QueenZone discussion #1464778
Life On Two Legs by Norman Sheffield
| The Real Wizard 12.02.2017 23:03 |
Has anyone got a copy of this book they're willing to part with? I'd love to have a copy, but I just can't bring myself to pay $40 for a paperback book off Amazon. Thanks ! |
| master marathon runner 13.02.2017 02:02 |
Can't help I'm afraid, but as an aside, I always found it remarkable that Queen coughed up compensation, or whatever name it was given as, to Sheffield, for implied slur . Short of Freddie holding his hands up and stating that it was about him, how the he'll was it ever substantiated?!!. Could of just been denied, or have I missed something? |
| master marathon runner 13.02.2017 02:04 |
/ \ Sorry, for the uninitiated, I'm referring to 'Death on Two Legs' |
| bodwinnumber2 13.02.2017 03:30 |
yeah you've missed the fact that at nearly all of the gigs on the 1979 tour Freddie mentioned that Death On Two Legs was about a previous manager who was a real mother ****** of a gentleman, thus leading to the beeps on Live Killers. Quite good proof it was about Norman. |
| Mr Mercury 13.02.2017 04:51 |
The Real Wizard wrote: Has anyone got a copy of this book they're willing to part with? I'd love to have a copy, but I just can't bring myself to pay $40 for a paperback book off Amazon. Thanks !Amazon UK has it at half that price (around $19 US). Dont know about shipping charges though. link |
| master marathon runner 13.02.2017 06:57 |
bodwinnumber2 wrote: yeah you've missed the fact that at nearly all of the gigs on the 1979 tour Freddie mentioned that Death On Two Legs was about a previous manager who was a real mother ****** of a gentleman, thus leading to the beeps on Live Killers. Quite good proof it was about Norman."This is about a certain beep beep beep - we call him death on 2 legs". Doesn't sound conclusive to me. |
| bodwinnumber2 13.02.2017 07:16 |
no, the Live Killers version isn't conclusive, (because leaving what Freddie said is slanderous) but anyone who had been at any of the gigs on the tour would have heard what was said in it's full glory and I'm sure people who knew him (or Norman himself) may have been at these gigs. |
| Sebastian 13.02.2017 07:48 |
I'm not a lawyer and have no expertise, so I'm happy to take someone else's word for it, as long as they're qualified, but I don't see how 'this is about a former manager' could be used as evidence that he meant 'this is about Norman Sheffield.' It could be one of those cases of 'I never said it. You may have heard it, I may have thought it, and it might be true, but I never said that.' |
| . 13.02.2017 08:33 |
Allegedly. |
| Vocal harmony 13.02.2017 08:39 |
Sebastian wrote: I'm not a lawyer and have no expertise, so I'm happy to take someone else's word for it, as long as they're qualified, but I don't see how 'this is about a former manager' could be used as evidence that he meant 'this is about Norman Sheffield.' It could be one of those cases of 'I never said it. You may have heard it, I may have thought it, and it might be true, but I never said that.'But there would be no way he could deny saying what he said numerous times to sold out arenas. I'm sure I read, at the time that A Night At The Opera was released, an interview in which Brian said what the song was about (Sheffield's management) and that he didn't feel comfortable with the lyrics. Also around the same time Freddie clearly stated in an interview in the British music press (Sounds, NME, Melody Maker or Record Mirror, don't remember which that Death On Two Legs was about their former manager who had ripped them off and "we have the pleasure of discarding like excreta" I think the best legal tam would have trouble tunnelling their way out of that one, while an equally good team would have no problem proving it. |
| noorie 13.02.2017 12:38 |
Perhaps the very title of Sheffield's book suggests that he was at least aware the song was about him...? |
| noorie 13.02.2017 12:40 |
BTW, Wizard, you can get the Kindle edition for just 3.32 CAD, Amazon.ca |
| master marathon runner 13.02.2017 15:13 |
'One leaves them behind, like excrement ' -remember reading that one back in The day. Ha! |
| The Real Wizard 13.02.2017 15:15 |
noorie wrote: BTW, Wizard, you can get the Kindle edition for just 3.32 CAD, Amazon.caI don't have a kindle. Call me a dinosaur, but I like holding, feeling, and smelling a book. |
| Wijnand 14.02.2017 02:36 |
There is one for sale at the Facbook group: Auction This Day! for GBP 10 excluding shipping (from UK). If you are not a member of that group, or don't want to become one, let me know if I can be of any help to get it to you. Cheers, Wijnand |
| Negative Creep 14.02.2017 18:02 |
Live Killers was several years after the album (doh!) - when was this supposed libel case/threat supposed to have been made? Were they supposed to have been sued in court, or settled out of court? There's this thing called article license. If someone wrote a really nasty song about someone, then years later, randomly claimed it was about so and so - would they be able to sue the songwriter? Surely not. Maybe if there was printed or audio record of the band/Freddie linking Sheffield to the claims/accusations in the song....? Not an expert on libel cases, but surely in addition to compensation the guilty would need to print some kind of retraction? lol Still reckon this is bollocks. |
| master marathon runner 14.02.2017 19:37 |
/ \. Yeah. |
| The Real Wizard 15.02.2017 18:47 |
Wijnand wrote: There is one for sale at the Facbook group: Auction This Day! for GBP 10 excluding shipping (from UK). If you are not a member of that group, or don't want to become one, let me know if I can be of any help to get it to you. Cheers, WijnandThat'd be fab - please do ! Thanks. Auction This Day ... hilarious. |
| Wijnand 16.02.2017 02:36 |
I have send you a message through your site :-) |
| GT 19.02.2017 01:36 |
The Real Wizard - I'll look out for a copy for you. Its one of the best "Queen" books out there. |
| The Real Wizard 19.02.2017 14:00 |
GT wrote: The Real Wizard - I'll look out for a copy for you. Its one of the best "Queen" books out there.Much appreciated ! |
| Penetration_Guru 11.03.2018 22:13 |
Did you get sorted? I ask because I've just stumbled on a source of multiple paperback copies - a restaurant owned by his daughter. Interestingly, there's a NATO RIaA award on the wall, which seems an odd souvenir for the ex-manager to get. |
| The Real Wizard 21.03.2018 15:37 |
I sure did ! Thanks for checking in. You're a good man. |
| Sebastian 22.03.2018 20:06 |
And what do you make of it? |
| Penetration_Guru 22.03.2018 21:30 |
I've only read the first couple of chapters, and it's OK so far. I did notice that the list of " albums and singles recorded at Trident" at the back is very confusingly written Ride a white Swan by T rex - the capitalisation is extremely random. Also there's no mention of ANATO, but there is of Bo Rhap - which is mis-spelt. The main text seems to be written OK, fortunately, otherwise I'd be driving 200 miles back to get a refund! |