There are so many. Like being transfixed the first time I heard Bohemian Rhapsody in its entirety. And when I listened to every album in order, and realized just how much music they gave us.
I would have to say in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977. Queen were appearing with Thin Lizzy as the opening act at the Fox Theatre. A group of six friends and I had piled in a van and drove to Georgia for the show. We decided to park in back of the theatre and had SHA playing on the 8-track deck, eating a very late lunch. Then a white stretch limo pulled up to the rear entrance and out popped the band! One of our group had brought along a Super 8 camera and lots of film to film the concert that night (which he did, it was awesome) and had his camera on. We threw our food down on the floorboards of the van and got out calling, "Freddie!! Freddie!!" and there he was, in the flesh, about 50 feet away, in white satin pants and a black satin top and cool sunglasses. He waved and called out, "Hello darlings!" and we started calling out for Brian, Roger and John, who smiled and waved but didn't say anything...then all disappeared inside. We were beside ourselves! (Brighton Rock had been playing during all of this and I still wonder if they'd heard it?) The concert that night was fantastic; when we returned home, the film was dropped at Revco to be developed (had to wait three days, no one-hour film labs then!) and then we watched it and the concert over and over again. The friend who taped it moved; I wonder if he still has it??
Going to the Tribute for me with my uncle and my cousin. My cousin died in Jan, but if it weren't for him, i'd never have discovered Queen. I borrowed GH1 off him in 1987 and never looked back. Oh and going to Freddies house in 1999, I cant remember to much about that cos Id been drinking in the Kesington Arms all day with the lads and I was slightly hammered!!! My mate was gonna pee up the wall, but I reminded him of Ozzy and the Alamo ;)
My fondest memory? I don't know... I was only 15 when I discovered them (sept. 2002), listening attentively to my ANATO vynil. But I was madly in love with AKOM and there was no way I could get the song in my country. My father however gave me as a Christmas present ALL the Queen albums I wasn't able to find by myself. And I remember how I stood in front of the Christmas tree looking in tears at the AKOM album. And only one week later, I finally saw them for the first time on TV, in the Hammersmith Odeon'75. Terrific... It was one of the best winters I ever had.
My fondest memory was last year (I was 12) when I first watched Live at Wembley '86 on television. That was the first time I ever saw QUEEN in concert (I've been listening to QUEEN years before, but just never saw them), and it was magic. I couldn't stop watching it. I bought it the next day.
I had just met this guy and was interseted in him. He was driving me home from school and he put on *gasp* his Queen cd..I was like hey,if he likes Queen,he cant be all that bad.
Summer 91', Riding home from my birthday party. Headlong was playing on the radio, Then, When it ended, My mother flipped to the other rock station, And Headlong started again!
Here's another one I was just remembering.
Every so often, my radio station does Rock Blocks, and I remember the first time I heard a Queen block, I went nuts. They played Fat Bottomed Girls, WWRY/WATC and Somebody To Love, and I thought it was the greatest thing, because I had just started listening to the station a little while back, and it's always great to hear your favorite band on the radio.
I discovered Queen (without really knowing what the heck it was) at Governor's School ... my roommate had a burned CD of a ton of ranodm Queen stuff (like Fat Bottomed Girls and Bo-Rhap and whatnot) ... But really rediscovering it was when I borrowed a friend's Classic Queen CD to check the Ward Swingle version of Bo-Rhap (for chorus) ... I still haven't returned it. (Pity.)
So I'm buying another one to give back. :)