To me, Queen's biggest weakness of all is their bafflingly poor ability to choose their live releases.
Live Killers: I have found so many concerts up to that show that are better. The Brighton Rock is truly incredible but nothing else stands up to other shows for me.
Live at Wembley: Budapest blew this show to hell! I'm sure many others did as well, but why use a substandard performance. This isn't to say the show sucks, I am only saying that Budapest had a pro recording and could have been picked instead.
On Fire At the Bowl(Milton Keynes): Give me a freaking break! This show is average among Queen bootlegs that I have, and yet, it is somehow the strongest live album release that they have?
(I'd like to also ask, why keep releasing post Jazz shows when the pre-Jazz shows had so many different songs to choose from.
Return of the Champions: They did it again. Better than Brixton, granted. Not a bad show either. But aren't they recording all the shows? I know the live crew was used special, but if that's the case, release Sheffield on dvd and a better show on cd. I was at Birmingham 3 days before the sheffield show and they were much more on! The Chinese Water Torture sequence was out of key, but the rest of the show was perfecto! If not that one, how about the incredible Prague show that I have a boot copy of. I'm sure they made a strong enough recording of that.
The one true exception to this rule is the We Will Rock You Montreal '81 show. That was one of the legendary shows, but of course, they only have a dvd of it.
It's real simple Queen: Houston '77, Hammersmith '79, Earl's Court '77, Rainbow '74, Budapest '86, Birminham/Prague '04. These are superior shows that could be superior releases.
That being said, Return of the Champs is a bad ass show!
And Montreal isn't their release. It's not owned by queen productions
Budapest WAS the official release from the Magic tour at the time.
I think they chose Wembley to release after fred died 'cause it was the only UK date they had the whole footage of (as Knebworth isn't complete apparently).
MK is probably the same thing - they had decent amount of footage.
Don't know about the new tour and Sheffield, but I don't think they filmed them all did they? They'd already decided on releasing Sheffield before Hyde Park I think.
wouldn't you have thought queen would of recorded the knebworth gig in 86(magic tour) in full, there last gig, such a huge crowd, and they record other shows in full of less importance, i'd kill to see a pro-release of knebworth 86 with bonus footage..but we can all dream:(
i like budapest 86 too, i think wembley was chosen was because its a legendry venue in the uk if not the world,
I like Milton Keynes and I think the sound is great. Wembley isn't amazing, to be honest (please don't kill me!) but for legendary status, it deserved a release, and the same with Budapest for being their last performance.
Overally I agree with you- but with certain points def not...
AmeriQueen wrote: To me, Queen's biggest weakness of all is their bafflingly poor ability to choose their live releases.
General statement- yes. BUT- you ahve to remember that it always depends on how good quality the tapes and the footage is- even if something was their best gig but the tapes are of bad quality, the whole thing is not going to be out. That's the reality... Which doesn't explain why didn't they release on CD in 1992 Knebworth, a much better gig that Wembley and few other things...
AmeriQueen wrote: Live Killers: I have found so many concerts up to that show that are better. The Brighton Rock is truly incredible but nothing else stands up to other shows for me.
It's not one show. And if "Spread Your Wings" doesn't stand out than... I'm not sure Queen will ever release anything live that will satisfy you...
AmeriQueen wrote: Live at Wembley: Budapest blew this show to hell! I'm sure many others did as well, but why use a substandard performance. This isn't to say the show sucks, I am only saying that Budapest had a pro recording and could have been picked instead.
Again- Budapest and Knebworth are much better shows. Hell- even FIRST night at Wembley was nicer. I can understand why this footage was out as VHS and DVD BUT they could have released sth else as CD. And not "Live Magic", please...
AmeriQueen wrote: On Fire At the Bowl(Milton Keynes): Give me a freaking break! This show is average among Queen bootlegs that I have, and yet, it is somehow the strongest live album release that they have?
Don't know about you but personally I think it was one of the best shows from Hot Space European tour and one of their best shows EVER. Shows Fred in great shape (vocally), some of Brian's playing is really awesome and frankly- I think he gig judged as performance was better than Earls Court, which wasn't that great at all IMO... But I'll come back to that...
AmeriQueen wrote: Return of the Champions: They did it again. Better than Brixton, granted. Not a bad show either. But aren't they recording all the shows? I know the live crew was used special, but if that's the case, release Sheffield on dvd and a better show on cd.
Couldn't agree more!!!
AmeriQueen wrote: The one true exception to this rule is the We Will Rock You Montreal '81 show. That was one of the legendary shows, but of course, they only have a dvd of it.
As pointed out before me- they don't have rights to this footage / recording...
AmeriQueen wrote: It's real simple Queen: Houston '77, Hammersmith '79, Earl's Court '77, Rainbow '74, Budapest '86, Birminham/Prague '04. These are superior shows that could be superior releases.
Hammersmith'79 and Houston'77- oh yes, agreed. Rainbow'74 as well (edited VHS already out). BUT as much as I would like to see Earls Court out- it wasn't their best night by far! Of course- the setlist is great!!! But the performance was... not so great. Few days before in Glasgow- that was a night!
Anyway- in next 2-3 years we'll definitely see some 70s gig on DVD (confirmed by Greg), the ones you mentioned are all considered... Even Houston- and for long time we thought it's never ging to be out... And with DVDs- the CDs of the same show will follow.