Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts

17 February, 2015

ADATR or NOTW?

I stopped in Newbury Comics - Harvard Square Store​ last month, and there was a woman who seemed to be talking to someone next to her near the vinyl records. I perked up as soon as she mentioned Queen​ because, duh. I made my way over to her to hopefully offer suggestions. It turns out she was on the phone via headset, and the guy next to her was just a guy next to her. The only two records under the Queen label were A Day At The Races and News Of The World.

I feel really terrible for bothering this woman and possibly coming off as creepy when I told her I loved Queen (it was only then that I realized she was on the phone), but the person on the other end of her line not knowing which of those albums to pick got me thinking...

If you could only pick ADATR or NOTW to introduce someone to Queen, which would you pick? And no, there's no possible way to get around it or access any other media in this scenario. Your friend in this scenario bases their taste in music on the first two seconds of the first song on an album because this friend grew up in an anti-music/TV/internet/anything remotely fun household and is only just starting to branch out, but really can't venture all that far from their comfort zone of talk radio and audio books because they still haven't completely forgiven you for what has since become known as "The Simon & Garfunkel​ Incident", and there's no hope for even a gray area when they decide whether to write the album and band off. You have to give them a compelling and well-thought out argument. I'd love to read your responses!

16 January, 2012

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.