| Atheïst 03.06.2005 05:53 |
Hi, I kept on reading how good Queen was at the original Live Aid. So I got myself a copy and watched it. I'm sorry to say, but I don't see what is so special about this performance? Why did they play CLTCL and not even one nice ballad song from Freddie like Love Of My Live. That would have been much nicer. I expected a superb excellent special performance after reading all of your opinions, but really, it was not such a big deal at all. |
| on my way up 03.06.2005 06:07 |
You have to watch all the other artists first and then you'll understand what makes queen's performance so unique!radio gaga and hammer to fall are highlights to me aswell as we will rock you!Freddie sings with such ease and power(altough in these days his voice had worsened a lot he was great at live aid)watch it and watch it again,you'll love it |
| zaiga 03.06.2005 10:01 |
Well, they only had 20 minutes to make thier mark and they tried to cram as much hits into those few minutes as possible. Crazy Little Thing was one of their biggest hits (certainly in the USA) and that's the reason why it was played instead of something like Love Of My Life, which is a nice balad, but isn't really well known beyond the circle of Queen die hards. Also, a slower slong would have taken the tempo out of their performance. Note that Is This The World We Created was played later that evening. |
| Scott_Mercury 03.06.2005 10:53 |
Also... Queen had no light show, no sound check... just themselves. If you have that whole Live Aid Box set (as I do)... check out how lame everyone else is. Queen absolutely stole the show, and no one there... not McCartney, not Elton, not George Michael... and certainly not Phil Collins (in either country) singing like Freddie that day. I was 7 yrs old when Live Aid happened. I remember my uncle Marvin getting up off the floor after the Queen set was over... he said "No doubt about it, no one puts on a show like Freddie Mercury". In my family, which is very musical... (3 music teachers at the college level) ... an event such as Live Aid would demand a family get together. |
| freesia 03.06.2005 11:45 |
I agree, considering Queen had only a short time, and no light show, I think they did everything they possibly could. They took the time out to rehearse for it, (Freddies perfectionist attitude again, and in my mind rightly so), they chose the songs that most people would know, and they above all woke the crowd up well and truly, no matter whos fans they were. I enjoyed a lot of the other acts, some, such as Bowie, Jagger, U2, etc were as good live as you would expect them to be, some were not so good live, but Queen were just bloody fantastic live. I think they pulled off exactly what they would have intended, they would have wanted to give their best possible performance under the circumstances, they would have wanted to show just how good they are especially given the quality of the other bands which every one would of course compare them with, but they also recognised for me, the importance of Live Aid, and contributed to that in the way that only Queen could - they gave everyone a great show, Queen fans or not, the crowd were electric, and I cant just remember who followed Queen, but they were lucky in the fact that the crowd were really rocking by the time Queen finished with them. I dont think the performance was any more special than anyone would expect from Queen musically, because its a fact they are bloody excellent! Its all a matter of personal preference I suppose, but if they asked which band lit up Wembley that day I bet 9 out of 10 people would say Queen.(As infact a lot of the other bands did). As was already stated Love of my life is a more personal ballad, and not something that would necessarily appeal to all the non Queen fans, and Freddie and Brian did come back on later to do is this the world we created, which to me is far more fitting at Live Aid than love of my life would ever have been. I agree with Elton on this one they stole the show. |
| KevMull 03.06.2005 12:00 |
All my mates cmae up to me on the Sat night of Live Aid in the pub and told me they never knew Queen were THAT good and that i mut have been REALLY proud to be a Queen fan. Sums it up really |
| doremi 03.06.2005 12:15 |
My Mom and I watched all of Live Aid...broadcast on 2 diffreent TV channels...both who kept cutting diffrewenlt back to Wembley & Philly. Both my Mom and I were HUGE Freddie/Queen fans...and we were GLUED to our seats watching Queen's performance. I believe wholeheartedly that they picked the PERFECT set list that would resonate universally with NON Queen fans, and with Queen fans around the world. They did their hits, the amazingly famous Crowd involved anthem Radio Ga Ga (just watching 75,000 people at Wembley clapping in unison was remarkable), Freddie's infamous singalongs and then Freddie singing the chorus to WWRY (just listening to 75,000 people singing along in unison)...to this day...it mesmerizing. You will NEVER see the likes of that again. Freddie, in just casual jeans, vest, & tennis shoes, and the band also dressed casual, (they all came off like they were dressed to the NINES!!!!)... .... no special sets, lights, affects....and they PROVED what consummate musicians and performers they were, in being THAT mindblowing..with no fancy frills. Just playing and performing their music..bare bones. Their sound, performance, charisma, electricity, exuberance, confidence...won the day. Then,...later..they did do the lovely..."Is This The World We Created"..which..the song's lyrics' totally resonated the meaning and significance of the day, of Live Aid....and what it was all about and for. I remember one performer from Live Aid in the 1995 Anniversary special on VH1 saying (I have it on tape) something to the affect that.. ..."whether or not you were or were not a fan of their music, you couldn't deny the sheer power of their performance." "and that Freddie "He was such a natural showman and he just loved the day", and another performer affectionately and kiddingly said, "I wouldn't have wanted to go on after Queen THAT day" right..what band would want to try to follow THAT performance...by Queen! |
| Scott_Mercury 03.06.2005 12:57 |
Arlene... the first quote you have posted at the bottom of your post was said by the singer in the band Spandau Ballet. The second quote was from Status Quo. |
| doremi 03.06.2005 13:06 |
Scott_Mercury wrote: Arlene... the first quote you have posted at the bottom of your post was said by the singer in the band Spandau Ballet. The second quote was from Status Quo.I didn't have a VCR then, so I have the audio an a cassette from a tape recorded I stuck next to the TV in 1995 on the 10th anniversary. Spandau Ballet..their singer that would be Tony Hadley. Status Quo was it Rick Parfitt or Francis Rossi, do you know? Thanks Scott! xxxx |
| doremi 03.06.2005 13:14 |
Now I remember more of the quote... ..."and the sheer power of their performance, it was transcendent." "It was simply one of the greatest performances anyone had EVER seen, that anyone had EVER done, anywhere, EVER!" |
| Crazy LittleThing 03.06.2005 13:53 |
Scott Mercury wrote: <<I remember my uncle Marvin getting up off the floor after the Queen set was over... he said "No doubt about it, no one puts on a show like Freddie Mercury".>> I think I like your Uncle Marvin . . . I watched Live Aid again when I got the DVD in November for the first time since it took place in 1985. Nearly caused structural damage to my house because I had the volume on the surround sound up so high for the Queen set. Brian always said if it's not loud enough to disturb the neighbors then it's not loud enough, and while I'm no Johnny Knoxville, who am I to argue with The Magnificent Curly Haired One? After CLTCL it looked like Freddie was gonna swing his mighty axe--his Telecaster. I had forgotten all about that. It was like seeing it for the first time, wondering is he gonna do it? The guys were magnificent. Freakin' brilliant performance. Thanks for that Freddie, Brian, John, and Roger. Queen's Live Aid set is one of my favorite moments in music, and I've seen some good ones. Thanks also to Midge Ure and Sir Bob Geldof. --Crazy |
| deleted user 03.06.2005 14:20 |
Live Aid- ok heres the story, your a rock star, or any other musician, you have the BIGGEST event in front of you, two continentes watching live tv, millions and millions watching all over the world, you want to go on and ROCK the world, not just go on and sing a basic ballad like Love Of My Life as good as it is, but you want the world to jump and be in the greatest mood the can be, so you perform songs they will dance to and jump and enjoy! cheering etc, so here it goes:- Bo Rhap-Greatest rock song imo, everyone recognises it and enjoys it-(fades to RGG) Radio Ga Ga-New to the band but everyone loves clapping to the chorus and you saw how Freddie dances to it, great choice Hammer To Fall-Another great rock song which everyone dances to. Crazy Little Thing Called Love-Not To sure why they chose this but im guessing the guitar solo near the end. We Will Rock You-doesnt need explaining We Are The Champions-doesnt need explaining So what would you have chose for a 20minute set list?! |
| mr bad guy 5656 03.06.2005 14:48 |
Maybe they should have triend Cool Cat or The Hero... |
| Q-Nick 03.06.2005 15:41 |
I thought Break Free might have been played. |
| nymon4 03.06.2005 18:12 |
With Live Aid I remember hearing Bob Geldof saying that everything was chaotic and as soon as Queen came on he was like I can rest for 25 mins and watch a good set Queens set was awesome especially when Freddie got the crowd into it with Radio Ga Ga That Ruled! |
| maxpower 03.06.2005 19:30 |
well i really do wonder where people get their ideas from, to say Queen were "average" at live aid in 1985 you must have been on planet fucking mars........ that 20 minute set, galavanised the whole band into what would be their final tour in 1986... as 86 was set to be a quiet year... freddie had a throat infection .. was advised not to perform yet he never sounded better |
| Megamike The GREAT 03.06.2005 20:32 |
taylorgaga (Begg) wrote: Live Aid- ok heres the story, your a rock star, or any other musician, you have the BIGGEST event in front of you, two continentes watching live tv, millions and millions watching all over the world, you want to go on and ROCK the world, not just go on and sing a basic ballad like Love Of My Life as good as it is, but you want the world to jump and be in the greatest mood the can be, so you perform songs they will dance to and jump and enjoy! cheering etc, so here it goes:- Bo Rhap-Greatest rock song imo, everyone recognises it and enjoys it-(fades to RGG) Radio Ga Ga-New to the band but everyone loves clapping to the chorus and you saw how Freddie dances to it, great choice Hammer To Fall-Another great rock song which everyone dances to. Crazy Little Thing Called Love-Not To sure why they chose this but im guessing the guitar solo near the end. We Will Rock You-doesnt need explaining We Are The Champions-doesnt need explaining So what would you have chose for a 20minute set list?!Well, for starters, I would have replaced Crazy Little Thing Called Love with Another One Bites The Dust.. I think that song was FAR more popular across the world and more so in the USA. Next I would have replaced Hammer To Fall with Tie Your Mother Down.. again, a FAR MORE popular song, sure Hammer was new and they were trying to get it plugged, but if they were there to play the best songs, I think TYMD would have been perfect, it SCREAMS for an audience like that.. |
| Scott_Mercury 04.06.2005 00:00 |
Just to clarify... Live Aid was to raise money... get donations... help starving people...etc... Lets drop all this "They should have played Flick of the Wrist or Great King Rat" shit. Queen has tons of hits... they were asked by Geldorf to arrange it into a 20 minute set of what they feel is their best known stuff. They did fantastic. |
| Lord Blackadder 04.06.2005 09:02 |
davidcoppens wrote: Hi, I kept on reading how good Queen was at the original Live Aid. So I got myself a copy and watched it. I'm sorry to say, but I don't see what is so special about this performance? Why did they play CLTCL and not even one nice ballad song from Freddie like Love Of My Live. That would have been much nicer. I expected a superb excellent special performance after reading all of your opinions, but really, it was not such a big deal at all.You know some people just don't think before they speak or type. At a show like that you play your Greatest Hits. You play a fast paced show. What was special was that an audience, not all Queen fans at that point, sang along to everything. They did the clapping, they shouted WWRY and they swayed to WATC. Queen just out did everyone. CLTCL should have been played because the audience evidently enjoyed it. They even sang along to that. |
| Atheïst 05.06.2005 18:25 |
Well I actually did think about it, and I was not on planet Mars at the time of the event :-) I was only 3 years old, and just saw the footage recently, without seeing the other performances. This indicates that I have no clue about the impact of the whole live aid thing and the situation in the world at the time. Thus I only had to make a judgement based on the sole performance, which I did not find thát very special. But taking into account the stories which I have read here in the replies makes it a whole different story. I shall have to get my hands on the full show in some way and make a proper judgement. Can anyone please tell me more about Is this the world.. did Queen perform again later on or what happened exactly? With kind regards, David |
| wstüssyb 05.06.2005 19:06 |
Can anyone please tell me more about Is this the world.. did Queen perform again later on or what happened exactly Yes, Every Magic tour show, 26 in all. |