| John S Stuart 24.02.2010 09:52 |
Just another couple of random thoughts... Forget the archives, the vaults or whatever you wish to call it. At present, I am really unhappy with the official live Queen releases. I don't think it is rocket science to note how technology has marched on and how official product has failed to keep up. A HD Plasma/LCD screen, Blu-Ray, Sky+ HD and a Dolby surround sound system for most UK family households seems to be the norm - rather than the exception. Yet, concerts which would really benefit from a 21st Century make-over (E.g. Queen: Live Rainbow Theatre, London, 19/20 November 1974) still officially exist as VHS video only. Like many others, I was able to transfer my VHS copy to my stand alone DVD recorder, but it's not the same is it? If QPL fail to deliver new product, why can't old product be repolished and republished in a new medium which could deliver an even better mind-blowing experience than before? No re-editing required, just simply dusted-off and delivered. Money for old rope really. Then... If that was to happen, and all previous material delivered, what HD concerts should they release next? A full Hammersmith 1975 would be a given, as would Earls Court 1977. But how many live discs could be released without it becoming boring? With both Wembley and Budapest being represented, would a full Knebworth be really needed? Wouldn't a "Magic Live: Final Tour" set be enough - if it contained both official discs/ Knebworth and others extras/ rehearsals/ inerviews/ news clips/ book and or programme? Do we really need every Magic concert? (no pun intended). |
| The Real Wizard 24.02.2010 11:06 |
If they released a DVD from every tour, I couldn't possibly imagine it getting boring. Someone just needs to convince them that a raw mono or stereo feed is just fine, and then the possibilities for shows to release open up wide. |
| Soundfreak 24.02.2010 12:37 |
Although there is no strategy behind it I noticed, that usually I watch a concert video just once. And then maybe years later I watch it again or mostly just parts of it. So somehow my appetite for those concerts, that have been available on video or whatever is not that high. As I already once saw them.... When it comes to audio it's different, when it's a good one they get repeated listening from time to time. So for me basically it's enough to have one definite recording of each tour, and a good audio is even more important than a video. The audio reminds me much more, what a concert was like. While a video is some artform of it's own, it depends so much on the filmmaker's vision and possibilities. It's great to watch something like Budapest 86, but that's not how I remember any concert I've seen. I never changed my position, I was never behind Roger's Drum kit and next second besides Freddie's piano and then on the roof of the stadium.... |
| John S Stuart 24.02.2010 13:44 |
Soundfreak wrote:
So for me basically it's enough to have one definite recording of each tour...
Amen. This is how I feel about video too. Do not get me wrong I would love a "Magic Box set" as I described above. But if this did came to pass officially, apart from the odd extra - I would not really care if the full Knebworth existed or not. Again, on a personal level, I would prefer a few fantastic '70s shows than a whole load of mediocrity. |
| Micrówave 24.02.2010 15:22 |
If your only concern was that every Queenzone member would buy the DVD, I'm sure we'd have a concert from every tour by now. The problem is, Joe Blow could care less about a Hot Space concert vs the Hyde Park concert. If QPL were intellegent, they'd take a chapter from the Book of Peter Gabriel. Sell the live discs internally with no distributor. I'm sure they have thousands of blank Q+PR CD-Rs they could use. Sell each show for $15 and manufacture them AFTER they've been paid for. You could hire Greg Brooks to be the official CD/DVD burner. Odds are, you'd sell 3-4 a day and, after paying Greg, still turn a profit. That way you wouldn't fight the problem of product placement, which is Queen's big hurdle right now, merchandising wise. Best Buy isn't going to carry more Queen product until they get rid of the all the Cosmos Rocks box sets they can't get rid of. Queen just doesn't sell anymore to the casual music fan. |
| cmsdrums 24.02.2010 16:20 |
John S Stuart wrote: Money for old rope really. A Jim Beach/QPL speciality, so we can but hope!! |
| cmsdrums 24.02.2010 16:30 |
Sir GH wrote: Someone just needs to convince them that a raw mono or stereo feed is just fine, and then the possibilities for shows to release open up wide.Absolutely. I get sick of seeing quotes from Brian or Greg Brooks stating that they have 'this concert' or 'that concert' on video, but "only" have a stereo mixdown of the audio, so there's no chance of a DVD ever getting released. Yes, if an audio master multitrack exists, then I am the first in line to say that it should be used, and remixed, remastered etc... up to the best possible quality of the day. However, if you only have, for example, a stereo or mono mix, then go with it - the technology today means that the audio quality can still be improved to such a level that it won't be out of place with old VHS concerts from hundreds of different bands getting DVD releases now. Sadly, a lot of it comes down to Brian's desire of needing the multitracks so that overdubs and drop ins can be applied if necessary to cover anything he deems to be 'imperfections' to a Queen show (yet strangely he is all too quick to laud these in, say, a Jeff Beck show, as 'walking the line of spontanious moments of creativity and daring'). If they were happy to release the Freddie Tribute gig on DVD with an absolutely terrible mix, with hardly any work done to it fro mthe original VHS, then they really do show double standards sometime. |
| thunderbolt 31742 25.02.2010 00:41 |
I still give KISS a lot of credit for releasing so many raw mono/stereo bootlegs as part of the KISSology box sets. For a band that constantly catches crap because the only thing live on their marquee "live" album is the crowd noise, it took some guts for them to not go into the studio and retouch every last second of every show they could, and withhold what they could not. |
| pittrek 25.02.2010 03:03 |
Sir GH wrote: If they released a DVD from every tour, I couldn't possibly imagine it getting boring. Someone just needs to convince them that a raw mono or stereo feed is just fine, and then the possibilities for shows to release open up wide. Exactly. If they release a boxset which includes all they've got from all 1 concert from each tour, I'd be happy no matter what quality would it be |
| e-man 26.02.2010 11:32 |
with technology moving so fast, and considering the video material Queen have (or at least we think we know they have) in the archives, they better start releasing something pretty quickly. Reason 1: HD is now taking over, and as far as we know, apart from montreal, Budapest is the ONLY Queen gigs shot on film and therefore will benefit from a blu ray release compared to a dvd only release. (some say Rainbow 74 is on film as well, as did Brian and the montreal dvd launch, but there are still many who claim otherwise). and when HD is becoming the regular standard, old gigs shot on standard video will look their age once everybody is used to high defintion. Reason 2: various companies have already launched blu-ray 3d. now, I dunno what it takes to make a film 3D, but I imagine it's a special type of cameras. this is of course many years down the line before it comes standard, but; once it's spreading - Queen Houston 1977 on regular dvd will appeal to Queen fans only, not to average music fans who pick up various live releases from time to time. they will rather buy U2's 3D film. so; they better start to get things out there before their source material is too outdated. if they decide to release things fairly soon, here's the good news: the blu ray media has alot of storage capacity compared to dvd. in other words; to release a "box set" with gigs from the 70s (and 80s for that matter) wouldn't take a mammoth sized box. many gigs in standard defintion would fit on a couple of blu-ray discs. (and if they can release a 12 disc Freddie set, this thought isn't far fetched) final thoughts I would love to see as many releases as possible. I often put on live dvds and blu-rays. as someone mentioned; peter gabriel and the who got the right idea with releasing stuff online where you can pick any gig you want. take QPR for instance; they have every gig on the 08 tour filmed with at least 5-6 cameras in HD. it wouldn't cost much to manufacture them and sell them online. also; they have the majority of all gigs on multitracks - I'm sure there are many fans who would buy the gig they were at. I know I would (and then some) same goes for 73-86; if they don't do it like this - the majority of stuff will never come out |
| e-man 26.02.2010 11:35 |
dunno if you know John, but for a gig to be released in HD, it must either be shot on film, or in HD. Hammersmith 75 and Earls Court were shot on standard video, and the picture will benefit little or nothing from a hd transfer (someone who knows more about this might correct me on this, but afaik, that's the rule of thumb.) but; if they have the mulittracks - they can make the sound in HD; WELL worth doing |
| cmsdrums 26.02.2010 15:00 |
e-man wrote:
with technology moving so fast, and considering the video material Queen have (or at least we think we know they have) in the archives, they better start releasing something pretty quickly.
Reason 1:
HD is now taking over, and as far as we know, apart from montreal, Budapest is the ONLY Queen gigs shot on film and therefore will benefit from a blu ray release compared to a dvd only release. (some say Rainbow 74 is on film as well, as did Brian and the montreal dvd launch, but there are still many who claim otherwise). and when HD is becoming the regular standard, old gigs shot on standard video will look their age once everybody is used to high defintion.
take QPR for instance; they have every gig on the 08 tour filmed with at least 5-6 cameras in HD.
Surely Rio 85 must be on film too?? Is that right? I know that they had cameras running for the video screens feed, but I can't believe that they recorded everything, on every show, and in HD too???? |
| The Real Wizard 26.02.2010 16:15 |
According to Brian, these are the only shows that were done on 35mm film: London 11-19-74 London 11-20-74 Montreal 11-24-81 Montreal 11-25-81 Budapest 7-27-86 |
| e-man 27.02.2010 07:09 |
I'm no expert, but Rio 85 looks like regular video to me. compare it to budapest for instance. also; Brian would have mentioned Rio when he listed Queen gigs filmed on film about QPR filming every gig; of course we cannot know whether they recorded everything or whether they just fed the screens without pressing "record" (which happened at knebworth 86). but I'd be surprised if they went to all that trouble and didn't keep anything of it. as Brian said regarding a live dvd from south america; there are issues mixing HD and regular video (ie; their own cameras with the standard video cameras used by the local tv stations)- and this definitely suggests that gigs were recorded |
| Pim Derks 27.02.2010 09:03 |
To be honest I don't care about live dvd's at all. Just don't like to sit down and watch them, though I find myself listening to the audio equivalents of Rock Montreal, Bowl and Wembley on a regular basis while surfing, working or reading. |