| Bigfish 02.04.2009 07:35 |
I am surely not alone when considering Roger Taylor's 'Happiness?' to be the best Queen solo outing. The album is filled with haunting piano, soaring blues slide guitar, soulful vocals and beautiful melodies. The excellent title track, The key, Revelations and Foreign sand would have all graced any Queen album. While more experimental numbers such as Freedom train and Nazi's 1994 give the album that peculiar 'Roger' flavour (a little wacky but very rock and roll). On a personal note it was my soundtrack to a year I spent in Japan in the 90's so it's quite a personal choice. I shut my eyes and I'm back there everytime I hear it. I. |
| aion 02.04.2009 09:17 |
It's definitely Roger's best, I'm not sure if it's the best of all solo albums though. I still rank Barcelona the highest, as I don't think any other rock singer has ever done something like that, and Back To The Light is at least as good as Happiness?, if not better. But Foreign Sand is the best solo song of all members of Queen. |
| onevsion 02.04.2009 09:33 |
For me it's 1 Barcelona 2 Happiness 3 Blue Rock sorry Brian... |
| drjones 02.04.2009 09:48 |
starfleet does it for me. |
| Winter Land Man 02.04.2009 11:11 |
For me, I think Mr. Bad Guy is the best solo album, simply because I enjoy every song on the album. Barcelona has some good songs, and it's a magnificent album, but I don't like every song. I don't like everything on Happiness?... Some of the songs are great, but it's not my favorite solo album. I like Brian's Back To The Light album... but as I said, Freddie's first solo album is the best. Roger's early albums were great, too. I like catchy songs. |
| A_WintersTale 02.04.2009 12:48 |
Sorry guys - "Barcelona"! It has never been reached in artistry even more then a decade later! Number two goes "Happiness?" - I agree! |
| peterkoz1 02.04.2009 14:06 |
My top ten for what its worth !! 1: How can i go on (Freddie) 2: Too much love will kill you (Brian original solo version) 3: heaven for everyone (cross version with Roger on Vocal) 4: Old Friends ( Roger) 5: Surrender (Roger) 6: Another world ( Brian) 7: Starfleet (Brian) 8: Dream of Thee (Brian) 9: There must be more to life than this (Freddie) 10: Love Kills (Freddie) |
| Mercury 90 02.04.2009 14:07 |
For me the best is Another World by Brian, I absolutly love it, followed by Mr Bad Guy I actually barely listen to rogers solo albums, I don't like what he does that much! |
| ANAGRAMER 02.04.2009 15:02 |
Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception! |
| dbruce 02.04.2009 18:09 |
I think Happiness has the consistency of a Queen album. As being discussed on another thread just now, there are some cracking songs (Foreign Sand is incredible, Old Friends is a great end to the album), but also a bit of filler. But that's the same with all Queen related albums. I really like the first side of Strange Frontier, and a lot of Electric Fire. So I'd rate Roger's stuff quite highly. Brian's was a little less consistent. Starfleet is an interesting document of essentially five talented musicians jamming, and I do like listening to this on the odd occasion. BTTL was a very good solid album, but Another world was a bit of a mixture - what's the word? - a mish mash! - yes, that's the word I was looking for. It didn't seem to flow very well as an album, and didn't have too many highlights. I think some tracks (On My Way Up, for example) ended up more fun live than they were on the album. Furia should have been a single or EP rather than a full soundtrack album! Freddie's stuff is exactly what one would have expected from him. Expressing the two extremes of his musical tastes - Mr Bad Guy is so 80's pop it's now rather dated - and Barcelona is such a beautifully sculpted piece. My problem with Barcelona is Montserrat - she fits wonderfully onto the title track and Ensueño, but she seems out of place on every other track. It would have worked better to have other female vocalists on The Fallen Priest and The Golden Boy, and to do the other tracks as pure solo. It could also do with losing Overture Piccante and gaining another couple of 'proper' tracks! I keep meaning to take the various demo versions and see if I can come up with a more preferred version of this album! |
| Bigfish 03.04.2009 04:14 |
Agree completely about Barcelona. Never understood why 'Exercises in free love' was not included. |
| bigV 04.04.2009 07:19 |
For me the top 5 studio albums are: 1. Barcelona 2. Back to the Light 3. Blue Rock 4. Another World 5. Electric Fireh "happiness?" is too disjointed for my taste. It sounds like an album of demos (bar a couple of songs). It sounds like it was rushed. V. |
| jadedlady 04.04.2009 23:31 |
Barcelona and Back to the light top Happiness IMO. |
| KJ 05.04.2009 11:49 |
1. Back to the Light 2. Barcelona 3. Fun in Space I have the same feeling about Happiness. I think it is a great album but some songs sound incomplete to me. For example 'everybody hurts sometime' and 'you had to be there' sound very poor to me. |
| JoxerTheDeityPirate 05.04.2009 14:34 |
i'd probably say Electric Fire but i do have soft spots for Fun In Space and Strange Frontier,it depends what mood i'm in... |
| April 05.04.2009 16:47 |
Mr. Britt wrote: For me, I think Mr. Bad Guy is the best solo album, simply because I enjoy every song on the album. Barcelona has some good songs, and it's a magnificent album, but I don't like every song. I don't like everything on Happiness?... Some of the songs are great, but it's not my favorite solo album. I like Brian's Back To The Light album... but as I said, Freddie's first solo album is the best. Roger's early albums were great, too. I like catchy songs. I also believe that the best solo album is Mr. Bad Guy. I don't like Roger's solo albums very much. I even gave them away to my crazy Queen fan-friends, who are more crazy than me about Solo Stuff by each Queen member. Freddie's solo work was and is the best for me. |
| April 05.04.2009 16:48 |
Oh, BTW since the thread is called Happiness, I am happy now as you see this is my month! Guess why? |
| leto 06.04.2009 05:19 |
I loved "Happiness" but my all time favorite solo album is "Electric Fire". I think it's the only solo album which the better production so it's stll not old-fashioned. I really love all the songs maybe except "Working Class Hero". In the order : 1. Electric Fire 2. Another World 3. Barcelona 4. Back To The Light 5. Happiness ? 6. Mr Bad Guy 7. Blue Rock 8. Fun in Space 9. Strange Frontier 10. Star Fleet Project 11. Shove It 12. Mad Bad and Dangerous to know |
| Treasure Moment 06.04.2009 05:35 |
Bigfish wrote: I am surely not alone when considering Roger Taylor's 'Happiness?' to be the best Queen solo outing. The album is filled with haunting piano, soaring blues slide guitar, soulful vocals and beautiful melodies. The excellent title track, The key, Revelations and Foreign sand would have all graced any Queen album. While more experimental numbers such as Freedom train and Nazi's 1994 give the album that peculiar 'Roger' flavour (a little wacky but very rock and roll). On a personal note it was my soundtrack to a year I spent in Japan in the 90's so it's quite a personal choice. I shut my eyes and I'm back there everytime I hear it. I. no way, freddies solo work is by faaaaaar the best out of all of them. |
| Treasure Moment 06.04.2009 05:36 |
ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception! lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. |
| Vali 06.04.2009 05:46 |
yes, I love Electric Fire's production too, and Working Class Hero is my only low point in the album. This is my ranking: - Electric Fire - Happiness ? - Back To The Light - Another World - Barcelona - Blue Rock - Star Fleet Project - Mr. Bad Guy - Fun In Space - Strange Frontier - Mad, Bad ... - Shove It - Furia |
| lalaalalaa 07.04.2009 08:01 |
I never did pick up any Freddie solo albums and I have only one Roger solo album. 1. Another World 2. Back To The Light 3. Happiness? |
| thomasquinn 32989 07.04.2009 15:15 |
Treasure Moment wrote:ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards. |
| jadedlady 07.04.2009 23:38 |
lalaalalaa wrote: I never did pick up any Freddie solo albums and I have only one Roger solo album. 1. Another World 2. Back To The Light 3. Happiness? You must get Barcelona ASAP. |
| Treasure Moment 08.04.2009 07:37 |
ThomasQuinn wrote:Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards.ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. yeah because Queen only played 1 STYLE right?.....retard... is that why they named the last real Queen album "made in heaven"? and had several of freddie solo songs on it? RETARD, get a brain buddy, you need it. |
| lalaalalaa 08.04.2009 07:44 |
jadedlady wrote:lalaalalaa wrote: I never did pick up any Freddie solo albums and I have only one Roger solo album. 1. Another World 2. Back To The Light 3. Happiness?You must get Barcelona ASAP. That is actually the one I plan on getting next. |
| ANAGRAMER 11.04.2009 05:11 |
Treasure Moment wrote:ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. and....... |
| thomasquinn 32989 11.04.2009 07:30 |
Treasure Moment wrote:ThomasQuinn wrote:yeah because Queen only played 1 STYLE right?.....retard... is that why they named the last real Queen album "made in heaven"? and had several of freddie solo songs on it? RETARD, get a brain buddy, you need it.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards.ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. Yeah, Queen often made reggae-oriented disco (nearly all of the Mr Bad Guy album) and electro-pop (Love Kills). They did not have *any* distinguishing features that can be found on all albums (like guitar orchestrations and chorale-harmonies), and Freddie did not himself mention that he couldn't have made an album like Mr Bad Guy with Queen... |
| Treasure Moment 11.04.2009 07:46 |
ThomasQuinn wrote:Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Queen often made reggae-oriented disco (nearly all of the Mr Bad Guy album) and electro-pop (Love Kills). They did not have *any* distinguishing features that can be found on all albums (like guitar orchestrations and chorale-harmonies), and Freddie did not himself mention that he couldn't have made an album like Mr Bad Guy with Queen...ThomasQuinn wrote:yeah because Queen only played 1 STYLE right?.....retard... is that why they named the last real Queen album "made in heaven"? and had several of freddie solo songs on it? RETARD, get a brain buddy, you need it.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards.ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. he didnt say he couldnt make those songs with queen, he just said "we just havent done them yet" Queen played almost every single genre of music and wasnt limited to any them doing a reggae oriented disco and electro pop wouldnt suprise me one bit. I see freddies solo albums as Queen songs, same with brian and roger solo songs that have freddie singing on them. |
| catqueen 11.04.2009 09:59 |
lalaalalaa wrote: I never did pick up any Freddie solo albums and I have only one Roger solo album. 1. Another World 2. Back To The Light 3. Happiness? You should try to listen to The Great Pretender, I know its a cover, but it shows Freddie's voice off so beautifully. I got Solo- The Very Best of Freddie Mercury last year, I love it, there's 26 songs on it, although some of them are different mixes of the same song, but it's brilliant. I think most of the Barcelona album is on it. I love all of Queen, but like their solo work too, as it shows them in a different context. With Freddie's solo work, I like it because you can focus on his voice, even on very orchestrated songs like Mr. Bad Guy. I also love Lets Turn It On, Your Kind of Lover, Mr. Bad Guy, There Must Be More to Life Then This, Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow, My Love is Dangerous... I'll stop now, I actually like basically everything on it, it's one of my favourite albums. :) |
| thomasquinn 32989 11.04.2009 11:44 |
Treasure Moment wrote:ThomasQuinn wrote:he didnt say he couldnt make those songs with queen, he just said "we just havent done them yet" Queen played almost every single genre of music and wasnt limited to any them doing a reggae oriented disco and electro pop wouldnt suprise me one bit. I see freddies solo albums as Queen songs, same with brian and roger solo songs that have freddie singing on them.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Queen often made reggae-oriented disco (nearly all of the Mr Bad Guy album) and electro-pop (Love Kills). They did not have *any* distinguishing features that can be found on all albums (like guitar orchestrations and chorale-harmonies), and Freddie did not himself mention that he couldn't have made an album like Mr Bad Guy with Queen...ThomasQuinn wrote:yeah because Queen only played 1 STYLE right?.....retard... is that why they named the last real Queen album "made in heaven"? and had several of freddie solo songs on it? RETARD, get a brain buddy, you need it.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards.ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. Of course you see it like that. But that's only because you are completely obsessed and bloody ignorant of music. "Almost every single genre of music"? So where are swing, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, madrigal, classicist, classical impressionist, dodecaphonic, serial, bluegrass, cajun, chanson, calypso, improvisational and Apalachian folk, to name but a few? |
| mike hunt 12.04.2009 01:54 |
catqueen wrote:lalaalalaa wrote: I never did pick up any Freddie solo albums and I have only one Roger solo album. 1. Another World 2. Back To The Light 3. Happiness?You should try to listen to The Great Pretender, I know its a cover, but it shows Freddie's voice off so beautifully. I got Solo- The Very Best of Freddie Mercury last year, I love it, there's 26 songs on it, although some of them are different mixes of the same song, but it's brilliant. I think most of the Barcelona album is on it. I love all of Queen, but like their solo work too, as it shows them in a different context. With Freddie's solo work, I like it because you can focus on his voice, even on very orchestrated songs like Mr. Bad Guy. I also love Lets Turn It On, Your Kind of Lover, Mr. Bad Guy, There Must Be More to Life Then This, Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow, My Love is Dangerous... I'll stop now, I actually like basically everything on it, it's one of my favourite albums. :) Mr. Bad guy isn't one of freds best work, but a few days ago I put on "lover of life" and was pretty amazed how solid the Cd holds up. Like you said, most of barcelona is on there, though I rather listen to that entire album straight through. I only have to use the skip button twice, "I was born to love you" and "fooling around" not bad for a solo album. Freddie's voice is at it's strongest on "the great pretender" and is basically amazing on the whole CD. |
| paulosham 13.04.2009 17:43 |
ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception! unfortunately, I agree. As a queen fan for 20+ years I have always been disappointed with the solo efforts. Roger Taylor in particular. while I do like a few songs of his from Fun In Space and Strange Frontier the rest is pretty much garbage. Starfleet I like but all the other Brian May stuff is not very good. Freddie had some songs I liked on both of his solo albums but again the quality is lacking. on the other hand thought No Turning Back is one of the greatest songs ever written[img=/images/smiley/msn/tounge_smile.gif][/img] |
| lalaalalaa 14.04.2009 16:58 |
paulsmith2001 wrote:ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!unfortunately, I agree. As a queen fan for 20+ years I have always been disappointed with the solo efforts. Roger Taylor in particular. while I do like a few songs of his from Fun In Space and Strange Frontier the rest is pretty much garbage. Starfleet I like but all the other Brian May stuff is not very good. Freddie had some songs I liked on both of his solo albums but again the quality is lacking. on the other hand thought No Turning Back is one of the greatest songs ever written[img=/images/smiley/msn/tounge_smile.gif][/img] Well I do believe that Roger's stuff takes a few listens, but Brian's is great!!! |
| Treasure Moment 15.04.2009 10:22 |
ThomasQuinn wrote:Treasure Moment wrote:Of course you see it like that. But that's only because you are completely obsessed and bloody ignorant of music. "Almost every single genre of music"? So where are swing, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, madrigal, classicist, classical impressionist, dodecaphonic, serial, bluegrass, cajun, chanson, calypso, improvisational and Apalachian folk, to name but a few?ThomasQuinn wrote:he didnt say he couldnt make those songs with queen, he just said "we just havent done them yet" Queen played almost every single genre of music and wasnt limited to any them doing a reggae oriented disco and electro pop wouldnt suprise me one bit. I see freddies solo albums as Queen songs, same with brian and roger solo songs that have freddie singing on them.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Queen often made reggae-oriented disco (nearly all of the Mr Bad Guy album) and electro-pop (Love Kills). They did not have *any* distinguishing features that can be found on all albums (like guitar orchestrations and chorale-harmonies), and Freddie did not himself mention that he couldn't have made an album like Mr Bad Guy with Queen...ThomasQuinn wrote:yeah because Queen only played 1 STYLE right?.....retard... is that why they named the last real Queen album "made in heaven"? and had several of freddie solo songs on it? RETARD, get a brain buddy, you need it.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards.ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. ALOT of different styles at least and nothing they would do would surprise me because they could do anything. |
| lalaalalaa 15.04.2009 17:28 |
Treasure Moment wrote:ThomasQuinn wrote:ALOT of different styles at least and nothing they would do would surprise me because they could do anything.Treasure Moment wrote:Of course you see it like that. But that's only because you are completely obsessed and bloody ignorant of music. "Almost every single genre of music"? So where are swing, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, modal jazz, madrigal, classicist, classical impressionist, dodecaphonic, serial, bluegrass, cajun, chanson, calypso, improvisational and Apalachian folk, to name but a few?ThomasQuinn wrote:he didnt say he couldnt make those songs with queen, he just said "we just havent done them yet" Queen played almost every single genre of music and wasnt limited to any them doing a reggae oriented disco and electro pop wouldnt suprise me one bit. I see freddies solo albums as Queen songs, same with brian and roger solo songs that have freddie singing on them.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Queen often made reggae-oriented disco (nearly all of the Mr Bad Guy album) and electro-pop (Love Kills). They did not have *any* distinguishing features that can be found on all albums (like guitar orchestrations and chorale-harmonies), and Freddie did not himself mention that he couldn't have made an album like Mr Bad Guy with Queen...ThomasQuinn wrote:yeah because Queen only played 1 STYLE right?.....retard... is that why they named the last real Queen album "made in heaven"? and had several of freddie solo songs on it? RETARD, get a brain buddy, you need it.Treasure Moment wrote:Yeah, Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona are *sooo* like Queen's work. Practically indistinguishable. That's why he made them without Queen in the first place. Really, you're talking worse rubbish than usual, and that's quite something by your standards.ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. Well I have counted 35 genres they have done (counting solo projects). I have a youtube video with all the genres they have done and a song example. It's called Queen's versatility in genres or something like that. It might be diversity.... |
| Bigfish 16.04.2009 11:34 |
ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception! You have the manners of a goat and you shmell like a dung heap..and you've no knowledge whatsoever of your potential. |
| ANAGRAMER 18.04.2009 13:36 |
Treasure Moment wrote:
ANAGRAMER wrote: Let's be honest with ourselves - ALL of the Queen solo albums are crap - without exception!lets be honest here, you dont know what good music is if you think freddies solo albums are crap as they are basically Queen albums. Oh Treasure - you're such a BLAST! |
| Valentine '90 18.04.2009 13:49 |
Sorry, guys, sorry Freddie - but I think, Barselona is their worst solo album - complete pun for me. As for best, I think Happiness is a good choice, Mr. Bad Guy could be much better - it's shame Brian and Roger were so lazy, they didn't helped Freddie. It could be nice queen album :(( - |
| Winter Land Man 18.04.2009 23:36 |
Valentine '90 wrote: Sorry, guys, sorry Freddie - but I think, Barselona is their worst solo album - complete pun for me. As for best, I think Happiness is a good choice, Mr. Bad Guy could be much better - it's shame Brian and Roger were so lazy, they didn't helped Freddie. It could be nice queen album :(( - Barcelona is great. As for Mr. Bad Guy, Brian wanted to help Freddie with the album, but Freddie wanted a solo album, not a Queen album. |
| podders 22.04.2009 17:25 |
I'd go for Barcelona and Strange Frontier in first position then Happiness and MBG in joint second!!! .... wait, Back to the Light should be up there as well........ fuck it! Those five are all great. |