| doremi 11.03.2005 13:24 |
--I have always wondered why Queen completely and fianlly gave up on ever touring in America-- --(their last concert was 9/15/1982 at The Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California, followed by their appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in New York on 9/25/1982).-- --I realize that by 1982, their popularity was waning, with sluggish record sales, little radio airplay and nasty (though unwarrented) press.-- --But tons of music artists have had the same or worse treatment by the USA's NON-intelligencia, and yet they did not throw in the towel, stuck with it, weathered the storm for a few years, to comeback just fine.-- ---Queen should have realized that while the music and popular culture tide was changing in the fickle USA,--they had (and still have) a major loyal fan base here.--- --With a thicker skin, more aggressive business approach to boosting their image, artistic direction, approaching radio and the concert promoters about getting major airplay and concerts,--- --if Queen had stayed the course, I'm certain that they would have emerged...bigger and better here in the USA.--- --Every artist has peaks and valleys in their career or--in certain geographic markets.-- --I'm sure it must have hurt that in the USA, where most British and other foreign artists want to hit and make it big and have relevance and sales, when Queen's popularity dropped off and they took alot of harsh criticsm for other items (that to me were trivial & stupid).-- --But while music is..art..it's also a business..- --It's like you all say with Brian being super sensitive about criticsm, I realize that's probably what happened back in 1982 when Queen gave up on the USA.-- --But just because some people in the USA have the sense of a brick, NOT all of us do.-- --And again, with the right thick skin, artistic growth/direction...and aggressive business/press approach, Queen could have conquered the USA...and they still can.-- --I truly hope Brian & Roger bring the Queen with Paul Rodgers Tour here. Ater 23 years, it would be heaven sent.-- --By the way look at how The Cure handled the same problems with the USA market/fanbase. After doing GREAT in the USA from the late 70's through the early 1990's,...-they all but bombed here the last decade and took a brutal beating. Even the British press were nastily calling The Cure dinosaurs. Well Robert Smith stayed the course, and Now The Cure are a---HIT--again in the USA and toured here all last year with The Curiosa Festival and their New record did great.-- --Queen come to tour in the USA, we love you!-- |
| Lester Burnham 11.03.2005 13:41 |
My my, that is a lot of dashes. Queen stopped touring the US because of Elektra's negligence to promote new material as well as the relative failure of Hot Space. I think they were really just looking for a reason, as the tours between 1984 and 1986 weren't as long or gruelling (in other words, they were spread out over a longer period of time: in 1984, they only toured between late August and early October; in 1985, they only toured in April and May, with two dates in January; in 1986, they only toured between June and August), and if they had to go to the US, it would mean a long, three to four month trek. Plus, when the video for 'I Want To Break Free' came out, apparently the Bible belt was very offended, and sales tapered off. Take a look at the US singles positions for 'Radio Ga Ga' (an impressive No. 16), 'I Want To Break Free' (No. 45), 'Hard Life' (No. 72), and 'Hammer To Fall' (didn't chart). |
| doremi 11.03.2005 14:23 |
I know all about the debacle with "I Want To Break Free", and some other items that Queen took a beating with in the USA. And yes the press and MTV here was really sh*****y to them.-- Brian even discusses it in the new "Uncut Magazine" in the Queen/Paul Rodgers Tour Interview. Queen has openly discussed in old and new interviews, their hurt at the events in the USA and I respect that, but again, they should have stuck with it like most artists do and weathered things to triumph. Also, I don't mean this to come off the wrong way or trivialize things, but record sales aren't everything. Alot of music artists right here from the USA, (The Grateful Dead, Jimmy Buffet) have...NEVER been able to sell records or get airplay. But they are MILLIONAIRES from touring, trading and releasing their own tapes through their websites, and alot of merchandising. Also other artists here have endured far worse, from our press and from areas like the Bible Belt, (what about lovely Tipper Gore in the early 1990's and how she launched a McCarthy Era witch hunt on a lot of music artists)...and where is Tipper these days...yeah that's right everybody wound up forgetting her, and all of the artists she attacked...prevailed. What about both Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne when 2 teenagers committed suicide and then their stupid parents..-- --looking for someone to blame rather than taking responsibility as the parents and also that maybe their children obviously were crying out for attention and affection and understanding--SUED--in court Judas Priest and Ozzy saying it was their fault that the kids had committed suicide as the kids had listened to their music. The music industry, press, Bible Belt, parents painted Priest and Ozzy as the Devils incarnate. Give me a break. But Priest and Ozzy endured slander, disgrace, shame, and lawsuits (all unjust and unwarranted), put up with the crap, stuck it out, made great music and yep...The USA NOW loves them better than ever! Queen took some major beatings here but how does that old saying go...Don't get mad, don't get even,.....Get EVERYTHING! They should have not given up on the USA and I bethcha a million to one they would have emerged like I said, bigger, better. |
| Negative Creep 11.03.2005 15:20 |
I'm sure if they weren't doing so well in other areas of the world they would have stuck it out, they obviously didn't feel the need to do it... and I'm sure they didn't want to keep slogging it out playing gruelling tours which would have been very unrewarding. |
| deleted user 11.03.2005 15:22 |
Its also becos of the video "I want to break free" American tv band the video which Queen and Queen's record companies argued and then Americans went on to h8 that video and Queen for a small while which in one of Brians interviews he says when we went on to to the works tour we lost America! |
| doremi 11.03.2005 15:48 |
Read, read my posts-I know about "I Want To Break Free" and "The Works",....but Queen should have kept trying and stuck with it. It's one thing that they lost momentum here. It's a whole other thing that alot of the USA public consciousness totally forgot or cared about Queen altogether, when Queen just gave up on the USA market. Bad press, bad publicity, people here with narrow minds..so what..ride out the storm, establish a new game plan..and go for it. I guess one of the very things that I love most about Queen, which is their heartfelt sensitivity as creative artists, rolls over into their feelings as well, and they just were so hurt and sensitive about how badly the USA treated them. I can indeed understand how that can hurt one's pride and dignity. Personally I want to apologize for my fellow USA bretheren, but that's not me and alot of other USA Queen fans. Come tour here and we will treat you with respect and dignity. We'll pack the Stadiums we will!!! For the record, Brian, Roger, John, and (Freddie if you are looking down from Heaven,) not everyone in the USA was or is a narrow minded idiot, I and many loyal Queen fans here in the USA have and will always love and appreciate you...and again I implore Brian, Roger & Paul Rodgers, to please bring the Queen/Paul Rodgers Tour to the USA. With Regard & Deepest Affection |
| maxpower 11.03.2005 16:34 |
as Roger said of their "decline" in the usa, they were too busy touring Europe to notice |
| LiveAidQueen 11.03.2005 17:01 |
There's plenty of places they could play at here...I don't see why they couldn't come here. |
| newcastle 86! 16483 11.03.2005 18:25 |
thing is they had broke there backs tourin the us, gruelling tours etc, i reckon they didnt need the us as roger said,they had worldwide acclaim, the us market was so dull (as it is now) and they wanted aol, who cares point is 99% of the us market really wanted straight rock n roll well sorry guys u aint gonna get it with queen,......................... |
| newcastle 86! 16483 11.03.2005 18:27 |
as a post note i know you are not in that minority arlene |
| inu-liger 11.03.2005 19:16 |
It's not like Queen NEVER played any concerts in the U.S.A. since 1982...they've had several appearances (Hall Of Fame award shows), and a full show or two (Walk Of Fame). But playing to a general audience in the U.S.A. outside of special appearance-type shows, I think it'd be nice if Queen would do that again. If they'd come to Canada, THAT'D be a treat! |
| JohnC 12.03.2005 10:40 |
I think that the boys had enough of the puritany of the Americans. Body Language had been banned and obviously Queen had enough with the Americans. The Americans never understood the tongue and cheek humour of Queen. |
| iGSM 12.03.2005 10:59 |
Well I'm suprised it wasn't a comment i.e. the 'more popular than Jesus, Christianity will wane' comment. Sad though, very sad. |
| nino trovato 12.03.2005 11:51 |
Hey JohnC, you keep refering to us as "the Americans." Well, before you judge all of us "Americans" you need to know that THIS "American" has been following the band since '77 and THIS "American" understood the humor of Queen and what they were all about. Even as a 13 year old kid I understood what they were all about. When Hot Space came out, yeah, this "American" was a little disappointed, but I knew that what they were doing at the time was a total experiment with their music. I never dismissed them. The bible belt here in this country could be a factor in their loss of sales but their shows still sold out. They could have continued to hit it big again after Hot Space but Jim Beach was quoted as saying that they didn't want to have to work at having to build up their image again. Especially without a hit single. The hit ingle never came, therefore neither did the tours. |
| Maz 12.03.2005 12:26 |
JohnC wrote: I think that the boys had enough of the puritany of the Americans. Body Language had been banned and obviously Queen had enough with the Americans. The Americans never understood the tongue and cheek humour of Queen.Bollocks Body Language may have been banned on MTV, but Hot Space in general did well in the charts. Calling All Girls, for instance, was a dance hit in American discos at the time. The blame always gets laid on that video, yet that doesn't explain why AKOM did poorly over here. The fact is that Queen chose to tour other countries, perhaps due to their own indifference or troubles with record promotion (there were complaints toward Capitol at one point), and avoided the US. They made several television appearances, whether to promote The Works or for Freddie to promote Mr Bad Guy. It's a cop-out to blame American attitudes, especially since those attitudes probably wouldn't effect a tour of the east or west coasts all that much. It was just easier to tour Europe than to tour America for Queen. |
| deleted user 12.03.2005 12:31 |
Well..... The whole "I Want to Break Free" video kinda lost a lot of veiwers on MTV or VH1 or whatever and people just weren't interested anymore. People thought they were really weird and didn't want anything to do with them. |
| Maz 12.03.2005 12:39 |
First, I don't think VH1 even existed in 1984. Second, MTV was only 3 years old, and had nowhere near the viewership it has today. Cable TV was still a relatively new thing. Third, if people thought Queen was weird at that point, what the hell did think about Culture Club? That video is an excuse made by QP that we all like to believe. But the fact is that Queen's popularity was changing in the 80s, especially as American musical interests changed, and the band chose not tour here. Maybe it would have been too much work for them, but that was their decision. |
| doremi 12.03.2005 13:56 |
nino trovato wrote: Hey JohnC, you keep refering to us as "the Americans." Well, before you judge all of us "Americans" you need to know that THIS "American" has been following the band since '77 and THIS "American" understood the humor of Queen and what they were all about. Even as a 13 year old kid I understood what they were all about. When Hot Space came out, yeah, this "American" was a little disappointed, but I knew that what they were doing at the time was a total experiment with their music. I never dismissed them. The bible belt here in this country could be a factor in their loss of sales but their shows still sold out. They could have continued to hit it big again after Hot Space but Jim Beach was quoted as saying that they didn't want to have to work at having to build up their image again. Especially without a hit single. The hit ingle never came, therefore neither did the tours.also this is to Zino and all the other posts too: I agree Queen's attitude whether based on their hurt at USA treatment was a copout and throwing in the towel. Also, where did you read Jim Beach stating Queen didn't want to build up their image again in the USA? Did you all read my forum I did about a wek back about Queen promoting/boosting their image, releasing box sets, reissuesm etc? And yes I agree Culture Club was way.....off kilter in the "Different" image department for MTV than Queen, yet the Bible Belt didn't raise any eyebrows about Boy George emerging from the water in a man's Bath House in "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me", yet MTV and the Bible Belt popped a cork at "Body Language' and "I Want To Break Free". Also if Queen had ridden out the backlash scapegoating of the minority idiots here in the USA, they would have quickly come off as tame, once Rap with Tupac and Ice-T started singing about beating up on women and killing cops. How's that for hypocrasy. MTV banned Queen for a little risque humor, but plays that Rap crap that promotes mysogeny against women, violence, killing police and so many cuss words eberything has to be bleeped. An idea, Queen could have toured other markets for...a few years...waited for the times to change a little and the smoke to clear in the USA...then...comeback to tour in the USA aroung the time their prominence hit WAY BIG with Live Aid whcih when broadcast here in the USA.... ....the iron was hot and the USA market was aware of them once again, their talent, their hits,--Live Aid was a Fantastic International Promotional Boost to established fans,.....and New fans that were made aware of Queen and were turned on to their music. That was the time to establish a BIG TIME strategy to re-capture the USA market and tour here, promote "A Kind Of Magic" their hits, and make their mark/comeback in the USA. |
| doremi 12.03.2005 13:58 |
nino trovato wrote: Hey JohnC, you keep refering to us as "the Americans." Well, before you judge all of us "Americans" you need to know that THIS "American" has been following the band since '77 and THIS "American" understood the humor of Queen and what they were all about. Even as a 13 year old kid I understood what they were all about. When Hot Space came out, yeah, this "American" was a little disappointed, but I knew that what they were doing at the time was a total experiment with their music. I never dismissed them. The bible belt here in this country could be a factor in their loss of sales but their shows still sold out. They could have continued to hit it big again after Hot Space but Jim Beach was quoted as saying that they didn't want to have to work at having to build up their image again. Especially without a hit single. The hit ingle never came, therefore neither did the tours.--also this is to Zino and all the other posts too:-- I agree Queen's attitude whether based on their hurt at USA treatment was a copout and throwing in the towel. Also, where did you read Jim Beach stating Queen didn't want to build up their image again in the USA? Did you all read my forum I did about a wek back about Queen promoting/boosting their image, releasing box sets, reissuesm etc? And yes I agree Culture Club was way.....off kilter in the "Different" image department for MTV than Queen, yet the Bible Belt didn't raise any eyebrows about Boy George emerging from the water in a man's Bath House in "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me", yet MTV and the Bible Belt popped a cork at "Body Language' and "I Want To Break Free". Also if Queen had ridden out the backlash scapegoating of the minority idiots here in the USA, they would have quickly come off as tame, once Rap with Tupac and Ice-T started singing about beating up on women and killing cops. How's that for hypocrasy. MTV banned Queen for a little risque humor, but plays that Rap crap that promotes mysogeny against women, violence, killing police and so many cuss words eberything has to be bleeped. An idea, Queen could have toured other markets for...a few years...waited for the times to change a little and the smoke to clear in the USA...then...comeback to tour in the USA around the time their prominence hit WAY BIG with Live Aid which when broadcast here in the USA.... ....they should have stiked the iron when it was hot and the USA market was aware of them once again, their talent, their hits,--Live Aid was a Fantastic International Promotional Boost to established fans,.....and New fans that were made aware of Queen and were turned on to their music. That was the time to establish a BIG TIME strategy to re-capture the USA market and tour here, promote "A Kind Of Magic" their hits, and make their mark/comeback in the USA. |
| doremi 12.03.2005 15:31 |
sorry Zeni that i misspelled your name--I am a LOUSY typist, really, I may be a journalist but my typos made the Whiteout company millionaires when typewriters were big, before computers were around!! Also sorry I must have accidentally hit the send button twice on that last post of mine..... Anyways....As I was saying, Right after Live Aid was the Pinnacle/Perfect Timing for Queen to say... ....this is our moment...we just got enough free promotion and publicity in the USA from Live Aid to jumpstart things again...Maybe the public consciousnes, tastes have changed and their feelings about us from the "I Want To Break Free"/"Body Language"/ "Hot Space" era have cooled off and the USA public has better things to think about now. Let's get a NEW strategy, hit USA radio with everything we've got with a Killer single that's still great, has integrity, but rocks..like say..."One Vision",....especially since it's IN the Current film release of "Iron Eagle". Let's have Jim Beach talk to USA radio programmers like KROQ in L.A., etc. and get this ball rolling. Then maybe we can tour the BIG stadiums in the USA and do the magic tour with lots of hits for NEW and edstablished fans. Let's do selected...but HIGH PROFILE Major TV appearances (which often do more than radio airplay & tours together) on shows like Saturday Night Live (again), Friday Night Videos (on NBC), The Today Show, etc. etc. etc. And conquer America...that's what Queen should have thought and said and done. (Think about it, that's what has kept U2 top DOG in the USA for 3 decades. They do High Profile TV appearances, hell they just did the free concert in Brooklyn, NY (which was also GREAT PR because it was a nice thing of them to be a band...for and about the fans and of the people so to speak, to play a free, intimate show in a blue collar area of the USA)-- ------which Queen should have done to do some much needed damage control/good PR of that nature too to repair their image here.------- The USA public LOVE that sort of thing from a BIG name artist. Like U2 they should have....shmoozed and charmed the USA public which would have been great damage control/PR. |
| JohnC 12.03.2005 16:40 |
nino trovato wrote: Hey JohnC, you keep refering to us as "the Americans.Hey Nino, I don't judge the Americans, but you have to aknowledge that the American people are sometime hypocrite. They pledge for the family, no violence, and on the other some of them cheat their wife and are for George Bush Imperalism all over the world. I'm also an American, I'm from Quebec, Canada and like you I'm from Italian descent. And you have to say that the Americans of the US are sometime hard to follow. |
| JohnC 12.03.2005 16:44 |
arlene wrote:nino trovato wrote: How's that for hypocrasy. MTV banned Queen for a little risque humor, but plays that Rap crap that promotes mysogeny against women, violence, killing police and so many cuss words eberything has to be bleeped.I totally agree on that one Arlene. That proves the hypocrasy of the US. |
| doremi 12.03.2005 17:15 |
JohnC wrote:arlene wrote:Nino did not write that. That's my quote....I guess I got so worked up about this topic and I've posted so much I'm confusing you guys...Chuckle.nino trovato wrote: How's that for hypocrasy. MTV banned Queen for a little risque humor, but plays that Rap crap that promotes mysogeny against women, violence, killing police and so many cuss words everything has to be bleeped.I totally agree on that one Arlene. That proves the hypocrasy of the US. |
| dorahc 12.03.2005 23:18 |
I think it would be great if Queen would come back to the states. They have so many loyal fans here, me included. I understand that they feel hurt by what MTV and the uneduacated so called press said, but guys: We Aren't All Bad!! MTV didn't promote anything during the 80's except CRAP, oopps, I meant RAP and the violence towards women and society! I'm looking forward to seeing Queen when and if they decide to come to the states! |
| nino trovato 13.03.2005 07:19 |
JohnC is absolutely correct!!! We are hard to follow, we are hypocrites. But I try not to subscribe to that way of thinking. I grew up listening to Britsh rock and Monty Python, Benny Hill etc. So I totally get the humor and understand to a certain extent what the rest of this country doesn't get. When they came out with the "Break Free" video, I thought it was hilarious. Everyone else thought it was distasteful. The same with the Body Language video. People said it was too racy for MTV. If that video came out today it would be welcomed with open arms. But where would they slate it? MTV is too busy putting stupid reality tv shows on the air and I never see any videos anymore. I think Queen were too far ahead of their time for the USA. We never caught up to them in the 80's. Not until Freddie's passing did the States re-discover Queen then all of a sudden their records are selling again and their considered brilliant. But those of us that are the loyal fans over here knew it all along. Talk about fickle huh? |
| chico 13.03.2005 08:27 |
on this topic of popularity : keep in mind it's all relative. for example the top group of 1975 was The Captain and Tennile. do you think they would do giganticly well if they were to tour today? in 1984 the big deals were Michael Jackson, Springsteen , Madonna etc. The number 1 album in the U.S.A. right now is by some fellow called 50 cent. Trends is what it's all about .[anybody heard from The New Kids On The Block lately ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?........ |
| DontStopHimNow 13.03.2005 13:56 |
I read in a Brian May interview they are considering doing a north america tour in 06... |
| tymd 13.03.2005 14:55 |
I really don't know.The 70's concerts I saw were awesome.And both were in the South.Most of my friends that went just saw it as a great show.I guess for 2 or 3 hours we forgot how bigoted backward,puritanical, homophobic etc etc we were supposed to be and just enjoyed a great rock show. |
| doremi 13.03.2005 16:00 |
Queen came to Maryland USA where I live at least 3 times, once even to Baltimore City at our Civic Center in 1980 (and no offense to Baltimore especially, I've lived here all of my life), but we have a reputation as banjo pickin' Deliverance Natty Bo Beer drinkin' white trash blue collar, steel town....get the idea....kings of narrowmindedness, bigotry.... but Queen were a HIT here and kept coming back in the 70's up to 1980. Then again Baltimore and Maryland....like the rest of the USA, does have ...open minded arts loving citizens like I've also said about the whole USA who adore great music and spawn great music. Queen played in Maryland at Baltimore's Civic Center, the now demolished Capital Center in Landover (where I saw Clapton, Genesis, & Prince), and at get this, our big College here, College Park's Cole Field House. The Beatles, B.B. King, Yo Yo Ma, everybody plays or has played Baltimore and or somewhere in Maryland, and some of the great jazz artists like Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Eubie Blake even new pop stars like Toni Braxton, are from here. Queen & Paul Rodgers should play either my beloved Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland where everybody from Tina Turner to Phil Collins, to Sting to --(Paul Rodgers & His Tribute To Muddy Waters who I personally saw July 1993 and he TORE THE ROOF OFF THE HOUSE!!)--have played,-- and or play at our NEW nearby humongous MCI Center in nearby Washington DC where U2 will be touring and playing this Fall 2005. |
| lyricalassasin77 13.03.2005 16:40 |
What the hell you talkin about the MCI center being "humongous" and "new"?? The MCI center is 10 years old now and only seats like 20,000.......So wrong on both accounts, and before you comeback with anything I live in Northern Virginia right outside DC and have been to many events there so I think I know......You seem to be obsessed with Queen coming here to tour.....Yeah I would have loved if the band came here after 82 but only to see the "ORIGINAL" lineup not this latest incarnation of Queen....I don't hold nothing against them for not touring here anymore after 82 because honestly to be blunt with you they changed there musical direction so much that they weren't expecting the backlash to happen to them like it did here and instead of fighting back and doing something about it they just went on playing on there side of the world where people would come see them no matter how much they changed or what they did. It don't work that way here, you actually have to "work" to make it and constantly prove yourself not just go by your past hits and live off your good name just to put ass's in the seats......There have been plenty of bands who changed there musical direction here and then suffered the same fate Queen did.....the only exception I can think to this is Metallica....face it the US likes its bands to stay the same and to maintain the same image.....I'm not saying this is right or wrong but Queen changed way too much to maintain there popularity here and instead of doing something about it they just gave up.........Later |
| doremi 13.03.2005 16:46 |
Apparently you failed to read one of my posts on this topic about The Cure-- Where I spoke about how much and often they changed their musical direction, and for much of the 1990's they--Bombed in the USA-- --but time and hard work...as you (and I have said repeatedly), can turn the USA public around. The Cure worked very hard this year, toured the USA & are a Big Hit in the USA again I keep saying I am frustrated that Queen did NOT work at maintaining and keeping their USA audience. |
| doremi 13.03.2005 16:49 |
But you sound auful bitter about this. I am frustrated with Queen, but NOT bitter. They have lousy business skills and they gave up too easily. But geez I don't have a grudge against them. I still ove them! |
| The Stealer 14.03.2005 13:37 |
Arlene- As a fellow American- who has been following the band since 1975- I agree with a lot of your points-bottomline "why did they snub the USA and not tour here over 20 years ago". Since you are a journalist and I believe that Brian has personally responded to you on Brianmay.com on other subjects in the past- I would suggest that if you are compelled to get an answer- ask Brian, Roger, et. al. We can't change the past but we can focus on the future.Brian has mentioned and it has been eluded to that Queen+Paul Rodgers intend to cross the pond sometime this fall. I think it is positive that PR cancelled his solo tour and now we have July dates in the UK and Europe-I am hoping this a sign that they will be gaining momentum to come over here. Having PR with them has the potential to help ticket sales since PR/Free/Bad Company have a huge fan base in the US and continue to receive daily airplay on the classic rock stations (at least in the midwest-which is where I live)- as do our beloved Queen. I think ticket sales will be strong- however it's hard to draw people if it's been 23 years since as a Band, (the one off's: Hall of fame, walk of fame gigs don't count), they have not been touring here in the US. Almost all of the other "classic rock" offerings have toured to some extent during that time period-whether it be at casinos, countyfairs, state fairs, small venues, etc. I hope the USA will give Queen+PR a warm and profitable reception. I predict that the majority of the gigs will be along the I-90/80 corridor- Boston- Hartford- NYC- DC area-Pittsburg- Cleveland- Detroit-Chicago-Milwaukee- MSP-with another leg out west TX-Vegas-LA-etc. I am going to try to get most of the gigs if they materialize..However I can't wait that long-so I am going to all the UK gigs just in case. |
| maxpower 14.03.2005 13:49 |
I think hindsight is a key thing too... it was questionable how much queen or should i say freddie enjoyed life on the road 1983 onwards in the years 1980-82 queen played 153 gigs across the globe from 1984-86 they "only" played 74 gigs freddie was quoted in an interview in about 79-80 ish "some american tours go for months & he's had enough - but he a trouper & the second he stops he wants to start again" The fact Freddie probably knew what he was facing HIV/AIDS probably explains why he didnt want to start a 3-4 month gruelling usa tour 84 onwards & he was quoted in 1989 "we make an album, race around the world & then make another & race around the world again" poor promotion didnt help with record labels, but i believe if the band wanted to go on tour in the usa they would have... as brian said the only tour Queen made money was the '86 Magic Tour & they would have been a perfect platform to build on that European summer success of 1986 & try to crack the usa again.. but we all know that would never happen |
| doremi 14.03.2005 14:30 |
Compliance Queen wrote: Arlene- As a fellow American- who has been following the band since 1975- I agree with a lot of your points-bottomline "why did they snub the USA and not tour here over 20 years ago". Since you are a journalist and I believe that Brian has personally responded to you on Brianmay.com on other subjects in the past- I would suggest that if you are compelled to get an answer- ask Brian, Roger, et. al.Nope....actually I have NEVER spoken with and I have NEVER been responded to by Brian, Roger, et al, ever. In my fondest dreams, but that has yet to ever happen. And this financially strapped little churchmouse cannot afford to fly to the U.K., Europe, Africa's Fancourt to see them. So if they don't come to the USA, and to my geographic area, I will NEVER see them... |
| doremi 14.03.2005 14:46 |
Major --To all of you out there...who know I am a journalist. A major entertainment publication here in the USA wants me to interview BOTH Brian & Roger, even for a possible cover story....all, about the tour, and the history of Queen. and I as a freelancer have total say in that the interview would be POSITIVE, Enlightening, create avdance buzz and DEMAND here in the USA for Queen and the tour, even for sales of their back catalogue, WWRY playing in the USA, etc. I went to Queen's U.K. and USA camps almost 2 months ago, and have kept at it.....but....they keep refusing and their reason to me...they don't want to.....work at it, which doing USA press would be,..... ...unless they are positive they are touring the USA....and even then a BIG maybe at doing press..in the USA..which means the tour if they do it here, could fail, and then they will blame the same lame reasons as in 1982.... instead of realizing that--if they would....work at it...and do some MAJOR POSITIVE PRE--press, with me in Advance that is---Buzz..Pre Publicity..it would increase their positive USA fan awareness and the better chances of booking and having a successful/financially lucrative, and fan happy tour...Ya think.... |
| The Stealer 14.03.2005 15:45 |
Arlene- My apologies on the brianmay.com point-I am confusing you with Diane-who also lives in the DC area. You still should send him an email through his soapbox. Good Luck on getting an interview with Brian/Roger. I agree PRE-tour Publicity would be ideal and most effective. With U2 touring the USA in the fall- they would be competing for the all mighty concert dollar- not that I would ever waste my money on U2-I think they attract a slightly different crowd but there is overlap. They may be having some second thoughts on coming over here because of that-who knows? It's a different situation than being up against U2 in Euro/UK for the same reasons I stated in my previous post-its been 23 years over here vs more presence over the pond. I REALLY want to see Queen tour here for many reasons- take my children, colleauges etc. to experience (to some extent) the magic of queen music and how fab Brian and Roger are- I have been lucky to see their solo tours and one off appearances..I love them both and I want them back here just as much as you and the thousand of other queen fans in the US. |
| doremi 14.03.2005 19:35 |
By the way, I have also made it VERY CLEAR to both of Queen's U.K. and USA camps .....Why and the purpose of me wanting to interview Brian & Roger.....for Advance, PrePress Buzz & publicity to boost their image & demand for a USA Tour, the success of WWRY here, their back catalog, etc... and as a freelancer----and since I am fully aware of both Brian & Roger's understandable concerns/fears of what is mostly.....the evil press.....which I am NOT....I am one of the Good Guys who wants to help them and be good to and for them... .....I have offered to let Both Brian & Roger screen my interview questions, in advance....out of respect to them....which I told both the U.K. and USA camps....but still they blow me off.... and yes....I sent one email about this to Brian on his website....and jen never ley him see it...she diverted it in a rejection email cc: to me, and to Brian's U.K. Publicist... |
| YourValentine 14.03.2005 21:54 |
As a journalist you sure know that you do not approach the artist for an interview, you ask the press agent/publicity agent. Jen did the right thing when she forwarded your email to Phil Symes, I am sure she does that each and every day. And no offense arlene, but are you not overestimating yourself when you think that you and your interview can make or break a tour in the United States? The Queen "camp" has done tours for 30 years and I would think they know which TV (!!) shows and which print media are the most influential to help promoting the tour. It's not about good will, it's about mass impact. |
| RohemianBapsody 15.03.2005 03:01 |
I don't think it was throwing in the towel, but why bang your head against a brick wall when you are popular everywhere else and can get an easier ride ? |
| doremi 15.03.2005 14:32 |
YourValentine wrote: As a journalist you sure know that you do not approach the artist for an interview, you ask the press agent/publicity agent. Jen did the right thing when she forwarded your email to Phil Symes, I am sure she does that each and every day. And no offense arlene, but are you not overestimating yourself when you think that you and your interview can make or break a tour in the United States? The Queen "camp" has done tours for 30 years and I would think they know which TV (!!) shows and which print media are the most influential to help promoting the tour. It's not about good will, it's about mass impact.1st-I have enough sense and experience to know to go to Phil which I did. Then I went to the USA Publicist too. I only went on Brian's website as a lark...which I will Never ever do again. 2nd-I'm not presumptuous to think that one interview of mine will have any or substansive impact on helping Queen. Like I said I'm NOT Oprah or Time Magazine...plus some artists do TONS of press and still flop...but... I am willing to work at it to at least..try..to help them...and if Brian & Roger are willing to..try to work at it (plus all Brian & Roger do is say that the USA press is EVIL to them), which I am NOT, again, I am one of the GOOD GUYS wanting to help them..I want to extend this member of the USA press's hand in good faith, that is all. |
| *goodco* 16.03.2005 09:59 |
Well, thanks to good timing, a stroke of luck, Iron Eagle and all those who worked on the original NoAmer Breakthru Convention committee in 2001, I was the point person for the committee in working with Goldmine magazine and Brian for the featured cover article back in July 2001. All emails were between Wayne Youngblood (publisher of Goldmine) and Phil Symes, with copies to myself and Jacky Smith. Only once did I write Phil, to tell him in advance of Goldmine's desire to do a feature of Queen that would hit the stands the week before our convention in Cleveland (which was the same weekend as their record show at the RnRHOF). Dave Thompson, who ended up doing the interview (and who recently did a fab background piece on Jimmy Page for that magazine), was never involved until the interview was agreed to. I'm sure that with the backing we had from the OIQFC, as well as my good correspondence with Jen Tunney over the years, that Brian thought of the interview as a no-brainer. Looking through your posts, I never see the magazine mentioned that you want to do the Q+PR piece for. Has Brian had bad pub from them before? Do you come off as just a zealous fan in your requests? Do you have spell or grammar checks? As well as fact checks? There are the more knowledgeable historians who could tell you that Queen were actually QUITE popular in '82 in the States. A rash of very non-rock singles after CLTCL, Freddie's stash and changing lifestyle (known to many in the press, but never exposed), the change from Elektra to Capitol (and their payola scandal), as well as Freddie's failing health in '86, kept them from coming back after the HSpace tour. UP received HUGE airplay on MTV, as did 'One Vision'. Unfortunately, the LPs, which is where the band really succeeded over here, were vast disappointments. As in the fade-out for TSMGO, I could go on and on..... your passion and heart are in the right place, but I see too many hurdles to landing any type of interview. Hell, Dave Thompson never asked Brian any of the questions we'd offered. Nor did he include the band's total record sales in the article, which really p*ssed me off. At least I got them to include the BoRhap 45 sleeve as part of the cover, got Joe DeMelio credits for some of the photo pix, and had queenworld.com included at the end of the USA discography for those who wanted to see the UK listings. Thanks Paul and Kim and Sheri and Nan and Linda, et al, for a very worthwhile experience. Going about any magazine Queen disertation without that sort of backing is damn near a slam-dunk lost cause. joe, wife, the ever fabulous dog Freddie+ |
| doremi 16.03.2005 12:50 |
jgoodm wrote: Looking through your posts, I never see the magazine mentioned that you want to do the Q+PR piece for. Has Brian had bad pub from them before? Do you come off as just a zealous fan in your requests? Do you have spell or grammar check? As well as fact checks? There are the more knowledgeable historians who could tell you that Queen were actually QUITE popular in '82 in the States. A rash of very non-rock singles after CLTCL, Freddie's stash and changing lifestyle (known to many in the press, but never exposed), the change from Elektra to Capitol (and their payola scandal), as well as Freddie's failing health in '86, kept them from coming back after the HSpace tour. UP received HUGE airplay on MTV, as did 'One Vision'. Unfortunately, the LPs, which is where the band really succeeded over here, were vast disappointments. As in the fade-out for TSMGO, I could go on and on..... your passion and heart are in the right place, but I see too many hurdles to landing any type of interview. Going about any magazine Queen disertation without that sort of backing is damn near a slam-dunk lost cause.Gee...thanx for the lack of support... 1st seeing the crappy irresponsible level that the press has sunk to, I am a freelancer for many reasons, mainly being ....responsibility, accuracy, and accountability for all of my work, which I take and do VERY seriously. I fact check everything,--as well as proofread, spellcheck, etc. Of course that doesn't stop alot of Editors from butchering my work, which is why I write one piece for a publication, wait to see if it is edited and published OK..and if not, then I never write for that publication again. If a publication edits and publishes my work responsibly and accurately, I write for it again. I go through fact checks personally with all of the artists, people, sources that I interview. And gee, I haven't had any trouble getting Cover Stories/Feature Interviews with these Rock & Roll Legends & Hall Of Fame Inductees....Dave Davies of The Kinks, Gregg Allman, Bo Diddley, Jorma Kaukonen of The Jefferson Airplane & Hot Tuna, & Buddy Guy...just to name a few such as Charlie Sexton, Doyle Bramhall II (twice), Alex Patsavas the Music Supervisor for the Hit TV show "The O.C.", Chris Thomas King, Tuck Andress, James O'Barr who is Author/Illustrator of "The Crow" (made into a major Motion Picture starring the late Brandon Lee, several sequel films, and a TV series), Terry Lickona-The Producer of the Internationally Televised Live Music PBS Showcase "Austin City Limits (Twice), I could go on and on. I have received lovely thank yous and overwhelming gracious words from their camps (in writing) telling me how pleased they are with my interviews. Derek Trucks of The Allman Brothers Band has had me interview him--3--times for 2 Cover Stories and 1 Feature Interview in 2 different publications as his career has been developing/progressing because his Manager has regularly told me (in writing) that he is most pleased with the....intelligence, ethics, focus on Derek's artistic development and growth, and style of questions that I ask...that then thus bring out the best in Derek and makes Derek open up..and want to talk..alot..about his music and career. As for naming the publication that wants me to interview Brian & Roger, which you know as a journalist I cannot do while the negotiations and request for the interviews are still taking place, no it's Not on the calliber of say Rolling Stone, but it is a very credentialed USA publication, that has never interviewed Brian & Roger, so there is no ill will, And this publication just had 6 time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong and Esteemed stage & screen actor Peter Gallagher as 2 differnet Cover Stories that were wonderful. Excuse me for not having an army of people as leverage to get Brian & Ro |
| Victoria 16.03.2005 13:30 |
If you do what you say you do up in the previous post, then why don't you exercise those practices here? |
| doremi 16.03.2005 13:37 |
Victoria wrote: If you do what you say you do up in the previous post, then why don't you exercise those practices here?And in what way am I jnot exercising those practices here. I fact check what I write, if I'm not sure, I say so, I say nothing but positive, informative, insightful things about Queen....are you on something..or maybe just another planet. Also, this is a forum, NOT a piece of journalism...which I realize is for speaking one's mind and opinions,...so here I am obviously speaking my mind and opinions which at least in the land of the free USA is called freedom of speech!! |
| Victoria 16.03.2005 13:54 |
Well, it seems a lot of people think otherwise about your fact checking and such. They back themselves up with evidence in their posts. How can you only say "positive, informative, insightful things about Queen"? May I ask your opinion on a song you don't like (or does that not exsist)? Also, no one has taken your freedom of speech away. Everything you've said is still up, for all to see. Just because I, or anyone for that matter, posts a rebutal to what you say is NOT a breach of freedom of speech. Rather it is further practice of free speech. And lastly, NO I am NOT on anything. *exits humming a familiar tune from The Wizard of Oz* |
| doremi 16.03.2005 13:59 |
Queen songs I don't like..."The Invisible Man", "Black Chat", "Don't Stop Me Now", "March Of The Black Queen", "Fat Bottomed Girls", The Wyclef Jean remix of "Another One Bites The Dust", oh my God,.... ...thunder rolls, lightening bolts, there..are songs by Queen I don't like. |
| Victoria 16.03.2005 15:09 |
... and your opinion is (afterall, that is the essence of my question) ...? PS - I happen to like Back Chat. I can spell it too. |
| doremi 16.03.2005 15:31 |
arlene wrote: Queen songs I don't like..."The Invisible Man", "Back Chat", "Don't Stop Me Now", "March Of The Black Queen", "Fat Bottomed Girls", The Wyclef Jean remix of "Another One Bites The Dust", oh my God,.... ...thunder rolls, lightening bolts, there..are songs by Queen I don't like.Victoria asked me for my opinion on these songs.... "The Invisible Man" seems like insipid filler. It's not amusing, just well insipid. "Back Chat" I think is poorly executed as a pop disco song (by the way I like when Queen experimented with disco/dance and I like alot of the tracks on "Hot Space", just not this one.) The melody and lyrics lack focus and are repetitive and droning. "March Of The Black Queen", I like the song...but there is a VERY Politically Incorrect lyric that I am surprised has not offended many African Americans here in the USA and people of color Internationally,..it is the dreaded N****r word. I'm sure when Freddie wrote it, he meant no intentional offense, but it was incredibly irresponsible, came off as offensive (even if completely unintentional, if anything it lacked common sense in use of the word), and I'm caucasian. My mouth still drops open at the use of this word. "Fat Bottomed Girls", just sounds like a cheesy anthem to shagging Ruebenesque sized women. Which Sir Mix Alot later redid in his 1990's song "Baby Got Back" and if you saw the episode of the TV show "Friends" where Rachel discusses "Baby Got Back" with Ross, well that's the same feeling I have for "Fat Bottomed Girls", a guy singing about having alot of sex with alot of overweight women. Which well, it's cheesy... The Wyclef Jean remix of "Another One Bites The Dust", I have an open mind to remixes, and some...rap. But this is not it. The mix of the original track with the overdub by Wyclef and his rap techno layerings sounds incongruent amd disoriented. Wyclef's vocals over Freddie's is blasphemic. ---I also...hate "Get Down Make Love". It should have been called "Get Down" period. There's nothing about making love in the song. It's all about f*****g. Not that there is anything wrong with that...at all. I mean Foghat did that with "Slowride" which I love, and Jimmy Buffet did it with "Let's Get Drunk And Screw" (though I hate the Buffet tune). But this song doesn't even sound sensual or sexy. Just like one long Caligula orgy of a to quote "Uncut Magazine's" Current cover story, not sex with one person, but a non stop endless, faceless, raunchy f**kathon. Pass. |
| doremi 16.03.2005 15:46 |
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| doremi 16.03.2005 15:59 |
Victoria, as I've said before I'm a lousy typist...but since this is a forum, and NOT journalism, I don't sit and proofread everthing before I post it. And alot of people on the Queenzone forum aren't bad spellers or even bad typists, again this is a forum...not journalism...and so everyone doesn't sit and spellcheck, proofread every single thing they type. Geez..... |
| Victoria 16.03.2005 16:29 |
Thank you. -------- FYI - the three little icons to the right of the time you post have edit, reply, and quote options. It is degrading to accept sloppy english if you know better. English is abused enough with all the slang and such (like l8r, how illiterate can you get?) that gets thrown at it. A regard for your use of language reflects yourself as an individual. If your vocabulary, colloqialisms, diction, etc. reflect on you, why not your grammar? Lastly, this is a great site with people from all over the world. It wouldn't hurt to set a good example with decent english. |
| mike hunt 18.03.2005 21:36 |
both of you broads are in space, wacked out chicks who need to get laid. you need a good man or women (if you choose) to keep you warm at night because both of you sound lonely. |
| Maz 19.03.2005 00:21 |
Amazing how you think a woman's mental problems are related to a general lack of sex. Quite the enlightened opinion you have there, though I'm afraid it speaks more toward your lack of intelligence than the two ladies you refer to. |
| mickyparise 27.03.2005 12:13 |
ok, first off arlene, your right....but as far as QUEEN in the states, i think your right, Queen was way to much advanced in the states.....so far ahead of what was coming into the music, but that's the sad part, way to advanced!Freddie even had a New York apartment over here! Well actually a penthouse! lol.... But really feel if FLASH GORDON, hit big, in the movies, Queen wouuld've been really respected even after the IWTBF video, and also if Highlander would've come out as a soundtrack instead of AKOM, think the ididots in the states would've apprecaite them more! and there music, but both movies bombed and that i feel that killed QUEEN, cuz the music was awesome, i really hope they tour here, even though without Freddie, which i senn in cleveland in 80 and 82, and billy squire was open act in 82, but Queen blew him away i like him but the press said here that billy would take over the show and the next day, all QUEEN and Freddie doing what he did great! no mention of Billy Squier, who i like, but nothing, all Queen and Freddie! Well said my say, and hoping they tour in the USA, but dont' see that, but if they just come to Pittsburgh or Cleveland, i would b there! and if not, go where they tour! well that's my opinion and there are tons of QUEEN fans in the states, and now freddie rejected the states, wish they woud come to that states! wishfull thinking! i no, but oh well. still hoping they tour the states. |
| hopeful1 22.11.2017 06:53 |
There's a very basic reason why Queen stopped touring the United States after the 'Hot Space' tour in 1982, and here it is: After Freddie cut his hair and grew his mustache, his look became more 'Village People'-like to a lot of fans over here, and they rejected him for looking too gay. Homophobia runs rampant in America, sad to say, and even though Freddie's sexual orientation should have been obvious beforehand, US fans made it clear that their interest in the band started to wane with Freddie's new appearance. It also didn't help that 'Hot Space''s new dance-oriented sound didn't fit what American fans wanted from Queen, and they weren't very forgiving about it. So Queen more or less told the States to screw themselves, and they concentrated the remainder of their career on Europe. Those of us who stayed true blue fans to the band over here lost out on the excellent live shows they gave in 1984 and 1986. |
| The Real Wizard 23.11.2017 16:28 |
hopeful1 wrote: even though Freddie's sexual orientation should have been obvious beforehand, US fans made it clear that their interest in the band started to wane with Freddie's new appearance.It was obvious in the 70s, but in the glam rock era the androgyny thing was pretty common (and accepted). By the 80s the scene changed, but guys like Boy George were still successful. It ultimately comes down to one simple fact - by 1982 Queen's music just wasn't as good as it used to be. Rock fans jumped ship and got into bands like Priest, Metallica, and Def Leppard. |
| Saint Jiub 23.11.2017 19:02 |
Exactly ... and Flash Gordon did not help either ... Two sub-par albums in a row. |
| hopeful1 25.11.2017 11:43 |
I would argue that the 'The Works' and 'A Kind of Magic' albums were just as good as Queen's earlier music. Just because they made one slightly sub-par album in 'Hot Space' ( I don't really count the 'Flash Gordon' soundtrack) and Freddie's homosexuality became more apparent in his appearance, the US market did not have to write them off. And their live performances always stayed first-rate. ALWAYS. |
| Vocal harmony 25.11.2017 14:07 |
The simple facts were that from 1977 to 1980 Queen were on the up as a live band and recording artists. The Hot Space era changed that dramatically, the album didn't sell as well as previous releases, the tickets sales were down on the last four years, so when The Works was released there were no promoters in the US who were prepared to gamble offering the band the venues they were used too. Freddie saw this as a step back and wasn't prepared to play smaller venues or far less shows in the larger arenas they usually played so any US tour plans were dumped and they played to markets they were more successful in. |
| Holly2003 25.11.2017 15:03 |
hopeful1 wrote: I would argue that the 'The Works' and 'A Kind of Magic' albums were just as good as Queen's earlier music.They were less complex and ambitious, resembling too much the bland pop that many other bands were doing. In contrast Queen II to NotW was a run of albums of unparalleled quality and ambition. Its hard to believe that less than 7 years separated Bo Rap and Body Language(!) :( |