fras444 20.06.2015 21:25 |
Has anyone come across an article on the internet, a interview with either one of these guys who worked with Queen in regards to John Deacon providing backing vocals on their studio albums during their earlier years??? Not sure if it was from one these guys mentioned in the subject or a sound crew engineer. But it went along the lines of.... "John Deacon definitely did participate in laying down backing vocal tracks both live and in studio during the early years. (I'm guessing 74-77...?) He mainly sung on songs which had the lower range vocal's such as Somebody to love, Now I'm here, Bohem Rhap and Lap of the Gods, to add thickness to these songs. Most of his vocals were not needed and of which, were subsequently ended up being all but edited out through the extensive layering of backing vocals from Brian,Roger and Freddie. During the live concerts. His voice was needed but the sound crew were very conscious in making sure that John's mic was turned right down...." And there was also that little inclusion by May regarding John Deacons backing vocals during the doco "Making of Bohem Rhap" He was explaining how they recorded those extensive vocals to the song and describing how the three's voices were very different then he quickly adds something along the lines of "Of course John didn't participate during the higher end vocals, he kept to the lower end of the scale"....? Was that a little hint from Brian to suggest that John did occasionally participate in laying some vocal parts...? Has anyone come across these articles on the net or have some very interesting articles or information that they would like to share. There are many tongue n" check comments made both by Brian and Roger about John's singing ability.... Have they ever answered that question with a sensible answer....? Has Freddie ever been asked about John Deacon singing..? Would it surprise anyone that deep down in amongst the extensive vocal mix of Brian Freddie and Roger. Particularly on Lap of the Gods revisited and Somebody to love, that John Deacons vocals remain intact...? Lap of the Gods would have to be a prime candidate if what was said is true!! Deep in the chorus near the end of the song I have heard a very faint but a distinctively heavy John Deacon accent amongst the vocals or am I hearing things This subject I could imaging has been talked about many many times during the history of this site!!! so a big sorry if this sounds like another generic "John Deacon singing" thread....? I remember when I got really into Queen around 2005-06 and was trying to soak up any information that I could about my new fav band and like a lot of people here, I became very intrigued about the many infamous quote's and articles on the net in regards to John Deacon being the only member not to sing..... |
fras444 20.06.2015 22:53 |
Just a little sub topic to add to this one.. One of which you guys are more than welcome to fill in any gaps John Deacons singing timeline of live and possible studio performances.... 1971-73 During the QI tour and the QII tour John did not have his own mic on stage. He possibly sung "liar" "all day long" bits live.... QI album possibly of a rumor that he sung "all day long" as he did live QII only part's he probably partook in would have to be the do do do do parts on Father to son... 1974-77 Between this period the audience would witness John at his most confident in front of his newly allocated mic and his singing peak, the SHA tour from what I have seen would have to be his most productive vocal duties and the infamous 1977 tours when his weak vocals was clearly audible. At some stage the band would have watched the earls recordings and would have heard the out of tune vocals of John thus ending a era where John would be regularly clearly audible SHA tour. This was the first time when John got his own mic which was for his triangle part on Killer Queen!! Seen to be singing the do do do parts on Father to son, "Anytime" to killer queen, shouting Liar and his gimmick the all day long parts, Lap of the Gods, Now I'm here ANATO tour. Liar, Killer Queen, Now I'm here, Lap of the Gods ADATR tour. The tour where for the most part I guess, his mic would be turned up to the highest it would go and fans got to hear his voice very clearly for the first time promoting the new Somebody to love song along with the clearly audible Lap of the gods and the classics of the past, Tie your mother down is another song in which he would sing backing vocals for. SHA, ANATO, ADATR Albums. These would have to be the only albums in which John Deacon might have provided some backing vocals and had a go at singing his songs he wrote. Possibly sung on Now I'm here but Lap of the Gods revi along with Somebody to love and Bohem Rhap would be the only studio songs that John sung backing vocals for and could possibly have some un-credited vocals by John Deacon deep in the mix that slipped through on the album pressing 1978-79 At some stage during 1977 Queen would have watched the recordings of Earls and Houston and decided to "retire" John from vocal duties. there is very little video footage of the last part of the 70s but from audio footage and the handful of video footage shot at this time. John is all but gone from the backing vocals, Liar is coming to the end of its full live set and John I guess is now just a very light voice to Somebody to love, Now I'm here and Tie your mother down. But he is still seen at his mic NOTW and Jazz albums onwards.. I could imagine with the improving technology.. He would be no longer required to add some sort of "vocal thickness" to multi vocal tracks of that period. Be interesting to know what vocal input if any during the last two and a half albums of the 70s... rumors he may have sung on Bicycle..??? But as it goes for potential songs he could have sung on, with the rumor of him singing a vocal guide for ABTD showing Freddie how he wanted it to be sung, I feel that all the albums through to MIH, none of them would have any input vocally from John..??? 1980-84 I'm guessing this would have to be the most lean of years for John and his mic...?? The release of his and Queens biggest hit singe "Another one bites the dust" and the also successful "I want to Break free"... Somebody to love would end up being the only true song he would be seen "walking up to the mic for" and the odd "tie your mother down" parts and "Radio Gaga" the infamous 1984 Milan and the last true time we hear him very well. He did get right up close to his mic during Backchat Queen on fire!!! one thinks while watching him.. What is going through his mind?? Is he is wishing and burning inside to sing a line of that song or get a point through....??!! a song of which he was very protective of (The very well documented "Brian and Johns argument" over the guitar solo) 1986 Queens last concert with a lot of personal problems affecting the band in particular John... After watching live at Wembly, You would not have seen guessed or thought it!!! John has come back to life with a new sense of confidence and energy and haha in stubbies!!! John is back on the mic and singing many parts also getting involved with spikey on the piano fiddling around with the piano keys and getting right into it during the acoustic medley and thus going out with a bang with Queen as a four piece!!! |
cmsdrums 21.06.2015 03:48 |
I'm sure if he had sung on studio tracks it would have been listed on the album credits, but it's not, so I'm reckoning he didn't have any vocals on the records. Live he did join in on ocassional 'crowd' type backing vox, but not on any harmonies, though his mic was set up ok as is borne out by Freddie using it on a gig (South America 81?) when his mic packed up. Brian's comment about John 'taking care of the bottom end' is (to me) clearly referencing his bass playing, not his vocals, and I think both Brian and Roger have clearly stated many times over the years that John didn't sing, and throughout their career reference is always made to the three voices/singers on their records. |
popy 21.06.2015 08:59 |
That is not what Brian sayd about John in the Making of. Around minute 16. Says that John opted out, that he was not a singer. Next he says that John took care of the low end, but my understanding is that he is refering to bass guitar playing, not vocals, since John opted out from singing. I just wonder why he even had a mic on stage, if he couldn't sing, why bother miming? |
rschoorl 21.06.2015 09:58 |
I think it was always assumed that John did not take part in the back up vocals for the band. That's what made his background vocals on Bad News version of Bohemian Rhapsody, produced by Brian May, such a great joke. |
The Real Wizard 21.06.2015 17:43 |
popy wrote: I just wonder why he even had a mic on stage, if he couldn't sing, why bother miming?Probably because it just looked good. Also recall the Bohemian Rhapsody video where all four are seen singing. In public consciousness they all appear to be singers. But as far as I can tell, after 77 Deacon spent less and less time at the mic. |
Rick 22.06.2015 03:52 |
The Real Wizard wrote:In 1984-1986 John became much more involved again.popy wrote: I just wonder why he even had a mic on stage, if he couldn't sing, why bother miming?Probably because it just looked good. Also recall the Bohemian Rhapsody video where all four are seen singing. In public consciousness they all appear to be singers. But as far as I can tell, after 77 Deacon spent less and less time at the mic. Wembley alone: One Vision Tie Your Mother Down In The Lap of The Gods A Kind of Magic You're So Square (a few bits) Hammer To Fall Radio Ga Ga Friends Will Be Friends Also: sometimes John is seen singing, while Brian isn't even near his mic. Another example is Somebody To Love at Milton Keynes. |
Sebastian 22.06.2015 04:11 |
fras444 wrote: Has anyone come across an article on the internet, a interview with either one of these guys who worked with Queen in regards to John Deacon providing backing vocals on their studio albums during their earlier years???There have been quite a few interviews where people (band members, producers, engineers, roadies) have clearly stated he didn't. fras444 wrote: Not sure if it was from one these guys mentioned in the subject or a sound crew engineer.To be fair, out of the ones you mention on the thread title, two had nothing to do with the studio sessions and the other one was hardly ever interviewed. fras444 wrote: And there was also that little inclusion by May regarding John Deacons backing vocals during the doco "Making of Bohem Rhap"There's absolutely categorically one hundred percent nothing that Brian said on that documentary that's even remotely close to what you mention. fras444 wrote: He possibly sung "liar" "all day long" bits live....That was probably just for the show... and Brian, Fred and Roger were also singing those bits. All studio versions were 99.9999999% likely to have been just any permutation of the three of them for 'all day long'. fras444 wrote: I feel that all the albums through to MIH, none of them would have any input vocally from John..???Yes, all the albums from Queen (I) to Made in Heaven. I used to think and claim he had indeed sung backing vocals here and there; I was completely wrong. fras444 wrote: Is he is wishing and burning inside to sing a line of that song or get a point through....??!! a song of which he was very protective of (The very well documented "Brian and Johns argument" over the guitar solo)He was not very protective of it, since he conceded. Had he been protective, it wouldn't have had a guitar solo. People tend to use that story (of which we only know Brian's side ... not even that, we know what a paper reported about Brian's alleged side) as an example of how inflexible John was, when it's quite the opposite: he agreed to change his original design for the benefit of the song. Freddie, on the other hand, stuck with his vicious lyrics on 'Death on Two Legs' despite Brian's protests, and it was quite a bad decision that ultimately cost them a small fortune. fras444 wrote: also getting involved with spikey on the piano fiddling around with the piano keysHe tinkled on a high F key for about two or three seconds. Nothing to get too excited about. Or do his fingerclicks on 'Killer Queen' (Rainbow, November 1974) count as a percussion solo? Does his funny 360-degree turn on 'Friends Will Be Friends' (Wembley 1986) count as a professional dance performance? He played *one* key on a piano, that was it. There were probably a couple thousand moments/details/titbits in that concert which were far more interesting than that. cmsdrums wrote: I'm sure if he had sung on studio tracks it would have been listed on the album creditsNot necessarily. Some albums didn't have performing credits (namely Jazz, The Game, Hot Space, The Works and The Miracle) and the ones who did still left stuff out (organs here and there, Brian's piano on 'All Dead', Brian's and Roger's backing vocals here and there, John's double bass on 'Two Legs'). There were indeed cases of 'ghost' performers, according to what Peter Hince once told me. That'd happen mainly on percussion: stomps and claps on 'We Will Rock You' (where even the tea lady at Wessex was summoned to take part so it'd sound bigger). At some points there were also ghost backing vocalists, such as a few of the band's acquaintances at the end of 'Teo Torriatte' (confirmed by Fred on a 70's interview and by the Doctor on his Soapbox), which weren't credited either; also most of the speaking bits at the end of 'Entertain You', the hotel alarm service near the end of 'Dancer', possibly Andy Gibb's backing vocals on 'Play the Game', and perhaps 'We Will Rock You' and the end of the second 'Seven Seas of Rhye'. Those two could, theoretically, have included John. But it's still pointless: 'real' backing vocals were almost always (though not exactly always) sung by Freddie and/or Roger and/or Brian. The Real Wizard wrote: But as far as I can tell, after 77 Deacon spent less and less time at the mic.Except the Magic Tour. All in all, placing a mic on his side of the stage served several purposes: visual, occasional BV's (which didn't add or subtract to the song anyway so they might as well just be thrown in), triangle and an extra spare for Freddie just in case. |
tomchristie22 22.06.2015 04:16 |
John was certainly miming whenever he sang into Freddie's mic for 'all day long'. I'm happy to be disproven if somebody has a link to a live version where he can be heard singing in that section, but I've yet to come across one. |
tomchristie22 22.06.2015 04:20 |
Sebastian wrote: Does his funny 360-degree turn on 'Friends Will Be Friends' (Wembley 1986) count as a professional dance performance?Yes. Sebastian wrote: I used to think and claim he had indeed sung backing vocals here and there; I was completely wrong.This interests me - what led you to think he had sung backing vocals, and what then convinced you he absolutely hadn't? |
DrumSter 22.06.2015 05:28 |
link Look, guys. Deacy is clearly miming "but a cold wind blows" part at 1:59, even holding mic in his hand! |
Rick 22.06.2015 07:18 |
You can hear John on quite a few recordings. I don't think he mimed at all. |
Sebastian 22.06.2015 12:19 |
tomchristie22 wrote:Being massively ignorant, and being vastly (but not massively any more) ignorant, respectively.Sebastian wrote: I used to think and claim he had indeed sung backing vocals here and there; I was completely wrong.This interests me - what led you to think he had sung backing vocals, and what then convinced you he absolutely hadn't? |
The Real Wizard 22.06.2015 20:26 |
Sebastian wrote:Ha !tomchristie22 wrote:Being massively ignorant, and being vastly (but not massively any more) ignorant, respectively.Sebastian wrote: I used to think and claim he had indeed sung backing vocals here and there; I was completely wrong.This interests me - what led you to think he had sung backing vocals, and what then convinced you he absolutely hadn't? |