I heard this rumour several times before. But now I have a source for that. According to Helmut Fest ( one of the EMI Continental Europe Bosses at that time) Queen were asking for more money during the production of "The Works". To make this point clear - we are not talking about a new piano or additional musicians or something like that- they had blown that money for Hotels, rental cars, Cocaine and hookers ! After they spend the first million Dollar, EMI send them an accountant ( bookkeeper) to see what's going on. When he returns that guy just shrug his shoulders and said that the money is completly gone- He never seen something like that in any other band or music-production before.
Was it worth it ? thoughts !?
L.A. 1983, just picture that! :) 80's R'n'r Style at his finest and most decadent point... they were living "on the fast lane" even Saint John Deacon XD Go Deaky Go ;)
It's a strange one, in that as queen owned their own sound recordings, held copyright, and recorded as and when they fancied, and just had a deal that meant EMI had exclusive rights to release their material, I thought that the band would be contributing a large share of the recording costs as they would getting a larger share of the profits. If EMI were funding most of the recording and 'living' expenses then the band were clearly onto a winner there!!
If this is true then somehow, i think the greedy f*ckers have no idea as to the irony of the lyrics to the album's final track :-)
"Somewhere a wealthy man is sitting on his throne
Waiting for life to go by."
indeed.
If this story is true and EMI were unloading truck loads of dollar bills on command, does that mean the American label got an album for free? Or were they also paying shed loads into Freddies coke fund too!