I've been a fan of Queen (sort of) since the 70's when I was in high school. I always admired them but never really "loved" em...if you know what I mean. Well....I've begun to listen closer lately....and I am now totally blown away by a lot of their stuff.
I bought the Wembley DVD....and cant stop watching it. Anyway...my question is regarding..."Kind of Magic." Live...the song is fantastic....it rocks...great harmonies by Roger....typically great Brian leads. I got a hold of the studio version of this song...and I was really surprised at how wimpy it is. A very cheesy 80's drum machine? Thats what it sounds like to me. Why do you use a drum machine when you have Roger Taylor in your band? Brians leads sound so lightweight compared to the live version (and almost everything I've heard from him). Roger's harmonies in concert are perfect....yet they are not to be found on the studio version until very late in the song...and in a different fashion (not as well to my ears). Is it just me? Or is the studio version of this song really disappointing and lacking punch? Did I just get a bad version of it?
Gray in the USA.
I don't have the ear for music and recording that some others on the board have, but I agree that the released version is weak.
The story is that Freddie edited AKOM for release by making it sound more like a "pop" song. If you have the Wembley DVD, then the original edit as done by Roger (which is vastly superior and actually makes me like the song) plays during the photo montage.
Yes, that's correct-a-tron. I think Roger makes mention that Freddie changed AKOM when he went overseas. One to be released with Highlander (the 'crap one') and the other to go on A Kind of Magic (the 'better one')
Yea...I went and listened to the Wembly Photo Montage version....it is better than the studio version I have....but still not even close to the rocking version they play live. I can't believe that Brian would give the "ok" on those wimpy sounding "clean" leads....they sound so limp. THe way he plays it live is the way it should be done....
try the AKOM live magic version, sounds somewhat better then Wembley, said it is the full live version but misses the starting part, the guitar solo part sounds much better