Queen: The Complete Works

by Georg Purvis

  Back To The Light is an interesting paradox: although it’s Brian’s most cohesive solo album it still sounds disjointed. While the songwriting was strong, the biggest disappointment was Brian’s vocal performances, which he was quick to address in, of all places, Guitarist: “In the beginning, Freddie didn’t have all the powers that he wanted to have as a vocalist; he just worked to achieve those and improved as he worked over the years. So I just took that as a good example. I thought, ‘If I’m going to sing this album, I’m going to have to work at it,’ and I treated it rather like a weight-training programme – I went in there, sang my guts out and tried to reach further every day. It’s amazing what you can do if you really try. I was quite stunned, because in the beginning I was struggling with it – all those regions around top A – and in the end, in ‘Resurrection’, I got up to a top D above that, without going into falsetto, which was quite a little crusade for me. I was amazed that I could actually do that. It’s another question as to whether I can do it on stage, but at least it happened, as least I know I can get there if I really try hard enough.”

  The lyrics were strong, the musical performances were consistent, and it wouldn’t have been impossible to imagine most of the tracks becoming Queen songs. “I suppose [Queen comparisons are] inevitable,” Brian observed in Guitar World in 1993. “There’s bound to be similarities. I’ve got to carry some trademarks away from Queen, because I can’t help being me. In my opinion, there are superficial similarities to Queen, but I think what is underneath on this album is actually pretty different. It’s much more of a personal statement.” The album it most closely resembled was Innuendo; indeed, it could be seen as a companion piece to that album, as if Back To The Light were Brian’s own interpretation of the same circumstances. The only difference was that it lacked the input of a four-way collaboration, with more emphasis on the guitar. “Yeah, I enjoy [the heavier stuff],” Brian said in Guitar World. “I have an outlet for that now, whereas sometimes the band had to be a bit more broad, stylistically. Now I can get more into the heavy stuff. And I do enjoy it, I must admit.”

  Unsurprisingly, the guitar work is exemplary; The Red Special could have done most of the singing (indeed, it did on special guitar-dominated versions of ‘Nothin’ But Blue’, ‘Just One Life’ and ‘Too Much Love Will Kill You’). “Ninety-five per cent of [the songs were recorded with The Red Special],” Brian said in Guitar World. “On a couple of tracks, I also used this wonderful guitar that Joe Satriani gave me, which was a big departure for me. He gave it to me after we did the Guitar Legends concert in Seville, which I was lucky enough to be asked to put together. We all had a great time and I developed an even greater admiration for Satriani than I already had. He’s such an amazingly dexterous player, you expect him to be technical and nothing else. But the fact is that he’s got so much soul and feeling in what he does. He’s really a guitarist’s guitarist. Plus, he’s a nice guy. Anyway, he sent me this guitar and I picked it up and was inspired. So I kicked in with it.”

  While Brian would record one further solo album, he would never again travel this path so successfully. It was touching to learn that Freddie was always a constant source of inspiration, no matter where he may have been. “There are many threads in the album,” Brian explained. “And one of them is Freddie, obviously. It had to be. Because all through the making of this album I was becoming more and more aware that Freddie was facing the end of his life. So obviously I was aware as I finished off [these songs] that in some way it was going to relate to Freddie, too. And also to my dad and also to me. So there were a whole lot of link-ups there.” It may have been the end for Queen, but a resurrection was just around the corner.

  FREDDIE MERCURY

  THE FREDDIE MERCURY ALBUM

  Parlophone PCSD 124, November 1992 [4]

  Parlophone CDPCSD 124, November 1992 [4]

  ‘The Great Pretender’ (3’25), ‘Foolin’ Around (Steve Brown mix)’ (3’38), ‘Time (Niles Rodger mix)’ (3’49), ‘Your Kind Of Lover (Steve Brown mix)’ (3’59), ‘Exercises In Free Love’ (3’58), ‘In My Defence (Ron Nevison mix)’ (3’52), ‘Mr Bad Guy (Brian Malouf mix)’ (3’55), ‘Let’s Turn It On (Jeff Lord-Alge mix)’ (3’46), ‘Living On My Own (remix)’ (3’39), ‘Love Kills’ (4’29), ‘Barcelona’ (5’38)

  FREDDIE MERCURY

  THE GREAT PRETENDER

  Hollywood HR 61402 2, November 1992

  ‘The Great Pretender (Brian Malouf mix)’ (3’39), ‘Foolin’ Around (Steve Brown mix)’ (3’36), ‘Time (Nile Rodgers mix)’ (3’50), ‘Your Kind Of Lover (Steve Brown mix)’ (3’59), ‘Exercises In Free Love’ (3’57), ‘In My Defence (Ron Nevison mix)’ (3’52), ‘Mr Bad Guy (Brian Malouf mix)’ (4’01), ‘Let’s Turn It On (Jeff Lord-Alge mix)’ (3’46), ‘Living On My Own (remix)’ (3’39), ‘My Love Is Dangerous (Jeff Lord-Alge mix)’ (3’40), ‘Love Kills (Richard Wolf mix)’ (3’28)

  To commemorate Freddie, a compilation was inevitable and expected. What emerged has been the cause of controversy and debate ever since: instead of collecting Freddie’s greatest hits onto a single disc compilation, a collection of ten of Freddie’s songs from Mr Bad Guy and various singles was sent off to several producers to remix (and, in some cases, drastically restructure). The resulting albums – The Freddie Mercury Album, released in the UK, and its North American counterpart, The Great Pretender – are interesting blends of some of Freddie’s finest material, though that didn’t stop fans from crying foul: many believed that the original tracks were fine the way they were and should have been released unchanged. Roger agreed, writing in a contemporary letter to Fan Club members, “I’m not too keen on [the album] myself, and wish to point out that due to certain factors, one of which being Brian’s solo commitments, none of the three remaining members of Queen have been involved in any way with the record.” Nevertheless, the album was Freddie’s most successful, peaking at No. 4 in the UK and charting respectably elsewhere.

  The track listings were similar on both the UK and US issues, though there were some minor differences: the original versions of ‘The Great Pretender’, ‘Love Kills’ and ‘Barcelona’ were all present on the UK version, while remixed versions of the first two and ‘My Love Is Dangerous’ in lieu of the third were released on the US version. Thankfully, none of the Barcelona tracks were touched, leaving Freddie’s magnum opus to be enjoyed in all its operatic glory, as it should be.

  Whether or not the remixing was necessary is a matter of personal taste. However, all the songs sound fresh and lively, and even some of Freddie’s dance-oriented material (‘Foolin’ Around’, ‘Your Kind Of Lover’, ‘My Love Is Dangerous’) are transformed into interesting amalgamations of rock and dance that the original versions failed to achieve. ‘The Great Pretender’ is morphed into an epic rocker, and subtle remixes of ‘Time’ and ‘In My Defence’ enhance what were already powerful ballads. Even ‘Mr Bad Guy’ is transformed from a deliciously flamboyant orchestral piece into a snarling rocker. But considering the scarcity of Mr Bad Guy, a more conventional compilation would have been the preferred option; unfortunately, fans had to wait fourteen years and suffer endless remixes in the meantime.

  FREDDIE MERCURY

  REMIXES

  TOCP 8151 (Japan), 1993

  ‘Living On My Own (No More Brothers extended remix)’ (5’13), ‘Time (Niles Rodgers mix)’ (3’50), ‘Love Kills (Wolf Euro mix)’ (3’25), ‘The Great Pretender (Brian Malouf mix)’ (3’39), ‘My Love Is Dangerous (Jeff Lord-Alge mix)’ (3’46), ‘Living On My Own (Roger S mix)’ (5’45)

  Featuring six tracks – four of which were extracted from The Great Pretender / The Freddie Mercury Album, with the other two (bookending the album) an extended version of the popular No More Brothers ‘Living On My Own’ remix along with another remix of the same track – Remixes is largely superfluous but was worthwhile for having brought about a new wave of popularity for Freddie’s back catalogue. The album eluded UK and US releases, and was available only in Japan, Holl
and, Brazil, Italy and Bolivia. If you enjoyed the remixes immensely, this is for you; otherwise, stick to the superior compilations.

  THE BRIAN MAY BAND

  LIVE AT THE BRIXTON ACADEMY

  Parlophone PCSD 150, February 1994 [20]

  Parlophone CDPCSD 150, February 1994 [20]

  ‘Back To The Light’ (5’41), ‘Driven By You’ (4’17), ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ (4’39), ‘Love Token’ (3’05), ‘Headlong’ (6’08), ‘Love Of My Life’ (4’44), ‘’39 / Let Your Heart Rule Your Head’ (4’12), ‘Too Much Love Will Kill You’ (4’33), ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ (3’41), ‘Now I’m Here’ (6’58), ‘Guitar Extravagance’ (6’06), ‘Resurrection’ (10’08), ‘Last Horizon’ (3’14), ‘We Will Rock You’ (3’54), ‘Hammer To Fall’ (5’31)

  Musicians: Brian May (vocals, guitars), Cozy Powell (drums), Neil Murray (bass guitar), Jamie Moses (guitars, backing vocals), Spike Edney (piano, keyboards, vocals), Cathy Porter (backing vocals), Shelley Preston (backing vocals)

  Recorded: Brixton Academy, London, 15 June 1993 by Justin Shirley-Smith

  Producers: Brian May and Justin Shirley-Smith

  Despite Brian’s aversion to live albums (see his comments regarding Queen’s Live Killers), it was inevitable that a souvenir of Brian’s much-anticipated return to the stage would be released. With only fifteen songs crammed onto one disc, Live At The Brixton Academy is half Queen, half Back To The Light material, with one cover (‘Since You’ve Been Gone’, originally recorded by Rainbow, featuring drummer Cozy Powell) thrown in for good measure. In the long run, it’s a worthwhile purchase, with refreshing performances of Queen favourites and a much-needed shot in the arm to material from Brian’s first solo album.

  The album was conceived during the second leg of the Back To The Light world tour, though Brian cited three factors that almost prevented its release: first, the set list was edited, with only truncated versions of most songs appearing; second, a song had to be dropped for copyright reasons; and third, Brian encountered a multitude of technical issues throughout the night. The song that was lost was a reworked rendition of John Lennon’s ‘God (The Dream Is Over)’, which featured a new set of lyrics about the break-up of Queen and Brian’s desire to move on. Unfortunately, after Brian sent a version to Lennon’s estate, Yoko Ono simply never responded, and the song had to be dropped.

  These are minor complaints since Live At The Brixton Academy is a wholly rewarding listen, especially the never-before-performed ‘Headlong’, which went off in a new direction with Brian’s vocals. It may not have been Queen, but it was the closest thing available to the magnificence and majesty of their shows, and Brian seemed the most willing to carry on the tradition of his former band’s lavish production numbers. The twenty-three minutes that consist of ‘Now I’m Here’, ‘Guitar Extravagance’ and ‘Resurrection’ are unquestionably powerful, and Brian’s ever-evolving guitar solo is impressive, no matter what your opinions of such a display may be. While the long-deleted video is superior because of the added bonus of visuals, the album is a suitable showcase of the simple joy that Brian got out of performing live.

  ROGER TAYLOR

  HAPPINESS?

  Parlophone PCSD 157, September 1994 [22]

  Parlophone CDPCSD 157, September 1994 [22]

  ‘Nazis 1994’ (2’35), ‘Happiness?’ (3’17), ‘Revelations’ (3’44), ‘Touch The Sky’ (5’04), ‘Foreign Sand’ (6’53), ‘Freedom Train’ (6’12), ‘“You Had To Be There”’ (2’55), ‘The Key’ (4’25), ‘Everybody Hurts Sometime’ (2’52), ‘Loneliness...’ (2’25), ‘Dear Mr Murdoch’ (4’19), ‘Old Friends’ (3’33)

  Musicians: Roger Taylor (vocals, drums, guitars, bass guitar, stuff), Jason Falloon (guitars), Phil Spalding (bass guitar on ‘Revelations’, ‘The Key’ and ‘Old Friends’), Mike Crossley (piano and keyboards on ‘Happiness?’, ‘Touch The Sky’, ‘Freedom Train’, ‘The Key’, ‘Dear Mr Murdoch’ and ‘Old Friends’), Catherine Porter (backing vocals on ‘Everybody Hurts Sometime’), Joshua J. Macrae (programming), Yoshiki (arrangement, drums, piano and synthesizer on ‘Foreign Sand’), Jim Cregan (guitars on ‘Foreign Sand’), Phil Chen (bass guitar on ‘Foreign Sand’), Dick Marx (string arrangement on ‘Foreign Sand’), Brad Buxer and Geoff Grace (programming on ‘Foreign Sand’)

  Recorded: Cosford Mill, Surrey, late 1993–mid 1994 (‘Foreign Sand’ recorded at One on One Recording, Los Angeles)

  Producers: Roger Taylor and Yoshiki (‘Foreign Sand’), Roger Taylor and Joshua J. Macrae (all other tracks)

  Following the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, Roger all but disappeared from the public eye. Still mourning his friend’s death, he jumped back into writing music, much as Brian did, in order to find solace and begin the healing process. With The Cross no longer an active band, Roger started working on some new songs in mid-1992 for his first solo album since Strange Frontier.

  However, there were other factors to deal with first. Roger and John returned to the studios in early 1993 to complete work on songs from the final Queen sessions two years prior, though progress was halted – and resumed slowly – when Brian got wind of the rhythm section’s intents. Understandably livid that the pair would return to work without him, the guitarist finished his world tour and returned to the studios to join them in the recording process, beginning a lengthy, eighteen-month period of emotionally draining activity for all three. Intriguingly, Roger and John had formed an alliance, and most of the pair’s letters to the Fan Club throughout the year made special mention of the two of them; their appearance at the Cowdray Ruins charity concert in September 1993 further hinted at their like-minded, almost bullish intentions.

  During breaks from Made In Heaven, Roger continued working on his album, completing it by the beginning of the new year. Recorded entirely at his home studio, Cosford Mill – except for two tracks (‘Foreign Sand’ and a reworking of ‘Final Destination’) recorded with Japanese musician Yoshiki at One On One Recording in Los Angeles – the resulting album turned out to be Roger’s strongest to date, certainly more personal than anything he had recorded either as a solo artist, with The Cross, or with Queen.

  Although the arrangements and lyrics were more mature and evolved than those of Strange Frontier and Fun In Space, they did reflect some of his latterday Queen songs, and certainly his contributions to Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know and Blue Rock. Roger admitted this in a brief interview, saying, “There are a lot of optimistic sides, some other more tense atmospheres; in fact, lots of different feelings. The album is like that too because I’m maturing!” The songs encompassed a range of emotions: love, discovery, loneliness, pain and happiness. The odd man out was ‘Nazis 1994’, a scathing diatribe against the neo-Nazis who claim that the Holocaust never happened. This song gave voice to Roger’s anger and horror when, during a tour with The Cross, he visited the concentration camp at Dachau.

  Elsewhere, the album covered corrupt politicians and the rise of the far right. “Queen was always very apolitical,” Roger told The West Magazine in May 1994. “Though some of our songs have been taken up as political anthems, I am not a politician. I am just interested in bringing this subject to peoples’ attention. Nothing is wrong with a bit of froth, but it is important to write about things that matter.” Roger was exceptionally bitter on ‘Dear Mr Murdoch’, a sarcastic diatribe against Rupert Murdoch whose tabloid, The Sun, had hounded Freddie in his final days, segueing neatly into the poignant ‘Old Friends’, suitably concluding the album in honour of Freddie. Otherwise, Happiness? is a fairly straightforward album, more honest and open than Brian’s Back To The Light. “I hope that it’s a good title,” Roger mused in 1994. “I think that it’s in harmony with the simple truths that I’ve tried to find. I really wanted to write a very personal album.”

  Perhaps the most important subject that Roger wrote about was Freddie. ‘Old Friends’ was a specific tribute to him, but references are made throughout the album, be they in terms of musical arrangement (‘Foreign Sa
nd’ sounds like a cousin to Freddie’s more ambitious compositions) or lyrics, which are sprinkled throughout nearly every song. In a way, Happiness? is Roger’s way of distancing himself from the leviathan that was Queen and applying a full-stop to the past twenty-five years of his life. If anything, it was a fifty-minute therapy session.

  The album was released four days after what would have been Freddie’s forty-eighth birthday (9 September 1994), reaching an impressive No. 22 in the UK, the first time any of Roger’s albums had achieved the UK Top Thirty since Strange Frontier over a decade before. The singles – ‘Nazis 1994’ in May, ‘Foreign Sand’ in September, and ‘Happiness?’ in November – all performed well, indicating that Roger had finally struck a chord with his audience, though the success was only brief – all the singles (and the album itself) remained in the charts for just two weeks each.

  After his customary trip to the Gosport Festival in July 1994, Roger embarked on his first proper solo tour that September, starting off in Japan and winding his way back to England, France and Italy; the success of the latter shows was so great that a full tour of the country (which Queen visited only three times, in 1984) was booked for the beginning of January 1995. Roger enjoyed himself immensely and, with the ghost of The Cross finally laid to rest, was ready to move on and advance his solo career. It showed a lot of promise, and Happiness? was just the beginning.