Nothing really matters

I always feel a bit guilty when I go long periods of time without posting. Maybe in the near future I'll make a review post to take up space...

Queen Extravaganza, I'm happy to say, will be playing in Boston on June 11th at the House of Blues. I invited my counterpart since they don't seem to be stopping in New York City, but sadly she has something going on that day. At this point it's difficult for me to be excited for too long due to circumstances not totally within my control, but that with the combination of seeing Gunpowder Gelatine on Saturday is pretty awesome. I'll sadly be going by myself, but I'm determined to have a good time. Maybe I'll make new friends and connections!

My girlfriend continues to be awesome. I am steadily turning her into a Queen fan. We watched most of part one of Days Of Our Lives about a week ago, and then on a car trip the next day, she asked me to play some Queen for her. I was like, "Yes! Planting the seed, planting the seed..." I played her News Of The World because I think it's a really awesome starting album if you're going to delve into any of the non-hits. Speaking of...

My cousin pointed out an episode of Family Guy focusing on that album cover. I used to watch the show pretty regularly when I had cable and needed something stupid to distract me from the weight of social justice issues I care about, but with that show it's really difficult to ignore when some of its so-called "humor" (and "you're being overly sensitive/stupid" response to people's valid, negative reactions) hits way too close to home. But apart from the really fucking bad taste in my mouth, the episode called Killer Queen was underwhelming in general. Also Killer Queen isn't even on NOTW so that was also bothering me.

Days Of Our Lives DVD and other stuff

I now own it!

I'm still saving up for a Blu-ray player, though.

I also want to try starting the process of rebuilding my shrine in March. This will eventually involve traveling out to IL to get my stuff from my dad's house (all the more exciting because I don't own a car or drive). My closet is not a proper place for what cool shit I do have in my apartment! But my shrine will probably not be anywhere near as fucking badass as Andy's Queen Room.

I'm also planning on seeing Gunpowder Gelatine again on March 31st. I invited my girlfriend's roommate this time because I just recently learned that he's a Queen fan, and he's a cool guy in general. I really do love having local fans in my life! Well... I love having local fans who aren't really fucking annoying in my life.

Tribute picture book

I ordered what I thought was going to be just a tribute concert poster, but it's actually a book filled with pictures and quotes. It's pretty neat! There is no author, but it was published in 1993 by International Music Publications Limited, and all profits go to AIDS charities. But I bought it used, so in my case, profits go to the previous owner.



It does make me sad, though, that the entire concert isn't available to the public for some reason. The pictures are pretty fantastic, and it seems unfair for Queen Productions Ltd to not give full credit or acknowledgment where it is due.

Something I wrote last night

My girlfriend is British, but she's only just really taken an interest in the band Queen. She thinks my adoration over Freddie Mercury is adorable. Every time she says it, I keep warning her that she really has no clue how serious I am as a fan. I haven't even shown her the part of my collection that's kept in my closet until I can get a proper shelf for it!

We watched the video to Bohemian Rhapsody on Youtube, and afterward she exclaimed, "Oh! That explains that poster you have hung up next to your kitchen door!"

My head reeled for a moment. Maybe it's because that song and video were such huge staples in my childhood, but I assumed the image of the band - their faces peaking out of a black background in a diamond pattern, based on a photo of Marlene Dietrich and taken by Mick Rock - was common knowledge and probably talked about in grade schools right next to basic arithmetic.

We're in the process of teaching each other about the things we love. She's introducing me to Doctor Who and food that isn't prepared simply by microwaving it. I'm introducing her to the greatest band on the planet.

Q&A on Tumblr

Q: "what is your favorite freddie era and WHYYYY!" - my counterpart

A: Ooh, good one!

Probably the early 80’s? I want to say it seems like he had a better handle on his shit in terms of stage presence. Like sometimes I’ll look at his performances from the 70’s and I think he looked like he was being too careful and reserved - either out of self-consciousness, a need to show the critics that he was serious, or because of the high heeled boots. Maybe that’s it. Maybe I’m just glad he switched from heels and ballet flats to practical footwear with a bit more tread :-P

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Q: "What's your favorite Queen album, and why? :)" - mothermercuryy

A: Queen II is my absolute favorite. For me, a fun thing to do is listen to it all the way through on an obnoxiously high volume because it’s just so full and big and amazing.

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Q: "Hi, i love you url! Can you tell me what first song that makes you REALLY like queen? :)" - freddiebulsara

A: The first song that popped in my head without thinking about it was Don’t Stop Me Now. I know it’s not really cool to be a hardcore fan and love a track that couldn’t be called obscure by comparison, but I think it captures everything I really like about Queen. It’s a catchy melody, the harmonies are spot on, the guitar solo is SO AMAZING! It’s just dfklgjsdelgjs;dlfjgsdf;ljgdslsd;l…. I’m sorry, what were we talking about?

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Q: "You said you wanted to talk so... Let's talk! What year(s) do you think Silver Salmon is *really* from?" - queenruinedmylife

A: Oh hot damn! You are an angel!

It sounds like it’s from the Queen I recording sessions to me. It most definitely has an early 70’s sound, and Queen I does represent what the band sounded like for the first three years… so yeah.

Now a bigger question that will probably never be answered: Why the fuck didn’t they do a studio recording of Hangman?!?!

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Q: "Dragon Attack or Death on Two Legs???" - the12thdrbetterbeginger912

A: I honestly have no idea. Both are really raw and intense in their own ways - literally and metaphorically. I love Freddie’s ferocity and righteous anger in Death On Two Legs, and how he doesn’t apologize for it in the least.

Dragon Attack has a very wonderful, raw sound to it. At this point I might say I prefer this song just for the instrumental track. The drums are very clear and sharp, Brian wrote and recorded the guitar solo while drunk (see Mark Blake’s book), John’s bass playing here is almost as amazing as it is on A Day At The Races in terms of style and flair… Like, he’s always amazing. But he’s just in the background doing his “I’m just going to play the notes to blend in with the rhythm guitar section” thing, but then he plucks a few different notes, and even if they’re ridiculously simple, it’s still a definitive moment in the song for me. So yeah. I guess I’m in favor of Dragon Attack :-)

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Q: "I think that Queen II is Queen's most amazing album. Which song do you like the best on that album and why? I think that the March of the Black Queen is the best song but White Queen and Ogre Battle are incredible as well." - belladonicbreeze

A: Queen II is my favorite album! I don’t know if I can pick just one song from it… Uh… at random I just thought of The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke.

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If you have a question for me, you can email me, or ask me on Tumblr.

Tumblr burnout

I try to follow as many Queen blogs on Tumblr as possible - especially if they follow me first. I'm very flattered and excited that so many people seem to like what I have to say. But right now I feel like I'm the only one really saying anything.

I keep seeing GIFs and pictures and Youtube clips posted and re-posted, and sometimes it's really awesome and I enjoy it (the first time. But seeing it a billion more times in my dashboard gets really old really fast), but the scope of the conversation never goes beyond how "hot" or "perfect" the band members are.

The thing is, I'm not a teenaged fangirl. As an adult, I realize my perspective on, well, everything, is drastically different from where it was when I was 13-19. But fangirls confuse and annoy me as much today as they did when I was a teenager - except this time we have similar tastes in music.

I miss talking about Queen. I miss talking to other people about the music. This was part of the reason I started this blog in the first place. This is why I get REALLY excited when I do get the odd comment. I want to engage in real conversations with you! You can agree with me about everything, or argue, or tell me I'm full of shit - but for fuck sake, let's talk! (thank G-d for my counterpart, because she's awesome in general and so good for that whole discussion thing)

Maybe in a very small way I understand why Roger wrote Fight From The Inside when the tracks he wrote before it seemed to have him missing his teen years. I listened to it earlier and realized as I nodded in agreement that I'm pretty much that old man telling the kids to get off my damn lawn... and I'm only 25! Only my yells would be something along the lines of, "will you just shut up about being born in the wrong decade?!" Not to mention that when I do post something where Queen can be brought up with my political beliefs, I feel like I'm talking down or yelling at everyone when I'm really just trying to offer my opinion.

I think I need to take a break from my "All Things Queen" Tumblr before I snap and leave it altogether. It was hard enough stepping away from Queenzone even though it was clearly the right thing to do. But I don't like having to walk away from parts of this community even if it does frustrate the shit out of me.

The Amazon gift card that keeps on giving

I'm still spending away on that gift card my grandmother sent me. I've used it to buy 40 Years Of Queen, a Queen pin, and a copy of As It Began by Jacky Gunn (now Smith) and Jim Jenkins. I've looked through it real quick and it looks like there might be interesting tidbits and things. It was published in 1992, so I'm honestly not sure if I'll learn anything new, but still! This isn't the kind of thing I could find in a book store or record shop today, so definitely worth it.





I still have money left on my gift card, too. I keep spending it on this kind of stuff because I know my grandmother would be pissed if I used it on anything absolutely necessary (I don't think my electric company or landlord take Amazon gift cards anyway).