!! OCTOBER ISSUE NOW ON SALE !!
MOJO Magazine October 2014 [Kate Bush cover] carries a review of the forthcoming release of Queen Live At The Rainbow ’74. The issue also includes a 2-part article with comment from Brian May, Roger Taylor and former roadie, Peter Hince.
MOJO EYEWITNESS QUEEN ROCK THE RAINBOW IN 1974
EXTRACT: The previous year they’d supported Mott The Hoople at the iconic Finsbury Park venue. Now they were returning as glamour-crazed headliners on the verge of world domination. How did they get here?
– PART 1 “EVERYTHING WAS DRAMATIC” Queen’s Brian May (guitar) and Roger Taylor (drums) remember the spectacle, sickness and Sheer Heart Attack of their two 1974 Rainbow shows.
– PART 2 “HIGHLY CHOREOGRAPHED” – QUEEN ROCK THE RAINBOW ’74 Soon-to-be-crew fixture Peter Hince was unimpressed at first, but was humbled when this super-ambitious band made it all make sense.
REVIEW:
FILTER ALBUMS
Queen
**** Live At The Rainbow ’74
VIRGIN CD/DL/DVD/LP
Multiple·format box set revisits Mercury and co’s silk-and-satin glory days. Queen performed at the Rainbow in London’s Finsbury Park in March and November 1974. In between they played their debut US shows, recorded Sheer Heart Attack, their high-watermark third album and bagged a Top 10 hit with Killer Queen. Aptly, their manic energy is the most distinguishing feature here. Early album cuts Stone Cold Crazy and Ogre Battle attest to Queen’s prowess as a heavy rock band, albeit one with more panache than most, less Watney’ Red Barrel, perhaps, more Mateus Rosé. The accompanying DVD, though, reminds viewers that Freddie Mercury – a sartorial riot in his Zandra Rhodes-designed tunic – didn’t emerge fully formed as the poised frontman of 1985’s Live Aid, though a romp through Shirley Bassey’s Big Spender signposts the roaring camp humour and musical eclecticism that followed. After 12 years of We Will Rock You: The Musical, and umpteen TV ad soundtracks, this is truly a breath of fresh air.
Mark Blake
