QueenZone discussion #1556868

mariah carey wrote: the "Mercury wants to go back to the band" scene, which didn't happen like this in real life, because they never broke up.

The Real Wizard wrote:

mariah carey wrote: the "Mercury wants to go back to the band" scene, which didn't happen like this in real life, because they never broke up.

You weren't there, so how can you know for sure? Not everything that happened behind closed doors was written in a book or spoken about in an interview before 2018. Yes, they didn't break up per se. But in 1985 they were a touring act purely on a professional basis, travelling in separate limos to and from the gig. They were internally a mess by that point largely because of Mercury's ego and drug issues which are well documented. In reality, it was after Live Aid that the rest of the band held an intervention with Mercury, forcing him to choose between them and Prenter. You'd have to cultivate relationships with people who were around at the time if you want to learn more, but that's basically what went down.

mariah carey wrote: the movie's band meeting scene was just made up for the dramatic purpose only

I just don't think that it accurately showed what actually happened behind the scenes, because they didn't break up, they weren't that mad that Freddie went to release his solo album (Roger himself has said it) and he wasn't even the first one to do it.

The Real Wizard wrote: Yes, they didn't break up per se. VS In reality, it was after Live Aid that the rest of the band held an intervention with Mercury, forcing him to choose between them and Prenter.

Saint Jiub wrote:

The Real Wizard wrote: Yes, they didn't break up per se. VS In reality, it was after Live Aid that the rest of the band held an intervention with Mercury, forcing him to choose between them and Prenter.

An ultimatum to dump Prenter is a whole lot different than Freddie begging to get back into the band. Do you have a source regarding this ultimatum? I'm sorry, I cannot take your statement at face value. "History" is written and spun by the living.

You'd have to cultivate relationships with people who were around at the time if you want to learn more

Saint Jiub wrote: "All I can do is suggest you entertain the possibility that there's far more that goes down behind closed doors than ends up in biographies written by people who weren't there." ... I agree with you, and I'll even venture to say that Freddie was probably the most dysfunctional member of the band, but clearly the rest of the band was somewhat dysfunctional if the mid 80's, but Brian is not the choirboy portrayed by the movie. Has any other credible source (besides you) corroborated "the ultimatum"? How close was your source to the band?

MisterCosmicc wrote: He dissed Freddie’s album while Freddie was alive

He was really angry when he played guitar on some of Freddie’s tracks for Mr. Bad Guy, and then Freddie replaced them with an imitation. I think Brian hated the Mr. Bad Guy album, I also think he was worried Freddie would leave Queen... thus the scene and why Brian says it’s his favorite scene in the film.

The Real Wizard wrote:

mariah carey wrote: the movie's band meeting scene was just made up for the dramatic purpose only

Once again - you were there?

I just don't think that it accurately showed what actually happened behind the scenes, because they didn't break up, they weren't that mad that Freddie went to release his solo album (Roger himself has said it) and he wasn't even the first one to do it.

Circumstances were much different in 1981. Roger wasn't consciously trying to make an album as big as Thriller by writing 15 songs and using the best 11 without any outside input (about 500 songs were written for Thriller, by comparison). And Roger didn't receive a cash advance from a record label that was 4x the amount of Queen's previous album, causing extra strain on an already strained relationship. Roger said they "weren't mad" the same way McCartney said Getting Better isn't about how Lennon used to beat his wife, insisting it was merely character portrayal in songwriting. It's called protecting the legacy and your friend in death. And if Roger said this before 1991, it's just good PR to keep your squabbling on the down low. Mercury went out and hired a bunch of unknown session musicians to play like Queen. You'd better believe they were pissed at the time - Brian spoke about it years later on his blog (which, predictably, some fans thought was unfair because Mercury wasn't there to defend himself). The album flopped. Of course he returned to the band with his tail between his legs. He thought he didn't need them, and he was dead wrong. Overall the film is a pretty honest recollection of how their relationship was splintering and what the causes were (by Hollywood standards, anyway). But indeed, it downplays how bad things were. There is only one casual reference to cocaine, and it's well known that cocaine can be an ego booster making one feel invincible. He wasn't showing up to mixing sessions to his own songs by 82, never mind 85. He was a completely different person from the one who created ANATO a decade earlier. Mr Bad Guy was the lowest point of Queen's career up to that point, and after you know the facts, it takes a whole lot of mental gymnastics to believe otherwise.

The Real Wizard wrote: Mercury went out and hired a bunch of unknown session musicians to play like Queen. You'd better believe they were pissed at the time - Brian spoke about it years later on his blog (which, predictably, some fans thought was unfair because Mercury wasn't there to defend himself). The album flopped. Of course he returned to the band with his tail between his legs. He thought he didn't need them, and he was dead wrong. . . . . . . . Mr Bad Guy was the lowest point of Queen's career up to that point, and after you know the facts, it takes a whole lot of mental gymnastics to believe otherwise.

MisterCosmicc wrote: Source

Holly2003 wrote: Was this informant "in the room" when this happened or was he (or she) told a story by someone with a vested interest in that particular version of events, and who is now trying to turn it into 'fact' via a cash cow movie that uses Fred's epic songs to rake in that cash?

failed solo artists Brian May & Roger Taylor

a band that he had never left and which never actually broke up?

Prenter was threatening the money. Prenter needed removed. But Queen was the money. And without Fred there was no Queen and no money.

mariah carey wrote: ^Basically. The movie depicted Mercury as the one who broke the band up, because he went to make a solo album with the influence of the evil man Prenter. Then he hits the rock bottom (while his bandmates are happy with their wives and kids), Mr Bad Guy flops, he understands that without Queen he's nothing and begs the band to take him back. They reunite and slay the Live Aid stage. In real life, they all were tired of each other by that point. John went to Bali without telling anybody, for God's sake! Constant touring and recording for the last 10 years, alcohol abuse and drug problems, marital problems, the press abuse and backlash... Mr Bad Guy was a small part of all this mess, and even Freddie quickly lost his interest in it. Maybe at first he thought about going away from Queen, but it didn't last that long and didn't break the band up, because they were on a worldwide tour supporting a succesful abum.

Mark_Glasgow wrote: I can’t be arsed looking for quotes, but I’m pretty sure Freddie said in a number of interviews that his solo album was just something he had wanted to do for some time and that he had no intention of leaving Queen.

Seriously, if anyone believes the rest of the band would have thrown him out of the band is just smoking dope, they wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes without him. Want the evidence....go look at The Cosmos Rocks.

MisterCosmicc wrote: Oh he doesn’t like the album.

The Real Wizard wrote:

mariah carey wrote: the "Mercury wants to go back to the band" scene, which didn't happen like this in real life, because they never broke up.

You weren't there, so how can you know for sure? Not everything that happened behind closed doors was written in a book or spoken about in an interview before 2018. Yes, they didn't break up per se. But in 1985 they were a touring act purely on a professional basis, travelling in separate limos to and from the gig They were internally a mess by that point largely because of Mercury's ego and drug issues which are well documented. In reality, it was after Live Aid that the rest of the band held an intervention with Mercury, forcing him to choose between them and Prenter. You'd have to cultivate relationships with people who were around at the time if you want to learn more, but that's basically what went down.

Holly2003 wrote: I remember that period very well: I went nearly 2 years without reading hardly anything about Queen in the press, the music mags, or hearing them on the radio. Then Queen did some massive promotion of The Works with lots of interviews. BBC Radio One began playing Radio Ga Ga on regular rotation. Combined with the fact that fans like me bought the 7 and 12 inch versions, it charted immediately .. and thus began the reignition of their career. You really had to live through that few years in the UK of Hot Space through to The Works. After HS, Queen were seen as old news: HS was a laughable attempt to stay relevant. Everyone bought the Greatest Hits LP instead. Wearing a Queen t-shirt was really 'uncool'. Then The Works dropped, and suddenly Queen was everywhere again. Having experienced that, I find it hard to believe they were in any real danger of disbanding in 1985.

splicksplack wrote: Mmmmm, there are a few sides to this and I'm sure we all believe what we have been told by anyone 'close' to the action' at the time. For what it's worth I have a friend that I went (as part of the Royal Family) to many gigs with in the 70's and 80's. This person went on to work for the band on the South American tours and was very close to Prenter, Freddie and Roger in the 80's He/she reckons the whole ultimatum story is bollocks. Not because he/she was party to any private meetings but because he/she knew the individuals involved very closely. Basically Fred would have told them to fuck off. and try their luck without him and it certainly would not have come from close friends Roger or John. Sounds more like a Brian May insecurity confection for the film.

dysan wrote: @Holly - the 3 years between AKOM and The Miracle seemed like a lifetime. Sure there was other stuff happening but it felt like a huge thing having new product.