| Queen Archivist 03.02.2010 11:01 |
In another thread (the one about did FM ever hold BM's Red Special guitar), Holly2003 observed the following... 'Queen productions are bit like the beautiful young girl who guards her virginity until she's so old and wrinkled, no one wants it any more. If Queen aren't careful, by the time they're ready to release any of these "secrets" no one will give a toss any more.' Queen Productions IS like... rather than ARE like, surely. There is only ONE Queen Productions, after all, not several QPs. But that aside, I think it's a reasonable point to make (even if it didn't answer the point I made to provoke it, and neatly avoided it, again)... It's a fair comment that's shared by many QZers, I know. I think it's equally reasonable to suggest that most people who comment on the general subject of Queen 'secrets', or Rarities, or Anthology, call it what you will, do not actually seriously stop to consider all that such a thing would entail, when or if it actually came to creating it. For example, if Queen was (not were; there is only ONE Queen, not several) your band, the band that YOU founded, would you actually want an huge Anthology definitive retrospective all-singing boxed set, or some such monster, to be released while you're still merrily working and creating, and far from the end of your career??? Perhaps you might be of the mind, just possibly, that such a box should come at the end of your career rather than during it... like an autobiography (though some people write their autobiog after two years of c-lebrity these days. In the minds of some people (and let me make it clear that I don't speak for the band, before anyone accuses me of that. This is just MY opinion), an Anthology is something that comes at the END of the road. It's a statement, almost, like a look back at a journey that is now complete. If it was YOUR band, it's likely you would feel very differently about many of the things that are casually debated and 'resolved' without great thought or insight on this forum. People seem to think it's a thing that MUST come out, like they are owed it, and it must arrive soon because it's overdue, but it seems to me there are so many perspectives on this, most of which have never been debated here. I just continue to see the same old tired complaints, but with no constructive thinking about the logistics of it. The Freddie Solo box was relatively straight-forward to put together, largely because, it's sad but true to say, Freddie was not around to oversee it. I'm sure that several out-take type things that made it onto that set - piano mistakes, etc - would simply have been thrown out, had he had approval on every aspect. "People don't want to hear that!" "I'm not letting that go out." Who knows what Freddie would have thought... even though most of us, you and me, loved those rare insights and accepted them for the imperfect recordings they are. Given that RT, JD and BM are all very much alive, I cannot imagine what the process of assembling a Queen Anthology featuring genuine Queen out-takes from 20 years of sessions would be like. One band member might LOVE a certain item, while another might HATE it. I can foresee a long and convoluted process, with all kinds of issues arising at each and every one of the innumerable junctures along the way. That is probably how it go, rather than a speedy easy straight-forward process with everyone in agreement over all items. I cannot see such a project - in whatever form it takes - ever being anything other than an extremely complex and difficult thing to finish. Of course, without knowing what form it might take, or even if such a thing will happen in my (or OUR) lifetimes, and without knowing how the band sees this concept, there is no knowing if it's even possible. Perhaps it's 25 years off, or 25 months. I honestly don't know. But I do know it's nothing remotely as simple a job as so many people here seem to perceive it to be. 'If Queen aren't careful, by the time they're ready to release any of these "secrets" no one will give a toss any more.' Well... it just might be the case that by the time the Queen Anthology arrives, it will be our sons and daughters who enjoy it - the next generation (or one after that) of fans. Let's face it, people of Queenmoan.com, MANY MANY MANY MANY of today's supposedly biggest Queen fans are new to the band in the last 10 years, or 5 years.... since seeing the WWRY musical or QPR gigs, etc, and those people are buying the Queen catalogue in their millions, STILL. As far as any commercial 'product' is concerned, how much does it actually matter WHO buys it, or how long they have been a fan... 20 years, 30 years, or 3 years, just as long as they buy it. I would imagine that of the last 50 million Queen record sales globally, maybe 1 or 2 percent are the Old Fans from the 70s/80s, like me. I'm in the minority now. The rest, the other 98 % who bought all those millions of units must surely be 'new' or new-ish fans. That's the way of the world now. It's just not accurate, in my opinion, to say that by then, let's say 2012 for argument's sake, 'no one will give a toss any more.' Holly2003 might not give a toss by then, and I might be an-ex archivist and expired human by then, and 300 other elderly (by then) QZ-ers might have moved passed Queen by then, but all those new fans I mentioned no doubt will love it and buy it - just like they do now. Now then.... this isn't GB being a carrot-dangler, is it (as I was called tother day). This's just the plain truth as I see it. |
| Pim Derks 03.02.2010 11:50 |
I didn't read the whole posting, but all I can say is that if they didn't want to release stuff like this - why was it announced? Why were videos like Earls Court announced in fanclubmagazines, why was Brian's Royal Albert Hall show from 1998 announced to be released, why did they put information about a full BBC-release on the Let Me Live singles in 1996, why did the Freddie boxset mention a forthcoming Queenboxset (If I'm not mistaken, might be making this up)...? For some part I can understand that Brian and Roger don't want their demo's and stuff to be released. But at least give us high quality re-releases of the original albums in 5.1, with b-sides, 12" mixes and single mixes as bonustracks - like bands like Genesis did in the last couple of years. Release the full BBC-sessions, like almost every major band has done (Led Zep, The Who, Beatles). Release Brian's Star Fleet Project with the single mixes/b-sides as bonustracks. Release a complete b-sides collection (don't say "You got the singles collection boxsets!"). Put out a 70's live compilation album with stuff from 73 - 76. Release an early gig on DVD. And the part about Brian and Roger not wanting to do an anthology 'because they are still active' is ofcourse slighty strange, as they are willing to release tons of compilation which only focus on the Freddy era. The Freddy-era of the band is long gone, so why can't there be a deluxe Queen II release with a 5.1. mix, demo's, instrumental versions and more? The album deserves a bigger audience than it has. I remember Brian talking that he wanted people to dive into the classic albums instead of the Greatest Hits compilations - but in the end the cd's still available in most stores are 16 year old masters with poor booklets, no bonustracks and out of date mastering. Sure, there are the Japanse 2001/2004 masters which are a bit better - but it's still minimal when bands like U2 are releasing entire boxsets dedicated to each of their classic albums, and they are a LOT more active than Brian and Roger these days. I think that Brian is just too much of a perfectionist to let stuff like this out, Roger rather spends his days with his beautiful girlfriend (can't blame him) and John just doesn't care. Just my 2 cents. So, when will the next compilation be released? |
| Holly2003 03.02.2010 13:28 |
Queen Archivist wrote: In another thread (the one about did FM ever hold BM's Red Special guitar), Holly2003 observed the following... 'Queen productions are bit like the beautiful young girl who guards her virginity until she's so old and wrinkled, no one wants it any more. If Queen aren't careful, by the time they're ready to release any of these "secrets" no one will give a toss any more.' Queen Productions IS like... rather than ARE like, surely. There is only ONE Queen Productions, after all, not several QPs. But that aside, I think it's a reasonable point to make (even if it didn't answer the point I made to provoke it, and neatly avoided it, again)... It's a fair comment that's shared by many QZers, I know. I think it's equally reasonable to suggest that most people who comment on the general subject of Queen 'secrets', or Rarities, or Anthology, call it what you will, do not actually seriously stop to consider all that such a thing would entail, when or if it actually came to creating it. For example, if Queen was (not were; there is only ONE Queen, not several) your band, the band that YOU founded, would you actually want an huge Anthology definitive retrospective all-singing boxed set, or some such monster, to be released while you're still merrily working and creating, and far from the end of your career??? Perhaps you might be of the mind, just possibly, that such a box should come at the end of your career rather than during it... like an autobiography (though some people write their autobiog after two years of c-lebrity these days. In the minds of some people (and let me make it clear that I don't speak for the band, before anyone accuses me of that. This is just MY opinion), an Anthology is something that comes at the END of the road. It's a statement, almost, like a look back at a journey that is now complete. If it was YOUR band, it's likely you would feel very differently about many of the things that are casually debated and 'resolved' without great thought or insight on this forum. People seem to think it's a thing that MUST come out, like they are owed it, and it must arrive soon because it's overdue, but it seems to me there are so many perspectives on this, most of which have never been debated here. I just continue to see the same old tired complaints, but with no constructive thinking about the logistics of it. The Freddie Solo box was relatively straight-forward to put together, largely because, it's sad but true to say, Freddie was not around to oversee it. I'm sure that several out-take type things that made it onto that set - piano mistakes, etc - would simply have been thrown out, had he had approval on every aspect. "People don't want to hear that!" "I'm not letting that go out." Who knows what Freddie would have thought... even though most of us, you and me, loved those rare insights and accepted them for the imperfect recordings they are. Given that RT, JD and BM are all very much alive, I cannot imagine what the process of assembling a Queen Anthology featuring genuine Queen out-takes from 20 years of sessions would be like. One band member might LOVE a certain item, while another might HATE it. I can foresee a long and convoluted process, with all kinds of issues arising at each and every one of the innumerable junctures along the way. That is probably how it go, rather than a speedy easy straight-forward process with everyone in agreement over all items. I cannot see such a project - in whatever form it takes - ever being anything other than an extremely complex and difficult thing to finish. Of course, without knowing what form it might take, or even if such a thing will happen in my (or OUR) lifetimes, and without knowing how the band sees this concept, there is no knowing if it's even possible. Perhaps it's 25 years off, or 25 months. I honestly don't know. But I do know it's nothing remotely as simple a job as so many people here seem to perceive it to be. 'If Queen aren't careful, by the time they're ready to release any of these "secrets" no one will give a toss any more.' Well... it just might be the case that by the time the Queen Anthology arrives, it will be our sons and daughters who enjoy it - the next generation (or one after that) of fans. Let's face it, people of Queenmoan.com, MANY MANY MANY MANY of today's supposedly biggest Queen fans are new to the band in the last 10 years, or 5 years.... since seeing the WWRY musical or QPR gigs, etc, and those people are buying the Queen catalogue in their millions, STILL. As far as any commercial 'product' is concerned, how much does it actually matter WHO buys it, or how long they have been a fan... 20 years, 30 years, or 3 years, just as long as they buy it. I would imagine that of the last 50 million Queen record sales globally, maybe 1 or 2 percent are the Old Fans from the 70s/80s, like me. I'm in the minority now. The rest, the other 98 % who bought all those millions of units must surely be 'new' or new-ish fans. That's the way of the world now. It's just not accurate, in my opinion, to say that by then, let's say 2012 for argument's sake, 'no one will give a toss any more.' Holly2003 might not give a toss by then, and I might be an-ex archivist and expired human by then, and 300 other elderly (by then) QZ-ers might have moved passed Queen by then, but all those new fans I mentioned no doubt will love it and buy it - just like they do now. Now then.... this isn't GB being a carrot-dangler, is it (as I was called tother day). This's just the plain truth as I see it. All I can say is, look at how Pearl Jam treat their fans compared to Queen, then get back to me and tell me if you still feel the same way. |
| mooghead 03.02.2010 13:51 |
If I was in a huge band and the lead singer died and I knew things would never be as successful again and my own career would become a bunch of side projects and a bloody musical because I know I could never sell again as a solo artist due to lack of interest (and losing my edge, big time) then I would close that chapter finally by releasing the rarities, rather than cling on desperately with my fingertips to something that slips further away with each passing day. The biggest surprise for me knowing how QP like the lucre is that this hasn't already started to be drip fed to us a long time ago. Queen is dead. |
| FriedChicken 03.02.2010 13:52 |
In 2012, people will still care about Queen. I'm sure of that. But 2012 just 2 years away. Brian and Roger are still active in the music industry, albeit not as much in the limelight as 20 years ago. Imagine them working for 10 or 15 years, would people still be interested in Queen in 2025? That is a legit question to ask. And even if they are still interested in Queen, would there still be a market for actual releases (as opposed to digital releases). I know the music industry is a slow moving unit and that it's hard to adapt to a shifting paradigm. Unfortunatly, the demise of the compact disc is a fact. We now live in a time where people still buy CDs, but I wonder if that still is the case in 10 years time. In my opinion companies like Queen Productions have to offer as much as they can. I refuse to buy the stuff I heard before, but a re-release with interesting extra's will definately change my mind. Queen is one of the best selling bands in history and they're worldfamous for their compositions and productions. It's a shame one of the most collected bands of all time has so less to collect. |
| Benn Kempster 03.02.2010 14:01 |
Greg, re: >>For example, if Queen was (not were; there is only ONE Queen, not several) your band, the band that YOU founded, would you actually want an huge Anthology definitive retrospective all-singing boxed set, or some such monster, to be released while you're still merrily working and creating, and far from the end of your career??? This is the MOST absurd comment you have ever made here. You infer that "Queen" is still a going concern. It is not. IT died with Freddie. BM & RT simply use the name as a sales and marketing tool. Were it still a creative force, BM & RT would not have needed to wind up the most creative (and this is pushing the boundaries of what ceativity actually is) project that they have managed to get involved with since FM's death - Q+PR. A number of us have, for years, been of the opinion that the number of people actually bothered about the history of one of the very best bands to come out of the UK in the '70s amongst all the shit that pressed vinyl. Most of those people are either now tired of waiting and have moved on; the confusing thing for many is, indeed, the fact that the Anthology was hawked around as project pending. >> As far as any commercial 'product' is concerned, how much does it actually matter WHO buys it, or how long they have been a fan... 20 years, 30 years, or 3 years, just as long as they buy it. I would imagine that of the last 50 million Queen record sales globally, maybe 1 or 2 percent are the Old Fans from the 70s/80s, like me. I'm in the minority now. The rest, the other 98 % who bought all those millions of units must surely be 'new' or new-ish fans. That's the way of the world now. Is it, indeed. You know, what's also interesting is the fact that the numbers of empty seats at the Q+PR shows *OUGHT* to have been a beacon to QPL in terms of who IS currently interested in the band. There's an element here, of course, of "We don't want to be the ones who don't get to see the anthology sets", but seriously, shouldn't there be an element of giving back to the people who actually elevated the band to the status it occupied for so long? Maybe we are the really stupid ones who ought now to be smelling the roses and realising that all thos e kissy-kissy letters to the fans in the OIQFC magazines every quarter about how much the band loves it's fans were, in act, nothing but bullshit after all. PS - you picking ANYONE up on their sentence construction or grammar is a bit rich given your history, isn't it. |
| Yara 03.02.2010 14:27 |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhcM_hx0zxw Beats Queen anytime, in any respect, including intelectually and in the way they treat fans. Live, studio, you name it. |
| mooghead 03.02.2010 14:44 |
I think Brian and Roger believe that if the 'box sets' (whatever they are called.. can we come to an agreement once and for all?) were released the public perception of THEM, not Queen, will be that they are done, retired, finished... etc. This is a massive own goal. The public perception will be that a lid has been put on Queen once and for all and that any time B + R appear in the media in any way its under their own individual merits, not waving a wilted Queen flag. Stop confusing Brian and Roger with Queen. |
| YourValentine 03.02.2010 14:53 |
Maybe Freddie would not have allowed the Freddie anthology. Most likely he would not have allowed the horrible "Untold Story". But then Freddie actually did record until the end of his life and he recorded new and successful material. The surviving Queen members then released "Made In Heaven " and "No-one But You" which was 13 years ago. I would not call that "merrily working and creating". John retired and Brian and Roger released one more album together (Cosmos Rocks) which sold less than 500 000 copies worldwide. Hard to believe that we can expect much more. There won't be many new recordings that would be missing on a box set if the boxes were released now. The Beatles released their anthology in 1995 and it sold well. It did not keep them from releasing the mono box and the stereo box last year which sold extremely well, as well. Queen have no self respect - they think they cannot sell anything but Greatest Hits. There was a time when they had more guts. |
| Pim Derks 03.02.2010 15:01 |
I wonder when Greg will start yelling about the wonderful Single Collection releases or the exclusive Absolute Greatest boxset (now with an exclusive Queen christmascard!) and telling us we should be grateful for the 800th re-release of We Will Rock You, a new compilation or another 80's concert. Like Barbara said - Brian and Roger could do a song ten times as good as Bohemian Rhapsody tomorrow and no-one will care about it. It's not Queen - even though I 100% understand their use of the name and loved every single minute of the 2005/2008 tours. Queen is over, so bring out the goods. I'm sure there's lots of cool stuff which won't make Brian ashamed of himself. I don't think there's an alternate take of She Makes Me with alternate lyrics about strap-on sex ("She Takes Me"), so let's hear the Brian demo of White Queen, the Roger demo of IILWMC, instrumental version of Black Queen etc etc. The Beatles Anthology gave the Beatles a new lease of life and are probably among their best sold records (?). I don't think they were in the spotlight much in the 80's and early 90's and the whole Anthology project was probably a treat for Beatles fan, with a huge book (even though it wasn't released til 2000 I think), a 10 hour documentary and 6 cd's full of unreleased stuff. I'd love to see a Queenboxset similar to the Freddy set. Doubt it'll happen, but for now I'll happily settle for a re-release of the catalogue in 5.1., each album with an extra disc of instrumentals, outtakes and b-sides with extensive liner-notes by Greg and people who were there. I mean interesting people, not Jim Hutton, Phoebe Freestone or Mary Austin - I want to hear stories from people who worked on the records: Mack, David Richard, Fred Mandel, Spike Edney, Justin Shirley Smith, Joshua J Macrae, Roy Thomas Baker.... Put it out in a boxset similar to the Beatles recent sets and I'm sure it'll sell loads. I'd buy it in a heartbeat, no matter the pricetag on it. There was a time when I bought everything with the name Queen on it - but I (and loads of other fans) have waited long enough for the goooood stuff. Proud to say that Absolute Greatest still hasn't reached my shelf - and it won't until I can get it for 5 pounds or something. Sure, the band don't OWN us anything - but it would be NICE if they released something interesting for the fans who have been with the band for a long time and who still turn up at gigs - instead of rehashing old material for the 900th time and bringing up the anthologies from time to time and not delivering the goods. |
| Pim Derks 03.02.2010 15:01 |
-- double -- |
| Fireplace 03.02.2010 15:44 |
To me there is no such thing as Queen anymore. Not even because of the death of a certain lead singer, but because Queen have stopped acting as the self respecting rock band they were long ago. These days all I see is a (rather enjoyable!) Las Vegas-style act that leans heavily on days gone by, carried by what happens to be the greatest guitarist I know. I have no problem with BM & RT promoting a musical, Pepsi and Freddie's latest favourite singer of all time, they are entitled to do what they want with their legacy, no one is forcing me to like it, I can live with just the many great memories..... .......BUT PLEASE RELEASE THE DAMN MEMORIES ALREADY!!!! |
| Negative Creep 03.02.2010 17:07 |
Queen Archivist wrote: For example, if Queen was (not were; there is only ONE Queen, not several) your band If you read and write American English, you are perfectly correct. Whereas in "British English" collective nouns are treated as plural - did you not go to school or read anything? And re: the rest of your post - Queen aren't still going, which you seem to be suggesting. "Queen+" bears little relation to the band that recorded the material people actually like. And the rest of the Beatles managed to put together anthology sets which sold amazingly well whilst alive and releasing new material - if they're still being so fucking precious over releasing this kind of thing, they need to grow up. |
| Gregsynth 03.02.2010 17:43 |
No Freddie = No Queen |
| Marknow 03.02.2010 18:06 |
There seems to be much confusion amongst Queen fans and QPL, as to what any anthology/complete box set should contain. Many Queen purists/older fans would consider that Queen finished in 1991, after Fred passed away, or in 1995, post MIH. Now, this end of Queen 1991 or 1995 is not something that is up for debate. Fred died, and John retired after MIH. So, what does a long term Queen fan want? Answer = Every unreleased studio and live recording from 1970- 1995 that was RECORDED, warts and all, that is in some way unique. So that raises the question, what is new? What are we waiting on from Bri & Rog? Answer = Nothing. Since 1991/1995 we have not had anything new that is Queen. We have had Brian May's and Roger Taylor's version of Queen. I would puke if any of the Queen + stuff was included in a definative Queen box. Brian & Roger as "Queen" post 1995, Queen + Five,Queen + Pepsi advert, Queen + Robbie Williams, Queen + Paul Rodgers, Cosmos Rocks, Queen WWRY Super Bowl mash-up? Are you kidding me? Wake up. Queen FINISHED years ago. Release the product we want. Most of us will still support any "Queen" tour or product that is new in the future. We only want the stuff that is written in stone. How hard is this concept of collecting rare Queen recordings to accept to someone like Brian? He spends most of his time collecting obscure stereo photo's from 100 years ago. We hold the same value and forensic passion in his, John's, Roger's And Fred's work, as he does T.S Williams(?) |
| Yara 03.02.2010 18:17 |
I mean, my opinion is that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nebn_BW28dw&feature=related Just that. |
| brians wig 03.02.2010 19:43 |
Greg has spent the last 10 years talking about the anthology boxset. Circa 2006, he announced at the UK convention that EMI had requested the boxset be delivered to them in 2009 for a 2010 release. For a band who apparantly are still creating and aren't at the end of their career, they've done a pretty good job of releasing the same old shit time and time again in the last decade... "This is Queen's Absolute scraping the bottom of the barrell Greatest Hits collection because they have NOTHING new to offer." - That's what I call the end of a career! Far too many good people have died recently. I don't want to die knowing there's some remarkable Queen recordings languishing in the vaults (and don't you dare say there isn't Mr Brooks, because you'll simply be calling YOURSELF a liar - I've heard you at every UK convention you've been to) that I've never heard because the band seem to have got cold feet over releasing them. They keep dragging it on. There seem to have been far too many projects in the last 20 years that have been announced that haven't come to fruition and a few that have been started but never finished. Brian himself wrote a piece on the death of Mike Stone in 2002 where he blatently states (talking about Queen II) "...which is very apparant now that we are revisiting those multitrack tapes to mix them in surround sound". He then goes on to talk about album tracks (NOT singles tracks!), from A Day At The Races & News Of The World and continues with "Right now was the exact time when we were hoping to enlist Mike's help in recreating new mixes for all those tracks in DTS Surround Format" What the hell happened? Where are they? 8 Years on and the Surround Sound idea has died a complete death in the Queen Camp - even though other bands are still releasing their catalogues in surround - and what do we get? Bloody Singles boxsets (where's volume 3 by the way - has that died as well???) and another Greatest Hits release! Where is Greatest DVD Hits volume 3? Oh hang on, that would mean surround mixes wouldn't it..... It's February 2010. I thought we would have had the DVD of Hammy 75 by now (or at least heard when it was due) - but oh no, We wouldn't want to impact on the sales of bloody absolute greatest would we? Do you know what? I've recently gone back to making my own Surround mixes of the Queen albums (surround upmixes from the stereo tracks) because there's bugger all of interest coming from Queen themselves and I'm REALLY LOVING stripping away those layers of vocals and main guitar to reveal clearer backing vocals and instruments I've never conciously heard before. It's a sad day when a fan has to make his own "unheard" Queen stuff just to enjoy something new. Don't tell me they ain't at the end of their career. |
| Sheer Brass Neck 03.02.2010 22:30 |
"...there is only ONE Queen, not several...would you actually want an huge Anthology definitive retrospective all-singing boxed set, or some such monster, to be released while you're still merrily working and creating, and far from the end of your career?" Very confusing sentence Greg, not that you'll respond to it. If there is only ONE Queen (your statement, not mine) then Queen ended in 1991. So they're merrily working and creating, far from the end of their careers as musicians, but long removed from relevance in the world of popular music, including 20 plus years in North America since they've been relevant, excluding Wayne's World and Freddie's death which spurred interest in old Queen. So are they a band that ended almost 20 YEARS AGO!!! waiting for the right time to release a career retrospective, or a working band so that if Brian and Roger team up with ES Posthumus after the Super Bowl mix of WWRY (good Lord), is that still Queen ++. At this rate they'll be like Tupac and releasing "new" material as Queen in 2050. FWIW, as a former fanatic, my interest in the box set has dwindled, and Brian, Roger and QP can dismiss me in favour of the 1-2% of new fans who they can recycle version 34 of Greatest Hits to. However, as Q+PR showed, people aren't buying into their version of Queen, and honestly, (early) Queen is right there with The Beatles and Zep as pop/rock's greatest songs ever, but Brian and Roger long ago gave up on their legacy to pursue the goal of pushing more units in Wal-Mart. I think the fans understand Queen's greatness more than you and the band do, that's why we are so vocal. Also Greg, as a trusted employee, just out of curiosity, when you post here and see the constant negativism towards how the band handles their back catalogue, do you report this to Brian, or is QP a Pollyanna world where dissent is never discussed? Because the people posting here aren't flamers stirring shot up, they're serious fans. Odd way to treat your fans. |
| Pim Derks 04.02.2010 01:46 |
Great news everyone, the singles collection part 3 apparently has been confirmed at a Japanese site. Woohoooo. |
| mooghead 04.02.2010 02:27 |
Pim Derks wrote: Great news everyone, the singles collection part 3 apparently has been confirmed at a Japanese site. Woohoooo. Brillliant! What Queen product does this contain that I dont already own 10 times over? |
| mike hunt 04.02.2010 03:46 |
This is an old and tired discussion.....Just don't buy the crappy products they're releasing...Greatest hits 3 on dvd is another crappy release if it ever happens....the "Single" boxsets is plain stupid. Absolute greatest is a joke.. I don't buy this stuff anymore, the only thing that will peak my interest is a 70's show on DVD, or the Anthology set, but i don't think either will be released in our lifetime. |
| LuckyRocks 04.02.2010 05:27 |
Oh come on Greg... I don't want to read all this posts and comments! There's no sense anymore! I mean - it is possible to pre-order Roger Taylor's new single on Queenonline - and there's no chance to make a small press run for some great DVD's?!?! Just announce a new Queen DVD with some 70's for pre-order - you'll see what will happen! I'm a long time loyal Queen-Fan - not since their beginning - but anyhow since the summer of 1991 - just before Freddie died!!! If I would post some photos of all my re-realeases that I have in my collection of all that Greatest Hits I, II & III... I'm sure you'll fell over! All the died hard collectors do have them. And if you are still reading: I managed to contact you a few times about the "I Want It All" - Book - offering some unusual but official Queen items! There was no response! When the book will be released? Oh... I'm sorry - Roger just released a new single - we'll have to wait some years, we could affect the selling of this single! I'm so disappointed - "even more" - tired of all this sh.. - we all - the long term Queen fans are!!! LuckyRocks |
| Queenfred 04.02.2010 07:09 |
I read something interesting in Rolling Stone the other day (yeah, I know - who'd have thunk it?) saying that with the downturn in traditional record (cd) sales and the rising popularity of downloads, a lot of bands are realising that the best way of making some new money is by releasing boxsets and special editions. So perhaps market forces will bring about some cool new releases in the not too distant future for Fred and the lads? |
| Vali 04.02.2010 07:55 |
Pim Derks wrote: (...) when bands like U2 are releasing entire boxsets dedicated to each of their classic albums, and they are a LOT more active than Brian and Roger these days. Amen, Pim; amen It's really frustrating reading Greg's post; it's really frustrating reading such bullshit coming from an employee who has been talking and writing about this project for the last 10 years, and now he's pretending to teach us, the long-loyal fans, the ones that WOULD BE BUYING this product (not the WWRY or AG era fans, don't be silly) about the way we have to feel about this. I still can remember the happiness I felt when the FM Boxset was released and I read in the book something like: "there's a Queen version of Man Made Paradise, but this one will be included in the forthcoming Queen Anthology" Was it Greg who wrote that? I think so. Was it year 2000? I think so. And 10 years after that line the same guy tries to be funny or sarcastic with his "Queenmoan.com" blah-blah... Ok yes. We moan. We moan because there are so many Queen/solo projects announced that we're still waiting for and never saw the light of day; we moan because we have to see crappy products like the singles collection and the Absolute Aberration released instead of the BBC stuff, live shows, unreleased stuff etc etc etc; we moan because there are so many ACTIVE top artists/bands like Springsteen, U2, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, etc etc that really know how to satisfy their fan base while they are still ACTIVE, with fantastic boxsets and deluxe re-releases of studio albums. And who is buying that kind of products ? the casual U2 or Sprinsgteen fans? no, their long-loyal fans. The same kind of fans that would be buying the Queen Anthology. Does really Greg want us to believe that the new fans, the ones that are growing with the "download mp3 from i-tunes" culture, would be buying the boxset? wake up, QPL; release the bloody thing while there are still fans that will be buying it. Otherwise, please do whatever you want and erase our memories of your broken promises/announced projects ... and we'll stop moaning. |
| Togg 04.02.2010 08:00 |
I would say it all depends on what they want to call it. No reason frankly to not release a full anthology of everything done with Freddie I know there was a lot of arguments within the band about releasing the first greatest hits and I know John in particular questions box sets such as The Complete Works If it's to be everything under the name of Queen... then I guess we could be waiting a long long time, busy or not I don't see them calling it a day forever any time soon, why bother? might as well leave the door open until they are too old to lift a drum stick. However I would like to see a warts and all collection of everything with Fred...that would be cool |
| people on streets 04.02.2010 08:08 |
Brian, Roger, John, Mary, Jim. They are all multi millionairs. QP recycles products (absolute greatest, platimum collection, single collection box etc) just to make even more money. I'm not buying those crap releases. I'm not visiting the musical either. I just boycot all the crap products and buy the ones I like. (Milton Keynes dvd set was about the last nice one they released...) |
| cmsdrums 04.02.2010 10:10 |
Queen Archivist wrote:
released while you're still merrily working and creating, and far from the end of your career??? Perhaps you might be of the mind, just possibly, that such a box should come at the end of your career rather than during it... like an autobiography (though some people write their autobiog after two years of c-lebrity these days. In the minds of some people (and let me make it clear that I don't speak for the band, before anyone accuses me of that. This is just MY opinion), an Anthology is something that comes at the END of the road. It's a statement, almost, like a look back at a journey that is now complete.
As far as any commercial 'product' is concerned, how much does it actually matter WHO buys it, or how long they have been a fan... 20 years, 30 years, or 3 years, just as long as they buy it. I would imagine that of the last 50 million Queen record sales globally, maybe 1 or 2 percent are the Old Fans from the 70s/80s, like me. I'm in the minority now. The rest, the other 98 % who bought all those millions of units must surely be 'new' or new-ish fans. That's the way of the world now.
I don't think people would see Brian and Roger as being "at the end of their career", although conversly most WOULD consider that their career as 'Queen' is over. I think a good example is Paul McCartney - his career in The Beatles is over, an Anthology has been released to universal acclaim, but people didn't then think that he had to stop playing and not create anything further - he carried on playing The Beatles' songs live, and recording new material, without anyone saying 'Oi, you can't do that cos you've already released an Anthology'. That just about sums up the GB/QPL thinking - "how much does it actually matter who buys it" (incorrectly without question mark as we're picking up grammar etc..!!). It should very much matter who buys this kind of product - it should be something that thought is given for those people who, over the years, have given them the opportunity to even be in a position to consider an anthology set. The multitude of greatest hits sets can have a far more relaxed atttitude and 'general' release approach for the casual buyer, but surely even looking looking at it from a cold business angle which seems to be the case with everything Queen related now, a career spanning anthology of rare work must surely be centered around your core audience for that product. And the 98% of new/new'ish' fans aren't going to be the ones buying this. I have loads of 'best of' compilations from varous artists but would never consider buying any of their other work. These new fans are only going to buy 'the hits', otherwise The Cosmos Rocks would have sold as many as Absolute Greatest. As you say Greg, you/we are in the minority, so there is hope for us yet, as Brian does seem to like to stand up and give disproportionate support for the minorities (whether it be human or animal kind) so we may get these released after all!!! |
| Sebastian 04.02.2010 11:23 |
> it seems to me there are so many perspectives on this, most of which have never been debated here. I just continue to see the same old tired complaints, but with no constructive thinking about the logistics of it. Maybe you've been only reading what you want to read and selectively missing threads and posts showing different perspectives and constructive thinking. > Of course, without knowing what form it might take, or even if such a thing will happen in my (or OUR) lifetimes... That's partly the point: is it fair (and commercially wise) to release the anthologies when first, second and third generation of Queen fans, listeners, admirers, aficionados, experts, etc. are all dead? > there is no knowing if it's even possible. Then don't promise things, and don't ask people to do your job. See the 'carrot-dangler' thing. > But I do know it's nothing remotely as simple a job as so many people here seem to perceive it to be. Simple? No. Impossible? No. Worthwhile? Possibly, depending on how you do it. > MANY MANY MANY MANY of today's supposedly biggest Queen fans are new to the band in the last 10 years, or 5 years.... Which is partly circumstantial. There's no way to foresee if the phenomenon's gonna be repeated in the 2010's or 2020's. Moreover, there's more risk of anthology material to be contaminated with every passing month. Ten years ago, Anthologies would've covered the foursome and some probably amazing stuff (e.g. comments from Mike Stone or Michael Kamen); in 2010, I wouldn't be surprised if Maylor decided to discard a 'March of the Black Queen' outtake in favour of Jedward or the American Idol loser. > As far as any commercial 'product' is concerned, how much does it actually matter WHO buys it, or how long they have been a fan... 20 years, 30 years, or 3 years, just as long as they buy it. I would imagine that of the last 50 million Queen record sales globally, maybe 1 or 2 percent are the Old Fans from the 70s/80s, like me. I'm in the minority now. The rest, the other 98 % who bought all those millions of units must surely be 'new' or new-ish fans. That's the way of the world now. TBH, I don't think you (or anybody here, including me of course) can make such assumption without the data to back it up. How can you be sure it's not old fans who buy most of the stuff while people born in the 90's and 2000's prefer to download it for free? > It's just not accurate, in my opinion, to say that by then, let's say 2012 for argument's sake, 'no one will give a toss any more.' But what about 2035? > I didn't read the whole posting, but all I can say is that if they didn't want to release stuff like this - why was it announced? Pim, I would've never thought that you and I would ever agree. But there you have it. > For some part I can understand that Brian and Roger don't want their demo's and stuff to be released. But at least give us high quality re-releases of the original albums in 5.1, with b-sides, 12" mixes and single mixes as bonustracks... Indeed. Or things like old gigs... even a limited release (thousand copies or so) of things like a cappella versions or just the backing tracks, etc. > I remember Brian talking that he wanted people to dive into the classic albums instead of the Greatest Hits compilations Well, the doctor's said a lot of things... > I think that Brian is just too much of a perfectionist to let stuff like this out If so, he wouldn't have worked with Britney, Pink, 5ive, etc. I remember the one and only time Greg posted something that, while retarded in content (no surprise there), was both funny and made some good points: he talked about having an entire CD of Keep Yourself Alive outtakes (including count to four, etc). Somebody in the forum (I think it was Niek) said he preferred another TCR to stuff that wasn't even good enough for Hot Space or The Works. So, fine: let's keep all mistakes and all crappy songs in the drawer. Still, there'd be loads of material to release which loads of people would love: those STL outtakes are exceptional from beginning to end. |
| Sebastian 04.02.2010 11:24 |
> You infer that "Queen" is still a going concern. It is not. IT died with Freddie. BM & RT simply use the name as a sales and marketing tool. Were it still a creative force, BM & RT would not have needed to wind up the most creative (and this is pushing the boundaries of what ceativity actually is) project that they have managed to get involved with since FM's death - Q+PR. In fact, were Maylor still a creative force, they wouldn't need the 'Queen' name at all. > Queen have no self respect - they think they cannot sell anything but Greatest Hits. At the very least, they could release GH-based anthologies: outtakes, backing tracks, a cappella versions of the 20-30 greatest hits they made. That'd be waaaaaay better than AG and SCC. > There was a time when they had more guts. Their guts died of AIDS-related complications on 24th November 1991. > Like Barbara said - Brian and Roger could do a song ten times as good as Bohemian Rhapsody tomorrow and no-one will care about it TBH, I don't think that's a sure thing unless they actually do a song ten times as good as Bohemian Rhapsody. Let's see what happens if they do... but so far, they're probably not even close. I haven't heard TCR, but I did listen to 'Say It's Not True': nice song, not even close to a masterpiece. > If you read and write American English, you are perfectly correct. Whereas in "British English" collective nouns are treated as plural - did you not go to school or read anything? Actually, that's always been a complicated matter and it's not as clearly and strictly split by the Atlantic Ocean. There are British people (especially in Scotland) using the rule as GB wrote, and there are American people treating collective nouns as plural. At the end of the day, it depends on how the speaker or writer views it: 'Queen' may be one band (so, it's singular) or may be four people (hence, it's plural), or two people (still plural). > if they're still being so fucking precious over releasing this kind of thing, they need to grow up Fred died and Maylor began a Benjamin Button syndrome. Don't be surprised if they appear on Disney Channel next year claiming the Jonas Brothers were Freddie's favourite band of all time. > How hard is this concept of collecting rare Queen recordings to accept to someone like Brian? He spends most of his time collecting obscure stereo photo's from 100 years ago. We hold the same value and forensic passion in his, John's, Roger's And Fred's work, as he does T.S Williams(?) That's a VERY good point. But I bet he wouldn't answer if you asked him that. > Brian himself wrote a piece on the death of Mike Stone in 2002 where he blatently states (talking about Queen II) "...which is very apparant now that we are revisiting those multitrack tapes to mix them in surround sound". Yes but that was before he had another cunning plan: he and Rog could get together with a singer, market him as Freddie's favourite, and voila! > These new fans are only going to buy 'the hits', otherwise The Cosmos Rocks would have sold as many as Absolute Greatest And a hell of a lot more than ANATO, since the world population (and according to Greg, the Queen-record-buying population) is way bigger now than it was in 1975. > As you say Greg, you/we are in the minority, so there is hope for us yet, as Brian does seem to like to stand up and give disproportionate support for the minorities (whether it be human or animal kind) so we may get these released after all!!! Brian only seems to stand up and give disproportionate support for the minorities when it suits him. Being photographed with a baby fox is a hell of a lot easier for him than allowing an anthology to be released and accept that (oh surprise, as if we hadn't noticed before!) his golden era's over. |
| mike hunt 04.02.2010 11:56 |
poor brian takes so much shit on this site.....you would never know he's actually (from all accounts) A great guy. |
| Yara 04.02.2010 12:00 |
Doesn't "if", in this case, allow for the use of the subjunctive mood, regardless of whether the subject of the sentence is singular or plural? For instance: "If Queen (it or they, regardless, is/are still not my band - so it's a hypothetical clause) WERE (using the subjunctive) my band...". Could one say, just like, let's suppose, the ghost below: Threatening ghost: "Yara, you prick, this sentence is downright absurd and wrong, grammatically speaking!" ? Or is the ghost being too radical? To which I'd answer: "But couldn't I opt for..." Threatening ghost: "NO! You couldn't". [and the ghost laughs madly and the sound of it echoes all around me] And then I'd humbly rest my case. |
| masterstroke_84 04.02.2010 12:25 |
The whole thread should be copied/paste and send to QPL in the form of a open letter... the people has spoken. GB your post is a joke.. a bad one. |
| Fone Bone 04.02.2010 12:43 |
Greg, I'll have some of what you're smoking please. You entire post makes no sense at all, and right now i'm terrified that you have anything to do with the Queen Anthology. Consider this benchmark : as it concerns the greatest band in history, it might be interesting In 3 years (1992-1995), the three surviving Beatles put together an Anthology that was made of a 12-hour film and 3 double-albums featuring two new global hits reworked from original vocals by deceased singer John Lennon. And later, in 2000, a gigantic book. It was an amazing release, and that didn't stop the Threetles, chiefly Paul of course, to be ENORMOUSLY creative and sucessful in the years to follow Between Anthology and now, Paul has released five albums of original material that all went gold while touring sold out arenas and stadiums during the entire time So your point that the Anthology must come after the surviving members of Queen are no longer a creative force is just dumb And even so, as it has been stated before in this thread, Queen (as in John, Brian & Roger) has not been a creative force since 1995 and Made In Heaven. And they have not been a force at all except for the QPR tours which have been both musically and businesswise reasonably successful So instead of vomiting your BS on queenmoaners (why not insult us ? we are only your employer's dedicated fanbase), start working on the boxsets right now and convince the band and QP to release it SOON Sincerely |
| Graeme Arnott 04.02.2010 12:51 |
Mike Hunt - well put, the negatives aimed at Brian is over the top, I personally could not give a damn if the anthology ever gets released, I am thankful for the amazing body of work that this great band have released to date, I am also one of the minority - 1974, my appreciation of the band is still as great today as it was back then. I bought the FM box set when it came out, I have listened to it twice, I found the novelty of outtakes - unreleased tracks etc soon wore off, as Brian has said they have been proven right over their choice of material to release - although I have to disagree on this point re- Hot Space. Like most of us old timers we long for the good old heavy rock day concerts to be released, if they do - great, if not I have plenty of unofficial stuff thanks to you great guys and girls on this site. Please remember that queens music brought us all together here. |
| Benn Kempster 04.02.2010 14:46 |
Sadly, this is all so a-typical of Greggy Boy. He crawls out from where he's been wanking for months and decides that he'd better chivvy up some "debate". All of a sudded we receive a diatribe from him with regard to how great Queen still is and how terribly bad we all are for wanting things. We all fall for it and I'm as gullible for it as anyone else and then he disappears for another of his marathon wanking sessions, chuckling away to himself as he is so privilleged to have been in a position to hear what everyone else wants to hear. Still, with a bit of luck we'll get a copule of additional posts from him to marrily laugh at before he goes and then life can return to normal here on QZ where there is absolutely nothing in the way of interesting new product to discuss. Que cera..... |
| mooghead 04.02.2010 15:42 |
Well said that man there. We should have a new poll - how much of a wanker is the Queen 'Archivist' a) massive b) fucking enormous c) on a scale of epic proportions. I dare him to take a print out of this whole thread to the next meeting with whoever the hell pays his wages. Can you imagine his evaluation! Well Greg, you have stirred up big debate on the messageboard... but thats not actually your job. You keep promising things that dont happen.... You're fired. |
| masterstroke_84 04.02.2010 15:49 |
Are you sure that his boss is less-wanker than him???... think it... xD |
| Wiley 04.02.2010 16:07 |
Pim Derks wrote: ... I don't think there's an alternate take of She Makes Me with alternate lyrics about strap-on sex ("She Takes Me") That would explain the heavy breathing/panting at the end of the song, tough. :P |
| vadenuez 04.02.2010 16:12 |
Queen II is so distant (in time and musical terms) from today, that it's simply STUPID to think that by releasing some demos & outtakes, Queen or Brian or Roger will be giving away anything relevant for whatever they are doing now. |
| Sheer Brass Neck 04.02.2010 16:58 |
Hate to bash Queen Archivist, but I sense he gets a thrill from coming on here, stirring it up, then disappearing to a room where he can admire the goodies Queen has assembled that we'll never see. Queen used to stand for something in the beginning, they were out there musically and live, but then they became safe music product pushers (albeit always well played and sung) whose goal was to sell units, creativity be damned. I've posted here enough to know Greg's patterns, so every time he does this I post a question for him to answer, such as the one above asking if he'll take the tone of this thread about how QP is (mis)handling the catalogue back to his masters. He never answers questions like this, then again, Brian has become the master of being disingenuous regarding the catalogue "I want people to get into the albums like ANATO", (then stop re-re-releasing Greatest Hits versions!!!) so I guess the employee apple doesn't fall far from the tree. |
| Yara 04.02.2010 20:34 |
PEACE! [running with a white flag over the Queen's meadows] I was almost saying that we're all a family. No, it's more than that: WE'RE ALL A SINGLE BEING, the white dove soaring through tender skies... Now, take that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVXMTNKIEak Yeah. Hold your fire, Brian!, keep it burning bright! Let the Absolute Greatest II come. Keep it burning bright. |
| Vali 05.02.2010 08:47 |
Wait ... what the hell !!!! how could they dare while still being active ??? bloody bastards ..... don't have a clue about music business .. link |
| antiden 05.02.2010 09:21 |
It's a pity, that the greatest band in history had, has and possibly will have the worst management in music business ever :( I came to this conclusion after 17 years of being a die-hard fan of Queen... |
| kosimodo 05.02.2010 10:17 |
It should be so simple tom make something we like.... boxset with 6 cd's... 4 each containing the best work of each member, one of a selection of stripped versions of some of the greatest songs. (not greatest hits!!) and one with reworked queen multitracks by the best producers alive... f.e. freddie. link link link link link link for John link link for brian link link for roger link Make use of all the multitracks and show the world how good the band is and was.. and how great they are/were individually.. |
| Dim 05.02.2010 10:53 |
Greg, your salary worth every penny! Why on Queen conventions unreleased stuff was played? Why in 2006 in Queenonline was annunce that the unreleased songs - boxset e.t.c. will postponed till 2009? If the songs have so much mistakes they can re-work them. They did it on Made in Heaven (you don;t fool me was a success). But if the fans don't ask and be like sheeps Queen productions will never listen Brian is thinking the unreleased stuff of Freddie with Micheal... It makes me wonder why Greg choose to speak now... it seems that Brian and Roger are planning to focus on other things like Adam Lambert (Q+ = most stupid idea), WWRY musical and solo career. Also their contract expires in 2010, so fans don't wait.... Queen will sell one of the same. Queen sales is 98% new fans ... hahahahahahahaha, teens are buyuers but not so many on Queen and other 70s artists. Queen sales is based in 30+ 50, teens download....go to the musical and concerts. That's why record companies invest in tours, movies and musicals. Sorry Greg, you are totally sold out!!! |
| The Real Wizard 05.02.2010 12:11 |
Hendrix and The Doors only existed artistically for a few years, yet they each have released over a dozen live albums - and of course those recordings are much older than Queen's. The Doors recently released "Live at the Matrix 1967," a compilation of two shows played in a club before anyone knew who they were. It's a raw stereo soundboard recording with tape hiss, far from perfect. It's full of wrong notes. But that's the very charm of it. It sounds like an old tape of a band revealing themselves as human beings with plenty to prove. For Queen, that would be something like releasing "Live At The Marquee 1972." Let's picture it, folks.. "Queen - Live At The Forum" ... the recording is from December 22, 1977. This is the last show of the US tour for News Of The World, so there are plenty of hits by this point as well as gems like It's Late, Liar (its last performance as a regular in the set), My Melancholy Blues, White Man, a 7-song medley, and the one and only time the band played White Christmas. The recording exists - there's no denying it. If they have a tape of one or both of the Long Beach shows from the two days before, they could even do a compilation called "Conquering the West Coast" or something like that. There are pictures from the shows and newspaper reviews that can be used in the liner notes. Ideas! Ideas! With the right marketing, it will sell like hotcakes. Even without much marketing, it'll still sell well. Don't want to release it in stores out of fear that it won't sell enough? Then release soundboard recordings of concerts on the official website. The "top 100 bootlegs" project failed, as few people will pay a penny for bad-sounding audience tapes recorded in someone's pocket from the upper deck. There are undoubtedly dozens or maybe even hundreds of raw soundboard tapes collecting dust. If it's all about money, QP will be cheerfully surprised when they see how much money they could make while pleasing the very fans that gave the band their success in the first place. Release one per month. People will buy every single one that has something new to offer, even if they're in mono sound with a bad mix. I fail to see why a project like this can't co-exist with releasing new Greatest Hits compilations for newer fans. Musically-speaking, 1976-1979 was Queen's prime as a live band. Greg and QP are drastically underestimating how many tens of thousands of fans there are of Queen's 70s work and couldn't give a damn about the band from 1980 onward. The first 6 albums are where it's at for most people west of the Atlantic. |
| Micrówave 05.02.2010 12:25 |
In Queen (and Greg's) defense... The only decent issues of Beatles albums on CD came after TWO members have died and one has to get "All-Stars" to generate income. So we need at least one more Queen death and Brian to re-form the BM Band and we'll start releasing the good stuff. Right? Why can't we just turn the Queen Catalog over to Rhino Records and get the releases we want? |
| The Real Wizard 05.02.2010 12:37 |
Micrówave wrote: Why can't we just turn the Queen Catalog over to Rhino Records and get the releases we want? Ahh, if only.. ! |
| Pim Derks 05.02.2010 14:47 |
I'd love see Queen do stuff like King Crimson, Dream Theater and Marillion have done. Setting up a collector's club which releases limited (e.g. 1500 sets in the case of Dream Theater) sets of live, demo and other rare material not of interest for Joe Public. King Crimson puts out a new release every month I think, and as a member you can pick 6 releases in a year (or more if you want too of course, as long as you pay). Image Queen Productions setting something up like that and releasing stuff like the following in it's first year, with basic artwork including scans of tickets, tour books and photos of the time. - a gig by QPR from the South American part of their 2008 tour - a late 1982 gig with lots of Hot Space tracks in the setlist (Life Is Real, Body Language, Put Out The Fire) - News of the World tour gig - 1980 USA tour gig with Rock It as show-opener and stuff like Need Your Loving Tonight in the setlist. - Crazy Tour 1979 gig - Early days compilation, Golder's Green Hippodrome, Rainbow march '74 + november '74 2-cd set. - ANATO tour 1976 gig - Flash Gordon tour gig - Knebworth 1986 gig |
| on my way up 05.02.2010 14:58 |
Pim Derks wrote: I'd love see Queen do stuff like King Crimson, Dream Theater and Marillion have done. Setting up a collector's club which releases limited (e.g. 1500 sets in the case of Dream Theater) sets of live, demo and other rare material not of interest for Joe Public. King Crimson puts out a new release every month I think, and as a member you can pick 6 releases in a year (or more if you want too of course, as long as you pay). Image Queen Productions setting something up like that and releasing stuff like the following in it's first year, with basic artwork including scans of tickets, tour books and photos of the time. - a gig by QPR from the South American part of their 2008 tour - a late 1982 gig with lots of Hot Space tracks in the setlist (Life Is Real, Body Language, Put Out The Fire) - News of the World tour gig - 1980 USA tour gig with Rock It as show-opener and stuff like Need Your Loving Tonight in the setlist. - Crazy Tour 1979 gig - Early days compilation, Golder's Green Hippodrome, Rainbow march '74 + november '74 2-cd set. - ANATO tour 1976 gig - Flash Gordon tour gig - Knebworth 1986 gig I'd buy ALL that stuff! |
| Kniggit 05.02.2010 14:58 |
I agree. Just look at what The Grateful Dead have done with their live soundboard recordings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick%27s_Picks#Dick.27s_Picks There are 36 soundboard recordings released so far on CD, in the "Dick's Picks"-series alone. They are also downloadable in flac(and other formats) from their website. Now thats a nice way to give the fans what they want. If only Queen P. could do this... |
| mike hunt 05.02.2010 15:15 |
Queen havn't done that bad with live recordings, that's all that's missing is a 70's show. That 1977 show in December sounds like a great place to start. |
| Dim 05.02.2010 15:36 |
Add unreleased songs, this feeling, silver salmon, sandbox, hangman, feelings feelings, face it alone.... Imagine if they rework them!! But they will never... maybe they will add them as bonus on re-releases. How many times we are going to buy the same albums? If they will do the above... F%%%CK, very stupid things are going to happen... |
| Pim Derks 05.02.2010 17:20 |
I can partly understand that Brian and Roger don't want to release the crap that was not good enough in the first place. Remember that tracks like Rain Must Fall, Party, Delilah, Pain Is So Close To Pleasure DID make the albums, so imagine how bad the outtakes from that era must be. I'd love to see stuff like that, but for now I'd be perfectly happy with some official releases on a for-fans-only label, focussing on the band's live shows, radio-performances and stuff like that. I'd also love to see official audio-documentaries, with new interviews with Brian and Roger mixed in with archive material focussing on a specific album, i.e. a Queen II documentary featuring interviews, live snippets, maybe throw in some instrumental stuff, demo's etc. |
| ok.computer 05.02.2010 17:27 |
"For example, if Queen was (not were; there is only ONE Queen, not several) your band, the band that YOU founded, would you actually want an huge Anthology definitive retrospective all-singing boxed set, or some such monster, to be released while you're still merrily working and creating, and far from the end of your career???" You mean like The Who did....? Two points. 1. Bending the law of dimishing returns to suit this scenario, the original poster has a very good point. The time will come when the cost of producing and distributing what is wanted by the fans will far outweigh the potential profit of doing so. And let's face it - Queen Productions is all about the profit. In contradiction to that, however, one thing is in your favour: *this* type of product will sell, even in an increasingly digital-download-why-buy-what-you-can-steal landscape. I can't say the same for new or even plain old re-release material; but this will sell. It's just down to whether or not you have enough of a market to sell it to in 2012, 15, 30, whatever. 2. Pareto's law, when applied in a marketing concept, means that about 80 percent of your profit will come from 20 percent of your customers. Well, Queen's 20 percent - certainly that 20 percent that will shell out £100 for a decent box set is shrinking as each year goes by. This is not to say that the popularity of Queen is shrinking - but the ABC customers who have collected, followed, gone on tour with, etc etc certainly is. Oh sure, there's a "new generation discovering the magic of Queen", but ask them to pay 79p for a 1min 38sec length alternative intro to Sweet Lady, and you will find out the difference between the 80 and the 20 very quickly. By the way - does anyone actually think that "Queen Archivist" comes back to these threads after he pulls the pin out and rolls the grenade down the table? I really don't know why we bother. After all - he is only the monkey - not the organ grinder. I agree with him - he has no influence on releases, or indeed anything else outside of cleaning the tapes. Ergo, why not just fuck off Greg? All you've shown is that you have access to the goodies. We're the suckers for actually getting involved in these threads. When the stuff is actually released, maybe then we'll give a vote of thanks for the part you played in ensuring their sterling quality. But other than that - just get back to the dusty archives and get on with your job. |
| Hank H. 05.02.2010 18:11 |
Sir GH wrote: Let's picture it, folks.. "Queen - Live At The Forum" ... the recording is from December 22, 1977. This is the last show of the US tour for News Of The World, so there are plenty of hits by this point as well as gems like It's Late, Liar (its last performance as a regular in the set), My Melancholy Blues, White Man, a 7-song medley, and the one and only time the band played White Christmas. The recording exists - there's no denying it. If they have a tape of one or both of the Long Beach shows from the two days before, they could even do a compilation called "Conquering the West Coast" or something like that. There are pictures from the shows and newspaper reviews that can be used in the liner notes. Ideas! Ideas! With the right marketing, it will sell like hotcakes. Even without much marketing, it'll still sell well. Don't want to release it in stores out of fear that it won't sell enough? Then release soundboard recordings of concerts on the official website. The "top 100 bootlegs" project failed, as few people will pay a penny for bad-sounding audience tapes recorded in someone's pocket from the upper deck. There are undoubtedly dozens or maybe even hundreds of raw soundboard tapes collecting dust. If it's all about money, QP will be cheerfully surprised when they see how much money they could make while pleasing the very fans that gave the band their success in the first place. Release one per month. People will buy every single one that has something new to offer, even if they're in mono sound with a bad mix. I fail to see why a project like this can't co-exist with releasing new Greatest Hits compilations for newer fans. Musically-speaking, 1976-1979 was Queen's prime as a live band. Greg and QP are drastically underestimating how many tens of thousands of fans there are of Queen's 70s work and couldn't give a damn about the band from 1980 onward. The first 6 albums are where it's at for most people west of the Atlantic. It'd be so easy... and it would surely at least pay off. Don't they feel the need to have something tasteful in their catalogue? I know, Brian May doesn't have any taste. But it's hard to believe there is no-one in the Queen-camp who could convince him and point out how great such releases could sound, look, and feel, how they could impress the public. And they could do wonders regarding Queen's image even outside the cheesy classic rock magazines. Even hipster-bands like The Gossip publicly admire Queen - they could reach all kinds of music enthusiasts, if only they'd produce anything with passion that appeals to people who don't care for compilations and Radio GaGa. My god, QP are SO behind the times, although they have so much money and could simply buy the best and most creative people who could then (and probably would love to) take care of everything. There are many examples of other "old" artists who still take risks, are innovative and kick arse. This must have been discussed about 5748473 times since about 2001 on this board... I haven't been much in here lately, but many of the same old posters still don't seem to have lost interest and are still buying whatever rubbish "Queen" release (or at least feel the need to stress that they aren't - congrats). It's hard to comprehend, actually to me it seems almost masochistic. I have long lost hope and interest, Queen have really been boring me to death for at least the past five years, and to wonder about it once a year is more than enough. |
| Sheer Brass Neck 06.02.2010 00:50 |
Plenty of good ideas, Greg, where are you? What are your thoughts? |
| john bodega 06.02.2010 01:17 |
I'm broke and even I would find the money for a good compilation of live 70's stuff. Fuck's sake... Stuff like the bonus live videos from Absolute Greatest (which I will proudly admit I downloaded without buying that utter cack of a product). Put that on DVD and you'll have my money. |
| Pim Derks 06.02.2010 07:46 |
Zebonka12 wrote: I'm broke and even I would find the money for a good compilation of live 70's stuff. Fuck's sake... There was a time when I would've complained about live-compilations. These days I would be perfectly happy with a "Live Archives: 1973-1976", "Live Archives: 1977-1979", "Live Archives: 1980-1982" and "Live Archives: 1984-1986" type of releases, combining several tours on 2/3 CD-sets to offer an as complete possibile overview of Queen songs performed live. Throw in a nice booklet with pictures, recollections and merchandising pictures, plus maybe a bonusdvd with live stuff (like they did with Absolute Greatest, but then to own instead of to download/watch online) and I'm sure everyone will buy it - if it's priced right I'm sure even Joe Public would have some interest. |
| mooghead 06.02.2010 09:10 |
Lets not let this become a 'what should be in the box sets' thread, theres at least 3 million of them so far.... |
| Pim Derks 06.02.2010 09:36 |
It's not turning into a 'what should be in the boxset'-topic, it's turning in a 'what-queen-productions-could-release-without-brian-and-roger-thinking-their-days-as-a-creative-force-are-over-even-though-we-all-know-they-are-has-beens-whose-music-no-one-cares-about-except-us-the-real-fans' topic. |
| The Real Wizard 06.02.2010 12:15 |
Zebonka12 wrote: Stuff like the bonus live videos from Absolute Greatest (which I will proudly admit I downloaded without buying that utter cack of a product). Put that on DVD and you'll have my money. Ditto. The Earls Court 77 and Paris 79 footage is excellent quality, even if it has mono sound. This stuff should be on DVD in the shops. |
| Soundfreak 07.02.2010 15:29 |
Hi, I'm new....and somehow I ain't.....it's many years ago that I was here. Anyway, I was reading this discussion. And although I also wait for "new" material I think most of you forget one important point. Queen's record company EMI is in big financial trouble for quite a while. Even the Beatles' remasters could not help the company to solve their financial problems. For Queen their "unreleased archive" is the only trump they have if it comes to negotiating a new record contract in case EMI goes downhill. Which is very likely to happen. So it would not be wise to give anything "new" to EMI at the moment, as it may end with the company that will buy EMI. And I guess this is also the reason for the recent "Greatest Hits" album. They gave EMI some "new" product" without losing anything at all from their archive. Another reason may also be, that we are currently in a time of changing formats. Brian May is very much into surround mixes, but - the SACD is dead, so is DVD-A. But the "Blue Ray Audio" is around the corner. This may also be a reason, why they hesitate to come up with something new at the moment. |
| Penetration_Guru 07.02.2010 16:13 |
During promotion for QPR, it was repeatedly said that "this is not PR filling FM's shoes, it's a whole new chapter". Ergo, Queen IS finished. Anything created subsequently, merrily or otherwise, is "post-Queen", "the WWRY years", "Queen+", whatever... Therefore, a box set of "the Golden Years", "the original lineup", "the good stuff", WHATEVER, is EMINENTLY appropriate. If they wanted to do it, there's a way of spinning it. The way it's currently being spun says they don't want to do it. It's just a shame they don't respect our intelligence enough to admit it. |
| dragon-fly 07.02.2010 16:22 |
Their strategy seems to be a bit like teasing. And if they ever release it, I believe there will be those who would buy it. Just the quantity might be different. |
| mooghead 07.02.2010 17:55 |
It IS teasing. Don't they realise that there is this thing called the 'Internet' which means you can obtain anything you want for free?? Keep teasing and I will lose any interest in spending my hard earned on proper material. I have forgotten how that feels anyway.. |
| Sebastian 07.02.2010 19:59 |
Back in Y2K, they'd have secured millions of sales as many people were still without any sort of internet connexion, let a lone enough bandwidth or speed to download full albums or concert videos within minutes (or hours, or seconds, depending). Moreover, they would've been able to track down people like Mike Stone and Michael Kamen for some comments and stuff. As I wrote earlier, don't be surprised if upcoming anthologies reject 'Queen II' outtakes and alternative (more outrageous) versions in favour of a Jedward cover featuring the doctor and his sidekick. |
| Pim Derks 08.02.2010 12:31 |
"From the creatores of the Office, now comes a new show about an aging has-been rockstar: The Doctor (And His Sidekick)." I'd watch that! |
| Sebastian 09.02.2010 13:18 |
Pim Derks wrote: "From the creatores of the Office, now comes a new show about an aging has-been rockstar: The Doctor (And His Sidekick)." I'd watch that! In fact, Roger said it was Freddie's favourite TV programme. |
| kevukuk 12.02.2010 18:31 |
dear greg, i dont know you,i have never met you,but you come accross as a smug twat "i have access to stuff you plebs can only dream about" instead of popping up occasionally to tell us we should be gratefull for having another compilation of the same songs why dont you tell your employers what it is the fans really want,to be treated to the same respect other bands treat their fanbase. thank god for all the fantastic downloads we have access to on this site,coz if we waited for queen productions to release anything interesting most of us would be too old or too disinterested |
| Penetration_Guru 23.05.2010 09:42 |
kevukuk wrote: dear greg, i dont know you,i have never met you,but you come accross as a smug twat "i have access to stuff you plebs can only dream about" instead of popping up occasionally to tell us we should be gratefull for having another compilation of the same songs why dont you tell your employers what it is the fans really want,to be treated to the same respect other bands treat their fanbase. thank god for all the fantastic downloads we have access to on this site,coz if we waited for queen productions to release anything interesting most of us would be too old or too disinterested (quote ends) Yes, he does come across as a smug twat. He chooses to do so becuase our (collective) reaction amuses him, and probably the people around him. But be under no illusions - Jim Beach etc do know what fans want - and this will to a degree have come from Greg (who is after all a fan himself). What the "Queen machine" then decides to actually do is based on a whole set of other criteria. |
| andreas_mercury 23.05.2010 12:00 |
agree to the fact of GB is a tease if he were a bitch i had have slapped him by now and told him to beat it ..... not even give him the fare home. fuck Archivist he is liar |