Hi folks.
There's a question about the Live Killers-version of Dreamer's Ball that has been bothering me for a while, but I couldn't find any relevant information on the web. So I thought I might ask the experts around here:
What exactly happens during the vocal-brass solo?
1. Who does it? It sounds like two different "instruments" to me. My guess would be that Brian makes the mellow trombone-like sounds and Roger's voices produces the harsher, sax-like tones. Freddie is obviously not involved, as he does vocal ad libs in between. Or did they overdub this?
2. How did they do it? On the one hand, I find it hard to imagine anyone doing vocal-brass of that quality without the help of any tools (at least using your hands as a "filter", if you know what I mean), on the other Roger and Brian apparently continue to play drums and guitar during the solo, so they must have done it free-handedly. Again the question springs into mind: Are there any overdubs?
3. Sometimes one reads that Roger played kazoo on DB. I think the source for this information is one of the Mastermind Questions asked at a QFC Convention in the 80s. Apparently they were referring to Live Killers-version. Is this information authentic? Personally, I'm not really sure whether Roger played kazoo on that recording.
4. Is there a video recording of the band performing this song or are there at least any pictures showing the band during such a performance? Any URLs or further information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Here's a good discussion we had about it once before: link
My thoughts at that time:
"I've just given it a few listens, and if it was performed live exactly as it sounds, Fred didn't feature in this section, aside from the a couple of "Hey"s and one "bububbubdududb" sound.
There are only two 'vocal instruments' here, and due to the way the parts overlap and intertwine it's plainly evident that Brian is doing the trombone part (the main feature) and Rog is doing the muted trumpet part (a few bits here and there).
It IS just about possible that this was performed live, but I'm sceptical. Brian's part appears to be almost too good, and there's a couple of moments when he interjects the odd "hey" or "yeah" and they very nearly overlap his trombone part, as well as being at a completely different volume to the trombone part.
Oh yeah, and there's not a kazzoo in sight/earshot. Rog's part sounds absolutely nothing like one.
Conclusion: it's just about possible that what we hear was done live that way, but I suspect Brian re-did his trombone part and tidied it up a bit".
"Ok, I now officially retract my conclusion that Bri overdubbed his trombone part.
I've just listened to a couple of other bootleg versions of it and Bri performs the part to pretty much the same standard as on LK, and much the same things are going on.
Conclusion (revised edition): I need to give Bri more credit. It was played and sang live exactly as we hear it on LK".
"I just wanted to clarify that it was performed by Bri and Rog, that there were no kazzoos, and whether the Live Killers version was really performed live or not, as despite there being numerous bootlegs that prove that B & R did do this live, it was still possible that they'd 'cheated' for the LK release".
Thank you very much guys, you helped a lot. Thanks for the link to that earlier thread, Bohardy. It pretty much answered all my questions. Learning that it was done without tools and/or overdubs certainly adds up to my admiration for the band
This is defenatly live. Just listen to every other Dreamers Ball live recording. It's always done like this. And the vocal brass sounds are just soo perfect in tune every single night!
Also the vocal harmonies in Dreamers Ball and '39 are so perfect. In my opinion Queen (with Freddie) had the best vocal harmonies on their '79 tour!
I had some wonderful B&W photos from the '78 Kalamazoo show taken about fifteen feet from the drop-down stage during the sing-a-long (perfect 'left side' profiles from my view)....
......all but one badly damaged pic survived a fire eight years ago.
Trust me, there were no additional instruments used.
Still my #1 concert. No one has ever come close to that night.
How could they use additional instruments after all? They were playing guitar and drums. And I don't think they would've allowed roadies to put kazoo's in their mouths