That used to be my attitude. Until recently (and I mean within the last few months), I never gave two shits about the band. I simply wasn't impressed. Yeah, I've always liked You're My Best Friend, We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, and one or two more of their hits, and I really dug the entire The Game album, but other than that, I had no use for them.
I'll take a moment now to let everybody boo me off the stage.
Then my wife made me see the error of my ways. She loves Queen. For her, I gave them a shot. I listened to The Game first because, hey, I already knew I loved that album. I listened to News of the World next because I knew I could somewhat stomach that album. Next I listened to A Day at the Races and then A Night at the Opera and then Sheer Heart Attack, and hey, these fuckers aren't bad. Freddie Mercury is an undeniably intense singer and Brian May's thick guitar tone is outrageous. He can play his ass off too. Hell, all of the guys in the band can play. Where have I been?
Looking back, it was always that part in Bohemian Rhapsody that did me in. You know the part I'm talking about. The part that begins with "I see a little silhouetto of a man" and ends with "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me." And everything in between there.
I don't like every Queen song I hear, but I hear a hell of a lot that I do like. I can appreciate the band. I give a damn about Queen.
But I still can't listen to "(Galileo) Galileo, (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro Magnifico."
Just can't.
I can't believe that you like Kiss but not Queen. I have a basic test for groups that I think I like: I get one of their CD's (notice I didn't do the 'old guy' thing and call it an album) and then I play the first 15-20 seconds of each song on the CD. If I can tell the difference in the songs by the intro then I'll listen to some lyrics. If I'm diggin' the lyrics then I'll pay more attention to the chorus. Do the words in the chorus emulate the same feelings of the stanza before it? If a group has good lyrics; they show variety and skill in putting together chords and notes and proper mixing of instruments; but the chorus is just a repeat of what applied to the first stanza, then they don't get it.
ReplyDeleteI can listen to artistry like Joe Bonamassa; Rush; Heart; ELO; and others who pour their hearts and souls into their music, and not feel like "Oh shit, they're playing that song again."
I wish we had the artists back that were killed in airplanes: Jim Croce; Buddy Holly: Skynyrd; and others. How far would they have gone?? What kind of music would their children have made?? Where the hell did Julian Lennon go??
I love to see new talent but I wish that Phillip Phillips would learn another song. Nobody is inspired by events of their lives anymore because we have an easy fix for everything these days. Nobody who really suffers makes any contribution because if you ain't got the money you're going to play for your friends only. Life is a shit sandwich: the more bread you got, the less shit you gotta eat!
Peace out!
Johnny Lee G
Always love a comment from you, John. I know there will be substance. You bring up so many good points. First, though, I do the 'old guy' thing and call them albums (or records). Can't help myself. And yeah, I can't believe I didn't get on the Queen train a little earlier. I missed a lot of great stuff. I'm catching up now, though.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said about not having money and playing for your friends rings true. The music industry has changed. Bands come and go. There is nothing sacred in the song anymore for a lot of people. Even established artists are finding it hard to get their music out, and it certainly isn't the time to consider music as a living. You have to write and play because you love it. That's the way it has to be.
Rush, Heart, ELO, all great bands. I can appreciate them and the artistic value and lyrical depth they bring to the table. I can also appreciate bands that are less likely to bring a lot of substance but make up for it in energy and the no-think approach to songs. There's value there as well. I do agree, however, that you can only take that so far before you are to be treated with any serious respect.
The airplane casualties speak for themselves. Nothing moves me like Jim Croce (you got me started there). We lost a lot of great music in the sky. Don McLean's "American Pie" pretty much sums that up.
Thanks for commenting, Johnny Lee G. You bring a lot to the table too.
And yeah, where the hell did Julian Lennon go?