QueenZone discussion #605739
Queen and Communism?
| Lord Blackadder 18.08.2005 11:43 |
So whats the deal? I understand why Queen didn't tour Communist countries such as Russia and China but does that mean that they don't exist there? Are there any Chinese or Russians on this board? If so how big are Queen? I've always wondered. I saw Macca play in Moscow so The Beatles are obviously known. |
| Serry... 18.08.2005 11:56 |
There are some Russians on this board, one of them called Serry. Do you really think that if we have had communism - that means we didn't know who are The Beatles or Queen...? OMG... |
| PieterMC 18.08.2005 12:20 |
I once saw someone on tv claim that Paul McCartney was resonsible for the fall of communisum. |
| dixie 18.08.2005 15:02 |
how. i always heard that the pope (john paul II)made the biggest contribution to the fall of communism as he was from poland |
| Whisperer 18.08.2005 15:04 |
PieterMC wrote: I once saw someone on tv claim that Paul McCartney was resonsible for the fall of communisum.Must have been the same the same person who claimed that Another One Bites The Dust gave birth to hip hop music. |
| The Fairy King 18.08.2005 15:07 |
Whisperer wrote:Rubbish, everyone knows it woz WWRY :PPieterMC wrote: I once saw someone on tv claim that Paul McCartney was resonsible for the fall of communisum.Must have been the same the same person who claimed that Another One Bites The Dust gave birth to hip hop music. |
| doremi 18.08.2005 15:40 |
Serry... wrote: There are some Russians on this board, one of them called Serry. Do you really think that if we have had communism - that means we didn't know who are The Beatles or Queen...? OMG...Sergey, I never understood why some artists chose not to tour Communist nations, but some artists DID choose to tour, and in doing so..helped bridge a great universal language through music. I remember in the 1970's and 80's (no peanut gallery shit here as this is for real), country star Roy Clark became like an honorary Ambassador to the USSR because he REGULARLY toured there to sellout stadiums who adored him. (Clark is also renowned as one of the world's finest guitarists, even though a country player, from the Chet Atkins type school of speed pickin'). I watched one of his TV specials that was taped there, live in concert when I was a teenager. Also Billy Joel's Tour there in the mid 80's was a HUGE success and also taped and I've seen and heard it. And of course Macca did go there as did many other artists and it helped break down political barriers and create good will. |
| Maruga 18.08.2005 17:23 |
Actually Queen came on South American Tour (1981) to Argentina under fascist dictatorship... and at that time also in Chile (where i live) there was a fascist dictator (Pinochet) and Queen didn't came here. What i mean is if Queen never like communist, they never should played at Hungary, but also they played at countries under dascist dictatorship (such as Spain, Argentina). Well, i never understood that, but it's not my problem. Actually we don't came here to talk about politics, but yes about Queen's music. Greetings to all. From Chile. |
| doremi 18.08.2005 18:42 |
Yeah! You're a Commie Pinko If you don't Like Queen! *sorry couldn't resist* |
| QueenZeppelin 18.08.2005 22:59 |
I have an interview on my computer with Freddie Mercury from the early-80's...and when asked where he'd most like to play, he said "Russia and China"...but of course stated that for obvious reasons, neither gig would ever happen...he said in particular that the Russians had said that they would "corrupt their youth" which led to this amusing exchange Interviewer: "And you probably would." Freddie: "Haha, yes, yes.....it's our job, dear." |
| Belle Queenie 19.08.2005 00:18 |
Communism?!!! Yes, we are different, but time has changed... As far as I know, almost every young Chinese has heard various covers of WWRY, and they love it to bits, yet most of them have no idea of where it comes from... If you're a football fan, you probably love WATC, but you assume it one of European club teams anthem:( Love Of My Life was featured in a Taiwan pop TV series which caused frenzy across mainland China few years ago,the song was the most favorite but many people don't know it's a Queen number:( Even the into and the first few lines of Too Much Love Will Kill You (from MIH) was featured in a brand shampoo TV ad featuring a famous Hong Kong actor, but still, I guess most of the audience don't know it. IMO, Western Pop attracts a wider audience in China, but Rock has less. And among the rock fans, many of them LOVE Queen, but I dunno if they are Crasy about them. The Beatles, Elvis, Pink Floyd, Gun'n'Roses, Metallica,and the like may be more popular.The Beatles are even introduced in History text books with a live photo!!! Everyone knows them! Live Aid and Jacko was included in English textbooks. In China, there are only LIMITED bootleg Queen materials, even less than many other acts (not to say AUTHORISED materials, since most of them are not officially released in China). Can't Get Enough!!! As for gigs, there aren't even many FOREIGN acts come to China! Communism vs. Capitalism? That's the case in the past, clashes of ideologies and lack of mutual understanding. But China is now more open, the Stones even scheduled a gig in 2003,only canceled due to SARS, and Elton John just toured China last year. I heard that in 1986 Queen intended to come to China but was substituted by George Michael, how I mourn for this!!! Sometimes I thought if Freddie were still alive, Queen might...sigh (Sorry for such a long, dreary post...but I just can't help...) GSTQ |
| Mr. Scully 19.08.2005 04:31 |
Queen were VERY popular in Czechslovakia (and still are among Top 3 favourite bands here) but there was no way the communistic government would allow them to play here in 1986. I think we had concerts of Tina Turner and Duran Duran and that was it. Rock bands were considered as a threat for communism. Pope probably helped to beat the communism but he wasn't a major influence here - we're possibly the most atheistic country in the world :-) The fall of communism was unavoidable, the country was in deep shit and the citizens knew it. At first some huge demonstrations and then came our Velvet Revolution on 17th November 1989. |
| Brianmay1975 19.08.2005 05:27 |
I'm from Romania, an ex-communist country as well. I don't know if Queen ever intended to come to play Romania (I don't think they did though), but even if they'd wanted to, I guess there wouldn't have been any way for them to do that. They simply wouldn't have been allowed to. It was true that some foreign pop singers came to play our country, but they were never rock musicians. I guess rock was considered a threat. Young people weren't allowed to wear funny clothes or long hair - how could the communist regime allow a band of long-haired leather dressed rockers "corrupt their youth"? It's a sad thing that even the elder generations were thinking (and still are) this way. I remember two years ago, when my grandma saw Hammersmith Odeon 1975 on TV he was so shocked seeing Freddie's black nails, she stopped liking Queen's music (which she did, for a fact). Hmmm, and this was waaaay after the fall of the communist regime... Nevertheless, young people knew who Queen were and enjoyed their music. When some EMI records made in India would come to the stores, then there would be a great interest in them, people would hurry up and make the queue to buy them. Of course, there were no original releases available, but Indian EMI discs or Bulgarian vynil releases were pretty good (Heaven knows why Bulgarians were releasing rock albums under EMI license and we weren't). My father even remembers to have seen Live At Wembley broadcasted on TV back in 1986! Nowadays, record players are not made anymore in my country, hence many record owners who lost their players use to sell them to second hand merchants. As my record player is still in good health, I can only say I benefitted out of this situation and completed my vynil collection But I was stunned to see there were LOADS of A Night At The Opera, Greatest Hits I and The Game records in store. And all of them were brought to Romania during the communist regime! Just coudn't believe my eyes... As for the fans, it seems there was a Queen fan club in here, early in the 90s (now gone and I'm trying to resurrect it). It was hard to make a breakthru, but when I made it, I was surprised to find out how many Romanian fans are nowadays still in love with Queen. So living in an (ex-)communist country doesn't mean you never heard of Queen. Not at all... |
| Serry... 19.08.2005 05:43 |
Elton John, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones have played in Russia in 70s also Scorpions, Nazareth, Modern Talking in 80s (guys from Germany knows this band, I think), The Beatles and Queen were very popular here... By the way some of Queen singles and albums were officially released in USSR. |
| Lord Blackadder 19.08.2005 09:57 |
Serry... wrote: There are some Russians on this board, one of them called Serry. Do you really think that if we have had communism - that means we didn't know who are The Beatles or Queen...? OMG...All I did was ask. That's how you learn. I was just wondering because Queen never played in Russia or China did they? |
| Serry... 19.08.2005 11:19 |
You know the answer - no, they didn't. Brian and Roger did. McCartney and Ringo Starr did. Rolling Stones and Deep Purple did... |
| Maruga 19.08.2005 14:59 |
Arlene R. Weiss wrote: Yeah! You're a Commie Pinko If you don't Like Queen! *sorry couldn't resist*That's for me?... If it was for me, of course i like Queen, and if i don't like them, i wouldn't be here. From Chile. |
| QUEEN1985 20.08.2005 15:21 |
Mr. Scully wrote: Queen were VERY popular in Czechslovakia (and still are among Top 3 favourite bands here) but there was no way the communistic government would allow them to play here in 1986. I think we had concerts of Tina Turner and Duran Duran and that was it. Rock bands were considered as a threat for communism. Pope probably helped to beat the communism but he wasn't a major influence here - we're possibly the most atheistic country in the world :-) The fall of communism was unavoidable, the country was in deep shit and the citizens knew it. At first some huge demonstrations and then came our Velvet Revolution on 17th November 1989.did queen make a number one album or single in czechslovakia? |
| doremi 20.08.2005 15:37 |
Maruga_Mercury wrote:That remark was not intended for you or anyone in particular.Arlene R. Weiss wrote: Yeah! You're a Commie Pinko If you don't Like Queen! *sorry couldn't resist*That's for me?... If it was for me, of course i like Queen, and if i don't like them, i wouldn't be here. From Chile. It was a general joke ''you'' like when a comedian says this which I used to hear Carroll O'Connor who portrayed Archie Bunker on the USA comedy ''All In The Family''. Geez...I was just having fun with the topic. People take things so damn personal. |
| Maruga 20.08.2005 18:14 |
Arlene R. Weiss wrote:Well sorry, i guess that was for me.Maruga_Mercury wrote:That remark was not intended for you or anyone in particular. It was a general joke ''you'' like when a comedian says this which I used to hear Carroll O'Connor who portrayed Archie Bunker on the USA comedy ''All In The Family''. Geez...I was just having fun with the topic. People take things so damn personal.Arlene R. Weiss wrote: Yeah! You're a Commie Pinko If you don't Like Queen! *sorry couldn't resist*That's for me?... If it was for me, of course i like Queen, and if i don't like them, i wouldn't be here. From Chile. I dont' take the things so personal, and i don't understand yankee homour. Finally i like to say that i don't like the dictator from right or communist, but also i don't like Bush's, Berlusconi's and Blair's politics. I think they're the real terrorist. I'm not supporting Al Qaeda, but its my opinion. "El Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido". From Chile. |
| Erato 21.08.2005 03:49 |
1.Queen never played in Poland. 2.Queen isn't very popular here, but much depends on where you are. In the cities where I spend most of my time, there are almost no Queen fans, but in two other - well in one of them some people came to talk with me when I was wearing my Queen shirt, and in the second there's a shop, where they never have Queen records. They don't have them, because every time they have (which is often) people buy everything they have. 3.Of 40 people in my school I know(2 classes)about me and three other pepole who like Queen. (unfortunately they're all stupid...:() |
| tomyorenes 21.08.2005 05:25 |
In Spain, until Franco died, I think only Beatles came once, but I'm not sure. If you see the documentaries of that day, you can witness that the TV that was made during those days was manipulated by the government. They showed images of the show before it had started mixed with images of the band playing so people of that time would think that Beatles were not succesful in Spain and didn't *corrupt* spanish youth. We all know that it was a lie, but at that time everybody in Spain believed it was a commercial flop. Fortunately Franco died and his dictatorship was over, but I think that Queen came to Spain after he had died, because if he had stayed alive they wouldn't have been allowed to play in Spain. |
| Mr. Scully 24.08.2005 04:00 |
"did queen make a number one album or single in czechslovakia?" First of all, we never had singles at all - only singles of Czech artists and even those weren't sold well. Just like we don't use checks (only credit cards), we also don't buy singles (only full albums). Different market. Secondly, the first Queen LP in Czechoslovakia was Hot Space in 1984 (!), followed by A Kind Of Magic (1987 I think) and that was it. Some lucky people imported Queen records from Eastern Germany, Bulgaria or Yugoslavia and we also had Indian LP's for some reason. And that was it. Thank god for the fall of communism in 1989! Basically the restrictions were so strong that there was no way a rock LP of a foreign group could become No. 1 :-| |
| Suigi 24.08.2005 09:00 |
Then again, there are a few proletarian messages in songs like Hammer To Fall and Innuendo. You're A Fascist Pig If You Don't Like Queen! |
| QUEEN1985 03.09.2005 19:12 |
Mr. Scully wrote: "did queen make a number one album or single in czechslovakia?" First of all, we never had singles at all - only singles of Czech artists and even those weren't sold well. Just like we don't use checks (only credit cards), we also don't buy singles (only full albums). Different market. Secondly, the first Queen LP in Czechoslovakia was Hot Space in 1984 (!), followed by A Kind Of Magic (1987 I think) and that was it. Some lucky people imported Queen records from Eastern Germany, Bulgaria or Yugoslavia and we also had Indian LP's for some reason. And that was it. Thank god for the fall of communism in 1989! Basically the restrictions were so strong that there was no way a rock LP of a foreign group could become No. 1 :-|oh, thank you. but in the 90´, made in heaven was number one in your country, and ender pressure (remix) was also number. at least, i read that in some places, and for that reason i think that queen was a great succes there. |
| Mr. Scully 05.09.2005 03:35 |
Yes, Made In Heaven was a huge success here. Don't know about Under Pressure rah mix. Queen are very popular here - as much as in other European countries. Queen, Beatles, Stones, U2, Pink Floyd - all these legends have a huge fan base here. |
| spymyshadow 05.09.2005 09:47 |
Serry... wrote: Elton John, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones have played in Russia in 70s also Scorpions, Nazareth, Modern Talking in 80s (guys from Germany knows this band, I think), The Beatles and Queen were very popular here... By the way some of Queen singles and albums were officially released in USSR.If I'm not mistaken when asked if he was going to tour in Russia, Freddie answered that it was rather hard to have a permission, since more reassuring artists, like elton john, were preferred to queen |
| Serry... 05.09.2005 10:10 |
Yes, it's true. I just wanted to say that some artists performed in Russia, we weren't closed for everyone... |
| spymyshadow 05.09.2005 10:13 |
And it would a shame to be closed, since the square in Moscow is such a great venue! |
| Serry... 05.09.2005 10:31 |
McCartney played on the Red Square one year ago, over 150 000 people attended the show. It was very good! |
| deleted user 05.09.2005 13:00 |
"Our music is not political" Roger Taylor about why to play in Suncity |
| Panza Pedraza - FER 05.09.2005 20:24 |
tomyorenes wrote: In Spain, until Franco died, I think only Beatles came once, but I'm not sure. If you see the documentaries of that day, you can witness that the TV that was made during those days was manipulated by the government. They showed images of the show before it had started mixed with images of the band playing so people of that time would think that Beatles were not succesful in Spain and didn't *corrupt* spanish youth. We all know that it was a lie, but at that time everybody in Spain believed it was a commercial flop. |