| Day dop 18.12.2014 16:05 |
From Classic Rock magazine..... Guitarist says Lambert's vocal range would have impressed late singer Queen's Brian May says singer Adam Lambert can hit high notes that even Freddie Mercury struggled with. The guitarist once again heaps praise on former American Idol contestant Lambert, who has been on vocal duties with Queen on their world tour which hits the UK next month. May tells Universal Music: "We didn't look for this guy, suddenly he's there, and he can sing all of those lines. See, they’re difficult songs to sing, Queen songs. There's too much range. So many people can't sing them in the original key — even if they are good singers. "Adam comes along, and he can do it easy. He can do it in his sleep. He can sing higher than even Freddie could in a live situation. So I think Freddie would look at this guy and think, 'Hmm, yeah. Okay.' There would be a kind of, 'Hmm, you bastard, you can do this.' "And Adam also has this presentation, I think. He is a showman. He doesn't have to try. He is a natural, in the same way that Freddie was. "Adam is so much like Freddie in many ways. But Adam doesn't have to try to be like Freddie, which is the nice thing. He doesn't imitate – he just does his own thing." link |
| ludwigs 18.12.2014 16:25 |
Bollocks!!! What does BM know? I've been the hardest North-Eastern avid Queen fan in the history of the world. All my town knows I am. I was in the cities 'rag' and my friend...oops, read my neighbours dog once took a shit near to Wayne Sleeps lap-dog peed.so I was in the papers about how I directed Queens decisions! I am Ardent (and I don't think I mean Rod Argent either!!!) Queen fan for 68 years. Yous all know it and Bri and Rog will announce me as stalwart on the next Gay album that they choose to record (even though they still don't know it yet cause I'm a true Queen fan!!!! What the fuck would they know???) I reckon If they listened to me they would have a chance to have Duck Soup on cd and some other rarities like.....Live at the Rainbow. Ya know.....really obscure stuff....cause I'm a fan of 89 years!! My mum once watched Biggins on the tele so I'm like, related to Fred! |
| brENsKi 18.12.2014 16:37 |
^^^ applauds. just one more question: why just you and your little old laptop...how come you don't have a scanner? |
| ludwigs 18.12.2014 16:54 |
^^^^ Good one! All those rare recordings and not one scanner or even mobile phone. oops.....why ay in the attic in boxes.....divnee nah. |
| brENsKi 18.12.2014 17:04 |
Yous a bully, Yous is |
| ludwigs 18.12.2014 18:02 |
Yous lot berra wotch oot....I'm a canny fella who divnee naa, why eye man..... Fog on the Tyne...... |
| Mr.Mouth 18.12.2014 20:16 |
Again Brian peaise AL over Freddie. Freddie didnt squeel like a girl he was powerhouse ana Adam would never have power in his pipes like Freddie!!! He forgot lots of thing about his late "friend" Was he a friend?? Now I think only and real friend was John. |
| Viper 19.12.2014 03:38 |
Of course Adam can sing higher than Freddie! At least on a live situation! All the smoking and partying didn't help Freddie on the matter. And running around the stage is not easy to handle! In the studio Freddie could do those high notes of course. But onde thing Adam just can't get is Freddie's power! He could fill the songs entirely! |
| thomasquinn 32989 19.12.2014 06:22 |
Man, Brian is acting like a cheap whore of late...what a waste of a once-great guitarist. |
| Vocal harmony 19.12.2014 07:05 |
Wouldn't it be great if some people could just read and understand instead of reading but making up their own version. BM has never once said the Lambert is a better than Freddie, or a more lalanted performer. BM and RT have found someone they enjoy working with, and someone they believe brings something to what they do. They are both in a better position than any of us to judge the difference between Freddie and anyone else they work with. The plain simple fact is that Lambert can sing, he is possibly better suited to the role than Paul Rodgers, who is a great singer but sounded and looked out of place singing IWTBF etc and was not willing to sing a wider range of songs from the Queen catalog. I know a number of people who saw Queen in the 70's and 80's and again with Rodgers. They've all said that this tour is the closest thing to what the band used to be like. Those who are putting Lambert down, for the most part, haven't been to or are not going to a show. If you dig out old bootlegs, not official tampered with releases, and listen to a few then compare them to what's available from the current tour you'll find a better singer, but a singer who sometimes has to drop notes and is not consistent in the way Lambert is. Try suspending the expectation of what your listening too. We've had 40 plus years of hearing and expecting that amazing voice, just because the voice is now different it doesn't mean it's bad and can't do the job it's doing. In none of BM's interviews and in none of the shows has BM been disrespectful to Freddie In anywhere. Yes he's heaping praise on Lambert, but I think praise where praise is due, they are out there on a worked tour selling out stadiums which they haven't done since the early 80's. If Lambert wasn't on board that would never have happened and I'm sure that some of the guys moaning about Lambert now, would be moaning that Queen haven't toured since 2009 and everyone eles has so why not? If your not happy about what they're doing or saying why don't you lock yourself indoor and stick live at the Rainbow on. |
| thomasquinn 32989 19.12.2014 07:09 |
Why is it that you can't conceive of people not giving a damn about Adam Lambert regardless of his technical capacities? Why is it that you can't understand I find it sad how Brian is pretty desperately trying to plug AL any way he can, and that he can't think of a way to do so without including Freddie Mercury in the 'argument'? Why is it that you can't accept that some people think rockers in their late 60s simply re-hashing the stuff they've been playing for decades are just a little bit sad? Why can't you accept that some people who don't like this Q+AL crap don't want Freddie back, but would just like BM/RT to make some NEW music rather than rehashing all the old stuff that's been played to death? |
| Vocal harmony 19.12.2014 07:46 |
^^^ yes I can understand people not giving a damn about Lambert's technical achievement, but I don't understand the bitterness that, (some) show towards him. He is not a bad singer, sings in tune and in the case of a song like WWTLF sings it as well if not, in some ways better, better than Freddie ever did live. Also from show to show his voice is more consistent than Freddie's. Yes I would love to hear RT and BM work on something new, hopefully they will, but that might include Lambert so the prospect of anything new being accepted, by some, is minimal. Queen were huge and those songs are still loved. Music is a living changing art and as such should be performed, why should age be a barrier, if this was classical or even jazz would you have the opinion that it shouldn't be played by anyone over the age of 60. I think BM has mentioned Freddie because since this started in 2012, or before people have asked what would Freddie think, how is this different to Freddie. I think Freddie is still very much part of Queen. I also think BM nd RT feel the need to defend what Lambert does because of some of the negative comments by some fans. |
| Pingfah 19.12.2014 08:11 |
Lambert can sing a little higher than Freddie sure, but he sounds like somebody strangling a cat when he does it. Freddie had a full, rich voice even at the top end of his ability. That's not a knock on AL's ability, he sounds fine singing generally, and I look forward to seeing the band in January. |
| The King Of Rhye 19.12.2014 08:37 |
thomasquinn 32989 wrote: but would just like BM/RT to make some NEW music rather than rehashing all the old stuff that's been played to death?I thoroughly enjoy seeing the old stuff rehashed myself........but yeah I WOULD like to see them making some new music! With or without Adam.....I am sure you would not agree, but personally I'm hoping we get a Q+AL studio album...... (I'm kinda wondering if Brian's creativity has dried up lately btw, or if he just has no great desire to write songs over the past decade or so.....only 3 songs for TCR while Roger wrote 5 for it, and oh yeah, a whole solo album last year........) |
| brENsKi 19.12.2014 08:51 |
personally, i think the problem with AL's voice isn't that he's sh*t - far from it. In many respects he's perfect. The problem is about his "vocal type". Some people hate opera singers, others hate country singers, in fact - you name it - for every single vocal category out there, there'll be as many that dislike the style as those that like it. AL's vocals sit somewhere in the musical theatre genre...and for many (myself included) that style really grates |
| The King Of Rhye 19.12.2014 09:10 |
brENsKi wrote: personally, i think the problem with AL's voice isn't that he's sh*t - far from it. In many respects he's perfect. The problem is about his "vocal type". Some people hate opera singers, others hate country singers, in fact - you name it - for every single vocal category out there, there'll be as many that dislike the style as those that like it. AL's vocals sit somewhere in the musical theatre genre...and for many (myself included) that style really gratesOK, that's a good point, I can't really argue with that..........if his voice isnt your cup of tea, I suppose there's nothing to be done about that! Personally I think he sounds just fine singing the heavier stuff of Queen, but that's just my opinion.....*shrug* A weird thought I had the other day.........if Adam were born about, uh, 20 years earlier, he'd have made a hell of a singer for a 80s 'hair metal' band.......lol..........with his voice AND his uh, flamboyance....... |
| Pingfah 19.12.2014 09:13 |
I would like to see Queen + AL album also, just because it's the best chance we have of new material from Brian & Roger together. In a funny way I think, despite being in my opinion an inferior frontman, AL is a better choice for recording an album than PR was. Cosmos Rocks was terribly uninspired. It's not a terrible album, but I expect more than a plodding Blues Rock album from Brian & Rog. It sounded more like Bad Company than Queen. Some young blood might be just the shot they need. |
| thomasquinn 32989 19.12.2014 11:16 |
For me it's very simple - I don't really care for live music. The sound is never just right, there's too much in the way of visuals that distracts from the music - I know many people like that sort of thing and I think it's fine if people like that, but it's just not for me. I'm here simply for the music, and just the music. Now I can appreciate a live *record* if, and only if, it is well-recorded and brings something new to a set of studio recordings (like the QII show on the Rainbow set), but it remains secondary to a real, studio record. So from my perspective, any tour Brian and Roger go on where they don't play any new songs and they don't do anything particularly new with the songs they have played numerous times comes at the expense of new, real music. "Cosmos Rocks" was, to me, a failure because they were trying too hard to be popular. Brian and Roger both did some pretty great solo work, but it's not the kind of stuff that goes to the top of the charts. It doesn't have to do that to be good. I'd like to hear more of that. In fact, I listen to Roger's solo work more than I listen to Queen. |
| matt z 19.12.2014 16:36 |
Adam sounds ridiculous singing rock tracks. He sounds like a boy voice. Apples and oranges. Great vs a singer of musicals. End of story. |
| The Real Wizard 19.12.2014 17:22 |
As always, so many misguided comments.. Brian is absolutely right. With ease, every night Lambert hits notes Mercury would've killed to hit once. Brian wasn't talking about overall technique, showmanship, songwriting, number of hit songs composed, strangling a cat with one's voice, or squealing like a girl. He was talking about vocal range on stage. End of. Period. However, when people hear Brian or anyone else make that comment, it translates to them as "whaaaaaat, Brian just said Lambert is better than Mercury? Proof that he's senile in his old age" ... which is usually followed by a straw man, ad hominem or some other logical fallacy that changes the subject unnecessarily, revealing the agenda of the person so obviously uncomfortable with the fact just presented to them. It's getting pathetic and predictable. Like it or not, because of Adam Lambert, Queen are more popular now than they've ever been in decades. They're selling out just about every show they play, and they're being taken seriously again. And they did it without performing a resurrection. Some people really need to get over themselves and find something else to complain about. This collaboration isn't going away any time soon. |
| Ken8 19.12.2014 18:02 |
Well, at least he finally admits Paul Rodgers couldn't sing Queen songs in the right key |
| Oscar J 19.12.2014 18:05 |
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| The King Of Rhye 19.12.2014 19:37 |
The Real Wizard wrote: As always, so many misguided comments.. Brian is absolutely right. With ease, every night Lambert hits notes Mercury would've killed to hit once. Brian wasn't talking about overall technique, showmanship, songwriting, number of hit songs composed, strangling a cat with one's voice, or squealing like a girl. He was talking about vocal range on stage. End of. Period.Shocking thought, eh..........Brian meant just what he said......... |
| flash00. 19.12.2014 19:42 |
I don't think I can ever recall Brian ever praise Freddie when he was alive or when he died in the same way he has praised Lambert or other artists, I have always thought there was a touch of professional jealousy with Brian with regards to Freddie, I like some of AL solo music A Time For Miracles is a great song but like others have said he does sound like a kid singing who screams to hit those notes he has absolutely no power in his voice he isn't camp he's outright drag queen on stage and for someone not wanting to compare to FM he should stop coming on stage wearing a crown. As far as singing live we all know how bad Freddie suffered with his voice but going by those concerts on dvd from the early 80s incl Leeds 82 bootleg Freddie pisses all over Lambert, Martel has a better voice than Lambert his latest album is great, we would hear Roger always champion Martel's voice while Brian would fawn over AL. Brian has always been a celebrity butt kisser and drools over anyone who is famous and sings a Queen song almost like he has no confidence in his own music, how long before AL gets sick to the back teeth of singing Queen songs and wants to include a few of his own music then Brian will go in his hissy fits and AL walks then BM will I no doubt be praising someone else similar to that old chestnut "Paul Rogers was one of Freddie's favourite singers" when we only ever heard Freddie say Robert Plant was one of his favourite male singers and saying he liked George Michaels voice also. I couldn't care less about AL fronting the band point I'm making is maybe we should take what BM says with a pinch of salt. Remember what John said about Robbie.... It would be interesting what he thought of the new Queen line up-just my own opinion before I'm shot down. |
| The King Of Rhye 19.12.2014 20:11 |
thomasquinn 32989 wrote: For me it's very simple - I don't really care for live music. The sound is never just right, there's too much in the way of visuals that distracts from the music - I know many people like that sort of thing and I think it's fine if people like that, but it's just not for me. I'm here simply for the music, and just the music. Now I can appreciate a live *record* if, and only if, it is well-recorded and brings something new to a set of studio recordings (like the QII show on the Rainbow set), but it remains secondary to a real, studio record.I guess I kinda think the other way around, somewhat........to me, new material or not, a live recording (total oxymoron, btw) is the way to hear the REAL band.......performing in front of an audience, devoid of any studio trickery or overdubbing or whatnot...... |
| Snowflakes 19.12.2014 21:39 |
brENsKi wrote: personally, i think the problem with AL's voice isn't that he's sh*t - far from it. In many respects he's perfect. The problem is about his "vocal type". Some people hate opera singers, others hate country singers, in fact - you name it - for every single vocal category out there, there'll be as many that dislike the style as those that like it. AL's vocals sit somewhere in the musical theatre genre...and for many (myself included) that style really gratesThis is funny because for me everything about Queen's music is theatrics, Broadway-ish musical theater. It's probably why back in their day they were always outside the norm of what people considered Rock. They sure of hell got trashed in the media because of it. I'm not surprise the "We Will Rock You" musical was such a huge success because the music works so well on a musical stage. Even Freddie's antics on stage was OTT, theatrical. He sure wasn't one to shy away from using props. Seriously the guy went on stage in drags. lol. AL did musical theater for 10yrs so it's not a shock to me that he sings the songs well. Freddie did it better but both are theatrical, OTT, flamboyant. Full stop. |
| Snowflakes 19.12.2014 21:48 |
The Real Wizard wrote: As always, so many misguided comments.. Brian is absolutely right. With ease, every night Lambert hits notes Mercury would've killed to hit once. Brian wasn't talking about overall technique, showmanship, songwriting, number of hit songs composed, strangling a cat with one's voice, or squealing like a girl. He was talking about vocal range on stage. End of. Period. However, when people hear Brian or anyone else make that comment, it translates to them as "whaaaaaat, Brian just said Lambert is better than Mercury? Proof that he's senile in his old age" ... which is usually followed by a straw man, ad hominem or some other logical fallacy that changes the subject unnecessarily, revealing the agenda of the person so obviously uncomfortable with the fact just presented to them. It's getting pathetic and predictable. Like it or not, because of Adam Lambert, Queen are more popular now than they've ever been in decades. They're selling out just about every show they play, and they're being taken seriously again. And they did it without performing a resurrection. Some people really need to get over themselves and find something else to complain about. This collaboration isn't going away any time soon.Thank Brian and Roger for keeping the Queen music alive since Freddie's death. I haven't heard his name mentioned so much in the media in the US since his death. If it wasn't for them Queen and Freddie would have faded away right after his death. Every time you hear Queen's music from TV commercials to sports arena was because of those guys keeping the music alive. Thank them. |
| Sheer Brass Neck 19.12.2014 22:20 |
Snowflakes wrote:Hi Snowflakes, you're new so I'll be nice and just say that because you said "FOR ME, everything about Queen's music s theatrics, Broadway-ish musical theatre", you probably don't own any Queen albums prior to AL's involvement or you'd realize that your statement is a just a wee bit off the mark. Some were theatrical, others heavier than the heaviest metal band. Early Queen were not Broadway-ish, they were 50 miles off Broadway.brENsKi wrote: personally, i think the problem with AL's voice isn't that he's sh*t - far from it. In many respects he's perfect. The problem is about his "vocal type". Some people hate opera singers, others hate country singers, in fact - you name it - for every single vocal category out there, there'll be as many that dislike the style as those that like it. AL's vocals sit somewhere in the musical theatre genre...and for many (myself included) that style really gratesThis is funny because for me everything about Queen's music is theatrics, Broadway-ish musical theater. |
| Brancelli 19.12.2014 23:03 |
Adam's voice is probably more suited for Zeppelin or GNR than Queen, although I do think he does a decent job singing Queen songs. I can definitely understand the criticism that Adam can't sing Queen's rock songs, it's easy to do when we compare him to Freddie's voice. I believe Adam is trying to preserve his voice a bit while doing this tour. SInging "rock" night after night can be harsh on the vocal cords. However, I do think Adam can sing rock (very well), and is not just a musical theater guy. Here is a bit of evidence (last 2 or 3 minutes are particulary good): link |
| The Real Wizard 20.12.2014 02:09 |
flash00. wrote: I don't think I can ever recall Brian ever praise Freddie when he was alive or when he died in the same way he has praised Lambert or other artistsInstead of singling Brian out, can you find any quote of any Queen member talking about another Queen member in a complimentary way before 1991? And you also left out the part about how Brian has praised Freddie more in death than he has praised any other singer, living or dead. You sure have done pretty selective homework. Slagging Brian. Queen fans doing what Queen fans do best... |
| DQ1 20.12.2014 02:21 |
Adam Lambert is a fine singer, but let's not forget the composer(s) of all those great Queen songs. Without those songs there is no live show, and Freddie Mercury was a lot more then just a great singer. |
| Vocal harmony 20.12.2014 06:21 |
DQ1 wrote: Adam Lambert is a fine singer, but let's not forget the composer(s) of all those great Queen songs. Without those songs there is no live show, and Freddie Mercury was a lot more then just a great singer.And that is what this tour is about. A good singer fronting a great band giving fans a chance to hear those great songs as they should be performed. In a big show with big audiences |
| gerry 20.12.2014 07:19 |
Sure Freddie deserves more credit, he wrote some amazing songs but sadly they do not get the justice when performed now. George Michael has a fuller better voice than Lambert and probably was the next best voice to Freddies although not a perfect fit but better than a screeching cat who sings with its tongue hanging out like lambert. The xfactor performance was dreadful, and freddies "somebody to love " was murdered by Lambert. Freddie always said "never make my music boring" well it has been made boring thanks to May & Taylor taking on an unknown pretty boy who has the charisma of an orange box. Lambert would be ok singing west end songs but not in a heavy rock group like Queen, its so embarrassing and i agree with somebody on here that he does look like a drag artist on legal highs! |
| brENsKi 20.12.2014 08:38 |
gerry wrote:Lambert would be ok singing west end songs but not in a heavy rock group like Queen, its so embarrassing and i agree with somebody on here that he does look like a drag artist on legal highs!you mean like Freddie... in 1974 Zandra Rhodes "smocks", his 1976-1979 leotards (at least 3 different designs - one sequinned), and videos for: I Want To break Free, Great Pretender, It's A Hard Life..and fake boobs on stage nah, Freddie & Lambert aren't even remotely similar are they? Have you EVER thought before you type such shit?. |
| matt z 20.12.2014 08:45 |
Meh. Not being a douche or a "hater" it doesn't fit at all. Like watching QUEEN +DISNEY (something the HOLLYWOOD executives may have hoped for) Adam fires an incredible job with WWTLF and TSMGO (Freddie never could on this one... except the "one time" if we're to believe Brian) Nothing ad hominem. He doesn't suit the role. It's appealing to kids but I regretfully missed a ROCK showwithPaul Rodgers. (Partially due to the economy) The comparisons don't hold up. If Adam had any mannerisms or "pizzazz" beyond mildly mocking the repertoire (the three references he gets in each show to the catalogue that he hadn't known before) then he'd have busted out the 80's "BOYS OF SUMMER" " BREAKTHRU" and put some BALLS and RISK into his performance. It's dragged out and staged and comfortable. It's a given he has an incredible range TECHNICALLY but the delivery is drastically lacking If I hit 14k with a trumpet or a dying cat squeal ..... IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE SOURCE not the technicality. These comparisons are meant to fill in seats of the sceptics. Uber fans won't forget it. I frankly don't care as long as the "band" releases quality releases from their golden era with Freddie. These comparisons should be taken both ways. It's just being sensible. Everybody KNOWS it I'm glad they're touring BUT this dragged out comparison is beyond absurd. This isn't Sabbath with Ronnie, Tony or Ian... It's a flat out comparison. Just dealing with the words as spoken. It's literally kinda "offensive". |
| The King Of Rhye 20.12.2014 08:54 |
DQ1 wrote: Adam Lambert is a fine singer, but let's not forget the composer(s) of all those great Queen songs. Without those songs there is no live show, and Freddie Mercury was a lot more then just a great singer.Brian, Roger, and Adam aren't forgetting that, either! Adam pays tribute to him a few times during the shows, and there's Brian doing LOML with Freddie's vocals during the last part...........and theres always the Adam/Freddie BoRhap duet........... |
| The King Of Rhye 20.12.2014 09:50 |
gerry wrote: that he does look like a drag artist on legal highs!Oooooooookay then........... I was at one Queen+Adam show, and have watched parts of many others on youtube........tell me where and when he was looking like a drag queen!!!! Freddie dressed more outrageously on stage than Adam ever did or does with Queen! I havent seen Adam in a skin tight leotard, or short shorts that would make 80s NBA (basketball, by the way!) players do a double take........much less coming out on stage with fake boobs a la IWTBF! |
| The King Of Rhye 20.12.2014 09:52 |
brENsKi wrote:Ah......he wouldnt wanna let a little thing like FACTS get in his way.........gerry wrote:Lambert would be ok singing west end songs but not in a heavy rock group like Queen, its so embarrassing and i agree with somebody on here that he does look like a drag artist on legal highs!you mean like Freddie... in 1974 Zandra Rhodes "smocks", his 1976-1979 leotards (at least 3 different designs - one sequinned), and videos for: I Want To break Free, Great Pretender, It's A Hard Life..and fake boobs on stage nah, Freddie & Lambert aren't even remotely similar are they? Have you EVER thought before you type such shit?. |
| Sheer Brass Neck 20.12.2014 09:53 |
Fantastic post Matt Z. I, like you, am not a douche or a hater. I think Adam Lambert has a wonderful voice and range. Just not as a rock singer, especially as a rock singer singing Queen songs. He doesn't have the balls or heft to carry off the rough stuff. Great at pop, not great at rock. e could maybe, maybe, hit the notes in It's Late. I wouldn't believe any of his emotional involvement though as he doesn't have the soul to carry that song. I guess that makes me a hater douche dinosaur who hasn't listened to music since 1979 and can't let go of the past :) |
| thomasquinn 32989 20.12.2014 10:14 |
The King Of Rhye wrote:Studio techniques and equipment, software and editing are not trickery any more than amplifiers, synthesizers and electric guitars are. They are tools in realizing a creative vision. My only real interest in live music lies in improvisation (and that is not the same as extemporating, i.e. playing music without any pre-arranged structure, form or substance whatsoever), which I consider an art form related to, but different from, composition, which is yet another separate art form from performing music. I consider a studio record the finest form for composed music and live performance the ideal form for improvised music. But I prefer the former, although I enjoy improvisation a lot.thomasquinn 32989 wrote: For me it's very simple - I don't really care for live music. The sound is never just right, there's too much in the way of visuals that distracts from the music - I know many people like that sort of thing and I think it's fine if people like that, but it's just not for me. I'm here simply for the music, and just the music. Now I can appreciate a live *record* if, and only if, it is well-recorded and brings something new to a set of studio recordings (like the QII show on the Rainbow set), but it remains secondary to a real, studio record.I guess I kinda think the other way around, somewhat........to me, new material or not, a live recording (total oxymoron, btw) is the way to hear the REAL band.......performing in front of an audience, devoid of any studio trickery or overdubbing or whatnot...... |
| miraclesteinway 20.12.2014 11:28 |
I think this is all blown out of proportion. It's a fact that Adam Lambert has a larger live range than Freddie had, and he has a more secure technique (technique in terms of what he does with his muscles to produce the sound that he does). The simple fact is that with the science of vocal coaching being more developed than it has been in decades, it's little wonder that a fully-trained singer in 2014 can have a better range and more accuracy than even Freddie Mercury, who was not trained, had between 1971 and 1986. Whether you actually like the sound of Adam Lambert's voice (I do), or like the way he delivers the songs (I do), is another matter. I think one could debate all day about whether Adam Lambert is the right fit for Queen (I happen to think he's as good as they'll ever get, and he's a wonderful artist), but in all honesty, we know it's not up for debate whether or not Adam Lambert can sing, has a good technique or has a wider range than Freddie did. Here's where I think Freddie excels over Adam Lambert though - simply put, for me, Freddie had more raw soul. He could capture the essence of a song and sing it from somewhere deep within himself, in his psyche if you like, and he could reach out to an audience in a way that even Adam Lambert can't yet. There is something more polished about Adam Lambert, but there is something more touching about Freddie Mercury, and Freddie's greatness as a performer (let's not even question as a composer or musician, he was greater than he probably realised) was his ability to make every audience member feel like he was singing exclusively for them. Let's be honest though, when Queen were going through their roughest phase, drinking a lot, partying too much, touring a little bit too much, there was a drop in the quality of their performance, and sometimes Freddie sounded really bad, and the rest of the band screwed up. It doesn't matter though. It doesn't matter because we're talking about things that happened more than 30 years ago, and it doesn't matter because they still had the wow factor even when they screwed it. I think Queen today, with Adam Lambert, have that wow factor. It's true, that the AL shows have a touch more of the west-end/broadway production in them, but come on, it's a great night out and hearing the music being performed by a band with two of the original writers and performers, is pretty awesome. For me it's not a bonus that John Deacon doesn't want to play, for me, I think it's a shame, but I totally respect his choice. We don't actually know what John Deacon thinks of the new set up. He might actually really like it and just not feel that he wants the touring life anymore. He might hate it. Who knows apart from him and those closest to him? |
| Mr.Mouth 20.12.2014 13:08 |
matt z wrote: Adam sounds ridiculous singing rock tracks. He sounds like a boy voice. Apples and oranges. Great vs a singer of musicals. End of story.Thats the real truth! Well said Matt. Cheers friend |
| The King Of Rhye 20.12.2014 13:28 |
miraclesteinway wrote: It's true, that the AL shows have a touch more of the west-end/broadway production in them,Great post, as usual.........I dont quite see where it has a Broadway feel to it, though.........ok, maybe in Killer Queen, the bit with the couch and the 'champagne'..........beyond that, I'd say its generally a plain ol rock concert Queen-style........ |
| Oscar J 20.12.2014 15:04 |
Don't know about accuracy... Adam's pitch is a bit hit or miss me thinks. |
| The Real Wizard 20.12.2014 17:53 |
This is the best video of the Q+AL collaboration, and I'd say Lambert is pretty bang on here. Also, I may add that this is the closest Bri and Rog have come to capturing the spirit of Queen in the 15 years since they started working together again. This is just magnificent. |
| discosucks 20.12.2014 21:04 |
You say that they aren't trying to replace Freddie with Adam, but then you go on about them trying to get the magic back. That video sounds pathetic, worse than a cover band. The whole band is off, not just the vocals. |
| Day dop 20.12.2014 22:43 |
After watching that video above....whenever I see Lambert now, as much as he does the job when it comes to fronting Queen, in that he hits the notes, he comes off like a cheap and tacky imitation of the real thing, even though he's not trying to be Freddie in any way (get that crown off your head Lambert!). The whole thing comes over as way too Broadway, so much so that it's become almost unbearable for me. I don't put that down to Brian and Roger - they're much the same as ever, though older (and a bit slower at playing the faster numbers, which is understandable). It's Lambert's whole look, his moves and his voice. He just doesn't come across right for rock music, imo. The more I watch and hear him, the more I see it that way. I wish I didn't, so I could enjoy it more. I've heard and watched recordings of Freddie sing those songs for years now, but Lambert's voice sounds thin and harsh. It grates. It's an X Factor style singer fronting Queen, and that's not said out of malice in any way. But just the way it is for me. And there's something a bit painful about watching it happen. Sorry Adam fans. he seems a nice enough guy, I saw them play n 2012 and enjoyed it for what it was at the time, Lambert was alright when I hadn't heard too much of him back then, but mainly, I got to hear Queen songs live and see Brian and Roger. But that's as far as it went. Lambert fronting Queen has gone on too long for me now. I can't get into this part of what'll become Queen's history (even though it's 50% of Queen playing Queen songs). I'm a long time fan of the original line up. I heard Queen on record before I saw them. I loved the tunes, and Freddie's voice. It was after, when I saw Freddie in action on stage, that it wasn't just about their songs or his voice anymore, it was also that the guy put on an outstanding show - he was interesting, charismatic, larger than life (all those cliches) that no other performer, in my view, has ever come close to since, or ever did before. I can't do with make do anymore (of course, there's no choice in that while they continue to play if I wanted to carry on watching/listening). But I don't have to make do. I'll continue to enjoy all the material Queen left us during the Freddie years. Having said all that, I'm pleased for Roger and Brian and the fans that still enjoy what they're doing, but yeah... it's just not for me. |
| miraclesteinway 21.12.2014 09:35 |
When I say it comes across a bit Broadway, all I meant was that it seems much more 'rehearsed' (probably wrong word) than the 70s and 80s shows. It seems that it doesn't quite have the same improvisatory element that the old shows had. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, in my book, whatsoever. I respect that there are people who can't bear the Adam Lambert collaboration, and those who do have their reasons, but for me I still think, well, it's only entertainment. There should be no moral issue with Adam Lambert fronting Queen, or Roger and Brian using the Queen brand without John Deacon. They obviously have the blessing of JD to go out as Queen, because JD is one quarter of Queen productions (perhaps, he simply doesn't care, of course, and doesn't think it's cool to get involved. Either way, fine). I don't think Adam is trying to be Freddie, per se, but I think he is capturing something of the spirit of Queen. Freddie was definitely a huge part of that spirit, and it works very well for legions of fans, and it's only natural that a theatrical performer such as Adam Lambert, will have *something* of Freddie about him, especially when performing these songs with that band. That's all fine. Paul Rodgers took it very far in the opposite direction, and that was fine too, but it seems that, for many fans - genuine fans, and even those that may have seen the original lineup - that Queen are back as a proper touring band in the proper sense of being Queen. I think many thought that while the PR shows were good (and they were good), they weren't Queen. Now it seems that Roger and Brian are really happy to be on tour again, they feel like a proper band again, and they are justly proud of Adam Lambert being out the front. We have to remember that Brian and Roger knew Freddie better than anyone else on this forum does (unless Peter Freestone is contributing, or his family, or Mary Austin), and they knew him as a musician and as a friend. For me, that alone is qualification enough for them to go on with Adam Lambert for as long as they feel right doing so. To my point about it being only entertainment, even if they weren't friends with Freddie, it doesn't matter to me. They are, for me, an excellent touring band who are well worth going to see. It's true that this will bring up emotions for many fans, but I think, honestly, it's none of our business if they go on tour and we don't like it. It's simply giving us the choice of whether or not we go to see them. Those that don't like it, won't go. I know what you mean about it being an X-factor style singer (he did win American Idol), and I can understand why people think that's not such a great thing, but the fact is that x-Factor is a huge force in the music industry now, and a lot of artists are found through the X-factor, and some of these artists are very, very good. One thing that makes me chuckle a bit though was Brian's comments about X-factor and talent contests not being that healthy (I do understand what he means), but then using an American Idol winner to front his band, and appearing on X-factor quite a few times himself. Classic Brian though (classic anyone - Manics said they'd make one album and split up, and didn't like those bands that stayed around for 25 years as rock dinosaurs..... 25 years later we still have the Manics...) |
| The King Of Rhye 21.12.2014 10:55 |
^^^ great post! (again) OK, I see what you mean, I guess it is a tad more rehearsed and all that..........but I'd just say that Queen was never really much of an 'improvisational' band in concert anyway......barring the occasional Brighton Rock/guitar solo jam (ie Chicago 78! Although Freddie wasnt at his best, great bootleg!) or something like that........ and it's kind of a popular misconception, I guess, but Adam actually did NOT win American Idol.......he was 2nd place! (not the first time someone who didnt win went on to more fame than the person who did) |
| noorie 21.12.2014 11:49 |
Day dop wrote: After watching that video above....whenever I see Lambert now, as much as he does the job when it comes to fronting Queen, in that he hits the notes, he comes off like a cheap and tacky imitation of the real thing, even though he's not trying to be Freddie in any way (get that crown off your head Lambert!). The whole thing comes over as way too Broadway, so much so that it's become almost unbearable for me. I don't put that down to Brian and Roger - they're much the same as ever, though older (and a bit slower at playing the faster numbers, which is understandable). It's Lambert's whole look, his moves and his voice. He just doesn't come across right for rock music, imo. The more I watch and hear him, the more I see it that way. I wish I didn't, so I could enjoy it more. I've heard and watched recordings of Freddie sing those songs for years now, but Lambert's voice sounds thin and harsh. It grates. It's an X Factor style singer fronting Queen, and that's not said out of malice in any way. But just the way it is for me. And there's something a bit painful about watching it happen. Sorry Adam fans. he seems a nice enough guy, I saw them play n 2012 and enjoyed it for what it was at the time, Lambert was alright when I hadn't heard too much of him back then, but mainly, I got to hear Queen songs live and see Brian and Roger. But that's as far as it went. Lambert fronting Queen has gone on too long for me now. I can't get into this part of what'll become Queen's history (even though it's 50% of Queen playing Queen songs). I'm a long time fan of the original line up. I heard Queen on record before I saw them. I loved the tunes, and Freddie's voice. It was after, when I saw Freddie in action on stage, that it wasn't just about their songs or his voice anymore, it was also that the guy put on an outstanding show - he was interesting, charismatic, larger than life (all those cliches) that no other performer, in my view, has ever come close to since, or ever did before. I can't do with make do anymore (of course, there's no choice in that while they continue to play if I wanted to carry on watching/listening). But I don't have to make do. I'll continue to enjoy all the material Queen left us during the Freddie years. Having said all that, I'm pleased for Roger and Brian and the fans that still enjoy what they're doing, but yeah... it's just not for me.^^^^ Perfectly put. Brian and Roger have every right in every way to tour as Queen with whoever they want, but this cheesy collaboration is really not for me. (Have you noticed that Brian keeps mentioning in his interviews how similar Adam is to Freddie in terms of showmanship, style, singing.. and yet keeps saying they do not want a Freddie clone?) |
| The Real Wizard 21.12.2014 14:09 |
discosucks wrote: You say that they aren't trying to replace Freddie with Adam, but then you go on about them trying to get the magic back.That's right. Those two ideas aren't mutually exclusive. Try to step outside of the binary thinking box and consider that there are more than two ways to view this situation. The pretense of your position is that 100% of the magic of Queen was in the one member who is dead, and that the two remaining members of the band are mere figureheads who shouldn't be allowed to do anything with the Queen name (except perhaps perform a resurrection). This position additionally assumes that the concept of replacing implies an intention to somehow supersede the accomplishments of their original singer. I see much flaw in that logic. |
| Vocal harmony 21.12.2014 19:24 |
^^^^ unfortunately the truth and logic in this post will fly so high over certain peoples heads it will appear as a distant satellite! |
| tero! 48531 21.12.2014 23:42 |
The Real Wizard wrote:One could equally say that your logic is flawed, because you seem to assume that the "magic" is in the name, and it doesn't matter who is in the band...discosucks wrote: You say that they aren't trying to replace Freddie with Adam, but then you go on about them trying to get the magic back.That's right. Those two ideas aren't mutually exclusive. Try to step outside of the binary thinking box and consider that there are more than two ways to view this situation. The pretense of your position is that 100% of the magic of Queen was in the one member who is dead, and that the two remaining members of the band are mere figureheads who shouldn't be allowed to do anything with the Queen name (except perhaps perform a resurrection). This position additionally assumes that the concept of replacing implies an intention to somehow supersede the accomplishments of their original singer. I see much flaw in that logic. I propose that what you are feeling is in fact nostalgia: The longing for something that is in the past, and cannot be reached anymore. You don't actually think that the work of Queen+Adam Lambert is magical by itself, and you wouldn't go to see Adam Lambert's band playing the same exact music. (And I do mean EXACT, with the only difference being Brian and Roger standing up on the stage.) The "magic" is in seeing Brian and Roger on stage, and in thinking about the past when Queen were on tour with four members. Am I right? |
| Martin Packer 22.12.2014 04:13 |
To me Adam is a more than adequate vehicle to get Brian and Roger out on the road again (where they seem to want to be) and I don't care about Rock vs Pop vs Blues - after all the range of styles Queen with Freddie did way transcended those boundaries. And if they come up with some interesting recorded material with Adam I'm happy with that, too. I more worry that Brian won't than that Roger won't, by the way. |
| The King Of Rhye 22.12.2014 08:01 |
tero! 48531 wrote: The "magic" is in seeing Brian and Roger on stage, and in thinking about the past when Queen were on tour with four members. Am I right?the magic is in seeing Brian and Roger stage, playing their songs with a singer thats just freakin great................yeah, we'd all love to go back to the 80s or something, when it was Freddie, Brian, Roger and John................it aint happening, unfortunately! Brian and Roger are sounding pretty good, Adams a hell of singer (at least I think so, some might disagree........)...........its a good show............theres the 'magic' right there......... |
| tero! 48531 22.12.2014 08:59 |
The King Of Rhye wrote: Brian and Roger are sounding pretty good, Adams a hell of singer (at least I think so, some might disagree........)...........its a good show............theres the 'magic' right there.........So... Would YOU go to see the Adam Lambert tour with the same performances? If he had the best tribute players duplicating Brian and Roger, would it still have the same "magic"? Honest answer, please! |
| The King Of Rhye 22.12.2014 09:28 |
would I see Adam playing all Queen songs with other musicians, if the Queen+Adam thing never happened? Possibly, but I wouldnt be as excited about it as I was and am about the Queen+Adam tour.......... |
| The King Of Rhye 22.12.2014 09:34 |
tero! 48531 wrote: So... Would YOU go to see the Adam Lambert tour with the same performances? If he had the best tribute players duplicating Brian and Roger, would it still have the same "magic"? Honest answer, please!I dont see what point you're trying to make here..........it has the 'magic' because its Brian, Roger, and Adam, in my view....... |
| Day dop 22.12.2014 09:46 |
You know what the highlight of the Queen+Lambert shows are? When they put Freddie up on the screen, and the recording of him sings along. Now, if only they could do an entire show like that. |
| tero! 48531 22.12.2014 13:50 |
The King Of Rhye wrote: I dont see what point you're trying to make here..........it has the 'magic' because its Brian, Roger, and Adam, in my view.......My point is, where exactly is the "magic"? Is it in the familiar songs being played in front of thousands of people? Is it in seeing your childhood idols live? Is it in hearing Adam Lambert sing the songs? It's perfectly acceptable to feel the "magic" from any of those, but it's just as acceptable to NOT feel any "magic" if you're missing any of those ingredients. I understand that some Queen fans really like Adam, and get a special kick out of hearing HIM sing the songs. But equally I understand (from my own personal experience above all) that some people just don't get that feeling if all the ingredients aren't correct. I went to see QPR, it was the first time I saw Brian and Roger in concert, they played the Queen hits, and Paul Rodgers was a good singer... But it just didn't have that "magic" for me. Neither does Adam Lambert. |
| The King Of Rhye 22.12.2014 17:46 |
tero! 48531 wrote: My point is, where exactly is the "magic"? Is it in the familiar songs being played in front of thousands of people? Is it in seeing your childhood idols live? Is it in hearing Adam Lambert sing the songs? It's perfectly acceptable to feel the "magic" from any of those, but it's just as acceptable to NOT feel any "magic" if you're missing any of those ingredients.I'd say all three apply! And dont forget hearing Brian and Roger sing and play the songs as well. If you don't like Adam, as I know some people dont, you just aint gonna like it, I suppose........cant really argue with that........... |
| Zamidoo 26.12.2014 17:42 |
I can't see what the problem is - I didn't get that Brian was saying Adam Lambert was better than Freddie Mercury at all in that quote. He was just talking in a friendly way about his vocal range. The chemistry of the band between the members themselves and the chemistry the audience experiences from the band are also not necessarily the same - from the perspective of a guitarist on the stage, perhaps Adam Lambert does generate a similar energy and spirit to Freddie. As fans, our experience of Queen is obviously very different, but Brian would never have experienced the magic that Freddie generated with an audience from the audience's perspective. Look at it from his point of view. As a musician, he has found another musician who gives him (and Roger, presumably) a buzz that reminds him of the way it used to feel performing with Freddie. He likes Adam, and likes performing with him, so of course he's going to say nice things about him. He would be looking at it from a band-member's perspective (unsurprisingly, being a band-member), not a fan's perspective. We can get all over-sensitive about it because obviously the feeling Queen+AL generates from and audience perspective is completely different to Queen with the original members, but that is beyond Brian May's control - he can only judge by the chemistry he feels on stage, which is obviously good, and I think does translate to something good for the audience too, just nothing like the original Queen. I think it's really nice that he talks about Freddie - I think that they have tried to honour his memory and been very respectful of him as the amazing man/musician/performer they knew. They didn't love Freddie as a fan would love him, so wouldn't understand (or probably care) that to some people it feels like sacrilege to be performing as Queen+anyone at all. |
| The Real Wizard 26.12.2014 22:10 |
^ excellent post. |
| 7thStranger 06.01.2015 10:51 |
Cool. Adam's not an artist. Freddie was. There's the difference. And wasn't it Roger who hit all the high notes? What is Brian on about. Ugh. |
| kevin79 07.01.2015 14:06 |
The problem I have with Brian's statement is that he's not comparing apples to apples. Obviously, Freddie could hit those high notes, as he did in the studio recordings. And, Adam can obviously hit them too. The problem to me in saying that Adam can hit them live when Freddie couldn't is that the band isn't exactly in full band mode, as they were in Freddie's day. In Queen + A.L.'s case, they've done a limited amount of shows at a time with a few months break between legs. In Freddie's days, they tended to tour with much less downtime between the different legs of the tours and more dates on each leg. And in between touring, they were usually recording. So, it wasn't that Freddie couldn't hit those high notes. It's that he was trying to make sure his voice was maintained for the duration of the tours. If Adam was touring like Freddie did with Queen, I'm sure we'd see Adam hitting less of those high notes too. |
| 7thStranger 07.01.2015 14:08 |
Full band mode means John Deacon and Freddie Mercury. I think those other two are wickedly disrespectful. |
| LucasDiego 07.01.2015 16:24 |
Sorry, i don't see queen here, i see Brian, Roger and Adam sings Queen songs. |
| The Real Wizard 07.01.2015 17:36 |
^ wow, what an original post. I guess Heaven And Hell in 1980 wasn't Black Sabbath either. |
| LucasDiego 07.01.2015 20:21 |
^ It's not the same thing, Black Sabbath had ways to continue, queen, after Freddie's death, 9 of 10 people says that queen is over, it's nice that Brian and Roger bring queen name back, but no Paul, nor Adam bring the genious of Freddie back, and this is the people are desespaired, trying to bring Freddie back in Adam, that it's not nice. |
| The Real Wizard 07.01.2015 22:23 |
LucasDiego wrote: no Paul, nor Adam bring the genious of Freddie back, and this is the people are desespaired, trying to bring Freddie back in Adam, that it's not nice.Nobody says they're trying to do that. Brian and Roger have stated numerous times that they cannot replace the irreplaceable. They just want to play Queen songs. Why is this so hard for some people to understand? |
| Viper 08.01.2015 03:31 |
LucasDiego wrote: Sorry, i don't see queen here, i see Brian, Roger and Adam sings Queen songs.I see the exact same thing! |
| Pingfah 08.01.2015 06:03 |
LucasDiego wrote: 9 of 10 people says that queen is overStatistics don't mean anything if you just completely make them up. Ticket sales say you are full of shit. |
| LucasDiego 08.01.2015 07:35 |
Statistics don't mean anything if you just completely make them up. Ticket sales say you are full of shit. It's necessary this words for me! Well... I said at the moment of Freddie's dead, of course, the impact was so big to everyone, that is nice that Brian and Roger got it to perfomance after everything that happened with them in the 90's |