QueenZone discussion #647990
Queen in America
| Regor 28.10.2005 00:42 |
The discussion about Queen in the States and their waning success after Hot Space is - let's face it - always interesting, and a topic that keeps a lot of us interpreting and considering and arguing... of course we all know that our favourite band is one of the most successfull in the history of modern music. And it is a fact, that after '82 they were heading for legendary status everywhere except america. So all those positive reviews from the N.J. and Hollywood Gigs are something that makes me proud being a Queen-Fan. Do you remember all those discussions about Queen being forgotten in the states, and that they would never sell out a show ? They did, they rocked, and they are back ! I was in Cologne, and 27.600 people were having a big party, celebrating the joy and entertainment that is Queen. Reading and hearing that they rocked the states they way they did is something I was really looking forward to, and it shows that Queen is not forgotten at all in the U.S of A. Thanks for all the comments, pics and entertaining reviews, fellow Queen-Fans from america. It has been a joy to experience YOUR joy in your words ! |
| AmeriQueen 28.10.2005 05:25 |
You have an optimistic look on things. By comparison, my Birmingham England experience and my Hollywood Bowl L.A. experience really made it clear. Queen is like soccer, huge worldwide in a major way, except for the U.S., where they are mildly popular. There is no way of explaining this clearly, but maybe these three items will help draw a picture: 1. The number one U.S. album in either '88 or '89 belonged to Debbie Gibson. 2. The top grossing comedy in the U.S. over the last year was 'Meet The Fockers'. 3. The biggest Queen single in the USA was 'Another One Bites the Dust'. Americans as individuals are as smart as the next country, if not smarter. However, as our nation's culture goes??? We aren't just stupid, we are fucking retarted! There has been a strange anti-intellectualism that has plagued this country since the Ronald Reagan era. You don't agree? Just turn on the television and watch the next commercial shown to you. The L.A. audience sucked so bad by comparison, it made my mind up about the possible tour next year. If they do, great, if they don't, I don't blame them. As for Queen's decline, there are two reasons that come to mind in my opinion of the issue. 1st is Queen's fault. Why oh why did they ever, EVER consider releasing Body Language as a single. Unlike everyone else, I don't hate the song, I just think it's the worst song Queen recorded, or at least in the bottom 5 of their stuff. 2nd is one of the greatest ironies in music. A.) Freddie's more openly gay side in the 80's turned a lot of people away from the band. B.) There is no industry in the USA that is more oppressive to gays than pro sports. C.) In pro sports, the top two most played songs by far are 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are The Champions'. I'll give us a bit of credit, there are so many people here that I have met that say, 'Yeah, I love Queen. I play those two cds a lot.' And the two cd's are ALWAYS 'Greatest Hits' and 'Classic Queen'. I don't know how many times I have met someone like that and had to explain to them that Queen's biggest weakness has been releasing the wrong songs and that their album tracks are for the most part better. Our music sucks! We invented Rap. We invented Country music. Okay, we did invent Rock too, but let's be realistic, rock wasn't really all that interesting until the Beatles came around and changed everythings. One final note, I always hear as if in truth that Hot Space was a disco/funk album, and that it ruined Queen. Did these people ever hear the album? 'Staying Power' and 'Body Language' are disco-ish. The rest of the album isn't much different from their other material, and some of it flat out rocks. It's all about promotion. Def Leppard follows up their classic Hysteria album with the pop piece of shit Adrenalize, it gets lots and lots of hype because it's the follow up, it sells a shitload of albums. After everyone realizes that it sucks, they are abandoned. 3 years pass, they release a brilliant, original, awesome albums called 'Slang', it gets no attention, it bombs. If Queen got the attention the Stones got, they would be way bigger, but Freddie wasn't butch enough, so they didn't. Just my opinion, but all and all, we really scrape the bottom when it comes to creating music. Just think about it, Queen had the same number of no. 1 hits as Milli Vanilli. |
| Mr. Mercury 1975 28.10.2005 11:03 |
I think maybe you're comparing the wrong show to the shows in Europe. A show at the Hollywood Bowl is not a great example for a Queen show, or any other show for that matter. You're talking about a city/area of the country is that is very laid back and casual in their attitudes. Take a look at sporting events in L.A. - For example, no one shows up until the 2nd or 3rd inning for a Dodgers game. Ever been to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox? The place is jammed tighter than Freddie in spandex from the first inning to the end of the game. Did you go to the NH show? I drove down from Maine for the NJ show and it was freakin' amazing! I've NEVER seen a pre-show buzz like I did there. Just before the opening notes of beautiful day were played, this wave of excitement and closeness came over the crowd. It was almost tangible and surreal. Even my girlfriend, who until recently was not much of a Queen fan, could feel it. We just looked at the crowd...each other... and could feel the 'magic' in the air. By the end, she even had a tear in her eye. As for the comments about the rest of American music, you might want to check what kind of songs tend to top the charts in Europe. The Spice Girls in the 90's? Give me a break. It's not just America. Pop-culture has invaded the entire world. Besides, who ever said that having a #1 single meant that you were a great band/musician/etc.??? Rap? I'm not a big fan for the most part but I do like some of it. I can see and understand the appeal it has to millions and millions across the world. It's a form of expression just like any other music. Country? I'm not a big fan of that either. However, there's something simple about country music that can make it fun to listen to. It never seems to take itself too seriously. Some people get excited by a guitar riff. Others like the pounding bass. Others still like catchy and silly tunes. As long as they love the music, that's all that really matters... |
| Erin 28.10.2005 12:10 |
psteeler wrote: I drove down from Maine for the NJ show and it was freakin' amazing! I've NEVER seen a pre-show buzz like I did there. Just before the opening notes of beautiful day were played, this wave of excitement and closeness came over the crowd. It was almost tangible and surreal. Even my girlfriend, who until recently was not much of a Queen fan, could feel it. We just looked at the crowd...each other... and could feel the 'magic' in the air. By the end, she even had a tear in her eye.Yeah, I don't think the Hollywood Bowl should be representative of what a typical US audience would be. It's a rather odd venue, if ya ask me. Brian was noticeably MOVED in NJ by the crowd reaction. I don't think he expected anyone to sing to '39 or LOML at all. We were close enough to see a tear on Brian's face, and I find it interesting how quickly he wrote on his soapbox after NJ but not after Hollywood. I was highly doubtful as to whether there would be a US tour before the NJ show, but after it...I know they will be back. |
| jasen101 28.10.2005 14:01 |
Hmmmmmm.....I really don't think you guys are giving enough credit to the LA show. The place rocked...after the show people were saying it was awesome! I was there at the Bowl, front row...it rocked! The place especially came alive after Bohrap...there was a huge roar after WATC. |
| AmeriQueen 29.10.2005 18:38 |
Exactly, it rocked in the front row. In the back, it had about the excitement level of a minor league baseball game. L.A. people, in my thinking, probably have no energy because they let it all out in the form of road rage. I would hate to live in that city. Traffic in Los Angeles is the worst I have ever seen in my life. |
| phoenix_surprise! 29.10.2005 19:49 |
No, it wasn't just the front row. I was in the Terrace section, and it rocked there too, and looking up behing me toward the end of the show, everyone was on their feet, totally into it. One thing that is hugely different, though, is the venue. This place hosts the symphony and other than right at the stage in the pool section, all the sections up front are are blocked off into little boxes holding 4-6 seats. Perfect for wine and cheese under the stars, but not quite suitable for a Rock concert. Also, the sound is designed to move from center bottom of the amphitheater up and out. (and the sound mix and volume were the best I've ever experienced at a Rock concert) Audience partication does not resound all around like it does in a closed arena. I'm originally from New England and have attended tons of Rock shows on the East coast, and based on that I wouldn't trash the audience at the Hollywood Bowl. LA, on the other hand, I'll probably never visit again. Though Venice Beach was fun. |
| phoenix_surprise! 29.10.2005 19:53 |
P.S. ....and I find it interesting how quickly he wrote on his soapbox after NJ but not after Hollywood.... Don't forget that Brian had to pick up and fly around the world to Japan right after the show.... |
| another one diets the bust 29.10.2005 20:45 |
AmeriQueen wrote: Why oh why did they ever, EVER consider releasing Body Language as a single. Unlike everyone else, I don't hate the song, I just think it's the worst song Queen recorded, or at least in the bottom 5 of their stuff.I don't like that song very much either, but if i do remember well, it ironically was some of Queen's biggest hits in the states and reached a respectable #11 after UNDER PRESSURE even failed to enter the Top20 on the Billboard Charts? And although this is pure theory, i think THE WORKS and a KIND OF MAGIC both the albums and the singles taken from them would have done a lot better on the US Charts, if Queen had come back touring the US in the mid-eighties. The singles from THE MIRACLE and INNUENDO didn't even enter the Top200 if i'm right, except for THE SHOW MUST GO ON, but only as this was a double-A with the re-release of BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, like THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES, which only made UK #1 for the same reason. |
| AmeriQueen 30.10.2005 14:30 |
Okay, the #11 actually strengthens my point. That means the single got a lot of airplay. The tendency is to push band based on their past performance in the light. Hitting 11 to me means, they pushed the single, a lot of people heard it, and that was all she wrote on Queen having top billboard hits in the United States. The last Godzilla movie in 2000 was promoted, pushed, came out, sucked ass, was a monster hit for two weeks(pun intended), the word got out, it's grosses vanished, it made money in the end. 'Body Language' turned off a lot of people. Off subject: I am again watching and now completely obsessed with 'Return of the Champions'! WHAT A CONCERT! |
| another one diets the bust 30.10.2005 19:19 |
AmeriQueen wrote: 'Body Language' turned off a lot of people.I'm afraid You're right with that. Does anybody know then, why Queen chose BODY LANGUAGE for the single in favor of releasing LAS PALABRAS DE AMOR as the second single in the EU and maybe BACK CHAT as the second single in the US? |
| The Stealer 30.10.2005 21:03 |
jasen101 wrote: Hmmmmmm.....I really don't think you guys are giving enough credit to the LA show. The place rocked...after the show people were saying it was awesome! I was there at the Bowl, front row...it rocked! The place especially came alive after Bohrap...there was a huge roar after WATC.Agree: I was at both shows the LA show rocked-the crowd was slightly more subdued-yet having just a much fun..it is an outdoor venue so it's hard to judge the crowd noise. I was up front at bowl as well and Brian was just a moved as NJ...PR was really spot on and very confident, more so than in NJ...there were enough people not getting into it in NJ too. QPR needs to go to the NE and Midwest where their hard core fans and general lovers of rock-n-roll are. Let's face there's nothing better to do than go to a rock a show in the midwest LOL...we love our music!! |
| goinback 30.10.2005 23:08 |
What's ironic is most people in the US don't remember "Body Language", but they do know "Under Pressure". Single rankings aren't that reliable. |