QueenZone discussion #1276744
What's the point of Live Magic?
| jamster1111 02.07.2011 23:42 |
Honestly, what's the point of this live album? It hardly even sounds like a live show because of the enormous amounts of cuts. Not only did they edit out songs but cut out big chunks of them for some strange reason. It's got to be one of the weirdest live albums I've ever heard and never understood what the point of it was. |
| paulosham 03.07.2011 01:39 |
Live albums were never a Queen strong point. I remember reading somewhere that Live Magic was voted one of the worst live albums. I do like it myself but I can also see it's many flaws. |
| dysan 03.07.2011 03:11 |
There was some discussion about Live Magic a couple of months ago - It was the first Queen album I owned but it was soon overtaken as I bought up the back catalogue. I rediscovered recently and it brought so many memories back. Of course, now I can see that the edits are weird, but they leave a short punchy album. The only noticable one is on BORAP the others are seemless - they have cut the fat out an I think it stands up. Live At Wembley '86 does not replace Live Magic as I find the recordings inferior and the setlist over long. Sure, there are some missing gems from the dates used on LM (and it's annoying it duplicates songs from Live Killers - Bowie's two 70's live albums from '74 and '78 had 17 different songs on both) but what is there is great. Indeed, as I said during those super LM discussion I prefer the even shorter cassette version and am still trying to track down the original Japanese release that follows the tape version. Queen is a largely nostalgic thing for me anyway, and Live Magic, by virtue of being ignored for so long, is a perfect time capsule of 1986 and me barely out of nappies :o) |
| Rick 03.07.2011 05:00 |
Money, of course. |
| gagakid1906 03.07.2011 05:15 |
Yeah really, what is the point of these live albums!? If you want the songs just go buy the original album. Freddie wanted money. |
| tcc 03.07.2011 08:06 |
I think the band really enjoyed doing the Magic Tour and having filmed the concert at Wembley for the purpose of putting a DVD, they then found that they also liked the concert at Knebworth. To keep a memorial of the Knebworth concert, they quickly rushed out the Magic tour hilghlights (mainly from Knebworth) in a CD called Live Magic. In order to have as many songs as possible in one CD, they may have agreed to edit some of the songs including the sacred cow Bohemian Rhapsody :-) LIke the guy above, Live Magic was also the first Queen album that I bought. It was done in a hurry after listening to Radio Ga Ga from the radio. Like him, I was also disappointed initially to hear the original full-length songs (which I heard from the Greatest Hits I & II albums, my second Queen purchase). The cheering and audience singing especially for I Want To Break Free, God Save The Queen really made the songs sound more lively and good. |
| jamster1111 03.07.2011 11:17 |
gagakid1906 wrote: Yeah really, what is the point of these live albums!? If you want the songs just go buy the original album. Freddie wanted money. Nooo I understand the point of live albums and most of Queen's live performances were spectacular but my question is not why did they make Live Magic? My question is more like, why are there so many cuts throughout the album? It's just strange. |
| dysan 03.07.2011 12:15 |
a) vinyl space b) some things that are fun live make for a boring listen in the car Like a said, and I know at least one person on here agrees - I like the edits (bar the BR one) as they really tighten up the album. |
| Russian Headlong 03.07.2011 13:38 |
at the time of release i remember reading in the fan club mag at the time that the band didnt want to release a double album. I don't know why but I read that Roger hated Live Killers, perhaps they didnt want an overbloated live album. Live Magic is butchered but i thinks its version of AKOM is the definitive version, rocky and boogie esque. |
| lifetimefanofqueen 03.07.2011 16:31 |
i thought it was alright......i feel like the wee one in the corner who objects........... aaaah speaking of which i was ment to watch live at the bowl ages ago (bought it in janurary!) might as well watch it tonight if i aint to tired, depends..... |
| The Real Wizard 03.07.2011 18:33 |
Live albums are usually very self-indulgent, so Queen decided to do one that was very concise and to the point. No doubt it was done to cash in after the hugely successful Magic tour, but most of the performances are great. The roar at the beginning of One Vision is worth the price of admission. |
| paulosham 03.07.2011 22:36 |
dysan wrote: There was some discussion about Live Magic a couple of months ago - It was the first Queen album I owned but it was soon overtaken as I bought up the back catalogue. I rediscovered recently and it brought so many memories back. Of course, now I can see that the edits are weird, but they leave a short punchy album. The only noticable one is on BORAP the others are seemless - they have cut the fat out an I think it stands up. Live At Wembley '86 does not replace Live Magic as I find the recordings inferior and the setlist over long. Sure, there are some missing gems from the dates used on LM (and it's annoying it duplicates songs from Live Killers - Bowie's two 70's live albums from '74 and '78 had 17 different songs on both) but what is there is great. Indeed, as I said during those super LM discussion I prefer the even shorter cassette version and am still trying to track down the original Japanese release that follows the tape version. Queen is a largely nostalgic thing for me anyway, and Live Magic, by virtue of being ignored for so long, is a perfect time capsule of 1986 and me barely out of nappies :o) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is one of my favourite Queenzone posts... ever! |
| All my life 04.07.2011 02:02 |
Let s hope that in 2012 , the live albums will have new treatment and fill out the edit of the previous version. Could u imagine "Live Magic" full cd? with tracks from Knebworth, Wembley, Budapest & Mannheim??? The same for Live Killers with Fat Bottomed Girls, It s Late, Somebody to Love... |
| Gregsynth 04.07.2011 02:19 |
No, what Queen Productions should've done, was professionally record one of those freaking Leiden gigs, THEN release that on a CD. Almost all the song's performances from any of the 3 Leiden gigs trumps the stuff on the Wembley concert and Budapest/Knebworth. One Vision: 2nd Leiden Tie Your Mother Down: 1st or 2nd Leiden In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited: 3rd Leiden Seven Seas: Any version Tear It Up: 2nd Leiden A Kind Of Magic: 1st or 2nd Leiden Under Pressure: 3rd Leiden Another One Bites The Dust: 3rd Leiden or Knebworth Who Wants To Live Forever: 2nd or 3rd Leiden I Want To Break Free: 2nd Leiden Impromptu: 2nd Leiden Guitar Solo: Any Now I'm Here: Any Love Of My Life: Any Leiden gig Is This The World We Created: 3rd Leiden Oldies section: Any Bohemian Rhapsody: 1st or 2nd Leiden Hammer To Fall: 1st or 2nd Leiden Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Any Radio Ga Ga: 2nd or 3rd Leiden We Will Rock You: 2nd or 3rd Leiden Friends Will Be Friends: Budapest We Are The Champions: 2nd Leiden God Save The Queen: Knebworth There's your Live Magic CD--every song sounds great, no need for Freddie to overdub here! Plus in the earlier gigs on the tour, the whole band have more of an "edge," and if you combine that with the Leiden crowd/atmosphere--you'll have an excellent concert. |
| dysan 04.07.2011 04:50 |
Impromptu: 2nd Leiden Guitar Solo: Any Now I'm Here: Any Oldies section: Any Ditch these, man. |
| k-m 04.07.2011 05:05 |
paulosham wrote: dysan wrote: There was some discussion about Live Magic a couple of months ago - It was the first Queen album I owned but it was soon overtaken as I bought up the back catalogue. I rediscovered recently and it brought so many memories back. Of course, now I can see that the edits are weird, but they leave a short punchy album. The only noticable one is on BORAP the others are seemless - they have cut the fat out an I think it stands up. Live At Wembley '86 does not replace Live Magic as I find the recordings inferior and the setlist over long. Sure, there are some missing gems from the dates used on LM (and it's annoying it duplicates songs from Live Killers - Bowie's two 70's live albums from '74 and '78 had 17 different songs on both) but what is there is great. Indeed, as I said during those super LM discussion I prefer the even shorter cassette version and am still trying to track down the original Japanese release that follows the tape version. Queen is a largely nostalgic thing for me anyway, and Live Magic, by virtue of being ignored for so long, is a perfect time capsule of 1986 and me barely out of nappies :o) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is one of my favourite Queenzone posts... ever! Agreed. And this is the best defence of Live Magic you will ever hear. It made me want to revisit the album, even though I used to hate it :) |
| Back2TheLight 04.07.2011 05:08 |
Haha...Gregsynth is a major Leiden fan! Can't say I blame him, he's got a point, as they were all great gigs. :) I personally would like more stuff from Budapest and Knebworth, as I hold those in high regard as being fantastic shows too. I found alot of the edits really annoying on LM. I can see why it was done, and I see the point of the album. However, the edit of TYMD really bugged, as they were just smoking on that version. As much as I would love to see all the great gigs released that QP has in the vault, I think it would be more beneficial if they released them through the website or even thru the Fan Club, and have part of the proceeds to like the Mercury Phoenix Trust or something along those lines. I've always thought that would be something really cool to do. Will it happen? Probably not, but hell, I can think out loud every now and again, yes? |
| dysan 04.07.2011 07:58 |
I'd be happy if LM was lumped into the AKOM reissue. That's not quite true, but you know what I mean. |
| philip storey 04.07.2011 09:05 |
Just listened to LM and i must say that i enjoyed it, great versions of Dust and Hammer.My version came with full renditions of Magic and Hammer To Fall which help the album flow better.Good Night Sweet Dreams,We Love You!!!!! |
| dysan 04.07.2011 11:00 |
Yes, the Hammer To Fall on there is great. I even don't mind TYMD from LM. And of course, the cover is CLASSIC 1986. Everything looked like that then. |
| jamster1111 04.07.2011 13:20 |
Gregsynth wrote: No, what Queen Productions should've done, was professionally record one of those freaking Leiden gigs, THEN release that on a CD. Almost all the song's performances from any of the 3 Leiden gigs trumps the stuff on the Wembley concert and Budapest/Knebworth. One Vision: 2nd Leiden Tie Your Mother Down: 1st or 2nd Leiden In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited: 3rd Leiden Seven Seas: Any version Tear It Up: 2nd Leiden A Kind Of Magic: 1st or 2nd Leiden Under Pressure: 3rd Leiden Another One Bites The Dust: 3rd Leiden or Knebworth Who Wants To Live Forever: 2nd or 3rd Leiden I Want To Break Free: 2nd Leiden Impromptu: 2nd Leiden Guitar Solo: Any Now I'm Here: Any Love Of My Life: Any Leiden gig Is This The World We Created: 3rd Leiden Oldies section: Any Bohemian Rhapsody: 1st or 2nd Leiden Hammer To Fall: 1st or 2nd Leiden Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Any Radio Ga Ga: 2nd or 3rd Leiden We Will Rock You: 2nd or 3rd Leiden Friends Will Be Friends: Budapest We Are The Champions: 2nd Leiden God Save The Queen: Knebworth There's your Live Magic CD--every song sounds great, no need for Freddie to overdub here! Plus in the earlier gigs on the tour, the whole band have more of an "edge," and if you combine that with the Leiden crowd/atmosphere--you'll have an excellent concert. Very good point there Greg but it's not the choice of gigs I'm complaining about. It's all the random cuts that make no sense. If they wanted to release a live album from the Magic Tour why couldn't they just include the full song? It doesn't even take a legitimate Queen fan to recognize that cuts and be bothered by them. |
| catqueen 04.07.2011 13:23 |
I like live albums... but i know what u mean, it got cut strangely at times. :/ |
| dysan 04.07.2011 13:45 |
The edits don't bother me. I didn't even notice them until i read on the back of the Cd some 20 years ago that it contains 'full' versions of the songs. I skipped straight to BoRap as that was the only edit I was aware of. I wonder how many people on here downloaded LM aware of all the cuts and already had their minds made up before listening to it? |
| catqueen 04.07.2011 16:15 |
Its been a while since i watched it, so my memory might be fuzzy -- but wasn't it the montreal concert where freddie changed on the two nights so that they couldnt do too much editing? Or am i completely wrong? |
| brENsKi 04.07.2011 16:27 |
the problem with LM is that queen didn't learn much from the stupidly excessive overdubs and hotchpotch nature of LK 7 yrs beforehand....both are very shit albums LK sounds lacking in atmosphere almost like the band weren't actually there...it sounds like a studio recording with added crowd noise LM - on the other hand sounds like the first ever "stars on 45" live album...it's weird but in a way it sound slike a megamix or even like an EPK the problem wiht live rock albums is that you can go down two routes with them....release them "warts n all" or "re-record/overdub" queen took the Lizzy and UFO route...but failed to deliver with the finished product....."live and dangerous" and "strangers" both "sound" like amazing live albums...LK and LM do not !!! LK sounds like it was recorded in a biscuit tin, LM sound slike it was recorded from the back of the arenas for those not aware "Live and dangerous" was "visconti'd" to death...and it ended up with the only unre-recorded part of the gig being the crowd noise "strangers" was only slightly less "reworked" |
| Leonardo Venegas 04.07.2011 16:46 |
Sir GH wrote: The roar at the beginning of One Vision is worth the price of admission. Exactly how I feel about it, very good Sir GH!!! |
| dysan 05.07.2011 04:31 |
I think LM and LK have done their job well if they get people so riled. Two of my favorite Queen albums. |
| ITSM 06.07.2011 02:41 |
"Is this the world we created...?" is great on Live Magic (my brothers' favourite Queen song). |
| Voice of Reason 2018 06.07.2011 06:15 |
They wanted to release a live album. They wanted it to be a single album so it would sell better and have less duplicates from Live Killers (e.g. guitar solo). The versions are pretty good, even allowing for the curious edits! Cheers, The Voice. |