Ok, this one will be a bit irritating I guess...
On September 5 1991( Fred's birthday), The Cross did a promo appearance at the ZDF (German Broadcaster) because of the "Internationale Funkausstellung"( IFA) in Berlin.
I have heard the rumour some time ago, that the show host ( Mr. T. Gottschalk) said, that Queen didn't exsist anymore before the Cross started their mimed performance.
Well now I 've found that footage on YT...unfortunately the Video is a bit cutted at the beginning, so the announcer isn't on it in full.
But it's enough to do a more or less very good assumption of what he said in full...
So here is what I hear...translated of course
"...didn't exsist anymore... but he( Roger) is still there...so welcome "The Cross" ( New Dark Ages was performed)
So most likely the rumour about that is true. Did the rest of them write Queen/ Freddie off - in public- more than two month before Freddie passed away ?
Oh of course here is the Link for the "Church of Queen" devotees :)
No... I think that was nothing official at that time and I had my doubts, that Roger Taylor would agree with that announce. It was that typical german TV half known knowlege... especially for Thomas Gottschalk.
It might be true, it might be not. A more complete Version would be helpful in this case. Of course this wasn't the official split in public, more like a "warning" of what fans had to prepare for in the near future.
I saw that show live on TV back in 91 (and personally went to Cross' performance at WDRs open air show "Hollymünd" the same summer). I think it was just a mistake by Thomas Gottschalk. I remember being surprised, as Innuendo was a huge hit in germany that very year. It was just Thommy being superficial and not researching enough. He's one of germanys best TV Hosts, but I think that was just a misunderstanding from his side.
By the way, 2 years before Thommy also announced a live performance (which would then have been in support of the yet to be released The Miracle) from Queen for an upcoming show of "Wetten dass...?", his now infamous former game show, one of the biggest formats of it's kind in europe at the time. It was then subsequently announced in several program guides in germany. Of course it never happened, but it also was never talked about again, neither from Thommy nor anybody else. I thought that was really strange at the time. Little did we know...
The thing is, that Roger used the past form when he was promoting "Innuendo" on a canadian show. Sorry but I can't remember wich one.
He said something like " Freddie WAS a outstanding frontman" etc.
I'am curious if these things happened more often then we think.
musicland munich wrote:
Did the rest of them write Queen/ Freddie off - in public- more than two month before Freddie passed away ?
.
I don't think so, unless it sliped out of their mouths. I'm prety sure the pressure was huge on their shoulders, so to talk about Queen Live in past tense could be some things they said without realizing.
In this case it was more the presenter getting away with it because Roger can't undertsand German. The only information he had access to was the British tabloids. In case the presenter did give such an introduction for Roger and the Cross, he was inappropriate.
Thank you Barry, but unfortunatelly the presenter is cutted completely.
@Mr.QueenFan
Yes, the presenter was inappropriate for sure. If he did that out of his personal interests, it was a dick move.
Especially when you know, that he knows them for more than 10 years at that point.