| mrjordy 12.07.2005 21:02 |
For months and months, I have supported all of Brian May's ramblings posted on his web site's soap box. But, here lately, I've grown tired of reading his grumblings and complaints - and seldom do I check brianmay.com for valid Queen/Queen + PR information anymore. In particular, I am tired of hearing about that fucking comet. It's been blown up, at least a portion of it, and there's nothing any of us (not even Brian May) can do about it. I understand his keen interest in astronomy, but I figure most of the fans go to his website to catch up on him, Queen and his career as a musician. Anyone with me on this? I'm objective here, not arguing over Brian's points of views - just thinking that maybe he's concentrating and obsessing a little too much over one goddamned comet. |
| Mr.Jingles 12.07.2005 21:16 |
I posted on the other board that Brian should start an astronomy section. However, I think most of Brian's rants are well justified and I agree with most of them. |
| Yogurt 12.07.2005 21:24 |
Everyone complains. I know it might get annoying sometimes, but its part of life. |
| wstüssyb 12.07.2005 22:01 |
Brian is like a wife, You gotta learn to ignore It's the only way. |
| Lester Burnham 12.07.2005 22:14 |
Yeah, it must be rough being forced to read what he writes. Oh wait, you're not. |
| My Melancholy Blues 12.07.2005 22:15 |
Such is Brian. :D |
| mrjordy 12.07.2005 22:38 |
Lester: Thanks for pointing that out. I'd wondered just how long this thread could hold out before someone made a smartass comment. Congratulations. Granted, I am not being "forced" to read Brian's comments - however, when I visit brianmay.com, I (like many other fans whom I have spoken to and seen post simliar threads on Queezone) would prefer seeing pertinent information on Brian, Queen, Queen + Paul and the like. Brian all too often finds an issue to tackle, then proceeds to tackle it to death for the next two, three, four weeks. Currently, it is the comet. I find it interesting, yes, but not to the point of being bombarded with it when I am just curious as to what Brian is up to and what is going on with the current Queen tour. Brian's website is extremely self-serving and it's blindingly obvious. There are some fans out there, I am sure, who share his interest in astronomy. That being the case, why not have a separate section dedicated to the subject? The soapbox is just that - a soapbox. I just think there could be a better choice of topics. The London suicide bombings last week, for example. I was shocked to see that Brian only posted one entry in regards to that subject. I'd like to hear his views on that situation much more than I'd like to skim through comments touting outrage at exploding a portion of a comet. I bet if he could get his hands on one, the fill-in singer for Queen wouldn't be Paul Rodgers, it'd be a big, angry meteorite. |
| Lester Burnham 12.07.2005 22:59 |
Brian studied astronomy. His Ph.D is in the subject, isn't it? It would then be obvious for him to become passionate about something that he loves, just like he does/did with music. So what if he talks about subjects he feels passionate about? It's "Brian's Soapbox", isn't it? He has free reign to talk about what he wants to. And what good is bitching about it on a messageboard going to do? You should email him personally and tell him your thoughts. I'm sure a lot more will get accomplished that way. How's that for smartass? |
| mrjordy 12.07.2005 23:27 |
Actually, when I met Brian, I pretty well implied just that. (See profile) At the time, I believe the topic was cigarette smoking. A few of the fans around us were lighting up, Brian mentioned his distaste of the activity, then we all began discussing his soap box and the various soap box issues that he's had, including smoking and the fact that a little less bitching and a lot more action would go a longer way (such as including links on his site to anti-smoking campaigns). So, been there done that - no email required. I am not disputing the fact that Brian's soap box is anything but - that's his forum, I grant that. I just feel as if Brian should dedicate an entire section of his site to astronomy instead of rambling on and on about the tragedies of this comet in the soap box. Come on, Lester, wouldn't you rather read up on Queen, Brian and related news and issues and have the option to read through his astronomy interests separate? I'm not arguing here, man, just throwing it out there. |
| mrjordy 12.07.2005 23:32 |
Like your queenzone forum, by the way. |
| Lester Burnham 12.07.2005 23:39 |
Well, my blog is for completely different reasons - that, and I'm not a multimillionaire rock star! - but I guess it wouldn't be the worst idea regarding separate soap boxes. I do agree with you: sometimes, Brian can whine on and on about topics no one cares about (remember the orbs fiasco? ugh), and I really rather would that he wrote more about Queen these days. But he's got so many more facets to his personality and his intelligence than his career, and I personally think it's pretty cool that he wants to include us in all that he knows (at least regarding astronomy). For what it's worth, I just stop reading whenever he writes about smoking or politics - he's a bleeding heart, yeah, and I agree a lot with his political stances, but I'm just not that interested in hearing about it from a rock star. I don't disagree with you, but I suppose it all can really be attributed to Brian getting older and more grouchy as time passes by. |
| Adam Baboolal 12.07.2005 23:46 |
Erm... did someone forget that there is a section dedicated to Queen info on Brian's site? And if I find something on Brian's site that I don't like, I skip past it. Peace, Adam. |
| mrjordy 12.07.2005 23:48 |
Very articulate, objective post there, Lester. Always glad to have these conversations on Queenzone. Truly. I agree with you, as well. Brian seems a bit cranky at times and does ramble on with topics that seem to come out of nowhere but his own interest. The orbs - my god! I thought that'd never end. I remember one night sending my mom to Brian May's site just to check it out (she always like to pretend to take genuine interest in my obsessions). The website was dedicated almost entirely to orbs that evening. I was embarrased for Brian, really. It's like finally getting your mom to sit down to watch you favorite TV show and the episode you just so happen to watch is the worst one ever made. It's partially Jen (Brian's personal assistant/website doer-upper) to blame, not Brian. I think most of the site's format comes from her, at the suggestion of Brian. I like the site, for the most part, but am always disappointed by orbs, comets, Mombasa shirts and the like. |
| wstüssyb 12.07.2005 23:50 |
Yea, whats with this shit...If I was him I would let us know about all the fine groupies he had...=) |
| dragonzflame 12.07.2005 23:58 |
I just skim through it to see if there's anything interesting there...if not then I try again. I'm not bothered about the comet but at least he has other interests apart from music. I'd get bored hearing about the same stuff over and over. I think it's quite cute how he gets these obsessions, like the orbs, it reminds me of my boyfriend (hehe) :-) |
| Ian R 13.07.2005 01:39 |
Brian is/was unbelievably over-sensitive about the Deep Impact mission and most other astronomers can't understand why he was making such a fuss. The simple fact is that the mission returned more data than a landing attempt (and it was cheaper too). |
| tupincs 13.07.2005 08:25 |
You must admit: Brian's Soapbox is always good for a surprise. My favourite topics are "floaters" (things before his eyes) and cold shower that he takes three times a week to have better skin and hair. That was so absurd I couldn't stop laughing. The funniest thing about it is that he writes it seriously. I do have respect before the rest of the band. We can choose not to read his bshit but they had to listen to him at least 20 years long. OMG! |
| Megamike The GREAT 13.07.2005 09:38 |
I think Brians biggest bitch about the Deep Impact thing was the spending of such large amounts of money for it, I mean come on, this guy is SO CHEAP he BUILT his own guitar just to save a few pounds... and look at his hair, I bet he hasn't gone to the barber in years, now THAT is a cheapskate.. *Braces himself for the FLOOD of flames that is sure to come* |
| mrjordy 13.07.2005 12:43 |
Haha, Mike. Yep - cheapskate. |
| doremi 13.07.2005 14:34 |
On the one hand it IS as Brian says, his soapbox, not a regular fan website, and meant pecisely for him to go off about what HE wants to go off about. I actually agree with alot of his topics on smoking, hunting, etc. But...he is a BIG time bleeding heart. His editorial on the London terrorism bombings and terrorists in general I thought was archaic, and made the victims of the bombings out to be the ones to blame for ''bringing it on themselves'' so to speak and all but saying the terrorists and any terrorists are justified. I TOTALLY disagreed with that editorial. I also thought he fails to see himself AT ALL in that editorial when he rants about the evils of the capitalistic spoiled rich who brought this on themselves. Brian...Mr Forbes 100 music version of Donald Trump...has some nerve making that statement. Also, is he prepared to live humbly as an everyday working class joe, giving up his millions to the members of al-Quaida or Africa or any 3rd world impoverished nation, ....or even the poor working class of his own native UK? I think NOT! I also agree that he spends WAY too much time on that comet and astronomy, but I understand that next to music, that astronomy is his biggest passion and he has a degree in it. So YES it would be most effective and better to create a Separate section on his website/soabox for and called ''Astronomy''. People who are interested in that, will know exactly where to go on his website and will want to read it. People who are NOT interested in it, won't have to be bored to tears scrolling down and past entire pages to get to music related or Queen related topics. I find him to be very well intended about most of his subject matter, but way too much of a (as we Jewish people say..he's a Kevetch). He comes off so whiny and bitter most times and is often way too one sided. If he could be more articulate and rational without sounding preachy, complaining, and whiny and bitter, his points would come across better. |
| Haystacks Calhoun 13.07.2005 14:49 |
Honestly, folks. How many other mega-stars of Brian May's magnitude take the time to do what he does on his OWN site? Some folks need to take a pill. Sure, he gets preachy, but he, IMO, has earned that right. I, for one, am at a polar opposite politically to Brian, but that is perfectly FINE! I enjoy reading his soapbox comments, and usually learn something from them. He could be like John Deacon, be a recluse, sitting around in his Simpsons boxers watching porn..... Give Bri a rest. |
| mrjordy 13.07.2005 16:50 |
Wow. Haystacks, that was well put (especially in comparison to the anus/vagina love thread). Arlene, I'm in complete agreement with you over Brian's comments over the terrorist attacks. Occasionally, Brian presents ideas not as merely his opinion, but the gospel. All too often, Brian's opinions come off as not objective, but "hey, I'm a bitter guy in my late 50s, so I've been around and you're going to choke down what I say." What bothers me perhaps the most is Brian's opinions on the opinions of others - columnists and critics, for example, who don't necessarially care for the WWRY musical and/or the Queen + Paul tour. Should a nationally distributed magazine make some sour comment towards either event, Brian immediately slanders the publication on his website and discredits their article. Everyone has a right to an opinion - Brian all too often clearly represents that his opinion is the only one that really matters. He is not receptive to critisism and that is a fact. He's made it obvious. So, when I see Brian bitching about a reporter who thought WWRY was hokey and poorly written, I tend to just ignore his comments. |
| FreddiesGhettoTrench 13.07.2005 17:09 |
Brian's soapbox IS his soapbox. You can't really control what his Issue of the Week is. I find it pretty interesting, even though I'm a conservative and he's bleeding heart to the tenth degree. I just look at it as, "okay, here's Brian May for ye." And right now he's obsessed with the comet :) |
| dragonzflame 14.07.2005 20:40 |
Let's face it, it could be worse. He could be a raving Jehovah's Witness or something and automatically sign each site visitor to a maiing list which has no remove option. Or he could be a rabid Tony Blair supporter. |
| mrjordy 14.07.2005 20:42 |
Very true, Dragon, very true. Of course, if Tony Blair were an orb (or better yet, a meteor) we'd never hear the end of it |
| Fairy 17.07.2005 05:58 |
He posts about astronomy??! Wow!! That is my greatest passion. I never check his site but I'll start to do so now that I know this! Brian, keep talking about beautiful astronomy. And PLS let world politics alone.....Especially if all you have to say is empty words... |
| kingogre 17.07.2005 08:13 |
he can write what he wants imo, it´s his homepage |
| mrjordy 17.07.2005 16:12 |
We've pretty well established that, King. |