Do you really believe Brian where he said the 1986 tour was the only time they made a profit on a tour? I mean...surely they made profits on many of their tours...Hot Space tour for example?
Also about Queen not doing touts in America after 1982, surely they would have still sold out venues if they had gone stateside in 1986 because...well they were a famous band. Like because the Rolling Stones have produced shit (sorry stones fans!) over the last twenty years they still were able to do a US tour, so why not Queen after a period of just 4 years (82-86).
I mean who would turn down the US market??
I think in the 'olden days' tours weren't operated to make a profit but rather to promote records.
There weren't so many 'sponsors' etc on those tours.
As for Queen touring North America in 1986, they could have sold out a tour if the venues picked had been the right size. The thing about those tours was that the continent is so big it took months to cover it properly. I think that's what put Freddie off.
una999 wrote: Do you really believe Brian where he said the 1986 tour was the only time they made a profit on a tour? I mean...surely they made profits on many of their tours...Hot Space tour for example?
Also about Queen not doing touts in America after 1982, surely they would have still sold out venues if they had gone stateside in 1986 because...well they were a famous band. Like because the Rolling Stones have produced shit (sorry stones fans!) over the last twenty years they still were able to do a US tour, so why not Queen after a period of just 4 years (82-86).
I mean who would turn down the US market??
The four of them always gave flipped answers every time they were asked about why they haven't toured in the USA. I am sure that there was a specific reason, but none of us will ever really know. All we can do is speculate. Certainly their popularity in the USA declined after “Hot space”. Most here felt their music had become mostly shitty pop and dance numbers. I am sure they would sold out 16,000 seat arena’s, but probably not stadiums.
una999 wrote: Do you really believe Brian where he said the 1986 tour was the only time they made a profit on a tour? I mean...surely they made profits on many of their tours...Hot Space tour for example?
Yes, I believe this. The business model in those days was very different. Bands would do tour to promote their albums and singles. Albums and singles would make them money, a gig would stir up interest in them. Back then going to a concert was relatively cheap while albums were relatively expensive.
These days, with downloading songs from the internet running rampant, bands have to make their money mostly by doing gigs and by selling merchandise. That's why concerts have become a lot more expensive!
Queen didn't sellout stadiums in the US to begin with. They would have done well after Hot Space, but not on the same level as before. Their biggest selling album here in the US was 'The Game' and it was followed up with 'Hot Space' which was a major disappointment for most fans. They could have played larger cities like NYC, Chicago, LA and Houston where a sellout show would have been obtainable but they didn't.
Profit from tours back in the 70's and 80's were really unheard of. There were some bands that did make a profit, but not all. With today's sponsors, bands are guaranteed a return. Just go to any concert and you see adverts for Coke, Pepsi, Bud Light, Miller Light, Q-Tips and so on.
Queen did sell out stadiums here in the US from what I rememeber. In the 77-78 tour from what I believe. And if they did play stadiums when they were in their peak here in the US they would have sold out stadiums right and left
No sir, they didn't play any stadiums until the early 80's. During the 70's, Queen played large halls and arenas in the US. Take a looksy.
Chicago Stadium was really an arena, it held 21,000 people tops. link link