...Most of us have been there. I grew up in the midwest. I know there are idiots out there that don't know what they are talking about. My advice especially for the teenagers cuz I was one not that long ago: Don't back down from them. Tell them so what??? if Freddie was gay. Ask them: Are you concerned about your sexuality? Were you hanging out at the gay nightclubs?? Is that how you found out Freddie was gay??? I always throw it back on them.
I always put Queen confidently into the category of the Beatles and Led Zepplin (bands that U.S. people believe are the best) when others start to bash Queen. I make sure to know what I am talking about... I make sure to let them know that Plant himself admitted that nobody had the voice of Freddie Mercury. I remind them that Brian May has jammed and is revered by the "rock gods" recognized by U.S. people as Iommi and Van Halen. I remind them that the great rock players today as Green Day, Foo Fighters, and the Darkness were hugely influenced by Queen. I remind them that Queen has sold more records worldwide than Kiss, Zepplin, U2, and others the U.S. favors.
The key is to not get too definsive about it, throw it back in their face instead. Keep your head up. Anyone that is huge into Queen in the U.S. knows what I am talking about. Queen's legacy depends on people as you and me. I really believe that.
I myself am in a band. My bandmates and friends that jam out all love heavy metal and punk. I've got them into Queen. I give them the tabs and they kind of smirk as if "We're really going to try this???" They do it and realize that they cannot cover May's licks. They cannot match Freddie's power. They come back frustrated and impressed that all of those "big hits" that Queen is familiar are very difficult to play... unlike the so-called "great" bands in the states.
So, here I am 25. Life is great. In college I found that many started opening to Queen. I found out that I was far from the only one. I believe most people actually love Queen in the U.S. Because of media as Rolling Stone bs and other factors, Queen's legacy is threatened. When people see Jagger and Plant on all of the covers, they believe they are the best naturally.
Queen fans in the U.S.: Here's our chance. Queen is back albiet different but they can still kick the crap out of almost any band with their full original lineup. As with me that are 25 or younger, this may be our last and only chance to witness the tour and tell others some day that we were there. Sooner or later, time will tell and you will look like geniuses for backing Queen! Hope to see many fans in D.C. on Thursday!!!
I agree good ideas, Queen are so much better then all the other bands. And its always nice to throw in that David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Rob Halford all do gay shit. I like to se their facial expressions after I tell them that.
I have a lovely picture of Mick Jagger in drag in Out magazine from a few years ago (actually all of the Rolling Stones in drag as well inside the Exile On Main St. album).
I remember reading somewhere about Mick complaining that American audiences were so homophobic, that he had a giant inflatable penis on the '75 tour he licked and in the UK they thought it was funny, but here people said "I'll beat you up!"...it might have been the Out article....
Ohiobobcat, I agree for the most, except that I wouldn't confidently put them with the Beatles. I would confidently put them in a higher category, definitely better than the Beatles with only the "...they came before Queen..." argument holding any credibility.
I'm just writing you in response to your Bengals revenge over the Steelers comment. The Bengals main problem has historically been idiot coach hirings(like hiring my Cowboys inept offensive guy, David Shula, back in the 90's). However, with Marvin Lewis they are set! Don't worry, the Bengals are movin' up! My early pick for next years is the Cowboys over the Bengals.
I can understand completely, being 26 and growing up here in Iowa. In junior high, I wore my t-shirt with the Queen/Queen II era logo on it (where the "n" vaguely resembles an "r"), and my ever-so-brilliant gym teacher asked, rather loudly, "Why would you wear a shirt that says "Queer" on it. I told him "Why would it matter, for one, and for two, LEARN TO READ!". And that was in 1992.
I'm in a band myself, and it's hard to get some people to give Queen a chance. I've never met anyone who hated WWRY or WATC, but short of making the band learn Fat Bottom Girls or Stone Cold Crazy (using Metallica as a bridge to their metal minds), I'd never be able to get close to most of the really dense, beautiful material. Besides, I can't even allow myself to sing Queen at karaoke, as I'd never even get close to Freddie's voice!
I am American....from the West Coast where Queen has always been very popular. When I was a student in the 70's and early 80's I attended several Queen concerts that were sold out and well received by local music press.
The music critics at Rolling Stone magazine were a puzzling lot back then. I no longer read music reviews as so many music journalists are frustrated 'Wanna be' musicians spewing snarky and bitter bile.
They certainly were wrong about Queen anyway.
There are certainly some 'Bible belt' areas where Queen wasn't appreciated, but then those folks liked to burn all types of rock albums in their zealous quest to stamp out Satan.
These folks DO NOT represent the view of the average American.
I think Queen would have been more commercially successful had they continued to tour the States in the 80's.