I’d always assumed Peter Straker and Roger Taylor appeared in the promo video for Freddie’s single as a visual treat but I’ve never seen anything categorically linking them to singing on the studio track, but the credits for ‘Never Boring’ state that they actually sing backing vocals on the recording with Freddie too.
Is this definitely true and provable, or have those putting the book text together just made an assumption based on their presence in the video? I’m sure it is correct but I just hadn’t seen it in black and white before.
Thanks!
To be honest I thought it was just him, but listening again I can believe it is them too on some of it particularly on the Malouf mix. Might just be some aural simulacrum though.
I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that even though they were in the video and the credits for backing vocals, Freddie actually did all the vocals himself.
There are defiently non-Freddie vocals in the song. But who? It's probably Peter but I'm not ruling out Roger yet.
Listening to this alternative mix just shows what a complicated song it really is! It's got some of the trickest vocals of a Freddie solo song.
well...i've read somewhere that Jo Dare was a mastermind behind the bg-vocals.
as i coun't remember where i read it ... it might be doubtful. might be true, though !
one would have to check it "the great pretender" would have taken at the same time that "schimanski"-soundtrack was up to record.
no idea if this causes confusion or would be helpful... please diskuss.
It's a shame that we get sleevenotes and instinctively question them because they are notoriously bad! All artists have this issue and I just don't know why.
Still, it sent me off on a nice Peter Straker listening session. I had never heard his 'Touch Me' ('75) from the Rocky Horror Show before.
But also found this. If you know your Straker stuff you'll find this interesting: link
@Dysan - I did not know Mack produced one of Peter Straker's albums which I came to know from the link you shared the other day.
Of course I don't know a lot of things and I am just learning them along the way.
Thanks for the share.
@Dysan:
Let's not forget "Ragtime Piano Joe", which was produced by Freddie, almost certainly has Freddie doing backing vocals and *might* have Freddie playing the piano. I know, it's not a particularly obscure song, but it's got Freddie Mercury all over it.
Freddie and Roy Thomas Baker don't forget :)
His two late 70s albums (Changling and This One's On Me) are well worth checking out if you like Queen. I understand the latter is getting a reissue along with 2 others (including the Mack one Real Natural Man) next year.
Hmm, could be interesting, thanks for the tip. I'm not a Straker-expert, but I do like those few songs of his that I know, so those re-issues could be well worth looking into!
His discography is a mess! Loads of singles not featured anywhere else. Would be great if someone would collect them all up on a compilation at some point.