2d6dACVmT3R
*******



QUEEN performance  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUahFZ1lIhE  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ut2Vk5l2lM (starts with 'Tie Your Mother Down')    Quality: A
Note:  the first link is silent during 'most of Bohemian Rhapsody', the second link is missing most of the show, but does include BoRhap.

Both Marillion's and Queen's shows were broadcast on radio.  The sound is superb.

Brian tosses in the riff of The Beatles' 'I Feel Fine' after the impromptu.  Towards the end of his solo spot, he also plays bits of the melody from 'Golden Days', a song he wrote for Japanese pop sensation Minako Honda and would produce in 1987.

Special note:  John is quite prominent in the mix, which doesn't happen often.  This might be the best Queen concert I've heard where the bass is this upfront, and it sounds great, and his playing often left me shaking my head.  Of course he's good!  I just didn't realize how good, and how much he 'roamed' during his playing.
******
The Waldbühne, Berlin, West Germany, June 26th, Attendance: 22,300   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olGjHnd6scY  Quality: A/A-
An outdoor venue where the mosquitoes are as prevalent as their last visit. After five days off, Freddie’s in great voice.  ‘Immigrant’s Song’  is attempted for some strange reason, and not that well.

***********

 

The Olympiahalle, Munich, West Germany June 29th, Attendance: 16,000   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zphseMJkRSk
Quality: A-/B+

The second of Queen's two shows at their 'home away from home'.  They put a lot of "oomph" into their playing tonight, and Freddie is in great voice. Brian is in his element tonight, really putting in a bit of extra effort, evident in the unique bit of 'Keep Yourself Alive' after Bo Rhap and his killer solo in 'A Kind of Magic', among other great moments from him tonight.



************
second night....The Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland July 2nd,   Attendance: 11,400      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf4dCybVBt4    Quality: A-
Freddie's voice is not in great shape tonight, which is most likely why the band skip out on In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited and Who Wants To Live Forever.

It was also 40 degrees C, 104 degrees F that day.  Add the heat from the lights into the mixture, and…..



********
Slane Castle, Slane, Ireland,  July 5th  Attendance:  95,000 – 110,000   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vji8mIFvU-w  Quality: A-/B/B-

Many things made this show unique.  First, Queen takes the stage at 6pm, so the performance is almost all in the daylight.  This concert is most remembered for the fight that broke out early in the show, during which Freddie halts the performance (it's time stamped on the youtube page). He then does his vocal improv with the audience before the show resumes with ‘Tear It Up’.  Considering many showed up six hours before the first act might have had a slight impact as to the crowd behavior.

Along with other unique additions to the set, which includes ‘Gimme Some Lovin', ‘Keep Yourself Alive (Improv)’, and ‘Danny Boy’ in the guitar solo, this makes for a great concert. The impromptu at this show really jumps out as one of the best with some awesome jamming.

The band were supposed to have taped the concert, but someone accidentally pulled the plug.  There’s various merges of audience recordings done here, some of not so good quality.

Freddie does not come out in his gown and crown during the end of WATC.  Again, no GSTQ is played.  The ADATR outro is not played, but rather the emcee simply tells everyone that the show is over.  Worth the listen just for this unique ending.


VIDEO   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IleuNFHE--M   sometimes, anyways.  This how NOT how to do a handheld taping….too close to the stage, amongst people who have been partying for six plus hours, and, who knows, the taper might have been as well.
 


***********



St. James Park Newcastle, July 9th, Attendance: 38,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNuZ7FmVQFM     Quality: A-
 Special Event: Save The Children Charity Concert



First of five UK shows, all multi track recorded, and not all released.

All 38,000 tickets sold out in an hour!

Status Quo and Zeno were the support acts (INXS were supposed to be on the bill, but the truck with their gear crashed on the way to the gig).  Status Quo played a longer set to compensate.

There were quite a few kids from the Save The Children fund in the VIP seats (who got to meet the band after the show). After visiting some of the SCF activities in the area, Brian dedicated Is This The World We Created to them. "The proceeds of this concert are going to the Save The Children people." He acknowledges the kids in front of him, "For you, and to all the people who work for the Save The Children the whole year round." 



tomorrow:  "the hottest ticket this country's ever seen"