| Day dop 13.08.2015 19:42 |
1) The first time you bought each individual album? (and maybe any associated memories). 2) The format you bought the albums on / which year you bought the albums? (even roughly). 3) Your basic reaction to each of the albums upon your first listen (and how you see the albums now as opposed to then). Or maybe you don't feel up to writing all that out, in which case, you can just read the way I remember it, and the basics on what I think of the albums now. So here goes for me ... Live Magic - on vinyl: This was the first Queen album I bought, from my local ADSA supermarket (yep, they sold viny back then). I was a kid (it must've either been late '86 or early '87), and somehow I didn't realise I'd bought a live album until I got it home and played it. The reason I bought it was because I'd heard Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio, but I didn't know what it was called. But I had an idea it was by Queen. Anyway, after getting over the initial disappointment of it being a live album (it's not like the title of the album wasn't a bit of a giveaway), I quickly grew to love it. Especially Another One Bites the Dust, and Freddie's back and forth with the audience in the middle. I was a bit peeved about the middle part of Bohemian Rhapsody being cut out though. I remember thinking that Freddie sounded like he might've been Irish when he said "This is an enormous place, it looks beautiful from up here, let me tell you. It's frightening, I tell you, it looks beautiful out here". What I think of Live Magic now: I think I'll always have a soft spot for Live Magic, despite it being a poor representation of that tour due to all the cuts and edits (and I am a little bored of Magic tour stuff now). Greatest Hits 1 - on vinyl: The second Queen album I heard. I don't remember buying this, although I did at some point. What I do remember is borrowing it from my local library. This got me even more hooked than Live Magic. What I think of Greatest Hits 1 now: I still love everything about GH1. It's my favourite greatest hits album ever (my apologies to The Beatles!). From then on, I don't remember the order in which I got the albums (apart from a few, which I'll point out as I name them). I do know that after I bought the above two albums I bought Live In Budapest on video, which I thought was brilliant, and reinforced my view that this group - Freddie in particular - was amazing (I'm not going to mention video releases other than that, as that'd be too much detail on this post)... Anyway.... Hot Space - on vinyl: This was another one I first borrowed from the library before I bought it. My first reaction? It sounded fun. I liked it. It always sounded a bit dated to me though. But I liked Staying Power, Back Chat, and various other tunes from it (I never took to Action This Day). What I think of Hot Space now: I don't hate it like a lot of folks do. It's dated even worse since then (no surprise there). Overall, I'd rate it a lot lower these days than I once would've. The Works - on vinyl: This one I remember buying with the money I'd earned from going car washing; with my bucket, car shampoo, sponge and chamois, knocking on peoples doors, asking if they wanted their car washed - and if they said yes, I'd do so and charge them a couple of quid (or maybe less, I can't remember now). That became my way of getting money together to buy Queen albums (and ZX Spectrum computer games). And when it come to The Works, I thought it was great - it sounded fresh, and new (despite it being 3 years after its release when I first bought it), and the cover was a nice shot of the group. I'd heard Radio Gaga on Live Magic, and wasn't disappointed whatsoever with the studio version. Back then, I thought that track and I Want To Break Free were the strongest numbers on the album. What I think of The Works now: I still think it's pretty good in an 80s kinda way (I'm not so keen on I Want To Break Free these days though). But the soft spot for this one remains. Plus, it's got Hammer to Fall on it - great track. The Game - on vinyl: Another one I loved. It didn't sound as current as The Works at the time, but I played it a hell of a lot. I don't think there was a song on it I didn't like. What I think of The Game now: One of my favourite albums by Queen. Certainly their best 80s album imo. Queen (debut) - on vinyl: I remember being disappointed with this one. Back in 87, to me, as a kid, this one sounded ancient. I remember the production being naff too. I didn't play it much at all back then. The cover was always nice though. Also, the version I had was one of those Fame reissues, does anyone else remember those? What I think of Queen now: Excellent debut, and one of Queen's better albums. The 2011 remaster was a nice improvement on the sound quality. News of the World - on vinyl: I didn't like it as much as The Works, or The Game, or even Hot Space. I thought there was something a bit cold sounding about this album. Of course, I'd already heard WATC and WWRY on Greatest Hits, I wasn't overly impressed with the rest, they were okay though. I was quite fond of Who Needs You. Overall, it was alright. Not brilliant, but alright. What I think of News of the World now: This is one of the few that I still think of in much the same way as I did back then. Jazz - on vinyl: I didn't take to this one much. I thought it was patchy and the production was terrible. What think of Jazz now: It's grown on me over the years. I like it. Sheer Heart Attack - on vinyl: I absolutely loved it (I think that says it all). What I think of Sheer Heart Attack Now: It's one of my all time favourite albums. Live Killers - on vinyl: I remember thinking it wasn't as good a Live Magic at the time, but then being a kid of the 80s, that's probably no surprise. What I think of Live Killers now: Better than Live Magic! Hurry up and release a new version of Live Killers - an album of live material from that period. A Night at the Opera - on vinyl: I got this for my birthday from my mum and dad (along with A Day at the Races). I liked it (although not as much as The Game, The Works and Live Magic). My dad liked it too. He gave it a few spins on his turntable as well. What I think of A Night At the Opera now: Excellence. Apart from Sweet Lady, that is. Oh, and I consider it to be a better album than the three I didn't prefer it to back then. Well, that's because it is a better album than those. A Day at the Races - on vinyl: I didn't like it quite as much as ANATO, but I liked it nonetheless. A good album. What think of A Day at the Races now: Pretty much the same as I did then. A Kind of Magic - on vinyl: Some of it I liked, some of it I didn't like so much. The hits were all good (that pretty much goes without saying when it comes to the majority of Queen hits). I even liked Pain Is So Close To Pleasure at the time. I didn't like Gimme The Prize at first, though it grew on me over the next few years, Don't Lose Your Head never seemed like a proper Queen number. What I think of A Kind of Magic now: Much the same, except it sounds dated now. I don't really listen to it anymore. |
| Day dop 13.08.2015 19:45 |
Queen II - on vinyl: This one I bought a little later, in 1988. In fact, it was the last one I bought (before The Miracle came out, obviously). But like Queen's debut, it also sounded ancient to my 80s ears back then, and it didn't appeal to me as a kid. I played it even less than the debut. In fact, I didn't pay much attention to this one for years. What I think of Queen II now: A fine work of art. If the new vinyl reissues are any good, this'll be one of the few that I'll get. The Miracle - on vinyl: I got it the first day it came out. What a great album. It was the soundtrack to the summer of '89. What I think of The Miracle: The real problem for me with this one is that I played it to death - to the point that it became so firmly lodged in my head, that there's nothing more I can get out of listening to it anymore. Innuendo - on vinyl: This was an amazing album. Great artwork too (as a side note, I remember that it was snowing around the time it was released; which went with the vibe of the album). I also remember thinking back then that These Are The Days Of Our Lives made them sound like a bunch of old guys harping on about their long gone youth. But, y'know, I was a teenager back then. What think of Innuendo now: A good Queen album, I still think some of the tracks are superb, their best since the 70s, especially the title track, I'm Going Slightly Mad and The Show Must Go On. I do like Don't Try So Hard a lot too. It could've been so much more than it was. Instead of being a good album with a few great tracks, it could've been a great album all the way through. But then, I cant complain, given the circumstances it was recorded under. Oddly enough, I've not grown tired of this one like I have with The Miracle. Also, I came to see These Are The Days Of Our Lives differently, when the video was shown on TV the day after Freddie died. Greatest Hits 2 - On CD: The first one I got on CD. This was better than Greatest Hits 1. What I think of Greatest Hits 2 now: This is not better than Greatest Hits 1. Made In Heaven - On CD: I enjoyed some tracks from it - I liked You Don't Fool Me enough to buy the single + remixes (which must've been the last cassette I ever bought). I didn't like Let Me Live at all, I thought it was as dull as dishwater. The reworking of the title track was good. I Was Born To Love You was a little cringe-worthy in places. Overall, I thought the album was alright. What I think of Made In Heaven now: Much the same really. A little overproduced, but not bad. Anyway, that'll do. |
| coops 13.08.2015 21:14 |
I remember buying Queen (#1) the same week it came out. Don't recall what I had for dinner tonight but I remember that. |
| coops 13.08.2015 21:18 |
I remember pretty much every album from every artist but one thing does stick in my mind. I lived in London during the early 80's and recall going to a local market the day after I saw Queen at Wembley arena in 84 and buying,on cassette, a bootleg of that show. And great quality. What I wouldn't give to find that tape. |
| Bike It 80 13.08.2015 21:42 |
I remember buying Live Killers on cassette, the second Queen album I bought (the first one being ANATO). I liked the energy of the album and still do. One thing I'll always remember is that I hesitated between LK and NOTW and finally bought LK, probably because there were more songs on it. But I was fascinated with the NOTW cover (which was the third Queen album I bought), which is still my favourite Queen album cover. Every time I hear the first few seconds of Spread Your Wings live, when Freddie does his little improvisation on piano, I remember that strange feeling I had because I associated this song with the NOTW cover and I thought it had a special atmosphere. And every time I listen to that version of the song, I get carried back to when I was 12 or 13. It brings me back in time more than any other Queen song. And I remember that Queen I and II were the first CDs I ever bought, along with the Beatles' Abbey Road and Freddie's Mr. Bad Guy. |
| noorie 13.08.2015 23:26 |
When I left home, all my parents' Queen vinyl LPs left along with me, along with a few other greats - Beatles, Led Zep, Black Sabbath, Rolling Stones, and others. And of course, my dad's spare record player as well. :) Lucky me! Then when I turned 25, my parents very pointedly gifted me the entire Queen collection on CD. So I returned all the vinyls. The only Queen (or Fredddie) albums I bought were Mr. Bad Guy, Barcelona, Queen Rocks, and the new Rainbow release. |
| matt z 13.08.2015 23:31 |
Geez. This'll be long. I used to pride myself on remembering where and when I was when I first bought/listened to an album. Funny thing was. .. it was the anticipation that ingrained the memories not something I did on purpose. LIVE KILLERS - my brother got a second hand tape at a thrift store... consequently it was only SIDE A/B It was exciting and refreshing. I remember being curious about the bleeps and eventually learned to thereafter hear the song LMEY as this version whenever I heard it again. Dreamers ball made me laugh, I was struck by the diversity of it. Loved Keep yourself alive. Years later: my brother had borrowed Queen II and THE GAME. Since it was HIS borrowing I barely heard a bit. He played me OGRE BATTLE as he dug the riff. I thought it was strange and all over the place, but the intro was amazing I remember loving Dragon attack and Rock It (prime jive) I only heard these two tracks and AOBTD. But anyways. bought GH I (Hollywood edition) in high school. Thought it was the greatest thing ever. Constantly played it on my discman. I loaned it out. The inner sleeve had gotten so scuffed from being pulled in and out. Highlights everything but body language ANATO: bought at target, rushed into my grandmother's room (the only quiet room in the house at the time) proceeded to be engrossed and odded out. A vivid experience. Took it to school and shared with local guitarist who'd inherited his dad's taste in music (mostly prog: YES, old GENESIS RUSH etc) NOTW: borrowed from classmate ^above. Listened to it in 2nd period gym. (I got bored of stuff and opted for a T.A. position to do homework and goof off. It was an September morning, overcast and cool. I remember hearing the album loving SHA, ALL DEAD ALL DEAD, IT'S LATE. .GDML...and then being in awe with swoony teenage angst listening to MY MELANCHOLY BLUES. .. then almost quickly losing the feeling when the WWRY remix came on. Then I borrowed MIH from the same dude and it made me depressed in spite of the lush incredible arrangements. Then I vowed to reserve further album experience for purchases only. Too heavy was the cost of the Queen "high". Actually before borrowing those two i had Purchased Queen Rocks at a shop in Glendale. Thought it was awesome but strangely lacking photos. I wondered who sang on the last song it wasn't the same voice. I wouldn't know until later albums Bought SHA at tower records: amazed by the album. Bought FLASH GORDON: thoroughly enjoyed it (I think it was target). Enjoyed it more than the movie. AKOM : I've since forgotten where I bought this one. Probably tower records in Northridge. I loved the art work and was glad to have finally tracked down "that highlander tv show song" (still hadn't seen the original film) Interesting. Their "magic" spiritedness never fails. Resonant, vital and colorful. Tried learning the bass for PISCTP cause it sounded difficult. Had a hard time doing that. ADATR: bought at a cd music "mini convention" (see almost swap meet with bootleggers of rare tunes) went with my oldest brother. Saw some Freddie solo records for the first time. Heard the album (somebody's well worn used copy of the cd) thought it was fascinating given their ages particularly DROWSE and teo torriate. Loved THE MILLIONAIRES WALTZ. .. eventually picked apart the bass line segment by segment and wrote it down Bought THE MIRACLE on some weird trip with my mom to los Angeles. In some far off cove of Alhambra I think. ... used cd store. Listened to it (in part) in the car. My mom was growing tired of my fascination with the band Mixed bag. Still enjoyed it. Overplayed songs Luke BREAKTHRU and Rain Must Fall as well as HANG ON IN THERE. ... very varied. Bought THE WORKS at some place in Northridge that is no longer there. Listened to a bit in my brothers car on the way home. He thought it was cheesy but liked a few of the rock songs. I liked the Cheesier songs more. Later bought Hot Space there. .. once again liked the cheesier songs. COOL CAT, DANCER and ACTION THIS DAY. . For some reason the smell of pizza from an old place we used to go to is also a tangible memory. Bought innuendo and it was starting to make sense (the gravity of the visually gaunt Freddie) loved the artwork. Found it all very artistic. Didn't yet comprehend the gravity of all the lyrics. I was just about 18 and almost out of high school. Bought gh I&ii... thoroughly enjoyed. Noticed the edits. Bought QUEEN IN NUCE at RECORD TRADER (RESEDA) thought it was great. Thought the guitar solos were interestingly similar. Hadn't really liked BRIGHTON ROCK at that point either. Noticed a boxed set at the shop and begged scratched and saved for it. Bought THE CROWN JEWELS or whatever it was called and was thoroughly disappointed. It was poorly made. The hinges broke the third time I opened it. No new pictures and the bicycle race poster wasnt a separate folder it was just as minutely small. The "essay" on queen was by someone from MTV and reflected as much. All the lyrics were presented in the "book" that was touted. The discs were in plain white paper sleeves that scuffed the cds upon insertion and removal. Once I was over that. I copied the cds and was kinda disappointed by the sound of QUEEN I (had never heard it) but loved some of the songs. Thought the same about JAZZ but now had my own copy of NOTW and II and that's about it. Hell at this point I figured that the two discs were defective like the packaging. It wasn't until years later that I found out that they were mastered that way I later bought MIH for myself and THE GAME separately on GOLD disc. Etc reissues compilations. I could go on but I think I've written enough |
| Day dop 13.08.2015 23:50 |
You reminded me Matt! I forgot about Flash. I don't think that album ever impressed me much. It was never a proper Queen album as such though. I didn't bother adding the solo albums, or any more compilations (Queen Rocks, Deep Cuts etc). I figured I'd be here forever if I did! |
| Lplix 14.08.2015 03:21 |
flash gordon OST was the first, on cassette, then all the other album before, until came out hot space. since 1982 every release i buyed the same day. here and there since 1982 various singles and other |
| master marathon runner 14.08.2015 03:40 |
I think I was the first person in Sunderland (and possibly the north east) to own Bohemian Rhapsody, never even heard it, just aware of it's Release date and hit HMV that morning. It wasn't even in picture sleeve, those weren't issued 'til a couple of weeks later I think. |
| TomP63 14.08.2015 08:40 |
My first Queen album, was Queen II, I bought it in 1974, (yep I'm that old), the second album was Queen (I) through the import channel. Since then I have bought every album, on vinyl. CD's and concert's, well that's another story ;-) Tom |
| The King Of Rhye 14.08.2015 12:52 |
I distinctly remember buying A Day At The Races on cassette while on a family vacation in Myrtle Beach, probably about '92 or '93! We were there along with my parents' friends, and their daughters who were around my age, so the album still once in a while reminds me of the trip, and those girls ;-) I remember buying Queen II (on cassette, again) in a local supermarket (probably some time before ADATR).....which is still there, not even sure if they sell music anymore! |
| luthorn 14.08.2015 18:19 |
I do not recall which album I bought first, simply because I could not afford albums at age 9, so I borrowed tapes from friends and copied them. I remember the first vinyl. My dad brought from the USA, of all places. That was The Works and the sound of vinyl for that album is awesome. I still listen to it from time to time and it beats the tape, the CD and digital. It has some technological nostalgia that rally comes out strong with the Machines song. I always think of early Apple computers during Machines. There is something about vinyl that just works for this album. I also got a vinyl for Sheer Heart Attack at the same time and also find it a very fine production that sounds much better than other media. The first CD I bought was Hot Space. That was at a music shop in Warsaw back in 1994, when I visited for a few days. They had more Queen CDs than that, but I was drawn to the art work and despite the hate, I do love the album. The hardest to get was Live at Wembley '86 part 2. For whatever reason the local shop only carried part 1 and refused to get part 2 of the concert. These were the days when copyrights in Poland were nonexistent and everything was pirated. They only sold part one on a cassette. I would make a stop at the music shop after school, it was on the way home, and ask when they will have part 2. Every week, the woman would tell me it would be next Wednesday and each Wednesday I would come and ask for it to hear the same answer. It went like this for more than a year. I was probably driving them crazy, but I enjoyed annoying the shop with my nagging. I finally found an original CD of the full concert on a trip to Poznan and bought it right away back in 1995. There is some nostalgia attached to it as well, given my trip to Poznan was to take an English exam, so once passed I can go to study abroad in the USA. I left for the USA a year later in 1996. On the day when I found out who my host family would be, which happened to be on my birthday, I bought myself a CD of Innuendo. Good memories. |
| Jazz 78 15.08.2015 15:52 |
I bought all my Queen albums leading up to the NOTW album in late 77 early 78. And all were bought at my local record store with the exception of Sheer Hear Attack which was purchased in Mount Kisco New York. From JAZZ onward I bought all my albums here in my town in Westerly, RI as they were released at the time. My first listen to each album back then was just amazing until I bought Hot Space and on first listen I was really disappointed. Because up to that time I was used to the rock and then they threw us a curveball with that one. I was one of those kids back then that just didn't understand why they did that and that's when I started to lose a little interest in the band but then it came back with The Works and so on. |