If a band today had a debut album recorded as sophisticated and over the top as Queens debut album, would they be able to even get a record contract these days???
A fellow musician friend of mine did something similar to that a few years ago, and sent his band's record to every major label in the country. It was very Queen/Beatles/Beach Boys influenced, with all the trimmings. Most of them replied, "I love your record. We listen to it all the time. And if it was 1971, we would've signed you yesterday."
Things evolve, and stylistic demand changes over time. In the early 70s, there was glam and there was metal. Queen fused them together for the first time, and took various other things a step further. It's been done, so it doesn't need to be done again.
The closest thing I've ever heard (near the mainstream) to recapturing that is Jellyfish. They only put out two records in the early 90s, but they are superb pieces of music.
If I may quote Frank Zappa:
"Want to get a record contract? Get a good wardrobe, and get a good barber. Don't even worry about how you play. They're not signing musicians anymore; they're signing models. Make sure you look good."
Sir GH wrote:
Most likely not.
A fellow musician friend of mine did something similar to that a few years ago, and sent his band's record to every major label in the country. It was very Queen/Beatles/Beach Boys influenced, with all the trimmings. Most of them replied, "I love your record. We listen to it all the time. And if it was 1971, we would've signed you yesterday."
Things evolve, and stylistic demand changes over time. In the early 70s, there was glam and there was metal. Queen fused them together for the first time, and took various other things a step further. It's been done, so it doesn't need to be done again.
The closest thing I've ever heard (near the mainstream) to recapturing that is Jellyfish. They only put out two records in the early 90s, but they are superb pieces of music.
If I may quote Frank Zappa:
"Want to get a record contract? Get a good wardrobe, and get a good barber. Don't even worry about how you play. They're not signing musicians anymore; they're signing models. Make sure you look good."
There's quite a few bands I like these days (My Chemical Romance, Smash Mouth, Everclear, Placebo, Keane, etc)... but even rock bands today sound very polished and clean compared to Queen, almost like a spoof of all the older powerful rock bands. Back in the 70s, Queen were ahead of their time and I just love all of their productions and the way they wrote songs. Of course they had some standard songs, but not all of them were [Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus]. And the lyrics Queen have used, even on their poppiest stuff, seem more sophisticated than most of what's being released nowadays.
I've always wanted to create a sophisticated album in the same vein as Queen's debut album or Queen II, but even if I had the best musicians and best production, I don't know if anyone would really understand it. I mean, I don't think people today know what sophisticated music is.
The music business seems depressing these days. I can't believe that rap and Miley Cyrus are the chart toppers most of the time these days.
Mew's album ...And the Glass Handed Kites is a great album, and very much constructed in the style of Queen II, having a medley of songs in one part of the album, and just generally being different from everything else that's out there just now. Well worth a listen.
They're one of the few bands I've become a major fan of after seeing them as a support act.
Sir GH wrote:
Most likely not.
A fellow musician friend of mine did something similar to that a few years ago, and sent his band's record to every major label in the country. It was very Queen/Beatles/Beach Boys influenced, with all the trimmings. Most of them replied, "I love your record. We listen to it all the time. And if it was 1971, we would've signed you yesterday."
Things evolve, and stylistic demand changes over time. In the early 70s, there was glam and there was metal. Queen fused them together for the first time, and took various other things a step further. It's been done, so it doesn't need to be done again.
The closest thing I've ever heard (near the mainstream) to recapturing that is Jellyfish. They only put out two records in the early 90s, but they are superb pieces of music.
If I may quote Frank Zappa:
"Want to get a record contract? Get a good wardrobe, and get a good barber. Don't even worry about how you play. They're not signing musicians anymore; they're signing models. Make sure you look good."
wow,i was beginning to think i was the only one who had heard of [and bought] Jellyfish's "the king is half undressed"
however im gonna point out that The Darkness managed to get a recording contract and a few hit singles sounding like Queen on helium [before Justin lost the plot and the band disintegrated] and that Take That and The Feeling sound more like Queen these days than Queen do..
there's a lot of new hit bands here in the UK that sound very Queenish