Queen

Members of the group

Note: for more information on the members of the group, their collaboration with other projects and their solo production, to refer to the articles detailed with regard to them.

Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991, born Farrokh Bulsara), song, Piano, is regarded as the leader group, it is certainly the most known member. However, this role partly masked its talent of pianist. Its very particular voice corresponds to a Tessiture of Ténor. He wrote the majority of the famous songs of Queen.

Brian May (born in 1947), guitar and song, is the principal guitarist of the group and an accomplished pianist. He occasionally sang, as well in studio as on scene, on certain songs which he composed.

John Deacon (born in 1951), low, is the only member of Queen not to have never sung on an album studio. After a few years of collaboration, it was strongly implied in the financing and the management of Queen. Towards the end of the Years 1990, Deacon withdraws world of the music, and in particular chooses not to take part in the concerts of Queen + Paul Rodgers.

Roger Taylor (born in 1949), battery, percussions and song which moreover plays sometimes of the rhythmic guitar or low on some of its songs. In concert and studio, it takes part in the choruses and often sings on the most typified titles heavy metal.

History

Before-Queen (1968-1971)

Towards the end of the Years 1960, the Guitarist Brian May and the Batteur Roger Taylor are members of a semi-professional group in the area of London, named Smile, with Tim Staffell as a Bassiste - Chanteur. Freddie Mercury, which, at that time, always bear its true name, Farrokh “Freddie” Bulsara, are the friend and comrade of room of Tim Staffell in Ealing Art College and follow closely the career of the group. As a leader and a singer of other university groups, such as Ibex in 1969 and Sour Milk Sea in 1970, Mercury very wants to share its musical and artistic aspirations so that Smile can go further. Finally, free Tim Staffell Spalls for another group, Humpy Bong, and Mercury must push Brian May and Roger Taylor to continue the adventure. In the passing, it ends up imposing their new name, Queen, which fills several expensive criteria at Mercury: short and thus easy at the same time to retain, rather pompeux and disrespectful - queen meaning “queen”, but also “homosexual” in British slang. The group carries out tests with several bass players during this period, without much success. Among the bass players ignored having auditioned and having played with the group, one can note Mike Grose (until August 1970), Barry Mitchell (until January 1971) or Doug Bogie (until the arrival of John Deacon in February 1971).

The paddle of a single sound (1971-1974)

They will have to wait until February 1971 to meet John Deacon and to start to repeat for the recording of their first album. At the beginning of its career, Queen is a group deeply influenced by many references resulting from the progressive Rock. Mainly, of the compositions of rather long durations, a complex orchestration, and words based on an oneiric or fantastic world. This tendency is particularly notable in their the first two albums.

In 1973 thus leaves to EMI their first album éponyme, Queen , which will receive an excellent criticism on behalf of Gordon Fletcher of the magazine Rolling Stone . He will say some: “their first album is superb”, although it has, like pointed out May, summer recorded with few means, under difficult conditions and asked for two years of work. For the Chicago Herald , it is about “a beginning to the top of the average”. In spite of that, the album does not manage to collect the attention of the public, since the individual Keep Yourself Alive , composed by Brian May, is sold badly. This first opus is strongly tinted of heavy metal and progressive rock'n'roll.

In 1974 leaves the album Queen II , named thus in reference to the albums of Led Zeppelin whose titles then comprise the name of the group followed by a number. One finds there some of the rare compositions of the group making the good share with the acoustic guitar. It is as from this moment that Queen starts to constitute a public and to succeed commercially speaking. In this opus, their style is led more, they launch out in a music rock'n'roll mixing solos Psychédélique S, flown away Baroque S and blazing effects, playing with the choruses and multiplying the changes of rates/rhythms. Whereas they leave in round to the the United States with Mott the Hoople of which they ensure the first part, they start to be pointed out for their scenic services engageantes and of good invoice. The album will finish 5th in the classification of the best sales in the United Kingdom, the individual one selected, Seven Seas off Rhye , rising as for him in the 10th place of its category and thus offering to the group its first real success. However, in spite of the round, the sales in the United States still do not take off.

The beginning of a real opening (1974-1976)

Later, the same year, the group will record and leave the album Sheer Heart Attack . The album is sold as well in the United Kingdom as in Europe in general and finishes gold disc in the United States, giving to the group a first impression successes to come. One finds there a rather astonishing mixture of styles, energy of the music British hall with the heavy metal while passing by ballades, Ragtime and an even little music of the the Caribbean. It is as from this period that Queen is dissociated from the movement progressive rock'n'roll of the beginnings, to more easily approach a style of music diffusable with the radio. The title Killer Queen climbs with the second rank of the British classification, and uses the classifications states-uniens finally, in the 12th place. It is about an interesting tinted composition of light comedy way music hall , been used by the play of guitar as Brian May. The individual second , Now I' m Young stag , of more traditional invoice hard rock, will finish in the 11th place in Great Britain.

For promotional tour 1974 of Sheer Heart Attack , Queen rejoue in famous Rainbow Theater of London, room which the group had the occasion to earlier discover (in March) the same year. When the film-concert of Led Zeppelin, The Song Remains the Same , leaves in the rooms in 1975 in music, of the extracts in this concert of Queen will be diffused at the beginning of projection.

During the year 1975, Queen records and leaves has Night At the Opera . At the time, it is the album expensive ever produced. It includes/understands immense international success Bohemian Rhapsody , composed by Freddie Mercury and which only requires of her three working weeks in studio. This title will be number 1 during nine weeks consecutive at its exit, then still five weeks of at a stretch when Mercury has suddenly died, in 1991. In 1992, the success of the film Wayne's World near the young public will give a second breath to this piece. With final, this title will finish individual third British more sold of all times. It is interesting to note that the production company of the group (it is then about Trident, label of group EMI) wished in the beginning to shorten the piece to facilitate its radio diffusion. You' Re My Best Friend , second individual , will offer to him also a world nice success.

All in all, the album is of a not very common richness and a diversity for the time. For example, on The Prophet' S Song , length eight minutes, the group exploits the “movements” of sound in Stéréophonie and a simple vocal sentence repeated thanks to the effect Delay on multiple tracks gives an impression of choir singing to the unit. Enormous success in their country of origin, the album will offer to Queen triple disc of platinum in the United States. At the same time, To manage , Jim Beach to them, negotiates the rupture of the contract binding Queen to the Trident label and leaves the commercial department of the group. Among the options suggested with Queen, one can note the proposal made by Peter Grant, to manage of Led Zeppelin. However, the latter wishes to sign them on the proper recording company of this group, which Queen cannot accept. Thus, they will end up contacting John Reid, who occupies himself inter alia Elton John.

In 1976, the group turns over in studio to record what will be often perceived like during preceding album, has Night At the Opera . Heading has Day At the Races , title also borrowed to him from a film of the Marx Brothers, it takes again a cover rather similar to its predecessor, with a light variation of the logo, this time on a black bottom. Though very received, so much by criticisms than by the unconditional ones of the group, the album pains to eclipse has Night… and is sold less better.

The title headlight of the album, Somebody to Love , takes as a starting point the Gospel and Mercury, May and Taylor multiply their catches of voice in studio in order to make of it a chorus of one hundred “people”. This title will take the 13th place of the classifications in the United States and the second place in the United Kingdom.

This same year, Queen gives a famous free concert to Hyde Park, London. The audience will be officially estimated at: 150000 people, although several sources advance a figure close to: 180000. More generally, the fork oscillates between: 150000 and: 200000. In comparison, the concert of the Live 8 2005 given to London, which gathered some of the largest artists of these last decades (with the number of which The Who, U2, Madonna, Coldplay, Elton John and Robbie Williams) and saw gathering for the occasion the group Pink Floyd, attracted an audience estimated at: 150000 people.

Continuity in success (1977-1979)

In 1977 leaves News off the World . Although enough criticized hard on its arrival in the vats, the album will gain its public with time and will end up being regarded as impossible to circumvent of the style hard rock of the end of the Années 1970. Two new successes of it will result all the same, which will become thereafter sporting anthems in the whole world: We will rock'n'roll you of Brian May and We are the Champions of Freddie Mercury. The two titles will finish N°4 in the USA. It is in addition with this album that France finally will be interested in the group.

Roger Taylor leaves this year its first work in solo, in the form of an individual . The face has is a resumption of the group The Parliaments, I Wanna Testify , while the face B is an original composition of Taylor, Turn One the TV .

The exit follows, in 1978, of the album Jazz , including to them from now on traditional Fat Bottomed Girls and Bicycle Race , which will be both left on same the 45 lathes. Although being incontestably a business success, Jazz is criticized enough, inter alia because of the multiplicity of the musical styles approached. Ironically, the magazine Rolling Stone will leave this spade: “Queen does not have enough imagination to play of the jazz. In fact, they do not have either imagination necessary to play of the rock'n'roll & roll. ” The small pocket of the album takes as a starting point a painting then visible on the Berlin Wall. Among the pieces of this album, one can note Mustapha , vocal performance of inspiration Arabist signed Mercury. Besides it is advisable to note that he does not sing in an existing language, some having thought of recognizing Persan or Arab , but improvises sonorities with the Eastern consonances.

New sonorities, appearance of the synthetizers (1980-1982)

Queen attacks the Années 1980 with the album with success The Game , which proves to be opus best sold to them apart from compilations Greatest Hits . It will be also their larger success in the United States, before a significant decline of the sales in this country. Using for the first time of the Synthetizer S, the group upsets its own tradition. Indeed up to now the albums raised, not without pride, the mention “No synthesizers were used one this record”, that is to say in French: “no synthetizer was used on this album”. One finds on the Game the tubes Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Another One Bites the Dust , planetary success composed by Deacon. The first of these two pieces is an opening covering joint-D' eye in the world of the Rockabilly, Mercury active until taking a Guitare folk as well in studio as on scene. For its part, Brian May forsakes very temporarily its famous guitar, the Red Special . It uses exceptionally a Fender Telecaster, borrowed from Roger Taylor and an amplifier Mesa Boogie. There too, it is a change, May being usually faithful to its (or rather its ) Vox AC 30.

During several years, a popular rumor wanted that it is Mickael Jackson which, the first, slipped to them that Another One Bites the Dust would make excellent a individual . This last piece, certified four times disc of platinum in the United States and remained number one of the sales in this country during four weeks consecutive, will have also been the only one to appear simultaneously at the head classifications Rock, Dance and R&B of the magazine Billboard .

In parallel also leaves their first Greatest Hits , compilation made up of their most popular songs of the period 1974-1980. The album will remain a long time number one of the sales in England, and will preserve a place in the classifications during a little less than ten years. It is the album which was best sold history of music industry in this country, until less the beginning 2007.

Always in 1980, Queen signs and leaves in album the original soundtrack the film Flash Gordon, which carries for complete title: Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music by Queen) . The album is sold rather badly, rising all the same painfully with the 10th rank in the United Kingdom, but is used nevertheless as technical demonstration with the group in a new field.

Roger Taylor, on his side, leaves its first album solo, entitled Fun in Space .

While filling, in 1981, the stages Brazil iens of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the group conquers the heart of the South-Americans. It is besides the first major group to play in this part of the world and, in Morumbi Stadium de São Paulo, it takes down world records of multitude on only one evening with an audience estimated at: 130000 spectators the first evening. Queen is also the first group of international scale to turn to the Mexico.

To close the year 1981, Queen collaborates, for the first time, with an artist external with the group, in the person of David Bowie, for the 45 turns Under Pressure . The business is resulting from a complete chance, Bowie then visiting the studios of Montreux (Suisse) in which Queen carries out the recording of their next album, Hot Space . If the group is filled with enthusiasm immediately for the project and its result, Bowie, for its part, will wait years before adding this piece to its repertory in concert. At its exit, the title installs in the first place of the sales to Great Britain. Besides in 1990, Vanilla Ice will take again of it the base line for its famous Ice Ice Baby , opening the way with a lawsuit for plagiarism, gained by the plaintiffs. Recently, The Used and My Chemical Romance re-recorded Under Pressure in order to raise funds in favor of the victims of the hurricane Katrina.

Inspired by the international success of the piece Another One Cocks the Dust , Queen decides that their next album should logically turn to the musics Disco and Funk. The result will be Hot Space , in 1982. For faithful of the hard rock and unconditional ones of the group, it is a disappointment since only one of the eleven titles is directed rock'n'roll. The group launches out in a round of the United States. The results being very disappointing, the group decides to cease turning in this country, where them success was étiolé. However, they will appear only one and single time on television states-unienne for the first emission of the eighth season of famous the Saturday Night Live. Queen also leaves Elektra Records, their company for the United States, the Canada, the Japan, the Australia and the New Zealand, and signs with EMI /Capitol Records to ensure their sales on a world level.

Return to the rock'n'roll (1983-1989)

After having worked without slackening during more than ten years, on scene or in studio, Queen of round for the year 1983 decides not to ensure. During this bracket, the group records the album The Works and several members of the group launch additional projects, causing ceaseless rumors of separation which will perdureront during all the remainder of their career. May leaves the mini-album Star Fleet Project , in which collaborates, inter alia, Eddie Van Halen.

At the exit of The Works , Queen establishes a bridge between rock'n'roll and pop thanks to titles like Radio Ga Ga , I Want to Break Free (which will be used like anthem by the democratic movement Brazilian first of all, then like advertizing music by the company Coca-Cola), and the tubes hard rock Hammer to Fall and Tear it Up , cut for the concerts. In spite of these qualities, the album will be sold again very fairly in the USA. Until I Want It All in 1989, which will rise with the 3rd rank of the United States Mainstream Rock chart , Radio Ga Ga will be the last title of Queen to make a correct entry in a classification states-unien.

The Clip of the piece I Want to Break Free is a parody of a famous Televised series British, entitled Coronation Street . However, as the members of the group appear disguised there, the public really did not seize the reference, undoubtedly not influenced by the sulfurous reputation of Mercury.

At the end of 1984, Queen embarks for a series of dates to the Bophuthatswana in South Africa, in the town of Sun City. On their return in England, they are the subject of virulent criticisms, having played in this country at worst the hours of the Apartheid. They will rétorqueront that they did nothing but play of the music with which wanted to hear it well, and that moreover, the public of these evenings “was integrated”. Following this polemic and with the sanctions taken in their opposition, they will recognize later that this round was an error of their share.

1985 opens by two appearances with the festival Rock in Rio. At two o'clock in the morning, the January 12th, Queen opens the event while playing in front of: 325000 people, thus establishing a new record. They rejouent the January 19th to close the festival and fill them again: 325000 places available. (It should be noted that it is about a festival, Queen is not thus the only group to fill the places, other groups as AC/DC contribute to it largely)

With the Live Aid, which is held with Wembley the July 13rd 1985, qualities of Queen as a group cut for disproportion explode. With the eyes of criticisms like fans , Mercury adapts the spectacle, playing some of the best pieces of the repertory and captivating the audience by its musical and scenic talent.

Perked up by this success, which again exploded besides the record sales, Queen decides to put new a individual on the market, heading One Vision . It is about a piece fast and centered on the play of guitar which will be, still unusual fact at the time, put at the credit of the four members of the group. It will in addition be used in the film Aigle of Iron .

This same year 1985, Freddie Mercury leaves its first album solo, Mr. Bad Guy .

Beginning 1986, Queen records the album has Kind Magic off, containing several titles intended for the film Highlander left the same year, as well as other pieces inspired by film, in the absence of being retained for the B.O. The album is a great success, as well as the variation of individual : has off Kind Magic , Friends Will Be Friends , Who Wants to Live Forever and finally Princes off the Universe .

Later this same year, Queen launches out in a round to closed counters, Magic Tour, in order to promote the album. The point of organ will be a concert on two evenings at the stage of Wembley, which will leave on multiple supports (album, VHS and later DVD) under the name of Queen Live At Wembley Stadium and is regarded as the ultimate testimony of the performances live of the group.

Following this success, they try to hold the stage a third evening in order to satisfy those which could not obtain from place, but another event is already envisaged this day. They are thus folded back on the park of Knebworth. The tickets are sold all in two hours, and: 125000 people has a presentiment of themselves to see what will be the ultimate concert of Queen in its original formation. With final, Magic Tour remains their more important round, played in front of a total estimated at a million spectators. Only in the United Kingdom, one counts: 400000 people, the record of the time for a round.

After having worked on several personal projects current 1988, whose famous Barcelona of Mercury in duet with Montserrat Cabals, Queen leaves the album The Miracle in 1989. Same vein that has Kind Magic off, the group develops a its refined pop-rock'n'roll, accompanied by some heavier titles, and gives rise to with it European successes I Want it All , Breakthru , Invisible Man , Scandal and The Miracle . Queen announces that the album will not be followed of a round. Mercury declares that it is personally responsible for this choice, simply wishing to break the cycle album-round up to now established. The rumors of separation reappear, some speculating in possible health issues for Mercury.

The Miracle also constitutes a change of orientation in the philosophy of musical writing of Queen. Since the beginnings of the group, almost all the pieces are written and signed by the author of the words alone, the other members adding the minimum of personal creativity, thus helping the author to concretize his vision. Henceforth, writing becomes really collective and, although one can say that the starting ideas originate in a member of the group in particular, it is Queen as a whole which is credited as author with the pieces.

Death of Freddie Mercury and last albums (1990-1997)

Being propagated as of the end of the year 1980 in the tabloid press, the rumor wants that Freddie Mercury is reached AIDS. Although it is founded, Mercury contradicted regularly. Nevertheless, the group decides to continue to produce albums by maintaining the secrecy. In November 1990, the group signs an new agreement with Hollywood Records for the the United States, that with Capital Records coming to a end and EMI preserving to it his for the rest of the world. The era opens with The Miracle and will continue, in 1991, with Innuendo . Although its health worsens, Mercury continues its artistic contribution courageously, working with a real enthusiasm. With the number of the best pieces present on the album, one can evoke the title éponyme, Innuendo , shifted the I' m Going Slightly Mad and the anthems from now on traditional, The Show Must Go One and These Are the Days off Our Lives .

The November 23rd 1991, Mercury, in an official statement prepared on its bed of death, admits finally that he suffers from the AIDS. In the 24 following hours, he dies, at the 45 years age. Its funeral will be deprived, respecting in that the precepts of the religion of its family, the Zoroastrisme.

The April 20th 1992, the public meets in memory of Mercury for the concert of the Freddie Mercury Tribute, given at the stage of Wembley. Tens of icons of the time, with the number of which Pink Robert Plant, Annie Lennox, Guns, Extreme, Roger Daltrey, Def Leppard, Elton John, George Michael, David Bowie, Metallica and Liza Minnelli interprets, with the remaining members of Queen, a selection of titles of the group. Enormous success, the concert will be followed by tens of million televiewers all over the world. It appears in the Guinness Book of the Records like “the greatest concert of rock'n'roll to caritative goal” and made it possible to collect: 19960000 £ of gifts intended for the fight against AIDS.

Always in 1992, the popularity of Queen goes up out of arrow in the United States following the exit of the film Wayne's World , in which celebrates it Bohemian Rhapsody is included which rises with the second rank of the classifications and remains there during five weeks.

Queen never really separated, although their last album made up of original news, Made in Heaven , arrives in the vats four years after the death of their singer (either in 1995). It consists of sessions of song recorded in 1991 and put outlines on side during the preceding recordings. Moreover, of the worked over again material resulting from the album solo of Mercury Mr. Bad Guy and a piece already left within the framework of the additional project Taylor, The Cross-country race , is added there.

Since then, May and Taylor were often invested in projects aiming at raising funds for the fight against AIDS. Deacon, for its part, will return to work ultimate once with its two comparses in 1997 to record the individual No-One Drank You (Only the Good Die Young) . It is the last song composed by the group and it will be included in title no-claims bonus on compilation Queen Rocks , later the same year.

Queen and… (projects since 1998)

Several projects Queen + are developed in the following years. Some are simple Remix, are carried out without the artistic collaboration of the group. In 1999, the album Greatest Hits III is born. Inter alia pieces, one finds a version Rap of Another One Bites the Dust signed “Queen + Wyclef Jean”, the live version of Somebody to Love sung by George Michael, and a version in concert of The Show Must Go One sung by Elton John, going back to 1997.

Brian May and Roger Taylor also occur under the name of Queen on several occasions (given of prices, concerts caritative, etc), with various guests with the song. They also record several resumptions of traditional group, of which We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions , with new singers.

In 2003, four new pieces are recorded by Queen for marketing year 46664 (name resulting from its old number in prison) organized by Nelson Mandela to fight against the AIDS. These titles, Invincible Hope (signed Queen + Nelson Mandela featuring Treana Morris), 46664 - The Cal , Say It' S Not True and Amandla (signed Anastacia, Dave Stewart & Queen), are not currently distributed on the market.

The April 11th 2006, Queen appears in the television program states-unienne American Idol , which consists of a contest of song. During this week of the competition, each competitor must choose and sing a piece of Queen. One will be able to thus hear resumptions of Bohemian Rhapsody , Fat Bottomed Girls , The Show Must Go One , Who Wants to Live Forever and Innuendo . A posteriori , Brian May criticizes the producers of the emission. According to him, because of certain cuts carried out with the assembly, the meeting and the performance of the actor Ace Young with the group seem rather negative, whereas that was not in its opinion not the case.

Queen + Paul Rodgers

With the end of the year 2004, the group states to intend to meet to turn during 2005 with Paul Rodgers, founder and former singer of the groups Free and Bad Company. It is specified, including on the official site of Brian May, that the group will turn under the name of Queen + Paul Rodgers, thus not making to this last the true substitute of Mercury. Deacon, pensioner, do not take part in the project and are replaced by Danny Miranda of Blue Öyster Cult. The other members of the group made up for the round are Spike Edney, guitarist and pianist at the time of the concerts of Queen since 1984, and the additional guitarist Jamie Moses who takes part in the solo projects of May since the beginning of the years 1990. The first round of Queen + Paul Rodgers begins in 2005.

The September 19th 2005 leaves double CD Queen + Paul Rodgers recorded in concert in May 2005 to Sheffield, England. It is entitled Return off the Champions and will be followed of a DVD a few weeks later.

In March 2006, Queen + Paul Rodgers begins a round of the United States and Canada. If have it omits the two dates of the preceding round, it is the first great return of Queen for a complete round to the USA since Hot Space in 1982.

The April 28th 2006, Queen + Paul Rodgers leaves a second live DVD resulting from their collaboration, Super Live in Japan . The spectacle was recorded in Saitama Super Arena the October 27th 2005 - one of the six Japanese dates.

The May 25th 2006, Queen, Judas Priest, Def Leppard and KIS are the first to enter with the very new VH1 Rock Honors of Las Vegas. The ceremony is diffused on the chain six days later. On this occasion, the Foo Fighters take again Tie Your Mother Down in homage to the group, May and Taylor uniting with them towards half of the piece. Then, Queen + Paul Rodgers plays The Show Must Go One , We Will Rock You (with Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters to the battery) and finally We Are the Champions .

The August 15th 2006, Brian May confirms, by the means of its Internet site, that Queen + Paul Rodgers will start to work on a new album studio as from October. The place chosen for this recording is kept secret.

The musical heritage of Queen nowadays

Although having been rejected by criticisms at their beginnings, especially in the United States, Queen ended up being more recently recognized for important contributions to several styles of musics, like the arena rock'n'roll , the heavy metal and the progressive Rock or the Glam rock'n'roll and the pop rock'n'roll, inter alia. In fact, the group was very often referred to by other actors of the music scene.

Queen composed of the musics drawing their inspiration from kinds very varied while adopting a malicious attitude and a disrespectful tone. Very as much as their musics, the list of groups and artists who said to draw certain influences or inspiration of Queen (or one of the members) is very varied and extends on many country or generations. With the number of those, one can note Ben Folds Five, The Darkness , Def Leppard , Extreme, Guns Pink, Kansas, Metallica, Michael Jackson, MUSE, Mika, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins , Styx, Sweet, My Chemical Lovesong etc

Michael Jackson, near to Mercury to the beginning of the year 1980, quoted the album Hot Space like a major influence in the creative process of its famous Thriller of 1982. Originally, Mercury was besides supposed to make an appearance there.

Stone Cold Crazy , drawn from the album of 1974 Sheer Heart Attack is often presented like precursor of the sub-genus Thrash metal (or Speed metal). Metallica recorded a resumption of this piece, which appeared on the album Rubaiyat - Electra' S 40th Anniversary in 1990, and was worth to them a Grammy Award in 1991.

Montserrat Cabals, celebrates it Cantatrice, explained on several occasions how the music of Queen - and, to a lesser extent, of the members of the group, an excellent introduction to the rock'n'roll for the amateurs of opera constituted and reciprocally.

Cover Bands of Queen

Like other major groups of their generation, Queen sees his catalog and its taken again style milks for feature per many other artists. Thus, since the death of Freddie Mercury, one can see many group-homages, or cover bands of Queen to be formed a little everywhere in the world. Quite front One night off Queen carried out by Gary Mullen and the rock opera We Will Rock'n'roll You, of the cover bands such as the two groups Killer Queen (oldest is English, second is Italy N), Dutch of The Miracle (which played besides Montreux) and, more recently, CoverQueen ( cover band French ) celebrates the music of their idols.

Musical and artistic production, derived

Discography

Albums studio

Queen (1973)
Queen II (1974)
Sheer Heart Attack (1974)
has Night At the Opera (1975)
has Day At the Races (1976) off
News the World (1977)
Jazz (1978)
The Game (1980)
Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music by Queen) (album) (1980) bande original of the film Flash Gordon of Mike Hodges.
Hot Space (1982) comprend the title Under Presses in duet with David Bowie.
The Works (1984)
has off Kind Magic (1986) comprend certain pieces drawn from the original soundtrack of the film Highlander from Russell Mulcahy.
The Miracle (1989)
Innuendo (1991)
Made in Heaven (1995) album posthumous including/understanding new or remasterized vocal sessions of Freddie Mercury.

Albums in concert

Live Killers (1979) double album, compilation of titles recorded during the European round of 1979.
Live Magic (1986) compilation of titles recorded during the Magic Turn , with Wembley, Budapest, and Knebworth.
Live At Wembley' 86 (1992) double album taking again the entirety in the concert of the July 12th 1986 at the stage of Wembley.
Five Live (1993) co-signé “George Michael & Queen Featuring LISA Stansfield”, short album recorded at the time of the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert , also contains a version studio of Dear Friends sung by Freddie Mercury.
Queen one Fire - Live At the Bowl (2004) double album taking again the entirety in the concert of the June 5th 1982 with Milton Keynes.
Return off the Champions (2005) signé Queen + Paul Rodgers, double album recorded in concert with the news formation.
Queen rock'n'roll Montreal (2007) Concert of 1981 in Montreal, known in the past under the name of " We will rock'n'roll you".

Compilations and albums of collection

Greatest Hits (1981) compilation covering the period 1974-1980.
The Supplements Works (1985) coffret special comprising all the former albums and of the titles no-claims bonus ( Human Body , Soul Brother , One Vision …).
Greatest Hits II (1991) compilation covering the period 1980-1990.
Queen At the BBC (1995) réédition of Queen: Live At The Beeb (1989), recorded with BBC in 1973 - the songs result mainly from the first album studio.
Queen Rocks (1997), compilation of titles hard rock and heavy of the groupe.
Greatest Hits III (1999) signed compilation “Queen+”, with many duets and Remix es.
has night At the opera (2005) special édition of the one of the albums emblématiques of Queen at the time of the 30 years of its exit. It is made up of the remasterized original album and a DVD no-claims bonus containing the clips of You' Re my best friend and Bohemian Rhapsody , the other songs being put in images, with, for the majority, of the extracts of vidéos of Queen in concert and of the moments of life of the four members of the group. One can also see and/or hear their comments on the history of each chanson.

Scenic performances

The concerts of Queen always had a dimension avant-gardist. During its career, the group constituted a catalog of songs impressing and varied, used multiple systems of wiring for sound, enormous installations of lighting, a true pyrotechnical arsenal, and, for Mercury, many extravagant costumes. All that aimed at making their concerts of true theatrical events. As a singer and a leader , Freddie Mercury, could be immersed in the adulation of the public to sublimate the excitation - capacities that many artists, such as Bob Geldof, David Bowie, George Michael, Kurt Cobain (in his supposed letter of suicide), and Robbie Williams to quote only some of them, said to admire. Mercury could thus interact with the public, bringing it to really taking part in the concert, whatever the size of the event.

Queen belonged to the handle of groups which provided the impulse having given the concerts rock'n'roll in the stages and big rooms the statute of appointment impossible to circumvent with the public. Their capacity to be set up of the impressive scenic performances gave place to the exit of a certain number of concerts simultaneously in 33 turns and video then on CD and DVD, while a significant number of illegal copyings in the concerts of Queen appeared on the market.

Cinema and television

In addition to the original soundtrack made up for the film Flash Gordon of Mike Hodges in 1980 and of the pieces written for Highlander of Russell Mulcahy in 1986, (present on the album has Kind Magic off) the songs of Queen were very often used with the cinema and on television:

the song of opening of the film Highlander, Princes off the Universe , was also used like credits of the televised series (1992 - 1998).

to wire for sound its version of 1984 of Metropolis, Giorgio Moroder composes with Mercury the piece Love Kills , which one finds on the album solo of this last, Mr. Bad Guy , which leaves the following year. Curiously, the versions of this title available on the album of Mercury and the BO of film do not correspond to that sung in film. Always in the original soundtrack of this film, a piece written and interpreted by Moroder is entitled Machines , not to confuse with the title of Queen present on the album The Works . The Clip of Radio Ga Ga - always on The Works - is for its part illustrated by extracts of film. Other scenes turned for this video aim at recreating the visual environment of Metropolis . Thus, contrary to a tough generally accepted idea, there is no piece of Queen as a group on the original soundtrack of this version of film, even if the cross references can lend to confusion.

a version of Somebody to Love sung by Anne Hathaway was recorded in 2004 for the film Ella with the magic country . In 2006, Brittany Murphy also recorded a version of the same song for the film Happy Feet . In 2001, a version of The Show Must Go One was sung by Jim Broadbent and Nicole Kidman in the musical film Moulin-Rouge! .

It is now in the tradition of the series That' 70s Show (since season 5) to name the episodes of the successive seasons of the name of songs of famous rock groups of the years 1970 (Led Zeppelin for the fifth season, The Who for the sixth and the Rolling Stones for the seventh). The episodes of the eighth and last season of That' 70s Show are named according to songs of Queen. Moreover, the title Bohemian Rhapsody had already been used in the first season.

We are the champions will be taken again by Robbie Williams in 2001 for the film Chevalier with Heath Ledger.

With the number of the other films in which one finds songs of Queen, one can quote Aigle of Iron , National Lampoon' S Loaded Weapon , Super Mario Bros , The Station-wagon-up , Wayne's World , Small Soldiers , Its in Law , Encino Man , Stepmom , High Fidelity , Super Size Me , has Knight' S Tale , The Girl Next Door , Revenge off the Nerds , The Small Champions , How High , Shaun off the Dead , Peter' S friends.

We will rock'n'roll you will for its part be taken again many times - inter alia, by group KCPC to illustrate the advertizing campaign of the French mineral water mark Evian. Another rather known recovery is that of Five, a servant boys band English accompanied for the occasion by the remaining members by Queen, at the time of the Brit Awards 2000.

Queen and the video clip

See also: Bohemian Rhapsody#Le video clip, the clip of Bohemian Rhapsody

The Clip realized for the song Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975 is often quoted, wrongly, as being the first video clip of the history. However, it is indeed the first to have profited from average techniques important and to have made use of advanced visual effects for the time. To its exit, it video of Bohemian Rhapsody clip a support of promotion of importance for the sales launch of a thus contributes to make 45 turns.

Music Hall

In 2002, a musical comedy based on the songs of Queen and named We Will Rock You is launched to the Dominion Theater with London. It is the work of the musician and English actor Ben Elton, in collaboration with Brian May and Roger Taylor.

It for summer has begun again with Madrid and Barcelona, in Spain; with Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane, in Australia; with Cologne, in Germany; with Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia; in South Africa and finally Las Vegas, the the United States. The series of representations of London was originally to finish the October 7th 2006. However, following its immediate success, the spectacle is prolonged for one unlimited duration. We Will Rock You became the musical comedy played longest without interruption in this important theater of London, exceeding the preceding record established by Grease .

The launching of the musical comedy coincided with the Jubilé of the queen Elizabeth II. Inter alia events planned for the celebration of the jubilee, Brian May carried out a solo of guitar on God Save the Queen , already present on the album has Night At the Opera , since the roof of Buckingham Palace. The recording of this solo was used for the video of this same song on the DVD of the thirtieth birthday of has Night At the Opera .

Sean Bovim moreover created Queen At the Ballet in homage to Freddie Mercury. Bovim uses musics of Queen as soundtrack for a spectacle of dance, the dancers giving their interpretation of the stories told by Bohemian Rhapsody , Radio Ga Ga and Killer Queen .

Other uses of the catalog

In collaboration with Electronic Arts, Queen leaves in 1998 the Video game Queen: The Eye , commercial and critical failure. The music itself - pieces of the vast catalog of Queen, in much of case Remix be in new instrumental versions - is overall received, but the experiment of play is wasted by a weak lifespan. Moreover, the play suffered from a time of extremely long development, giving to the Graphisme S an aspect exceeded as of the exit of the play.

Under the monitoring of Brian May and Roger Taylor, many projects of restoration of sound quality came to pack the audio-visual catalog of Queen. At their exit in DVD, their famous concerts, in Wembley in 1986 (named Live At Wembley Stadium ) and in Milton Keynes in 1982 ( Queen One Fire: Live At The Bowl ) and both Greatest Video Hits (recalling respectively the years 1970 and 1980) saw their music remixée in 5.1 and to pass in its SDR Surround. To date, two of the albums most unanimously acclaimed of Queen, has Night At The Opera and The Game , was completely remixés in its surround high-resolution on DVD Audio. Known for their complex arrangements and their taste of the multiple tracks, this form of mediums seems makes to measure for the music of Queen. Brian May recently declared that he would like to see the whole repertory of Queen reproduces in this format, because he corresponds as well as possible so that the group had considered for their work years ago.

The logotype of Queen

The Logotype of Queen, known in English under the name of “ Queen crest ”, was drawn by Mercury, in addition titular of a diploma in illustration and graphic design of Ealing Art College of London, before the exit of their first album. This logo includes/understands the signs of the Zodiaque of the four members: two Lion S for the Lion S Deacon and Taylor, a Crab symbolizing the Cancer for May, and two Fairy S for the Virgin , sign of Mercury.

The lions are located on both sides capital letter Q stylized, the crab being on this same letter, directly under flames rising some, the fairies seeming for their part to shelter under each lion. One also finds a crown in the center of the letter, the whole being surmounted of immense a Phoenix spreading his wings. Mercury indicated that he saw this logo like “a symbol of the time”, namely the years 1970. It was often visible on the front of the Grosse case of Taylor at the time of their first concerts.

Notable records, rewards and homages

Records of classifications and volume of sales

In 2005, according to the Guinness Book of the records , the albums of Queen passed a 1422 weeks total, that is to say 27 years in the classifications of the United Kingdom as a whole; longer than any other group or artist, including Beatles and Elvis Presley.
Moreover the same year, with the exit of its album live with Paul Rodgers, Queen entered in the third place of the records of longevity of presence the British classifications; the fact that the lists were shorter in the years 1960 is however not taken into account.

In 2006, the compilation of success Greatest Hits became the album best sold of all times in the United Kingdom and in Irish Republic, with: 5407587 sold specimens. Moreover, their album Greatest Hits II had then been sold with 3.631.321 specimens.
With regard to the total volume of sales of the group, the estimates vary largely. In 2001 one estimates this one at approximately 100 million discs in the world , , . However, according to an official press release published two years later, Queen “would have established a record with more than 150 million run out throughout the world”. The following year, at the time of their entry to the U.K. Music Hall off Famed , one evokes “more than 190 million albums”. Several sites speak as for them of more than 300 million sold discs , . To believe RIAA of it, the total of the sales of albums of Queen in the United States rose to 35,5 million in 2004.

Rewards obtained in the United Kingdom

1975 - Mercury sees itself decreeing the price Ivor Novello for Killer Queen .
1976 - Mercury receives the price Ivor Novello again, for Bohemian Rhapsody .
1977 - Queen receives a Brit Award for the “better individual 25 last years ”, Bohemian Rhapsody. .
1990 - Queen receives Brit Award for “exceptional contribution to the British music”.
1992 - Queen receives Brit Award for the individual : Thesis Are the Days off Our Lives .
1992 - Mercury receives posthumous Brit Award for its “exceptional contribution to the British music”.
1997 - May receives the price Ivor Novello for the title Too Much Love Will Kill You .

Rewards obtained in France

The rock group Queen, on many occasions during its career, obtained rewards of the type Disque of gold in France thanks to the business success of their albums:

In addition, the individual of Queen regularly appeared in the Top 50, classification French of the 50 best individual sales of over one week:

International homages

2001 - Queen enters to the Rock-and-roll Hall off Famed of Cleveland, Ohio, the USA.
2002 - Queen is seen granting a star on famous the Hollywood Walk off Famed.
2003 - Queen becomes the first and, to date, single group to enter to the Songwriters Hall off Famed
2004 - Queen enters to the U.K. Music Hall off Famed.
2004 - Bohemian Rhapsody enters to the Grammy Hall off Famed.
2006 - Queen is the very first group to enter to VH1 Rock Honors.
2004 - Queen is added to the Walk Rock'n'roll off Famed of Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, the USA.

International: surveys of popularity

1975 - Sounds Readers' Poll Awards :

Better group: Queen;
Meilleur album for has Night At the Opera ;
Better individual for Bohemian Rhapsody .

1999 - the group is elected second better group of the musical history.
2005 - the performance of the group to the Live Aid is elected, by a vast made up jury musicians and critics, “better performance live of all times”.
2007 - Queen is indicated, in a popular survey, “better British group of all times”.

Anecdotes

At the sixteen years age, Brian May manufactures itself its famous guitar, called Red Special , with the assistance of his/her father. Wood is partly drawn from a lintel of chimney in Acajou. Several original functionalities are added, like the possibility simultaneously of playing on one, two or three micro of mark Burns or to reverse independently the phase of each one. Very faithful to this model during all the career of Queen, Brian May has a great number of copies of it.