Its an awesome song. Love Brian's guitar in this one. The bass is great too. John Deacon really was on a roll at the time of the game, with bass runs on songs like Another One Bites the Dust. The band was becomingly increasingly commercial, but they were so tight as a unit at about this point.
Dragon Attack was never performed as a whole in the 80's. It always segued in from another section, be it a quick instrumental part after the vocal improvisation in 1980 through the first half 1982 or Put Out The Fire in later 1982. It was also played along with Staying Power when it was in the set during The Works tour. When that was dropped I'm quite sure there were some performances where they just played it right off the bat until they decided to play a Instrumental Inferno before it.
They must have liked it quite a bit since they played it for virtually every show from The Game Tour up until the japanese leg of The Works. A drum solo was never played though and neither was the "Showdown" part. That is up until the 2006 leg of the Queen + Paul Rodgers which I think is the first time it was played in full on tour (unless it had been played in full in any one-off concerts). Dragon Attack also had both a bass solo (which I wonder why they never played, funny thing is that John gets to play a nice solo at the Milton Keynes '82 performance because Brian broke a string) and a drum solo with both Taylors during the mini-tour with Adam Lambert.
But no, I don't think they ever had any plan to incorporate either the drum solo or the "showdown" part in Dragon Attack when playing it live. The first performance was absolutely dreadful but it was played (I think) in the same way as it was going to be played for the rest of The Game tour.
mooghead wrote:
"That is up until the 2006 leg of the Queen + Paul Rodgers which I think is the first time it was played in full on tour"
But that doesnt matter/count
As long as it was Roger Taylor that played it I would say that it counts since we are taking purely about the instrumental aspect of the song.
I'm sure it would have sounded a lot better in say 1980 though. The live version performed in the 80's doesn't suffer that much from excluding the solo though as Roger's drumming is pretty cool after the last chorus.
It was a good idea to omit it from the live versions, so the groove could keep going.
No known live version has it. They experimented a bit with the song early in its touring like in August 1980, but they never included the drum break.
I like the textures on the album cut, but felt it never stood up to being stretched out so long live. The version on the tour this years was mearly unbearable.
"As long as it was Roger Taylor that played it I would say that it counts"
Matter of opinion I guess, its like saying Queen+ 'whoever' counts as it is Brian and Roger.
Not true.
It's one of my favourite queen tracks, but the 2012 version was abysmal. Bizarrely I thought that when they played it in 2006, in full with drum break and 'lowdown.....' vocal piece, it was a real surprise and sounded great.
It was always a strange one live in Freddie's day, in that it was as if they never quite rehearsed it in great depth and left it as a part improvised piece, because it always varied as to how long the solo might be, the solos would come in at different points, Freddie would come in at different times etc....
Hi cmsdrums
I like the sound of those versions in Freddie's day you mention. Sort of a go with the flow thing, the way you describe it. Nice not have everything so heavily scripted and rehearsed I think.
Yeah - I also like the 'jam' feel of the original live performances, and the fact that Brian's solo would change regularly and not be so regimented like some other pieces
Actually I LOVED the Q+AL rendering of Dragon Attack. I loved the song before but I thought they had a freer rein on it this time around: Had more of the jam feeling (which is probably what it started out as).
The real issue with the Q+AL (and with most of the set) was that it was played too slow. It felt more intense when played as Q+PR which in turn felt far less intense than when it was played in the 80's.
It's a very good live track though and it's welcome in any set.
@j0ck3 I can see your point. Actually I liked the languid feel Q+AL's being slower gave it. But then I liked Staying Power being played at MK faster and furiouser than on the record. :-)
I don't think you will find many people who will deny that Staying Power is one of their best live songs despite being hopelessly mediocre on record.
The Milton Keynes version is probably one of the best live performances of a single song they've done as well which helps.
Always annoyed the mid8 mix live had the guitar to the for which was actually just playing the counterpoint to the coooooool brass melody on the keys. Apart from that, yes, it was a highlight when I first got the Magic Years back in 87.
j0ck3 wrote:
I don't think you will find many people who will deny that Staying Power is one of their best live songs despite being hopelessly mediocre on record.
The Milton Keynes version is probably one of the best live performances of a single song they've done as well which helps.
i'm honestly trying to think what perverse world would put ANY hot space song as one of the "best live songs"
just don't see it, it was good, but nowhere near best
j0ck3 wrote:
I don't think you will find many people who will deny that Staying Power is one of their best live songs despite being hopelessly mediocre on record.
The Milton Keynes version is probably one of the best live performances of a single song they've done as well which helps.
i'm honestly trying to think what perverse world would put ANY hot space song as one of the "best live songs"
just don't see it, it was good, but nowhere near best
I would .
live, Staying Power was a very powerful song.
But then i am honest, and am not here to troll every point made for the sake of my ego.