QueenZone discussion #854093
Lester's Album Discussion Thread - "Hot Space"
| Lester Burnham 07.08.2006 20:50 |
Guess what... it's time. The album you were all waiting for, I'm sure.
First, da rools:
1. If you don't own the album, do not contribute. I want this to be a discussion, and posts by somebody saying only "I like 'Keep Yourself Alive' on Classic Queen, is that on this album?" or something to that nature contributes nothing to the discussion. 2. As most people have been quick to jump down the throats of foreign posters about their English, I can only ask that those not familiar with the language do their best. For those who speak English as their first language, there really is no excuse. Try to formulate your thoughts so that everyone can enjoy them. No speaking in tongues, please. 3. You don't need to like the album - these aren't appreciation threads, these are discussion threads. If you don't like the album, don't be afraid to say so! Everyone should be responsive to constructive criticism, so if the album isn't one of your favorites, explain why in a decent manner instead of just saying, "This album sucks because of X song" 3a. Disagreements are encouraged. Well, okay... not exactly encouraged, but don't be afraid to disagree with someone as long as you disagree in a dignified manner. BAD: Poster A: "'The Kiss' is probably my favorite song off the album." Poster B: "WHAT?! 'THE KISS' IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST SONG RELEASED BY QUEEN! YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT, YOU JACKASS! ANYONE WHO LIKES 'THE KISS' LIKES BOILS ON THEIR FACE AND BEING TORTURED BY TOADS BITING THEIR FINGERNAILS! A POX ON YOUR FAMILY AND ANYTHING YOU SHOULD SPAWN, YOU HEATHEN!" Poster A: "..." GOOD: Poster A: "'The Kiss' is probably my favorite song off the album." Poster B: "It's not that great, in my opinion, but what do you like about it?" Poster A: "I like the segue from 'Execution Of Flash' and the orchestration. Freddie's vocalisations are just great." Poster B: "Hmm. That's exactly what I don't like about it." *Posters A and B share a beer and become best friends* 4. NO NUMERICAL RATINGS, PLEASE!!! Discussion threads do not equal giving something a grade. If this was called "Let's rate the albums", that would be different, but I want people to discuss the albums. There's no point in listing your favorite songs without giving some kind of insight. 5. These will be posted whenever I damn well please. I know I initially said every two weeks, but sometimes inspiration strikes and you gotta post, man. Or sometimes I get so damn busy, I'll just forget about it and all that. 6. For other discussion threads, check out: Queen (first album): /queenzone/569759.html Queen II: /queenzone/587802.html Brian May's solo albums: /queenzone/575007.html Sheer Heart Attack: /queenzone/648592.html A Day At The Races: /queenzone/670647.html News Of The World: /queenzone/684170.html Jazz: /queenzone/687482.html The Game: /queenzone/839968.html Flash Gordon: /queenzone/842874.htmlNo sense in delaying it any further. Have at it! |
| Lester Burnham 07.08.2006 20:59 |
Let me start off by saying that I love when Queen experiments. It's what they were known for, right? For taking the bull by the horns and seeing what direction it took them. This experiment... didn't quite work out. But, with that in mind, I really dig Hot Space. Not as much as I love their first six albums, but this was the last album, Innuendo excepted, that the band were really willing to try something new. Not to discount The Works, A Kind Of Magic, or The Miracle, but there's nothing as daring or untried on those albums as there was before. The only two songs that I truly cannot stand are 'Staying Power' (works better live) and 'Body Language' (I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why this was deemed a good song to release as the first single from the album). Every other song has at least some redeeming qualities: 'Dancer' has a series of excellent guitar solos; 'Back Chat' is a fiery amalgamation of funk and rock; 'Action This Day' is one of the more successful attempts at a dance-oriented number; 'Put Out The Fire' is a reminder that Queen could still rock out; 'Life Is Real' and 'Las Palabras' are the traditional Queen ballads; 'Calling All Girls' is a great new wave rocker; and 'Cool Cat' is the most out-and-out slice of funk that would ever grace a Queen album. So where did it go wrong (apart from 'Staying Power' and 'Body Language', of course)? I blame the production: gone were real instruments like drums, basses, and guitars; in their places were drum machines and synthesizers, pushing Roger and Brian to the background. Only on a few songs does Brian really get a chance to let 'er rip, while drum machines dominate at least six of the eleven songs. If they had managed to make all of the songs sound at least like 'Dragon Attack' or 'Another One Bites The Dust' from The Game, then the album wouldn't have received quite a thrashing as it inevitably received. The one complaint I have is the inclusion of 'Under Pressure': don't get me wrong, it's a great song, but I'm never an advocate of including a single that was released over six months prior to an LP on an album. It seems like too easy of a cash-in, and I can't help but wonder what songs DIDN'T make it because of 'Under Pressure'. Queen did it with The Game ('Crazy Little Thing' and 'Save Me') and would do it again with A Kind Of Magic ('One Vision'). It was a not so welcome departure for Queen, and the fans hated it. But it didn't completely destroy Queen's reputation; their 1982 world tour was a snarling reminder that the band could still rock, and even America was convinced (which mattered at the time). |
| mike hunt 08.08.2006 01:48 |
I like most of the songs on HS, I agree Body language should have never been released as a single, once again proving freddie was in fact the leader of queen. I like staying power, but could have been a bit better with improved lyrics and added guitar. cool cat I always loved, it's one of my favorite vocal tracks from freddie. Hot space obviously wasn't queens best, but it didn't deserve the bashing it got and still gets to this day. |
| james gaden 2072 08.08.2006 04:44 |
I was always under the impression that Hot Space sucked. This basically came from me first getting into Queen when I saw the edited Live At Wembley on the TV. My dad was a Queen fan, and I watched Wembley and was blown away. Only just starting out then as a music fan, I played 'Live Magic', and 'The Game', 'The Works' and 'A Kind Of Magic' and ignored the other releases at the time, because they didn't sound like what I thought was Queen. I avoided 'Hot Space' because I was told it was rubbish. Years on, now heavily into music and working as a music journalist, I can listen to the albums with a mature view of my own, rather than that of a awestruck, impressionable child. 'Hot Space' is not the best Queen album but I certainly don't think it's the worst. I have all the Queen albums and I play 'Hot Space' a lot. For me it examplifies Queen's ability to adapt and experiment with a variety of genres. Nobody expected them to dabble with funk and disco, but they did, and for me, they did it rather well. I think the rather dated production disguises some brilliant songs. I like 'Staying Power', but the live version at Milton Keynes is just phenomenal. 'Dancer' I've always loved, for the mix of Freddie's falsetto vocal, Brian's solos and the hook filled chorus. 'Put Out The Fire' is a much underrated Queen rocker with a great vocal from Freddie, and 'Calling All Girls' has a great foot tapping quality to it. There are some tracks that are not so good - 'Body Language' would be better suited in the background of some 80's film, and I can't get on with 'Cool Cat'. But that's only two songs on a full album. Live these songs really smoked. As I mentioned, 'Staying Power' is awesome, and 'Action This Day' live is a pounding rocker with hard edged vocals, unlike it's studio counterpart. Sadly though, 'Under Pressure' is the only track to be repeatedly aired, although that benefits live from the lack of Bowie, whose voice I never could stand. The gem on the album for me though is 'Las Palabras De Amour'. An absolutely stunning ballad from Brian, sung superbly by Freddie, and featuring some glorious guitar work from the composer. I like 'Hot Space' a great deal, and I think the Milton Keynes show helped highlight that some of the songs were really rather good. It's just the production and feel of things that was suitable at the time, but very dated now, that lets it down. JG |
| Great King Sam 08.08.2006 05:24 |
I agree with Lester: if this album, production wise, were similar to The Game, it was have been an absolute rocker of an album. Imagine how a studio version of Staying Power, Action This Day or Back Chat would sound given how amazing they are live with just the raw instruments and some cheesy synth over the top?! For me, the live and slightly pacier versions of Back Chat Queen do are among their live high-lights for me. Anyway, I have always liked Hot Space, although it was quite a departure from the Queen I was used to (and I prefer the earlier, heavier Queen anyway). That said, if Hot Space had perhaps been an album performed by an act know more for this genre, I think it's fair to say that perhaps the album would have received far better reviews. My only complaint, other than programed drums and bass (and Body Language...), is that Under Pressure does seem like the odd song out, almost as if it was just dolloped on the end of the album. Would it have been so hard to have left it as purely a single? Perhaps we'll just never know. |
| k-m 08.08.2006 06:29 |
There are a few songs on Hot Space which I really like: Staying Power, Under Pressure, Put Out The Fire, Las Palabras... The rest is not as good, but I appreciate the fact that the band tried some new sounds. It's much more interesting than A Kind Of Magic or even Jazz. |
| Freddie May 08.08.2006 07:06 |
Here's a nice review of the album : Following their massively successful 1980 album The Game, Queen’s Hot Space is often considered a failed attempt to exploit the dance market they reached with "Another One Bites The Dust". While it sunk commercially (at least in the states), I'd argue that artistically it ranks amongst their highest achievements. The credit for this should go to singer Freddie Mercury's moustache. Everyone forgets that while Freddie cut his long hair between Jazz—their tired, final album of the '70s—and The Game, it wasn't until Hot Space that an album cover featured that flaming handlebar. The new look was so inspiring that he was offering five cent rides to everyone in earshot; side one of Hot Space is the closest he ever got to being a true disco diva. The album opens with "Staying Power", an electro-disco track with frenetic horns (courtesy of Bee Gees/Aretha Franklin producer Arif Mardin) and Mercury prancing around screaming "Fire down below! I'm just a regular dynamo!" and "Blow, baby, blow! Let's get down and go-go!" The tinny vigor is almost frighteningly flamboyant. “Dancer” is recommended to any Led Zeppelin fan who wonders where the band would have gone after In Through The Out Door. An insistent synth-thump pulses beneath Mercury as works himself into a bubbly boil before Queen's trademark operatic background vocals and harsh guitars crash through the chorus. The Brian May-penned track features a searing, searing solo that makes it rank with the finest disco-metal; it thrusts like Led Zep's "The Ocean," but with a pop crassness that Zep never got close to achieving (though Robert Plant made some strong attempts in his solo material). Where the vocals used to be evenly split between the singers in the ‘70s, Mercury was now commanding every track and THANK GOD. May and Taylor's voices weren't bad per se, but I'm glad they realized that if you've got the opportunity to let FREDDIE MERCURY sing your song, you should let him. The unhinged joy heard in that man’s delivery, as he demands we “WORK IT! WORK IT! WORK IT!” is unparalleled. The next shoulda-been-a-single is "Back Chat", by bassist John Deacon. What could have been just another anti-player-hater anthem is made brilliant by Mercury's slathering anguish (note all the sounds he makes between the lyrics) and the swanky snap of the music, which would been a boon to any album by Roxy Music or ABC. Following all these Fantasy-World top ten hits is "Body Language", which did actually make the U.S. top 20, despite consisting merely of a loping shuffle, some spacey keyboards and Freddie screaming “GIVE ME YOUR BODY! SEXY BOD-AY!” It's lots of fun (I enjoy those weird firecracker sound effects), but lacks the weight of the earlier tracks. “Action This Day” is yet another enthusiastic marvel. Unfortunately, side two is the usual pompous if intermittently rewarding Queen material fans should be used to. You get two overblown, incoherent May anthems concerning gun control and the Falklands War and Taylor-via-Mercury telling children to spread the message of love (will do, buddy). You also get Mercury's oddball tribute to John Lennon that reads like nonsense ("Music will be my mistress / Laughing like a whore / Lennon is a genius / Living in ev'ry pore / Life is real / Life is real") but is performed like a last will and testament over a plinking piano that I hope someone’s rapped over by now and "Cool Cat", which is a supper-club sequel to "Dancer" with Mercury shamelessly shrieking away in his highest register. Worried about whether their audience could handle their new vibe, the band tacked "Under Pressure”, their hit collaboration with David Bowie onto the end of the album, despite including the single a year before on their original Greatest Hits LP. That’s fine with me, seeing how "Under Pressure" is the best song o |
| Lester Burnham 08.08.2006 08:41 |
The point of these threads isn't to discuss what other people have said about the albums, but your own thoughts and feelings about them. |
| Sebastian 08.08.2006 09:30 |
I like the album, it's well done. Many people think that it's so easy to make a synth (even an analogue one) do the dirty work, or to programme a drum machine, but that's wrong. Synth work in 'Action' is immaculate, 'Life Is Real' too, and the arrangement of 'Las Palabras' for acoustic & electric guitars, piano & synths is perfect. 'Put Out The Fire' has some nice lyrics and I love the solos (percussion & guitar) of 'Back Chat' as well as the alternate use of Strats and Teles for the riff. It's a very simple composition but it's well produced and you can tell they did put effort working on that. I like the beat in 'Dancer', it's quite similar to Jacko's 'Billy Jean', a song I've always loved. Having said that, I hate 'Body Language', I think putting 'Under Pressure' there was a desperate attempt to ensure the album's sales, and 'Cool Cat' could have been sung a million times better. And I would've preferred 'Las Palabras' with Brian's voice, or one verse by each one and the last in two-part a la Simon & Garfunkel or Lennon & McCartney. |
| _Bijou_ 08.08.2006 09:44 |
I just want to put that I bought 'Hot Space' yesterday and I love it. I had already heard all the songs but you get a lot more detail on the album. My favourites on there are 'Action This Day, 'Cool Cat' and 'Life is Real'. It's a brilliant album. |
| radio_what's_new 08.08.2006 10:14 |
Lester Burnham wrote: Guess what... it's time. The album you were all waiting for, I'm sure. First, da rools:Music is for the ears...what is the sense of these discussions?1. If you don't own the album, do not contribute. I want this to be a discussion, and posts by somebody saying only "I like 'Keep Yourself Alive' on Classic Queen, is that on this album?" or something to that nature contributes nothing to the discussion. 2. As most people have been quick to jump down the throats of foreign posters about their English, I can only ask that those not familiar with the language do their best. For those who speak English as their first language, there really is no excuse. Try to formulate your thoughts so that everyone can enjoy them. No speaking in tongues, please. 3. You don't need to like the album - these aren't appreciation threads, these are discussion threads. If you don't like the album, don't be afraid to say so! Everyone should be responsive to constructive criticism, so if the album isn't one of your favorites, explain why in a decent manner instead of just saying, "This album sucks because of X song" 3a. Disagreements are encouraged. Well, okay... not exactly encouraged, but don't be afraid to disagree with someone as long as you disagree in a dignified manner. BAD: Poster A: "'The Kiss' is probably my favorite song off the album." Poster B: "WHAT?! 'THE KISS' IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST SONG RELEASED BY QUEEN! YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT, YOU JACKASS! ANYONE WHO LIKES 'THE KISS' LIKES BOILS ON THEIR FACE AND BEING TORTURED BY TOADS BITING THEIR FINGERNAILS! A POX ON YOUR FAMILY AND ANYTHING YOU SHOULD SPAWN, YOU HEATHEN!" Poster A: "..." GOOD: Poster A: "'The Kiss' is probably my favorite song off the album." Poster B: "It's not that great, in my opinion, but what do you like about it?" Poster A: "I like the segue from 'Execution Of Flash' and the orchestration. Freddie's vocalisations are just great." Poster B: "Hmm. That's exactly what I don't like about it." *Posters A and B share a beer and become best friends* 4. NO NUMERICAL RATINGS, PLEASE!!! Discussion threads do not equal giving something a grade. If this was called "Let's rate the albums", that would be different, but I want people to discuss the albums. There's no point in listing your favorite songs without giving some kind of insight. 5. These will be posted whenever I damn well please. I know I initially said every two weeks, but sometimes inspiration strikes and you gotta post, man. Or sometimes I get so damn busy, I'll just forget about it and all that. 6. For other discussion threads, check out: Queen (first album): /queenzone/569759.html Queen II: /queenzone/587802.html Brian May's solo albums: /queenzone/575007.html Sheer Heart Attack: /queenzone/648592.html A Day At The Races: /queenzone/670647.html News Of The World: /queenzone/684170.html Jazz: /queenzone/687482.html The Game: /queenzone/839968.html Flash Gordon: /queenzone/842874.htmlNo sense in delaying it any further. Have at it! |
| Lester Burnham 08.08.2006 10:23 |
radio_what's_new wrote: Music is for the ears...what is the sense of these discussions?What's the point in being on a message board? What's the point in life? What's the point in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? |
| Benn 08.08.2006 11:15 |
Hot Space is a GREAT *QUEEN* album. It's their last attempt to do something out of the ordinary - a final stab at stepping out of the tired and boring formula of the traditional rock band. After Hot Space, Queen became a pawn of EMI an did NOTHING but churn out singles that did well, but rpovided albums that really didn't stretch any boundaries of performance, composition or creativity. The live shows too showcased JUST how strong the music was when stripped down - just take a look at "Staying Power" from "Live At The Bowl". Full of power and true Queen rock and roll. The US shows were great in this style too, although the shows in Japan, for me, saw Queen using a far more processed sound that earlier in the year. This was the sound that was to then pretty much destroy Brian's faith later in 1984 & 5; drum machines and synthesisers all over the top of the guitar. In many ways, I wish Queen had disbanded in 1983 for good. Brian wanted to carry on playing hard guitar, Roger had the beginnings of a very successful solo career and Freddie would STILL have been Freddie and successful in his own right. Hot Space was the end of Queen as a force in the direction of rock music IMHO. |
| Micrówave 08.08.2006 13:07 |
Ah, if they'd only continued the trend, instead of trying to go backwards with Works, Magic, Innuendo, etc... If you ask me, Freddie saw what was coming. Dance Music. Big time. He was about 10 years ahead of time, but he knew where the music business was headed. Hot Space is one of the best Queen albums. You don't have to have 28 guitar solos, but a well placed one, such as Back Chat, can go on to be one of the best ever. If you don't like Cool Cat, then you never "got" Freddie. Emotionally, I think it's one of his finest performances. Falsetto is not an easy thing, and before this song, who knew he could do that? I sure didn't!!! |
| bitesthedust 08.08.2006 13:14 |
I don't think Queen recovered from the general reaction and lack of success of Hot Space until Innuendo....having said that I don't believe it was the end of them as a rock force, perhaps a more accurate statement would be that on the next 3 albums there was only 1 or 2 rock songs on each... Anyways, to the album itself. I grew up listening to Hot Space and I've always have had an affection for it....the album is split in two halves; the first 5 songs being the Disco/Funk side, the last 5 (and Under Pressure tagged on at the end) being the more traditional Queen rock/ballad sounding side. I do think all the songs that were played live, sound better live and if the demo versions of Side A had been replicated onto the album proper maybe Hot Space would not have gained the consensus it did. I agree with the comments about the synthesizers and the drum machines but one thing to note about the album is that in the sessions, material that had sounded like they had done previously was discarded....which looking at the next album makes a big statement indeed. Anyways, it was an experiment for Queen - it didn't come off but proved popular in America and the subsequent tour was one of their best ever, in my opinion. |
| PieterMC 08.08.2006 13:15 |
Sorry but Innuendo is a fantastic album. Way better than Hot Space. |
| Micrówave 08.08.2006 13:25 |
PieterMC wrote: Sorry but Innuendo is a fantastic album. Way better than Hot Space.Please! Innuendo, while a great song, is no Bohemian Rhapsody. Hitman? Bijou? Delialah? Headlong? God's People? This is cheese, plain and simple. I felt sorry for them upon hearing the album from Headlong until Show. When I heard Show, I knew this was it for Freddie and understood why the other songs were so weak compared to other albums/songs. |
| radio_what's_new 08.08.2006 13:37 |
Lester Burnham wrote:You are not answering my question..instead of an answer you are returning with silly questions....radio_what's_new wrote: Music is for the ears...what is the sense of these discussions?What's the point in being on a message board? What's the point in life? What's the point in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? |
| Lester Burnham 08.08.2006 14:10 |
radio_what's_new wrote: You are not answering my question..instead of an answer you are returning with silly questions....They are silly answers for a silly question. The point of these threads is to get people talking about the albums, to really appreciate what Queen had done. I know that after reading some of these threads and what people have said, I've thought to myself, "Hmm, maybe so-and-so was right about this track, I'll give it another listen" and, upon doing that, I discovered something that I hadn't heard in years. Queen's music is meant for the ears, yes, but it's also meant to be talked about. Besides, what fun would it be if all we talked about were hypotheticals like "What if Freddie was a flying horse"? If anything, you should ask your questions there instead of here; at least with these threads, I'm trying to bring about some intelligent conversation to the boards. |
| radio_what's_new 08.08.2006 14:32 |
Lester Burnham wrote:Thanks for your answer.radio_what's_new wrote: You are not answering my question..instead of an answer you are returning with silly questions....They are silly answers for a silly question. The point of these threads is to get people talking about the albums, to really appreciate what Queen had done. I know that after reading some of these threads and what people have said, I've thought to myself, "Hmm, maybe so-and-so was right about this track, I'll give it another listen" and, upon doing that, I discovered something that I hadn't heard in years. Queen's music is meant for the ears, yes, but it's also meant to be talked about. Besides, what fun would it be if all we talked about were hypotheticals like "What if Freddie was a flying horse"? If anything, you should ask your questions there instead of here; at least with these threads, I'm trying to bring about some intelligent conversation to the boards. |
| bitesthedust 08.08.2006 15:18 |
Lester Burnham wrote:Same here. Just re-discovered Dreamers Ball after always considering it to be an average track.radio_what's_new wrote: You are not answering my question..instead of an answer you are returning with silly questions....They are silly answers for a silly question. The point of these threads is to get people talking about the albums, to really appreciate what Queen had done. I know that after reading some of these threads and what people have said, I've thought to myself, "Hmm, maybe so-and-so was right about this track, I'll give it another listen" and, upon doing that, I discovered something that I hadn't heard in years. |
| Micrówave 08.08.2006 18:08 |
Lester Burnham wrote: What's the point in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?Why, the jelly, of course. That's NOT a silly question. Hot Space is the jelly of Queen's 80's albums. Very sweet, with a lot of variety. I tend to think of the 70's albums more like just peanut butter on toast. Now, I love peanut butter on toast, but when you throw in jelly? Wow! |
| deleted user 09.08.2006 01:30 |
Mircrowave! wrote:I couldn't have said it any better, Microwave. Excellent use of a "sandwich" as a demonstration. I, personally, think Hot Space is a well-put together album. Mixing in the different genres of "pop" rock, disco and funk. I like it, personally, for it's energy-boosting songs. Like Back Chat and Action This Day, for example.Lester Burnham wrote: What's the point in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?Why, the jelly, of course. That's NOT a silly question. Hot Space is the jelly of Queen's 80's albums. Very sweet, with a lot of variety. I tend to think of the 70's albums more like just peanut butter on toast. Now, I love peanut butter on toast, but when you throw in jelly? Wow! |
| mike hunt 10.08.2006 00:49 |
Microwave, innuendo is easily better than hot space. all gods people, bijou are brilliant songs. I could only imagine how great hot space would have been with better production. I think back chat and cool cat were brilliant, some of the lyrics were silly, but they were meant to be that way. The studio version of action this day was pretty good, but the live version kicked ass. I love the freddie and roger duet at milton keynes. |
| Micrówave 10.08.2006 17:14 |
All Gods People - These are horrid harmonies. Now I don't listen to Mahalia Jackson everyday, but this is hardly "Gospel", yet that's what they're trying to do. It doesn't work for me with overdubs. Gospel is meant to be layered with real voices. Not the same 3 over and over and over. Plus the strings sound very synthetic. Why not use the real thing if you're going for gospel? Bijou- A great lead guitar line. A great vocal. But a complete song? Hardly. Delilah- A great idea, but these lyrics just are too fuity for me. Now Freddie's mad because his cat "peed". Quite a long way from the brilliant cheeky lyrics he wrote prior to. The only thing that saves this song is the guitar. Headlong- Where are the balls on this song? They're there for a minute and then HOOP DIDDY DIDDY, they're gone. Sounds like Brian was giving Freddie a song he should have kept for himself. Would HOOP DIDDY DO sound good on One Vision or anything for that matter? I worked at a US record store when Innuendo came out. I had gone to an import store prior to release and played the Innuendo single in our store. Everyone wanted it. I played the album, and all the employees made fun of it. GNR, Metallica were the rage. This just didn't fit the trend in Rock at the time here. Just one man's opinion. (Incidentally, this record store was the same one where I got my Hot Spaces out of the cut-out bin!!--- maybe I am the only one!!!) |
| NJQueenFan 10.08.2006 19:10 |
Aren't we giving this album a little too much credit? The reason it was shunned is not because it didn't try something new, it was shunned cause rock and roll is better than disco/funk, plain and simple, and one of the greatest rock groups of all time could have been making more classics, but instead they were churning out garbage like Body Language. There's a reason there was only one funk Queen album. |
| Asterik 11.08.2006 14:40 |
Here are my thoughts. I think Queen's strength was taking a genre and making it their own, whether it be rockabilly, vaudeville or with AOBTD, disco. Hot Space's problem was that the funk wasn't Queen's version of it but a pale imitation. The production is trapped in early eighties synth and drum machine and there is not enough guitar for me. That said, there are good moments, las Parablas de AMor and Life is Real are excellent ballads but there is a lack of consistency. |
| louvox 11.08.2006 16:43 |
There really isn’t much to discuss about “Hot space”. Take away “Under pressure” which was a single and your left with a crappy disco/funk album. All the songs are week by anybody’s standards. It lakes vision, imagination and sonic quality. Something Queen always delivered on their previous releases. Most of the songs sound flat and uninspired. I would even go as far and put this offering in the top ten all time worst albums. It’s sad that Queen never fully recovered after this disaster until “Innuendo”. |
| groover 12.08.2006 01:28 |
It seems to me that those who believe this is Queen's best album, or that person's favorite also believe these bands best albums are the following: Yes - Drama Led Zeppelin - Coda Ac/Dc - Fly on the Wall Sparks - Interior Designs Pink Foyd - Final Cut Doors - Other Voices not that theres anything wrong with that |
| YourValentine 12.08.2006 04:02 |
Asterik wrote: Here are my thoughts. I think Queen's strength was taking a genre and making it their own, whether it be rockabilly, vaudeville or with AOBTD, disco. Hot Space's problem was that the funk wasn't Queen's version of it but a pale imitation.That's a very interesting thought, I think you hit the nail on the head here. And what you say about lack of consistency is also very true. Maybe it was because the band as a whole was not behind it - mainly Roger and Brian did not like the album for obvious reasons. It's not a real group effort. |
| mike hunt 13.08.2006 05:03 |
i never got this hot space bashing shit. I think it's an enjoyable listen, but it is a bit inconsistent. with a few changes it could have been very strong, just listen to milton kynes. |
| 7Innuendo7 13.08.2006 09:35 |
imho Hot Space really does suffer in comparison to Innuendo, esp when you consider the balance of guitar work, eg Headlong's large hairy testicles are in the guitar solos, material which charted higher (at least here in the US, perhaps other countries too) than anything from HS, including the truly brilliant "Under Pressure." the context of HS is outright decadence and excess, whether it's politics, war, sex, whatever, but Innuendo throbs with the heartbeat of questions about mortality and the meaning of success. the "Innuendo" video was on Headbanger's Ball, the video squarely aimed at the Desert Storm situation. the video's harlequin characters resonate with video for "It's a Hard Life" ... the David Bowie vocals on "Cool Cat" are fine...why publish less of a song? Why release "Body Language" as a single? Is that actually a song? LOL I played the album for a friend in band in high school and he said, "I could play that song on one keyboard...but only he could sing it!" So true. imho "Body Language" should have been on Freddie's solo album. "Put Out the Fire" and "Headlong" draw interesting comparisons, but "Calling All Girls" and "Under Pressure" to my ears anyway were the best singles. As other folks observed earlier in the thread, the MK Bowl versions of "Staying Power" & "Action This Day" show the HS album captures less of the live power of Queen's performance. Freddie's statement that the filming of the "Headlong" video had the band 'in full swing again' says something about what he considered the real core of the band's music. oh boy the faces in the "Body Language" video...are Roger John & Brian ok? overall the Hot Space album is an interesting experiment, like the funk track "My Baby Does Me," from an album with the most obvious keyboard presence since Hot Space. But Innuendo takes the science and applies it! |
| Asterik 13.08.2006 11:11 |
7Innuendo7 wrote: imho Hot Space really does suffer in comparison to Innuendo, esp when you consider the balance of guitar work, eg Headlong's large hairy testicles are in the guitar solos, material which charted higher (at least here in the US, perhaps other countries too) than anything from HS, including the truly brilliant "Under Pressure." the context of HS is outright decadence and excess, whether it's politics, war, sex, whatever, but Innuendo throbs with the heartbeat of questions about mortality and the meaning of success. the "Innuendo" video was on Headbanger's Ball, the video squarely aimed at the Desert Storm situation. the video's harlequin characters resonate with video for "It's a Hard Life" ... the David Bowie vocals on "Cool Cat" are fine...why publish less of a song? Why release "Body Language" as a single? Is that actually a song? LOL I played the album for a friend in band in high school and he said, "I could play that song on one keyboard...but only he could sing it!" So true. imho "Body Language" should have been on Freddie's solo album. "Put Out the Fire" and "Headlong" draw interesting comparisons, but "Calling All Girls" and "Under Pressure" to my ears anyway were the best singles. As other folks observed earlier in the thread, the MK Bowl versions of "Staying Power" & "Action This Day" show the HS album captures less of the live power of Queen's performance. Freddie's statement that the filming of the "Headlong" video had the band 'in full swing again' says something about what he considered the real core of the band's music. oh boy the faces in the "Body Language" video...are Roger John & Brian ok? overall the Hot Space album is an interesting experiment, like the funk track "My Baby Does Me," from an album with the most obvious keyboard presence since Hot Space. But Innuendo takes the science and applies it!You speak a lot of sense, my friend. With Innuendo, Queen suddenly remembered how to be a serious act again, albeit one with tongue-in cheek humour as well. The genrousity of spirit on Innuendo is particuarly striking, it's the sound of them as a band. I think Freddie returned to how he was in Queen's early years-slightly shy (ill health caused that), rather campy, with crystal vocals and clever songwriting. That had faded in the eighties-with Innuendo you see more of the real Freddie. Hot Space is very vaccuous at times, sex seemed to be a big part in that, (Staying Power, Body Language, Dancer, even Action This Day has a worryingly suggestive title), it's not really very endearing. And best of all, Innuendo is one of Queen's heaviest rock albums too. |
| bitesthedust 13.08.2006 11:17 |
David Bowie's vocals were removed from Cool Cat at his request, I believe. |
| DreaminQueen 14.08.2006 02:22 |
[As a side note may i take a deep breath and take in this refreshing resurfacing of Album Discussion threads (THANKS LESTER!)... ok moment over] I just got HS last week. Now being an abbid music lover to the core, and also seeing what a negative stigma this album had (and being a HUGE QUEEN fan), naturally made me curious. So as soon as i got it, i listened to it. Now mind you i had only seen the live performances of "Staying Power" and "Action This Day" live on the MK Bowl, and fell in love with them. And i enjoyed the songs from this album on GVH2 as well. So i think to myself, how bad can this be? Now, admittedly, i can see how this is a "WTF?!?!" moment in Queen's musical history when i first heard "SP" on the album. (i giggled to myself at the over the top, yet good horn arrangements on the song) And to me it got progressively better. And now i've grown to appreciate "SP" as a studio version. Yes, although funk was far from Queens usual element, its still fun to dance to, and i enjoy the lyrics as well. I do agree however that Roger and Brian seemed to (on the whole) take a backseat with their crafts as synths and drum machines took over. This album to me, seemed clearly indulgent on behalf of John and Freddie as John enjoyed that funkesque catergory element, and of course Freddie with the dance elements. Yet the elements of QUEEN still lay (albeit rather deeply) beneath the surface of it all. Such as the guitar solo's in "Back Chat" etc. "Put out the Fire" is another GREAT sort of social/psuedopolitical commentary (like what resonates in WHITE MAN) on gun control and the justice system regarding such things. A Queen Rocker, and an extremely underrated track in my opinion. "Life is Real (song for Lennon" is also a beautiful song filled with images and wordplay (such as "Breastfeeding myself..." and "love is a roulette wheel") that are absolutely great imagery, and makes the song IMO extremely poetic, outside of Queens usual poetry. (if that makes sense) I know many people dont like Body Language, its not one of my faves either. Brian and Roger even said this song was nothing but indulgent for Freddie. But i must say, the video gives me a giggle everytime. Especially the close up of John's face towards the end haha, i kept rewinding that part over and over and laughing. But you have to admit, at certain times, this songs a bit of a guilty pleasure. Dont worry, you dont have to say it aloud. ;-) I'm warming up to "cool Cat", i like Freddies falsetto, someone reminiscent of the early songs from QI and QII when he sang in such a voice (although slightly different as his voice took on the huskier quality at this point). Some what camp lyrics in my opinion "...cool cat.... with you're new hat...." All in all, an enjoyable track. "Las Palabras" is sheer brillance. Its beautiful and gives me chills everytime, its a very toned down ballad with power seering throughout it very subtly. I always love when they do songs in other languages, shows their appreciation for traveling and other cultures. Its always daring when a band attempts doing a chorus in another language, especially one as beautiful as Spainish. And they pull it off fantastically. Action this Day-- theres no words for me with this song. Its sort of a theme song for myself in the way i feel about where i live and how i feel about society and the state in which my generation is in. Its mind-blowing live! Under pressure-- you can definatly tell its sort of put on there as an extra as it doesnt quite fit the mode of the rest of the album. However its a fantastic song nonetheless. Definatly another anthemic song for my lost generation and any other epochs like it. And "Why can't we give love?" All in all, i really really enjoyed this album. Not going to say its one of Queen's best. But i admi |
| mike hunt 14.08.2006 03:05 |
Dreamin, It's refreshing to hear your view on this album. It's better than the same old "it's crap" statments. Keepin an open mind is always important if your a queen fan. I find hot space enjoyable, not nearly their best but still good. |
| Crezchi 14.08.2006 04:32 |
Wow this is cool, this site has alot of interesting discussions! :) Sorry, I like most of Hot Space, but i always wandered, What the heck were they thinking when they recorded Body Language? lol It's ok, but i just don't get it. I do love the track "Live is Real" maybe it's just the meaning of the song, and has kind of dramatic lyrics. I don't know exactly. lol |
| dont try suicide 14.08.2006 08:25 |
like many of you have stated, i too had trouble getting comfortable with Hot Space. it took me along time to actual sit down and listen to all the way through. it really is a great album though. it's probably the one album that sticks out like a sore thumb along with the flash gordon soundtrack). i give the band great respect for going out on a limb and trying out some very different sounds. it's because of their drive and to always make a gradule progression and to never repeat themsevles that makes them great. i wish bands today would take some of the risks that queen took. i still think that Life Is Real is one of the most overlooked queen/freddie songs ever recorded. this song doesn't follow any of the tradmarks on the album and it really stands alone as a stipped down, raw performance by the band. apart from the multilayered vocals in the middle, it's a very basic song. i can honestly say though, that i can not stand when freddie sings the high notes on cool cat. it makes me turn the volume down. |
| Suigi 14.08.2006 19:12 |
Personally, I've always wondered what the stigma against Hot Space was all about. Yes, the production is garbage, but to be honest, it can be overlooked. Not going to touch on every track, btw. Body Language - The video is the only good thing about this. And Deaky's smirk at the end. Dancer - This song is begging to be put into Dance Dance Revolution. Great vocals from Frederator, slinky bassline, pounding drum (machine), and it sounds like someone injects the life of the party into the tune with Bri's solos. I love it to pieces. If I ever make a Google Idol video, this is gonna be it. Action This Day - Or this one. A great rock/dance tune, although I do prefer the demo version of it (I do of most HS tunes, actually). The synthwork on this is great. Put Out The Fire - Although it's an OK rock tune, I'm not a big fan of it, namely becuase it sounds like Freddie's trying to imitate the Gibb Brothers. :P Las Palabras de Amor - I love this tune, synths and all. Heard it first on GH3, but really enjoyed it when I found the Hot Space demo of it. Mix down the synths, I like it! Under Pressure - I dunno. Growing up in the post-Vanilla Ice era has always tainted this tune for me, plus I have a low tolerance for Bowie. However... Feel Like (the demo) - This was good. A little bit like a studio/garage jam, and as close to a diamond in the vault that Queen's left behind that I've heard (Self-Made Man comes close, though). |
| DreaminQueen 14.08.2006 23:40 |
mike hunt wrote: Dreamin, It's refreshing to hear your view on this album. It's better than the same old "it's crap" statments. Keepin an open mind is always important if your a queen fan. I find hot space enjoyable, not nearly their best but still good.Thanks Mike. :-D I agree, it HELPS to be open-minded as a QUEEN fan, and a music fan in general. You never know what you may like. But although overall HS tanked, I'm glad Queen did it because it showed that they were never afraid to try something. And it showed that they had the confidence to try such a thing. They refused to fall into the stigma of making every album sound the same, like some of their counterparts of that time did. |