In one of my, "too much time on my hands" ponderings, I finally grasped and understanding and figured out why Queen has struggled so much with their perception and image as it is written by the media/press.
The lame argument I never agreed with was the pre-90's homophobia that made Freddie a hinderance to their public perception. There may be a shred of truth to this, but if it is so it was likely small and more likely gone completely today.
The real answer always puzzled me until now. What made me figure it out was seeing another angry rant, this time an old clip of Brian and Roger each blowing off a reporter, The incident itself isn't relevant, accept to say that the negative reaction was in response to a reporter whose obvious stupidity made you wonder A), why even dignify her with a response and B), what magazine or station did she work for, my interest only to find out who deserves a complete 0 rating in the respect department.
I digress... Being short, I notice that Queen is both apprehensive of the press, and theatrical with their act. They are commercial in showmanship which to the supposedly "cool" music journalists, is a sin. Being down to earth and against the mainstream seems to command as much if not more respect on its own than the actual music they make. At the same time, the press will tolerate to some degree the showboats of the music genre, if they entertain and play into their hand, always offering a story or show for the press to eat up. Queen goes the most real and honest direction in both areas, which in the eyes of the press is a double whammy. They not only will offer a visual/theatrical experience which taints their image to the purist rock lovers, but they won't kiss up to the press as most showboats would love to do.
In this, Queen, as all of us true fans already know, will not change a single response, statement or action of theirs for the sake of the press, sensationalism(even the innocent kind) or a cheap try for attention. They are true to themselves. So much that they also will not try and represent themselves in a manner of being artists only about their music. They will in the end, as always they have, balance their careers, in what I believe, between partially their own desires, but mostly by what they believe their fans want.
In closing, it is my humble opinion that Queen would take a 1000 press jabs and give up all the grammys in the world if the trade off was giving their true fans the best overall possible show they can, including their theatrics.
Yet another reason for me why Queen is truly greater at what they do than anyone else I have ever observed in my interest in the different styles and genres of art and entertainment in the world.
P.S. I must add that if I hated Queen personally for the most righteous and justifiable of reasons, and was a music critic that got more attention than any other in history... I still would praise Queen, not just to be honest, but because to rate a Queen album any less than average is literally to me like arguing that actor Robert DeNiro is a shitty actor who should never have one an oscar. In other words, ripping Queen should blow any critics credibility, even to non fans. I don't like Motzart much, but I know he was still a genius.
Okay enough... If you are still reading this, sorry for the long winded rant.
Wow....that was loooooooooooooooooooong!!!!
Well, I dont think Queen ever had a good relationship with the press(especially here in the states)...they never kissed ass, and thats what I liked about them!!! (unlike other bands...)