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JANUARY 2014 |
**Tue 07 Jan 14** Filipina caregiver Rose Fostanes now in X Factor Israel Top. She sang Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody on the 5 January live show, impressing the judges. News report below. ABS-CBN NEWS "I hope I will get through to the finals. I'm praying for that," Fostanes said in a video shown before her performance. Fostanes also had kind words about her mentor, Shiri Maimon, whom she said really takes good care of her. Maimon is one of the four judges in the reality show. "She's like a mom to me. It reminded me when I was young, my mother was with me. It's like a flashback to me, you know? A flashback that my mother is beside me," she said. Maimon told the Filipina: "I know how good you are as a singer, and I know how good you are as a person. I want everyone to know that." Fostanes, or Osang as she is fondly called by friends, said her sacrifices are for her loved ones back in the Philippines. "I'm a person who likes to take care of everybody. I don't care about myself. What's important for me is my family. All my life I want to support them even the last penny that I have. I have to give it to my family," she said. Even the show's host, supermodel Bar Refaeli, could not hide her admiration for the Filipina contestant. "Rose, you're wonderful and more so as a human being. I love watching you," she said. © brianmay.com |
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**Tue 07 Jan 14** In 1967 - The Reaction [Roger Taylor] played the Flamingo Club, Redruth, UK, as support to another group, Wishful Thinking © brianmay.com |
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**Mon 06 Jan 14** A 1101 day picture everyday project I've worked on from 01/01/2011 - 05/01/2014. I apologise to any mobile viewers as you may have difficulty playing the video. Music by Queen (Don't stop me now). Thank you for watching. © brianmay.com |
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**Mon 06 Jan 14** Barreja de Village People y Queen, bonissim - http://youtu.be/ZjgcdVx-6qA This mash-up of "I Want To Break Free" with Village People was on Radio in Barcelona on Saturday - sent in by a reader. Thanks Oscar © brianmay.com |
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**Mon 06 Jan 14**
PART 1 RECORD COLLECTOR "IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IT. Opposite: Far from being a geezer who just bangs the drums a lot, Roger Taylor is one of the smartest men in rock. He recalls Queen's heyday, Bowie, the Pistols, Mott and so much more for Paul Lester. But don't get him started on politicians ... -------
------ "It 's something I can deal with," he says, in the studio at the back of his mansion. "It's all to do with a positive mental attitude. People tend to get annoyed by it, and that just makes it worse. It's psychosomatic." He has another rock star requisite: several tattoos, on his arms and elsewhere. "I love tattoos," he beams, acknowledging that he's discovered the joys of body art "very late in life ... It's probably the best way," he adds. "It doesn't matter anymore - there's nobody to tell me off. It's my way of saying "f*** you" ?
"All authority," laughs Taylor, more outspoken and extensive in the range of targets of his articulate venom than he's given credit for. "Anybody telling me what to do. I was always like that. I didn't like to get ordered around. And I hate to be told what to do." ------ RC: It's amazing how quickly bands historically have moved out to the suburbs, from The Beatles onwards. You've done the same, Presumably, it's for privacy rather than an opportunity to flaunt your wealth? Being in a hugely successful band, you must feel simultaneously invincible and vulnerable, all-powerful yet always on show? Even on-stage at your most majestic at Live Aid, say? What was your moment of supreme invincibility, if you ever had one? Nick Cave told me he's at his most self-loathing just before he goes on stage. All the doubts and anxieties about himself that he's ever felt rear their ugly head just then. What was the first record you bought? Are you in touch with members of your early bands like The Reaction or The Bubbling Over Boys? Was the music you played in these bands Merseybeat and mod rock? Did you see Hendrix live? Have you still got your first ukulele? Poor old Top Of The Pops. Can you recall your first Top Of The Pops? The chat in the school playground the next day would've been of the befuddled kind. Did you plan what to wear? PART 2 Fashion [Taylor and Mercury had a stall at Kensington Market) or dentistry [Taylor studied it before switching to biology) could have been alternative careers for you? Did Queen have a stylist? Was there talk among you about outdoing Bowie for sheer outlandishness?
Did you mix with other bands at first? Did you tour with 10cc? Did Queen hear 10cc's mini-opera Une Nuit A Paris before you cut Bohemian Rhapsody?
Were Queen art-rock? Harmonic metal? Were the harmonies influenced by The Beatles' Abbey Road? Was there a band of the time that, in terms of their scale and ambition, influenced Queen? When did Queen play their first arena? It's weird how the rock behemoths - Zep, Floyd, yourselves - regarded as unarguable members of the pantheon today, regularly got small or dismissive reviews at the time ... Can you remember your first review? Freddie got a lot of stick. There was the NME title next to a photo of him in a white leotard, that read: "Is this man a prat?" Did Queen seek retribution from journalists? Did you rush over to help the hapless hack? Queen always seemed too well behaved to do anything like that. Did any member of Queen punch another? Was there ever a near break-up that we never got to hear about? Who was the diplomat and peace-maker? And the wild card? To do what? PART 3 Do you, John and Brian (May) ever get together to reminisce about the glory days? It must be tempting to get together with the two chaps who went through it all with you? Do you have any strange obsessions? Was I'm In Love With My Car (B-side of Bohemian Rhapsody) your biggest payday? Which song brings in the most royalties? Did your audience change as Queen's career began to take off. Is it true that you were due to appear on the episode of the Today show with Bill Grundy that the Sex Pistols eventually appeared on? It's said that Freddie had a run-in later on with Vicious and Rotten. Is that true? It's funny looking back at Freddie and Johnny in their garb - as flamboyant and un-"street" as each other!! In hindsight, tartan bondage trousers and safety pins seem no less inauthentic than a white onesie .. Was your debut single from 1977, I Wanna Testify, a back-to-roots punk move? Queen are unusual in that you were so quintessentially a 70s band, then in the 80s you had another career almost as a different You became unexpected purveyors of the totalitarian anthem in the 80s. Why did you gravitate towards the stadium chant: One Vision, We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions, I Want To Break Free? Were you the playboy of the band? Is there an equivalent Led Zep red snapper legend in Queen's annals? Was there a moment of pure farce? A magazine once proclaimed you "Britain's Second Favourite Band". Zeppelin, Who, Queen, Stones: who was biggest and best? Queen are a brand these days, what with the musical, the tribute band, the movie ... Do you know who's playing you? Have they asked you about certain conversations you might have had in, say, 1978, that they want to recreate for the film? What scene are you most nervous about them re-enacting? Do you have power of veto? Is it a mixture of comedy and tragedy? Biopics are rarely great. What was the last record that made you feel like that? Fun On Earth, your new album, is eclectic. Is that how you see that one? Is your career the drummer's revenge? Is it true that Fun On Earth was originally going to be tided The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is Broken)? Have you ever been moved to make your feelings known to your local authorities? Ever considered getting involved? Yet you did the Royal Jubilee in 2002, and the Olympics. Are Queen rock royalty, as establishment as the Queen? Or do you feel Cl'eem magazine said you resembled "Rod Stewart under shock treatment". Thoughts? What means more: being voted the eighth greatest rock drummer in a recent poll, or appearing in the Sunday Times Rich List? Is there a compliment you've been paid over the years that sticks out? With your box set, The Lot, you can survey your whole career. How does it look? © brianmay.com |
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**Mon 06 Jan 14** In 1968 - The Opposition played the Dog & Gun, Thurlaston, Leicestershire, UK. © brianmay.com |
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**Sun 05 Jan 14** Nothing significant happened in Queen history. © brianmay.com |
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**Sat 04 Jan 13** In 1988 - The Cross - Shove It / Rough Justice released in the UK Brian May Interview and O2 Announcement © brianmay.com |
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**Fri 03 Jan 14** Queen meets George Gershwin.... "Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue" (Queen / Gershwin Mashup) - Mashup Mondays - http://youtu.be/V-J_FatMnXY Scott Bradlee performs a blues improvisation of "Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue" (Queen/George Gershwin Mashup) a few blocks from Bohemian Hall in Queens, NY… while a laptop runs a search for 'George Gershwin' on \Rhapsody Subscription Music Service. © brianmay.com |
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**Fri 03 Jan 14** In 2014, Australian Based music company, North Street Music, will bring the music of the globally revered band Queen to Australia on an epic scale. The Music of Queen: A Rock & Symphonic Spectacular is a UK-produced show that has re-worked the music of Queen to be performed by four singers, a five-piece rhythm section and full symphony orchestra. The show has performed across the USA and UK and is ready to hit the shores of Australia in February 2014. The show will perform with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House, and with the Perth Symphony Orchestra at various venues in Western Australia. The Music of Queen, A Rock and Symphonic Spectacular features lead singers from the hit musical, We Will Rock You, gathered together from around the world for the Australian shows: MiG Ayesa, Michael Falzon, Amanda Harrison and Carly Thomas Smith. The band touring in Australia also features guitarists, Simon Croft and James Barber, hand picked by Brian May to perform the music of Queen in We Will Rock You performances around the world, along with Johannes Luebbers (keys), Ric Eastman (Drums) and Roy Martinez (Bass). Composer and Music Director, Richard Sidwell, has expanded the original Queen arrangements into a completely new symphonic score. With over fifty performers on stage this has to be one of the biggest rock shows on earth, featuring all of Queen’s classic hits including: A Kind of Magic, Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, We Are The Champions, Somebody To Love, Who Wants To Live Forever, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now, Fat Bottomed Girls, I Want It All, and many more. Tour dates: Tickets for the Sydney Opera House, Sydney are available: HERE About the artists: See also on Facebook. © brianmay.com |
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**Fri 03 Jan 14** Here is a notice of up-coming shows by Almost Queen, for those of you in the New York area. © brianmay.com |
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**Thu 02 Jan 14** SUNDAY TIMES MAGAZINE PART 1 Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor, and his son Rufus, also a drummer, talk about being in one of the most famous rock bands in history, going off the rails and why marriage feels like a mortgage.
ROGER, 64 I first became a dad when I was 30, and by then Queen had been together for 10 years. But being a bit of a rocker, I didn’t get married until eight years later. I’d always seen marriage like a mortgage — one of those society plots designed to tie you down. So much misery has been engendered by a meaningless contract… people end up staying together because of a piece of paper. I could maybe say that about my own parents; they should have split up way before they did. Couples either get on or they don’t get on. Simple as that. Rufus was actually my third kid and he’s got two younger sisters, Tigerlily and Lola. Although Rufus’s mum [Deborah Leng] and I were together for about 15 years, we never did get married. I also had Felix and Rory Eleanor from a previous relationship [with Dominique Beyrand], but in that situation, we did eventually tie the knot. I guess I wanted to make sure Felix and Rory were looked after financially. Yes, I’ll admit my life back then was, well... let’s say it was complicated. It was a strange time for all of us. Wouldn’t it be great if relationships were simple and easy? Sadly, breaking up with people who mean a lot to you is never simple or easy. The important thing for me has always been that the kids support each other and feel like brothers and sisters. There’s not some from “this relationship” and some from “that relationship”; they are a gang of five. 'Mind you, Freddie Mercury was always fabulous with kids Freddie Mercury was still alive when Rufus came along in 1991 and those two got on famously. Mind you, Fred was always fabulous with kids — he was the one who came up with Rufus’s middle name: Tiger. I was pretty good with most of the dad stuff — apart from changing nappies. Once or twice, I changed Rufus’s nappy on a car journey in an emergency, but, in general, I think men find it rather gruesome. Even when it’s your own child, poo smells dreadful! All kids are fascinated by drums because they can bang them, but it was obvious that Rufus really got it; it was in his blood. I bought him his first kit when he was 12 and he’d hang out with me and my mates, the Foo Fighters. You can actually see him in footage from the Reading Festival After that experience, he just said: “Dad, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.” He certainly wasn’t interested in academia; we had a couple of wobbles when he was 15 or 16 and kicked out of school. Rufus and I had a talk about it, but I honestly didn’t know what to do. It was Damon Hill who suggested a ski-instructor’s course in Switzerland. He said it was great for giving kids a bit of confidence. Rufus hated the idea, but I got his brother, Felix, to ring him and say: “Look, mate, you’re gonna get laid every night!” As if by magic, Rufus changed his mind. He’s definitely a bit of a ladies’ man. He reminds me of me in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, Rufus’s mum and I split up almost 12 years ago. [Taylor married Sarina Potgieter in 2010.] People aren’t made of stone and things can be difficult at times, but we all have to find our own way through those difficulties. I’d like to think that, these days, we all get on and that all five of my kids have a strong set of moral values. I’ve seen a lot of spoilt rock brats, but, thank God, my lot aren’t like that. Rufus has got his own musical projects on the go and he also tours with Queen. He’s our percussionist... the second drummer, helping to lighten my load. Looking across at him on stage makes me beam with pride. Yeah, people automatically assume he’s only there because he’s my son. That’s rubbish! This is Queen we’re talking about. Queen would not have a waste of space on stage with us. He’s there because he’s a bloody good drummer." RUFUS, 22 I didn’t even know Dad was that famous until I was about 10. I knew he played music and I grew up with the sound of drums coming through the walls, but it wasn’t until he dragged me and my mate out on stage with him at a gig that it really hit me. Have all these people come to hear my dad play the drums? Bloody hell! Dad has always been really good at keeping things normal. Despite what might have been going on in his own life, he made sure me and my brothers and sisters got a proper childhood. My elder brother and sister, Felix and Rory, have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Though Dad went through different relationships, he just sees us all as his kids. Mum and Dad never actually got married, but their separation was still pretty rough. There was a bit of shouting for a while and a few headlines, but, y’know what: shit happens. People split up. Both of them have gone off and done their own thing, and they’ve got a much better relationship these days. Dad didn’t push me towards the drums, but I have been told that, even before I could crawl, he sat me down at a kit. Then, as soon as I could walk, I was going around hitting stuff. One Christmas, this huge box arrived in my bedroom, but I didn’t work out what it was until I looked inside. My own drums! That was me done for the next six years; all I wanted to do was play drums. 'Dad and Freddie Mercury were Queen's naughty boys, the ones who got up to As I got a bit older, Dad being who he was did become an issue for other people. At school there were some kids who would treat you differently: they think you’re something you’re not. Maybe it was a money thing, I don’t know. Dad certainly never made a big deal about money. I was aware we had a big house, but I still got pocket money just the same as everybody else. Dad’s always had this do-it-yourself attitude to life; if you want something, you have to work for it. Admittedly, I did have a few issues to iron out in my teens, but it was just silly stuff. I made my mistakes, and when I was asked to leave my school, I realised I had to change. That was the only time Dad has been properly pissed off with me. We had that father-son talk and he just said: “Look, you’re being given loads of opportunities; don’t waste them — don’t waste your life.” A bit of me wanted to say: “Hang on, Dad. You lived a pretty crazy life. Why can’t I do some mad sh**?” But I think that episode made me understand that life isn’t always about having a good time. You have to concentrate on what matters — mind you, the parties and girls are a nice bonus. I went through a period of asking Dad loads of questions about life in Queen, but you really have to drag those old stories out of him. He doesn’t give them up easily. Apparently, Dad and Freddie were Queen’s naughty boys, the ones who got up to all sorts of stuff. And whatever I imagine he got up to, I’m sure the reality was twice as crazy. Maybe it’s better not to know. But Dad was also clever enough to know where to draw the line. Although he enjoyed the playboy lifestyle, he cared about the band and he knew he had a job to do. It’s like he’s got this side of him that always stays in control. I wasn’t that when Dad told me he was going to be a dentist before he formed Queen. I can only imagine that life would have been… very different.
© brianmay.com |
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**Thu 02 Jan 14** The New Year welcomes us with all kinds of summaries and collations from all branches as well as from music industry. I would like to notify that "Bo. Rhap." reached 6th position in "The Top Of All Times"www.polskieradio.pl, a yearly edition (always 01.01. from 9.00 to 21.00) of "List of Hits of Radio Three": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lista_Przeboj C3 B3w_Programu_Trzeciego - an institution in this country. Marek Nied?wiecki - the DJ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek_Nied C5 BAwieckiis huge Queen fan. Happy New Year to You and all on the other side of the wire ;) Thanks to Michal Wicher © brianmay.com |
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**Thu 02 Jan 14** In 2004 - Brian May performed at the 'We Will Rock You' musical in Madrid, Spain to mark the 100th performance. See letter (report) from the Luis Alvarez, the Director HERE And Brian wrote on SOAPBOX at the time © brianmay.com |
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**Wed 01 Jan 14** More good news from Belgium: Bo Rhap is again number one in 1000 classic-chart on national radio station Radio 2. THE COMPLETE TOP 10 QUEEN - Bohemian Rhapsody NIEUWSBLAD.BE 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen remains the ultimate classic for Radio 2 listeners. The number stands for the fifth time in a year-end list '1000 classics. Elvis Presley ... "Suspicious Minds" rose from number 92 to the second place. "Alone without you" by Will Tura completes the top three. A classic at Radio 2 is at least five years old. This year also counted the songs from it in 2008. There were nine classics from 2008 in the list. Will Tura just as in 2012, most of the songs in the '1, 000 classics. There are 22 classics of him in the list. Then follow ABBA (18), Elvis Presley (16), The Rolling Stones (16), Michael Jackson (13), Queen (12), Clouseau (12) and The Beatles (10). The biggest improvement is 'A to Corsica' I Muvrini. The song rose 895 places from 950 to 55. The strongest descender is 'Eagle' by ABBA. The number drops 617 places from 117 to 834. Anja Daems presented the final of '1,000 classics' tonight between 17 and 18 hours in the company of three purebred classics: Will Tura, Bart Peeters and Helmut Lotti. With thanks to Stefan Vranckx © brianmay.com |
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**Wed 01 Jan 14 In 1974 - Queen voted 3rd best new band by the readers of music magazine. © brianmay.com |
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**Wed 01 Jan 14** A Very Happy New Year To All Brian May and Queen Fans Everywhere Have a good one - rocking on through 2014. From BrianMay.com © brianmay.com |
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