Does the 16 September incorporation date in 1975 have any significance? For example right after the conclusion of recording ANATO? I would assume incorporation date is actually some time AFTER the company really exists, but I can't be sure.
Funny how Roger and Brians management address is the same address in London (an office no doubt) whereas the site actually gives Johns home address as his (no stalking now people!). They really are completely separate entities... :-(
Martin Packer wrote:
Does the 16 September incorporation date in 1975 have any significance? For example right after the conclusion of recording ANATO?
No, they were still halfway through the album. Most likely, it's around the time they officially signed with John Reid after having legally split up with Trident.
Right; I understood the "John Reid" thing. And interesting to suggest half way through so close to the release date. But I recall the sleeve (I first got in 1976) agreeing with you about recording dates.
The NME article (published on the 27th of September, presumably written a couple of weeks prior) features Freddie stating they'd finished all backing tracks but at that point some of the now famous overdubs (such as the harp on 'Love of My Life') were only in planning stages.
It'd be lovely if a more detailed timeline could be established, but what we know now broadly suggests they finished recording 'Bo Rhap' at some point between late August and early September (which makes sense considering that'd give them enough time to mix it and send it to the mastering engineer so they could then press it and distribute it to the record shops for a Halloween release), and it's not too far off to speculate (in this case that's indeed the right verb) Roger's song was finished around the same time.
The rest of the album (sans the anthem, which had been recorded on 27th October 1974) could've been finished by bits at any point between then and early November.
Do we know if they had resigned from their Trident contract BEFORE they started recording ANATO? If so, I'd guess it were a massive decision to start recording what would be the most expensive album in history at that time with no management backing.....they did however have a record deal with EMI, so maybe they or John Reid promise to bankroll the sessions regardless??
cmsdrums wrote:
Do we know if they had resigned from their Trident contract BEFORE they started recording ANATO?
As far as I know, yeah, but obviously some time must have passed between 'we resign' and 'we've just signed the severance.'
cmsdrums wrote:
I'd guess it were a massive decision to start recording what would be the most expensive album in history at that time
Most expensive album in history? Really? According to whom? Any peer-reviewed source? Anyone outside the Queensphere ever reported anything like that? I'm not trying to shoot you down, I'm genuinely interested.
cmsdrums wrote:
they did however have a record deal with EMI, so maybe they or John Reid promise to bankroll the sessions regardless??
The story as Brian's told it is that John Reid told them something along the lines of 'I'll deal with the money situation, you lads bugger off and make the best album ever.' They were, however, already recording 'Opera' by 19th of August 1975 (which debunks the whole 'on the 24th they began recording Bo Rhap' myth), so it's hard to tell what happened exactly.
I've read the 'most expensive album in history' piece in various write ups and reviews on ANATO since the dawn of time, so like various stories such as the 'Kenny Everett played Bo Rhap 14 times', or 'Bo Rhap has hundreds of vocals' it may have been embellished over the years. However, many sites quote it, including the BBC: link
Additionally, the 'official' word backs it up: link
This piece also confirms another of my queries, in that EMI Publishing funded the recording up front, to be recovered from future royalties.
My initial thought was that Bo Rhap being such a massive success was a huge relief, meaning they'd be able to pay back the money a hell of a lot quicker. However I wonder if they actually only paid it back at a pre-agreed set rate from QPL's collective funds rather than just as soon as they had the money, otherwise Freddie and Roger wouldn't have been able to go on their post Bo Rhap spending sprees (cars and houses).....and equally may have been aggrieved at paying Brian and John's shares out of their songwriter royalties from the single?