| david(galashiels) 28.03.2009 20:33 |
the one thing that makes me most sad,is that freddie never got to go on a solo tour.yes we had time the musical and barcelona...but no solo tour...i dont know (i cant read minds or fortell the future)if he thought queen was more important or he knew time was short.but a freddie tour would have been a goody.i can see it now....my lords ladies and gents,i give you freddie mercury.....christ that would have been good.......shame because i imagine freddie could have been up there with bands whose singers had gone solo(mccartney...coverdale.and yes i know whitesnake still perform,but not the original).but as we always say look to the future not the past.i feel a freddie tour would have been a sell out and that it would have made fred a (not god like) but massive rock star.i know that he or queen were massive stars as in a group.....but...o what could have been...but as it is we have to content ourself with queen+paul rodgers....who i like very much(they rock my cosmos).it's just a shame we could have not seen freddie doing something that was not queen,,,but just ...freddie mercury rock star extrodinare.. |
| greataddict 29.03.2009 03:02 |
As a matter of fact, I've often thought of what could have accured if Freddie would still be alive... I'm not sure he 'd have toured with another band... what for, when you have such a beautiful and effective machine? I wonder if he would'nt have been part of the whole electro stuff... taking the kinda turn Madonna did, at the end of the 90's |
| thunderbolt 31742 29.03.2009 13:04 |
I've always thought that if Freddie had toured, the band would have gone sort of the way the post-Waters Pink Floyd did, maybe putting out an album or two at five-year intervals before going their separate ways. I doubt there would ever have been an official break-up, but I do suspect that by the late '90s/early '00s, someone would have asked about new Queen material, and instead of giving the garden-variety "We'll see," Freddie would have instead replied that the band never actually broke up, but don't hold your breath for any new albums. |
| Rotwang 29.03.2009 17:51 |
It's so hard to wonder what would or could have been. As much as I hate to say it, Queen ended when it should have. By no means do I think they didn't have anything left, but it I don't think their spark would have been as bright had they kept going (if they could have). On a somewhat related note, I got the chance to see The Police when they toured in '07 and as excited as I was, it was kind of a let down. The energy from the band wasn't there and the songs were so watered down. There was a reason they quit when they did. Granted, they were able to make the choice (Sting made the decision for everyone). But getting back to Queen, what musical direction would they have gone? I don't know but I'm afraid many people would think they are over staying their welcome because of the Queen coporation instead of Queen the band. I personally think Freddie, if he were still alive, would be more of a producer than an entertainer at this stage. Of course, he would still be singing and possibly releasing solo material. I think John was ready to quit and Freddie's passing clinched it for him. It's just too hard to say what if but I'd rather say "what if" than "why?" |
| Drastic_Stu 30.03.2009 08:46 |
There probably was not time to do a tour when it could of happened which was 1985 when Mr Bad Guy was released. Queen had released The Works in 84 and did a massive world tour and then were more than likely recording Magic in 85 for release in 86 and of course do not forget Live Aid in July 85. He was just too busy! if he had been well enough then 87 or 88 would have been ideal as Queen were fairly quiet. |
| Vali 30.03.2009 11:47 |
If Freddie had never gone ..... I want to believe there would have been long intervals for solo stuff ... and Queen would be alive, releasing new albums every 2 - 4 years. I want to be sure about that If Freddie had never gone ... that would mean he never got ill, so his way of facing life wouldn't be the same as in his last (relaxed) years .... I think, as someone said some posts above, he would have gone a little on electronic pop/rock music during the 90's and early 2000, ala David Bowie -and Roger too-, as well as on more intimate (maybe acoustic format?) shows on recent years. But the Queen machine would be alive; his charisma/magnetism/whateveryouwanttocallit would have convienced John or even Brian at any attempt from them of quitting anyway .... all speculation .... damn it .... IT'S TIME TO RELEASE THE BLOODY ANTHOLOGIES !!!! I NEED - WE ALL NEED - LISTENING TO UNRELEASED MATERIAL FROM THE BAND !!!! |
| Micrówave 30.03.2009 16:18 |
Yes, we could have seen him this year at the State Fair performing solo with an acoustic guitar and singing Let's Turn It On. *sniffs* |
| aion 30.03.2009 16:38 |
I think Freddie had time to do solo shows in autumn of 1985 and spring 1986, but he just didn't have the interest for it. I don't think he would have done solo tours or lived wild rock'n'roll lifestyle even if he hadn't got sick... I can imagine that if the band had continued after 1991, there would have been longer periods between new albums; they'd have put out a new, rather formulaic & safe anthemic stadium rock album every 4-5 years much like U2 nowadays, they'd have done short tours playing the European stadiums, and most of the time Freddie would have lived quiet life at home with his cats. He'd have done a few somewhat uninspired solo albums which he wouldn't have toured and which the critics wouldn't have liked but which would have paid his bills, and he would have done the duet with Aretha Franklin that he always wanted to do. Even as Freddie and the others had more music to do after 1991, I can't imagine them staying hungry and enthusiastic forever. The same happens to every great band that has a too long career: they lose the sparkle, they start to repeat themselves too much, they eventually become boring and unimportant no matter how respected and great they originally were. What was good about the end of both Queen and the Beatles is that they never got to do truly bad albums, their careers ended on a high note; so though I'm not happy that Freddie died, in that sense Queen's career ended exactly when it should have. |
| mike hunt 31.03.2009 02:45 |
aion wrote: I think Freddie had time to do solo shows in autumn of 1985 and spring 1986, but he just didn't have the interest for it. I don't think he would have done solo tours or lived wild rock'n'roll lifestyle even if he hadn't got sick... I can imagine that if the band had continued after 1991, there would have been longer periods between new albums; they'd have put out a new, rather formulaic & safe anthemic stadium rock album every 4-5 years much like U2 nowadays, they'd have done short tours playing the European stadiums, and most of the time Freddie would have lived quiet life at home with his cats. He'd have done a few somewhat uninspired solo albums which he wouldn't have toured and which the critics wouldn't have liked but which would have paid his bills, and he would have done the duet with Aretha Franklin that he always wanted to do. Even as Freddie and the others had more music to do after 1991, I can't imagine them staying hungry and enthusiastic forever. The same happens to every great band that has a too long career: they lose the sparkle, they start to repeat themselves too much, they eventually become boring and unimportant no matter how respected and great they originally were. What was good about the end of both Queen and the Beatles is that they never got to do truly bad albums, their careers ended on a high note; so though I'm not happy that Freddie died, in that sense Queen's career ended exactly when it should have. I see it a little differently, The early 90's, say 1992, queen release a great album, but record sales start slow. Along comes waynes world, and bo rhap becomes huge. Queen, excited that bo rhap is on the charts again announce a farewell tour. Radio sations start playing their new album on the radio, The public responds, The album peaks at a solid #8 in the states, their best since the game. The tour is a huge hit, and then on freddie's assistence they retire from the stage after the tour. |
| aion 31.03.2009 09:11 |
mike hunt wrote: I see it a little differently, The early 90's, say 1992, queen release a great album, but record sales start slow. Along comes waynes world, and bo rhap becomes huge. Queen, excited that bo rhap is on the charts again announce a farewell tour. Radio sations start playing their new album on the radio, The public responds, The album peaks at a solid #8 in the states, their best since the game. The tour is a huge hit, and then on freddie's assistence they retire from the stage after the tour. Don't see that happening. I don't think they would have ever announced a farewell tour, and certainly not if they were at the time hugely popular. And would Bo Rhap have become a hit again if Freddie hadn't died? The reason it went to #1 is because it was released just after Freddie's death and everyone were paying a tribute to him. And this Queen+ thing shows that Brian and Roger don't know how to retire. More likely they would have kept releasing albums somewhat similar to The Miracle; they'd have the anthemic rock songs like I Want It All and Was It All Worth It, they'd have the pop hits like Breakthru and A Kind of Magic, they'd have the occasional ballad by Freddie. A new album in 1992, then 1997, 2001, and maybe 2005 or 06. Predictable, meticulously and slickly produced albums that would have 1-2 true gems and a chart hit per record but mostly it would be usual Queen fare and ignored by music critics. Tours start to get smaller and less exciting and as he's aging Freddie's voice starts to suffer more and more, he's not that spectacular live anymore and in his rare interviews Freddie talks of possible permanent retirement from making and performing music. A personal high point for Freddie would be when he'd do a duet with Aretha Franklin in the mid-1990s, he might also sing on her 1998 album and be a guest on an Elton John album. John might retire from the band during the 1990s, before the 1997 album and in the 2000s Freddie shows less and less interest in being a rock star. In the end Queen never officially disbands, but they just slowly fade away as Freddie concentrates on taking care of his garden and the record company concentrates on re-re-re-releasing old Queen stuff again and again, just like is happening now... |
| Paulos 31.03.2009 15:43 |
Ive often thought about what would have been. My take is that with the success of Waynes World Queen would again have broken America by taking Innuendo on the road there. At the time other '70's bands' (which Queen were to many Americans) like Kiss and the Eagles were making comebacks on the road due to a nostalgia revival. Couple this along with Queen actually still making great music and i think they would have wiped the floor with all of them. Im sure that in the 90's Queen would have gone on to break new ground such as touring Russia and China. The latter especially would have given the band the fresh injections to carry on like the South American tours of the early 80's and Live Aid had before. By the late 90's i think Freddie would have withdrawn further from the rock persona and ventured more into musicals. Im not sure if they would have been another Rolling Stones - who'll just keep playing like 20 year olds til they drop, i think Freddie would have wanted to move on. |
| Winter Land Man 31.03.2009 16:18 |
david(galashiels) wrote: the one thing that makes me most sad,is that freddie never got to go on a solo tour.yes we had time the musical and barcelona...but no solo tour...i dont know (i cant read minds or fortell the future)if he thought queen was more important or he knew time was short.but a freddie tour would have been a goody.i can see it now....my lords ladies and gents,i give you freddie mercury.....christ that would have been good.......shame because i imagine freddie could have been up there with bands whose singers had gone solo(mccartney...coverdale.and yes i know whitesnake still perform,but not the original).but as we always say look to the future not the past.i feel a freddie tour would have been a sell out and that it would have made fred a (not god like) but massive rock star.i know that he or queen were massive stars as in a group.....but...o what could have been...but as it is we have to content ourself with queen+paul rodgers....who i like very much(they rock my cosmos).it's just a shame we could have not seen freddie doing something that was not queen,,,but just ...freddie mercury rock star extrodinare.. I agree with that soul brothah, Freddie coulda been HUGE in the solo biznuss! |
| theCro 02.04.2009 00:36 |
Vali wrote: damn it .... IT'S TIME TO RELEASE THE BLOODY ANTHOLOGIES !!!! I NEED - WE ALL NEED - LISTENING TO UNRELEASED MATERIAL FROM THE BAND !!!! could not agree more, i want "new" unreleased demos etc... please ! |
| Bigfish 02.04.2009 08:13 |
Biggest regret ? Offered a ticket for Live Aid. Turned it down - had to work. Stupid boy. |
| Winter Land Man 02.04.2009 11:14 |
Bigfish wrote: Biggest regret ? Offered a ticket for Live Aid. Turned it down - had to work. Stupid boy. That sucks! |
| Erin 02.04.2009 11:25 |
I just wish I had flown over to Europe for this last tour, cause it appears for the time being, they ain't coming back here. :-I |
| ParisNair 02.04.2009 13:22 |
Paulos wrote: Im sure that in the 90's Queen would have gone on to break new ground such as touring Russia and China. Probably they'd have toured India too. Many international artsists started touring India in the 90s, Michael Jackson being one of the first. I swear I'd have made it to the venue wherever it would have been. Freddie...why : ( |
| 12yrslouetta 06.04.2009 12:31 |
Its an interesting point. What would they be doing now. I agree with the thoughts of someone else, an album every 5 or so years, maybe with a tour every now and then. funnily enough freddie dying made queen huge. believe me, they were never this big or garnered this amount of repect when the four of them were alive. |