“Good Rock Music is missing”

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BRIAN MAY interview with Thomas Zeidler for Austrian Kurier Magazine
[on 10 Feb 2005]
[Kurier Magazine 28 February 2005] Photo credit AP: Richard Lewis

KURIER: Would you have ever thought playing again the Stadthalle in Vienna under the name Queen?

TRANSLATION FROM GERMAN BACK INTO ENGLISH AND THEREFORE NOT VERBATIM QUOTES MAY (guitar):

Brian and Paul Rodgers, UK Music Hall of Fame

That was never planned. I’d already written off my Queen life apart from the WWRY musicals. Then came an invitation to the Fender 50th anniversary festival, and it was by chance that I also played there with Paul Rodgers. I sent the recording of this performance to Roger Taylor afterwards and he was also enthusiastic. A few weeks later both Queen and Paul were to play at the Hall of Fame show in London, and we thought it would be worth a try to give it a go as the three of us. Suddenly it clicked, and we knew that there was going to be more to this.

Now this tour is only exceeded by U2 in ticket sales.

I’d definitely hoped that we would still be able to pull some people in* but it’s almost unbelievable that we’ve sold out the biggest halls in Europe in such a short time. *paraphrased

Why are there no additional concerts?

Because this tour came about spontaneously, in many towns we could only take what was available between other concerts and we can only play a certain number of concerts in a row to spare Paul’s voice. But we’re planning some open air concerts in the summer.

Why is John Deacon not playing on this Tour?

Of course it would have been nice if he’d been with us for our comeback tour. But he’s chosen to retire from music. You can’t do anything about that; John enjoys his life far from the stress of touring, but is with us in our hearts, as is Freddie as well, of course.

No Freddie Mercury, No John Deacon – some critics call this Queen tour a rip-off.

That is Queen, because Roger Taylor and I are Queen! Our main concern is to play great music — great rock-music. We now feel that with Paul Rodgers we could deliver very good rock music , something which is missing within the music scene for a long time. And the critics should respect that! Given the figures of advance bookings at least the Fans do!

Will Paul Rodgers be the only singer on this tour?

No. Roger and I will also be taking on some vocals. And Freddie’s voice will also be heard sometimes.

Will we also hear your all-time-favourite “Bohemian Rhapsody”?

That’s a very difficult decision which we haven’t taken yet, as this song is so much Freddie’s baby. At the end of the day Paul must decide if he wants to sing it. But luckily we don’t have just this one hit. The most difficult issue on this tour is not ‘What do we play’ as ‘What don’t we play?’ But we’ll certainly play many more Queen than Free and Bad Company songs.

You haven’t been on the road with Queen for 19 years now. Which songs do you look forward to play at most?

All Right Now’ and ‘Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love’ and all of the other Paul Rodgers songs! Because playing the songs from his great career, is what’s really exciting about this tour. That’s much more exciting than our songs. But through Paul I’m re-discovering Queen songs all over again. Also, because of him I’ve not felt so close to Freddie for a long time as I have done in the last few days.

Is this tour the final chapter for Queen – or even a new Beginning?

This will definitely not be our farewell tour. This collaboration with Paul opens up so many new possibilities for us. There will be further concerts, also in the USA, where we last played in 1982. And also new music..perhaps we’ll play some brand new song or other on this tour.

Reprinted with kind permission German original: kurier.at/kultur/906380.php 

hanks to Alison for additional translation.

**Mon 28 Feb 05**

– oOo – “GOOD ROCK MUSIC IS MISSING” Oo –

**Mon 28 Feb 05** – oOo – “GOOD ROCK MUSIC IS MISSING” – Oo – BRIAN MAY interview with Thomas Zeidler for Austrian Kurier Magazine [on 10 Feb 2005] [Kurier Magazine 28 February 2005] Photo credit AP: Richard Lewis

KURIER: Would you have ever thought playing again the Stadthalle in Vienna under the name Queen?

TRANSLATION FROM GERMAN BACK INTO ENGLISH AND THEREFORE NOT VERBATIM QUOTES MAY (guitar): That was never planned. I’d already written off my Queen life apart from the WWRY musicals. Then came an invitation to the Fender 50th anniversary festival, and it was by chance that I also played there with Paul Rodgers. I sent the recording of this performance to Roger Taylor afterwards and he was also enthusiastic. A few weeks later both Queen and Paul were to play at the Hall of Fame show in London, and we thought it would be worth a try to give it a go as the three of us. Suddenly it clicked, and we knew that there was going to be more to this.

Now this tour is only exceeded by U2 in ticket sales. I’d definitely hoped that we would still be able to pull some people in* but it’s almost unbelievable that we’ve sold out the biggest halls in Europe in such a short time. *paraphrased Why are there no additional concerts? Because this tour came about spontaneously, in many towns we could only take what was available between other concerts and we can only play a certain number of concerts in a row to spare Paul’s voice. But we’re planning some open air concerts in the summer. Why is John Deacon not playing on this Tour? Of course it would have been nice if he’d been with us for our comeback tour. But he’s chosen to retire from music. You can’t do anything about that; John enjoys his life far from the stress of touring, but is with us in our hearts, as is Freddie as well, of course. No Freddie Mercury, No John Deacon – some critics call this Queen tour a rip-off. That is Queen, because Roger Taylor and I are Queen! Our main concern is to play great music — great rock-music. We now feel that with Paul Rodgers we could deliver very good rock music , something which is missing within the music scene for a long time. And the critics should respect that! Given the figures of advance bookings at least the Fans do!

Will Paul Rodgers be the only singer on this tour? No. Roger and I will also be taking on some vocals. And Freddie’s voice will also be heard sometimes. Will we also hear your all-time-favourite “Bohemian Rhapsody”? That’s a very difficult decision which we haven’t taken yet, as this song is so much Freddie’s baby. At the end of the day Paul must decide if he wants to sing it. But luckily we don’t have just this one hit. The most difficult issue on this tour is not ‘What do we play’ as ‘What don’t we play?’ But we’ll certainly play many more Queen than Free and Bad Company songs. You haven’t been on the road with Queen for 19 years now. Which songs do you look forward to play at most? All Right Now’ and ‘Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love’ and all of the other Paul Rodgers songs! Because playing the songs from his great career, is what’s really exciting about this tour. That’s much more exciting than our songs. But through Paul I’m re-discovering Queen songs all over again. Also, because of him I’ve not felt so close to Freddie for a long time as I have done in the last few days. Is this tour the final chapter for Queen – or even a new Beginning? This will definitely not be our farewell tour. This collaboration with Paul opens up so many new possibilities for us. There will be further concerts, also in the USA, where we last played in 1982. And also new music..perhaps we’ll play some brand new song or other on this tour. Reprinted with kind permission German original: kurier.at/kultur/906380.php Thanks to Alison for additonal translation.