@ndy38 16.12.2005 09:04 |
To what extent do you think the success of Another One Bites the Dust influenced the sound of the Hot Space album? I mean, even Roger Taylor on the Greatest Video Hits 2 DVD moans in one of the videos (i think it's Back Chat) that they were just 'getting carried away with the success of AOBTD', turning pretty much the whole of Hot Space into a funk/disco orientated album. I feel that the Hot Space album would have sounded quite different if Another One Bites the Dust hadn't been as successful, because the total success of that single gave Queen the false impression that they were good at writing songs of that nature. Maybe if the song didn't do as well as it did, Queen would have produced a more rock album. Do you feel Hot Space would have sounded different if AOBTD wasn't as successful or do you think that Queen would have gone down the Disco/Funk road anyway. I'm kinda between both opinions. |
Ayreon 16.12.2005 09:09 |
Queen were good writing songs in that genre, if you ask me. But the fans didn't appreciate it. I think the succes of ABTD was a big inspiration for the Hot Space album. |
Fenderek 16.12.2005 09:46 |
I recently listened to it many times trying to write a review... I think the songs aren't actually that bad and it ISN'T the worst album of theirs- but what let's the compositions down is extremely crappy production. Listen to Staying Power or Life Is Real live and they sound GREAT. Back Chat is another example... And I was listening to the album and kept thinking that "Dancer" COULD have been a great track... Excluding "Body language" (which is just pile of shite)- the songs aren't bad but the sound is. The album is dated, sounds just awful, too many synthesizers- Red Special was always for me THE sound of Queen- this album is exactly what I hate about 80s in general- crappy production. Bring on live drums, guitar, get rid of half of the keyboards and you'll have pretty all right album... How come demos sound better than finished product? Why there's such a huge difference (in quality!!!) between live versions and studio cuts? But the fact is- that's the LAST album where they actually experimented... After that they just played safe... Maybe excluding Innuendo- but that's for different reasons... |
Daveboy35 16.12.2005 10:30 |
Hi yes i agree 'DANCER' would have been a great track live it's just a shame they didn't try it out and put it on a setlist in 82. I Think if you took 'body language' and cool cat off the album and replace it with soul brother and another track then hot space would have had a much better sounding "queen" album with the RS. |
PieterMC 16.12.2005 11:13 |
Fenderek wrote: Excluding "Body language" (which is just pile of shite)You got that right!!! |
jcrawford79 16.12.2005 13:23 |
Although I realize that I am in the minority on this, I think everything about the album is great (even the production, seems to fit the songs well, at least to me). Not my favorite album by Queen, but definitely one of the ones I listen to pretty regularly. Only fault I find with it is Body Language. I just don't think its a very well-written song and its a terrible choice for a single. |
GreatKingSam 16.12.2005 13:41 |
<font color=black>Andy<font color=red>38 wrote: To what extent do you think the success of Another One Bites the Dust influenced the sound of the Hot Space album? I mean, even Roger Taylor on the Greatest Video Hits 2 DVD moans in one of the videos (i think it's Back Chat) that they were just 'getting carried away with the success of AOBTD', turning pretty much the whole of Hot Space into a funk/disco orientated album. I feel that the Hot Space album would have sounded quite different if Another One Bites the Dust hadn't been as successful, because the total success of that single gave Queen the false impression that they were good at writing songs of that nature. Maybe if the song didn't do as well as it did, Queen would have produced a more rock album. Do you feel Hot Space would have sounded different if AOBTD wasn't as successful or do you think that Queen would have gone down the Disco/Funk road anyway. I'm kinda between both opinions.You make it sound as if, whatever they were going to do, in 1981 they were going to release a disco album. If ANATO had flopped, they wouldnt have made a disco album, they'd have made a follow up to The Game. |
Sportzfan76 16.12.2005 15:25 |
I'm not sure why most everyone gets their panties all in a bunch over the Hot Space album. At the time it was released it obviuously was a departure from earlier Queen material. But as stated above ABTD was such a large hit, I think the band pretty much discarded material that was not in that disco/funk vein intentionaly - as a true follow up to the success of ABTD. I agree that this album was intentionally released as Freddie convinced the rest of the band that this was good direction to go in at the time. (i think Freddie's solo works expanded on this theme). Tha album is actually a pretty good listen in my opinion, its just not what Queen fans wanted or expected from the Band. I'm not sure how "expiremental" I would consider this release, but at the time I thought it was a brilliant marketing move that was unfortunatley just not appreciated. The band went back to their roots on the follow up album The Works, and I believe there are similarities with the timing of HotSpace/The Works compared with The Miracle followed by Innuendo to some extent. Perhaps Hot Space is not my favorite Queen album but in 1982 it was a "timely" release and really no different than the Rolling Stones "experimenting" with the album Some Girls. |
it was electric7 16.12.2005 15:39 |
WOW i really dont understand why so many fans cant appreciate hot space...Queen wants to be diverse!!! they want to have a little change here and there!! godd some people are so picky :) |
Rick 16.12.2005 15:49 |
Fenderek wrote: I recently listened to it many times trying to write a review... I think the songs aren't actually that bad and it ISN'T the worst album of theirs- but what let's the compositions down is extremely crappy production. Listen to Staying Power or Life Is Real live and they sound GREAT. Back Chat is another example... And I was listening to the album and kept thinking that "Dancer" COULD have been a great track... Excluding "Body language" (which is just pile of shite)- the songs aren't bad but the sound is. The album is dated, sounds just awful, too many synthesizers- Red Special was always for me THE sound of Queen- this album is exactly what I hate about 80s in general- crappy production. Bring on live drums, guitar, get rid of half of the keyboards and you'll have pretty all right album... How come demos sound better than finished product? Why there's such a huge difference (in quality!!!) between live versions and studio cuts? But the fact is- that's the LAST album where they actually experimented... After that they just played safe... Maybe excluding Innuendo- but that's for different reasons...Hot Space: crappy production? No way. I think this album has one of the best production ever! Compare it with The Works for example, which has a bad drum sound (too flat), bad guitarsound (not really Brian-like) and the bass-sound is too thin. Hot Space sounds really full, nice bass, synths and some very nice guitarwork (for example: Back Chat, Dancer, Put Out The Fire). Some very good synths in Staying Power, Dancer, Action This Day. Nice bass in Back Chat, Cool Cat, Las Palabras De Amor. Hot Space is in my top 5 for sure! |
its_a_hard_life 26994 16.12.2005 17:03 |
it was electric7 wrote: WOW i really dont understand why so many fans cant appreciate hot space...Queen wants to be diverse!!! they want to have a little change here and there!! godd some people are so picky :)I agree with you there!! |
ok.computer 16.12.2005 19:51 |
I actually think this would be an interesting experiment. Take a few tunes off Hot Space....hand them to a young upcoming DJ....release them under a little-heard-of label....see how the youngsters in the clubs react to them. I think with a little tweaking and re-mastering, some interesting work could be done here. For all your opinions about Queen+Vanguard, when that tune kicked off in the clubs, people went bananas....really enjoyed it. Anyway, as per usual, that's my tuppence worth. |
kdj2hot 16.12.2005 20:38 |
ok.computer wrote: I actually think this would be an interesting experiment. Take a few tunes off Hot Space....hand them to a young upcoming DJ....release them under a little-heard-of label....see how the youngsters in the clubs react to them. I think with a little tweaking and re-mastering, some interesting work could be done here. For all your opinions about Queen+Vanguard, when that tune kicked off in the clubs, people went bananas....really enjoyed it. Anyway, as per usual, that's my tuppence worth.Um, youngsters? By youngsters do you mean old queens in their 40's who were young in the early 80's? |
mad.the.swine 28033 16.12.2005 22:21 |
I think all Queen albums are equal. If I had to take all my Queen albums and throw one away, I could never pick which one to throw away, and it sure would NOT be HOT SPACE!! I think COOL CAT and BACK CHAT are one hundred times better than the bubble gum song AOBTD. Sorry John, I love all the rest of your songs. And maybe you're right about the quality of the sound, and all that technical stuff, maybe they had some dust on the microphone. |
@ndy38 17.12.2005 05:44 |
GreatKingSam wrote:If you read my post carefully, you'll see that wasn't my point at all, i'm questioning exactly what you just said, if AOBTD (you said ANATO, but i assume you mean AOBTD) had not been a success at all, would they have made a Disco/Funk album anyway just because they wanted to go down a road which was for them unchartered territory, or would they have played safe with a more rock album, like you said 'a follow up to The Game.'<font color=black>Andy<font color=red>38 wrote: To what extent do you think the success of Another One Bites the Dust influenced the sound of the Hot Space album? I mean, even Roger Taylor on the Greatest Video Hits 2 DVD moans in one of the videos (i think it's Back Chat) that they were just 'getting carried away with the success of AOBTD', turning pretty much the whole of Hot Space into a funk/disco orientated album. I feel that the Hot Space album would have sounded quite different if Another One Bites the Dust hadn't been as successful, because the total success of that single gave Queen the false impression that they were good at writing songs of that nature. Maybe if the song didn't do as well as it did, Queen would have produced a more rock album. Do you feel Hot Space would have sounded different if AOBTD wasn't as successful or do you think that Queen would have gone down the Disco/Funk road anyway. I'm kinda between both opinions.You make it sound as if, whatever they were going to do, in 1981 they were going to release a disco album. If ANATO had flopped, they wouldnt have made a disco album, they'd have made a follow up to The Game. |
Asterik 17.12.2005 06:15 |
I'm thankful they didn't make a follow-up to The Game. I can't stand it's lack of rock and horrid production. I think that album was the start of a more minmal direction for Queen and anyway, John was becomnig a fan of disco and freddie's Munich lifestyle was set to the disco tunes so I think it was fairly inevitable anyway. For me the albums from The Game to A king Of magic were poor, which is no surprise as I think that mack did them no favours at all. |
Sharron .G 17.12.2005 08:29 |
Here is my honest opinion, I have always, and will always stand by this. 1) I think the first Queen album blows everyones "beloved" Queen 2 out of the water...it's not even close. 2) I like Hot Space better than Queen 2. If Queen would have kept releasing albums that sounded like Queen 2....I would not be a Queen fan. The song "Dancer" for example, on Hot Space always gets ridiculed.... but I like it MUCH better than alot of Brian's other songs, and I REALLY do like it better than anything written by Brian on the "treasured" Queen 2 album. |
ok.computer 17.12.2005 09:06 |
kdj2hot wrote:Um, youngsters? By youngsters do you mean old queens in their 40's who were young in the early 80's? Errrr....no. |
mad.the.swine 28033 17.12.2005 10:54 |
This reponse is to Sharon.G First of all Queen 1 and 2 are egual, Maybe you hav't listend to that album enought times to grasp the tunes on that record,Maybe try giving her a thousand more spins,and call me back! God Bless,no offense intended. |
A Word In Your Ear 17.12.2005 20:46 |
Sharron .G wrote: Here is my honest opinion, I have always, and will always stand by this. 1) I think the first Queen album blows everyones "beloved" Queen 2 out of the water...it's not even close. 2) I like Hot Space better than Queen 2. If Queen would have kept releasing albums that sounded like Queen 2....I would not be a Queen fan. The song "Dancer" for example, on Hot Space always gets ridiculed.... but I like it MUCH better than alot of Brian's other songs, and I REALLY do like it better than anything written by Brian on the "treasured" Queen 2 album.WHAT?!!!! You've got to be kidding!!! Right? |
A Word In Your Ear 17.12.2005 20:49 |
A Word In Your Ear wrote:Nothing wrong with HOT SPACE though, Just that QUEEN 2 is way better.Sharron .G wrote: Here is my honest opinion, I have always, and will always stand by this. 1) I think the first Queen album blows everyones "beloved" Queen 2 out of the water...it's not even close. 2) I like Hot Space better than Queen 2. If Queen would have kept releasing albums that sounded like Queen 2....I would not be a Queen fan. The song "Dancer" for example, on Hot Space always gets ridiculed.... but I like it MUCH better than alot of Brian's other songs, and I REALLY do like it better than anything written by Brian on the "treasured" Queen 2 album.WHAT?!!!! You've got to be kidding!!! Right? |
Winter Land Man 18.12.2005 01:08 |
The problem with Hot Space is... ... a lot of the regular Queen fans refused to buy it due to it's disco... but it made a lot of other fans due to the fact they enjoyed the fast paced dance Queen. |
bitesthedust 18.12.2005 10:50 |
People ridicule Hot Space for the different sound and style - not just the "Disco" side but what one or two people have mentioned here about "The Game" sounding different musically prior to this is largely forgotten. With every Queen album people will say they would have done something different in terms of the tracklisting and I'm no different; but I like Hot Space as an album because it is something different.... Because of the reaction generally to Hot Space, The Works in a lot of ways is a "Greatest Hits" re-hash....and as Brian has been quoted as saying with regards to the making of Hot Space, the band threw away anything that sounded like they had done it before. |
Sharron .G 19.12.2005 23:31 |
No, I've given the Queen 2 album all the chances I am going to give it....when I owned my music store, it probably played 1,000 times over the course of 10 years. I really think its boring, and I feel it is not near the quality of music that Queen offered on their first album. March of the Black Queen is cool, Nevermore is great, but too short, and Roger's Loser in the end is probably my 3rd fav song on Queen 2.... The rest of the album is blah for me. I love Queen 1, I love Sheer Heart Attack....(the 2 albums that happen before and after Queen 2 of course) ....but I never cared for Queen 2. I was disappointed the first time I heard it.... 20 years later, and 1,000 listens later....I still am. I think that fans try EXTRA HARD to want to believe that Queen 2 is great, as it contains no real singles..... much like many Elton John fans (such as myself) sight Elton's "Tumbleweed connection" album as their favorite....which really, contains none of his well known hits. The difference in this case for me is, Elton's Tumbleweed album has about 4 songs on it that could have been just as big as his biggest hits....had they been released as singles. The Queen 2 album doesn't have any real know hits, because the 3 best songs all have issues. 1) March of the Black Queen- A Freddie masterpiece which would not appeal to 98% of any listening audience anywhere. (my wife and kids hate this song) 2) Nevermore- too short 3) Loser in the end- A underated Roger song which is better than anything Brian has on this album....obvious a non-Freddie sang song can't be a single. |
Mr. Barcelona 20.12.2005 00:51 |
I have to disagree with sharon, Queen2 rules and loser in the end is one of my least favorite queen songs ever, but I do agree it's a required taste, it's not for everyone. It's my favorite queen album, but in some ways, sha, anato and adatr are better albums. I like Hot space, It's probably one of my least favorites, but theirs only two songs i don't like "dancer" and "body language" the rest is good. |
Fairy 20.12.2005 06:53 |
Fenderek wrote: I think the songs aren't actually that bad and it ISN'T the worst album of theirsReally? Which of their albums is worse than Hot Space, in your opinion? LOL Well I find it to be the worst, although there are a few songs on it that I really like. It's just, there are a few tracks which are so terrible it really lowers the quality! :-) Of course it is stilla Queen album, and therefore, it is great just the same... Great question, Andy. I had never thought about it. It's very likely that the success of AOBTD has influenced the direction the album took. |
Fenderek 20.12.2005 07:45 |
Fairy wrote: Really? Which of their albums is worse than Hot Space, in your opinion? LOLI absolutely can't stand WORKS- it's plain boring and the production sucks big time. Some of the songs are good- but you can really appreciate them live (Ga-Ga, IWTBF, Hammer To Fall). And it contains fillers like "Man on the Prowl" or "Machines". It's awful IMO. Another worse than "Hot Space" is AKOM- basically a bunch of songs, not an album, as chaotic as possible- some songs again are good (POTU, WWTLF), but some are absolutely the lowest point of their careers (Pain / Pleasure, "Don't Lose Your head", even "Friends...") Again- IMO. And let's not forget FLASH- THIS is the worst Queen album IMO. Hot Space is above those. The rest is better, MUCH better |
sparverius 20.12.2005 15:58 |
Ditto. I'd also add Jazz to the list. |
PieterMC 20.12.2005 16:00 |
Queen 2 is a fantastic album. I don't have to try hard to like it. |
The Corrector 20.12.2005 17:33 |
The Corrector writes: This reponse is to Sharon G. First of all, Queen 1 and 2 are equal. Maybe you haven't listened to that album enough times to grasp the tunes on that record. Try giving her a thousand more spins and call me back! God Bless, no offense intended.The only thing offensive is the grammar. I think Queen II is much better, but I'm more of a "Hard Rock" fan. |
Sharron .G 20.12.2005 18:33 |
Mr. Barcelona wrote: I have to disagree with sharon, Queen2 rules and loser in the end is one of my least favorite queen songs ever, but I do agree it's a required taste, it's not for everyone. It's my favorite queen album, but in some ways, sha, anato and adatr are better albums. I like Hot space, It's probably one of my least favorites, but theirs only two songs i don't like "dancer" and "body language" the rest is good.This goes to show difference in tastes.... The song "dancer" is not Queen's best song, obviously. But I like "dancer" better than: Now I'm here A kind of magic Leaving home ain't easy Sleeping on the sidewalk I also really like the Jazz album. For me, songs such as "Spread Your Wings", We are the Champions", "BoRhap", "Don't stop me now", "Innuendo" etc..etc... are really Queen at their best. These type of Queen songs take the listener on a exquisite ride, where you can tell you are listening to a more complicated band then...say the Stones. But most of the songs on Queen 2, I feel are VERY HARD for the average listener to get their ear around....."Fairy Master Stroke" and bullshit like this is Queen weakest work in my opinion. Song's like "Jesus", "The Night Comes Down", "Liar" are worked for me on Queen 1. Queen 2 album sounds like B sides from the Queen 1 album that scrapped because they weren't good enough. I must say, I was very suprised when I first came to Queenzone to see how many of you think Queen 2 is the shit..... Queen 2, A kind of magic, and the Works are all equal to me.....actually I like Works and AKOM better. Just my opinion. |
Dear Friends 20.12.2005 18:47 |
If you don't like Hot Space you're not a Queen fan. Period. Now please leave darling. |
7Innuendo7 20.12.2005 18:53 |
imho Q2 is a much better album than Hot Space...Q2 is just real rock n' roll, some songs on HS ("Staying Power" for one) could be performed on one keyboard, really. Sure, there are great songs on HS like UP or CAG or POTF but the live versions of SP and ATD really show what a weak studio effort it was, compared to previous albums. Then the rebound. Brian did say in interviews that The Works really pulled from ANATO and NOTW. "Is This the World..." = Love of My Life, "Tear It Up" = WWRY, "Hammer to Fall" = It's Late (my opinion, not Brian's statement). And Man on the Prowl? Didn't the label actually request something "like" Crazy Little Thing. Also, It's a Hard Life bears an uncanny chord resemblance to "Play the Game." Q2 experiments with song structure (how many songs on HS fade into one another?) and chorus vocals and Brian's guitar tone. The opening bit on Ogre Battle (is that the flying faders? anyone? Darren Robbins? John Stuart?) is another intricate piece of studio wizardry. Roger sings, and Brian sings on Q2. None of that stuff on HS. Maybe it's just a case of comparing apples to oranges, since HS is deliberately spare, but my vote is still Q2. |
Mr. Barcelona 21.12.2005 02:15 |
how can anyone say Queen2 is better than the game,the works, akom, or even hot space, like the last poster said, it's like comparing apples and oranges. The first 8 albums are my favorite, Queen2 in my opinion is brilliant, but I admit there's times i'd rather listen to hot space, the works, magic, It depends on my mood. Don't forget my beloved barcelona, simply one of the most original and creative albums ever released. |
That guy who digs energy domes 21.12.2005 09:34 |
Dear Friends wrote: If you don't like Hot Space you're not a Queen fan. Period. Now please leave darling.Because you have the authority do define what makes a fan right? |
M a t i a s M a y 23.12.2005 19:09 |
AOBTD is a pretty empty song, but still a good song. Hot Space's songs are awful and absolutely empty, lacks everything... Hot Space lacks Queen. |
not that bad 23.12.2005 22:45 |
most people do forget, that this "disco style" had ever existed and was always part of queen. in my opinion the songs are great and i think the live version of back chat speaks for itself,the production of the album is at the time one of the best don t forget that the rolling stones for example took mack for recording. queen always played the style of the time and they did record it with the queen style. the songs on hot space fits even today |
Mr. Barcelona 24.12.2005 01:08 |
I love mack! He did a great job on "the game" I believe freddie called him a genious. |
Don Corleone 28.12.2005 13:18 |
Mack did some great things for Queen. The records he produced/mixed sound a lot rawer than the tick, polished David Richards era (1986-1991) records. Queen could not have made another Jazz or News Of The World. They wanted to survive the 1980's. More pop, less rock. As for Hot Space: not their best. But it makes the other albums shine even more. Staying Power and Body Language are unique. Under Pressure is a classic. The album has some great guitar work (Dancer and Put Out The Fire). I don't think Another One Bites The Dust had so much to do with it. Crazy Little Thing Called Love didn't make them a rock-a-billy band. Queen were very influenced by the Munich nightlife and the music that goes along with it. Queen wanted to sound good in the disco. |
deleted user 29.12.2005 17:48 |
Hot Space... certainly not my favourite Queen album, and not their strongest one either, but it's certainly not their worst. Roger Taylor wrote two very good songs for that album, two of the strongest in fact. I'm quite fond of Back Chat (although I do prefer it live) and Life Is Real is brilliant. Under Pressure, one of the highlights. I wasn't fond of Cool Cat, and as for Body Language - I find it a bit boring. I don't think there's anything breathtaking about the lyrics, but I have to say that I like the bassline. That's all the song has to offer I think. |
@ndy38 30.12.2005 06:46 |
Don Corleone wrote: I don't think Another One Bites The Dust had so much to do with it. Crazy Little Thing Called Love didn't make them a rock-a-billy band. Queen were very influenced by the Munich nightlife and the music that goes along with it. Queen wanted to sound good in the disco.That's a good point, but then again Crazy Little Thing Called Love still wasn't as big as Another One Bites The Dust. I agree with you that there were many other factors in influencing the sound of Hot Space, but i think the mega success of AOBTD was also very much a solid inspiration in Queen making a Disco/Funk album. |