| Whisperer 13.06.2004 10:29 |
I've only heard one album by them (Mad, Bad and Dangerous To Know). It's so good that I suppose the others can't be crap either. Why didn't they become famous? They have everything that is needed: - handsome frontman - strong lead voice - catchy guitar riffs - a name that is easy to remember - both rocking and beautiful songs - many songs that would have become hits for any already famous band There are so many really famous rock bands that play the same type of music that The Cross do. Just take ZZ Top as an example. They don't come even close to The Cross in my opinion, but still they are concidred legends, while no-one has even heard of Roger and the guys. |
| Pim Derks 13.06.2004 10:45 |
Probably because it has always been 'a side-project of Queen-drummer Roger Taylor' to the public. Same reason why most of the solo-stuff doesn't sell well, people rather have the whole Queen-group then 1 member with some backinggroup. |
| jeff payne 1680 13.06.2004 10:56 |
They sure were. A good gritty rock band who deserved more publicity than they had. |
| Mr Mercury 13.06.2004 11:33 |
Whisperer wrote: I've only heard one album by them (Mad, Bad and Dangerous To Know). It's so good that I suppose the others can't be crap either.Well if you've only heard one album then this link should interest you - tho you really should be buying the stuff where possible. link Dave And btw... The Cross are still an excellent band |
| pma 13.06.2004 11:49 |
They didn't become famous because they were on side of all the things mentioned earlier, terribly dated, bland and average in every aspect. There. |
| Daburcor? 13.06.2004 12:28 |
*wants to hear "Blue Rock" soooo bad...* |
| 7Innuendo7 13.06.2004 15:31 |
The Cross did some really interesting things, but ZZ Top far exceed The Cross. Um, no less an authority than Jimi Hendrix even said Billy Gibbons is a great guitar player. The Bo Diddley influence is a solid mark of respect. For any band to crank out great music consistently for 30 years-- let alone the 5 or so that the Cross were together-- speaks volumes about ZZ Top's unchanging greatness. Sure, I think Roger's a great drummer, but let's be real here. "My heads's in Mississipp1..." any of you been to Clarksdale? To the Delta Blues Museum, heavily supported by musicians like ZZ Top? Drive just outside town and you'll find a Mississippi crossroads where four cornfields come together, and there you'll find a cabin which was the boyhood home of Muddy Waters. Great road trip! |
| Whisperer 13.06.2004 17:25 |
I also forgot to mention one more thing: They realeased a single with Freddie Mercury and still no-one cared about them! |
| willem-jan 8923 13.06.2004 17:33 |
Whisperer wrote: |
| Sonja 13.06.2004 18:13 |
I can't think of anyone who had great success with a "side project" such as The Cross or anyone who went solo after his band split up. They can't keep up with the success that their band had. The Beatles, The Clash, The Verve and many others... many of them went solo afterwards and it wasn't the same. I can actually just think of one artist who has now more success than he did while he was in a band and that's Robbie Williams. And he wasn't even the musician in the band. Well, he still isn't quite a musician, he's rather an entertainer and singer. |
| Pim Derks 13.06.2004 18:54 |
Yes, Paul McCartney, George Michael and Robbie Williams are the only ones with big successes after their band/group. Can't think of any other real major artists right now... Of course there's stuff like Lionel Richie, but he was only really big in the 80's. |
| YourValentine 13.06.2004 19:04 |
"They realeased a single with Freddie Mercury and still no-one cared about them!" I don't know about a single with Freddie Mercury. Freddie sang HFE on the album version, the single version had Roger on lead vocals. |
| The Fonz 13.06.2004 22:50 |
Sorry, but The Cross were average in every way. |
| Bohardy 13.06.2004 22:51 |
In response to Sonja and Pim: Dave Grohl And in response to the qustion concerning The Cross: As other people have said, though in slightly less precise terms, The Cross were absolutely diabloically shite, which is why they never made it in any way. |
| Ian R 13.06.2004 22:58 |
"Just take ZZ Top as an example. They don't come even close to The Cross in my opinion, but still they are concidred legends, while no-one has even heard of Roger and the guys." Now I quite like The Cross, but this is complete and utter bollocks. Have you actually listened to ZZ Top's albums, or are you making a judgement based purely on having heard just a couple of songs? 'Tush', 'La Grange', 'Gimme All Your Loving', 'Sharp Dressed Man', 'Piece' - these tracks, as well as the majority of their output over the last 30 years, is of a very high standard - better than 99% of The Cross' three albums. |
| The Real Wizard 14.06.2004 00:36 |
Pim Derks wrote: Yes, Paul McCartney, George Michael and Robbie Williams are the only ones with big successes after their band/group. Can't think of any other real major artists right now... Of course there's stuff like Lionel Richie, but he was only really big in the 80's.What about Robert Plant, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, David Lee Roth, Annie Lennox...? The list goes on... |
| The Mir@cle 14.06.2004 02:47 |
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) has a successful solo career as well, I think. |
| willem-jan 8923 14.06.2004 03:35 |
Bruce Dickinson, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie James Dio |
| Whisperer 14.06.2004 04:07 |
YourValentine wrote: "They realeased a single with Freddie Mercury and still no-one cared about them!" I don't know about a single with Freddie Mercury. Freddie sang HFE on the album version, the single version had Roger on lead vocals.I was sure that they even released the Freddie version as a single, but I guess I remembered wrong. Ian R wrote: "Just take ZZ Top as an example. They don't come even close to The Cross in my opinion, but still they are concidred legends, while no-one has even heard of Roger and the guys." Now I quite like The Cross, but this is complete and utter bollocks. Have you actually listened to ZZ Top's albums, or are you making a judgement based purely on having heard just a couple of songs? 'Tush', 'La Grange', 'Gimme All Your Loving', 'Sharp Dressed Man', 'Piece' - these tracks, as well as the majority of their output over the last 30 years, is of a very high standard - better than 99% of The Cross' three albums.Actually, I have listened to their Greatest Hits (that's where the best songs are supposed to be) and didn't hear anything speacial, with the exception of Gimme All Your Lovin'. |
| Mr. Scully 14.06.2004 06:11 |
I think The Cross fucked it up with their first album, that was the worst album I've ever heard in my whole life. Blue Rock and Mad Bad were EXCELLENT but the band themselves still had this 80's "rough" image and I certainly would have never noticed them at all if it wasn't for the Queen connection. After all, both Happiness and Electric Fire were excellent too and they didn't sell well at all. |
| Fenderek 14.06.2004 08:29 |
Agree with Scully- SHOVE IT is a bunch of crap... Thed rest... Not bad, but not good enough to make them stars, IMO... |
| deleted user 14.06.2004 08:34 |
Pros and cons taken, I still have to say that "Liar" was an excellent tune, especially in terms of catchiness. This really could have been a massive hit (for any band !) and this is where I have to agree with those people who wonder why they didn't have more success. In fact, I think its melodies have a sort of timeless quality and thus it could still be a considerable success today, maybe as a cover-version by someones who both does the old version justice and vamps it up a bit to fit into these day's video and radio-schemes. |
| Saint Jiub 14.06.2004 08:53 |
Shove It is my second favorite (after Fun in Space) of all of Roger's "solo" albums. Rough Justice is the only song of that album that is less than stellar. |
| Oberon 14.06.2004 09:15 |
I enjoy Shove It as an album, but the songs were better live (I've only heard a couple of bootlegs mind!). I might be wrong, but I get the impression that Roger had written all the songs and done most of the tracks before he assembled the rest of the band, as if I remember correctly all the songs on it are credited to Roger (maybe Spike got a credit but mainly Roger). It also samples a some of Queen's stuff which I can't decide whether it's a good thing or a bad thing!! Different! Mad Bad and Blue Rock had input from the others and were better for it I think. |
| Shane Jazz 15.06.2004 01:56 |
I enjoy Love Lies Bleeding from Shove It. Once you get past the awkward beginning, where Roger does his rapping bit, it picks up steam, thanks to Brian's guitar. And Stand Up For Love has grown on me. I like its Motown-ish feel. I also heard that Roger played nearly everything on the album, as he did on Fun In Space, except with a little help from Spike. The others didn't fully participate (on record at least) until the second album. |