Brian May & Roger Taylor Should Let Freddie Mercury Rest in Peace.

I finally made it out to see the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. In fact, I saw it the night before the Oscar awards were chosen. I had been resistant to seeing the movie because as most Queen fans and certainly all of my music snob friends know, the film is basically BS. I’m not going to go through the whole thing, but if you need one example, Freddie Mercury had not been diagnosed with AIDS before the band’s legendary Live Aid performance. If you are rock n roll fan like myself, that is a troublesome bit to work around.

Still, I went into the theater beer in hand, ready to enjoy the dish Hollywood was serving. I told myself “Lighten up, this is just like a big, glorified VH1 movie. You love those.” And you know what? I loved it. I mean, I literally turned to my wife during the opening scene when Freddie was getting ready to go onstage at Wembley and said, “This is awesome, I already love this.” Obviously, Rami what’s-his-name killed it in the lead role, which really helped too.

When I shared my thumbs-up review later that night on social media, my opinion was met with a resounding thumbs-down. I couldn’t really argue with the critics, I just enjoyed the movie. It’s funny, I never considered myself a huge Queen fan (relative to the other Queen fans I know), but I suppose - compared to the rest of the general public - I’m relatively hardcore. As a kid taking the bus down High Street every weekend to blow my paper route money on used records, I bought almost every Queen album. Hell, I even bought the soundtrack to Flash Gordon the day it came out and saw the movie opening weekend too. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, consider yourself less of a Queen fan than myself. Still, I never saw them live so I’ve spent countless hours watching YouTube footage and the famous Live Aid show itself probably.….35 times? And I even went to that Queen play. It was pretty good. (editor’s note: Huh? WHAT Queen play? I’m simultaneously fascinated AND appalled. And check out the rest of our music page here)

Another random Queen fact: My favorite song is Dragon Attack.

So you get the gist: I like Queen and damn the torpedoes, I like the movie Bohemian Rhapsody too.

However…. the next night when the Oscar’s opened the show with Queen performing and Adam Lambert playing the role of Freddie, something about it made me queasy. It was one thing for the band to go out and play with (gulp) Paul Rodgers and now this latest line-up when they were kinda, sorta under the radar, but in light the of the movie’s success it felt really tacky. I felt gross watching. I felt bad for Freddie. This was his band. And now they are going on another huge tour, without him. From the tour press release:

“This is a great opportunity,” May said. “Our last tour featured our most ambitious production ever, and got us our best notices ever.”

Really, Brian? “Our best notices ever.” So you guys are better without Freddie Mercury? I mean Lambert does a fine job, but what’s next? In the future will Adam Levine be fronting the Stones on their final tour in honor of Mick? The line Queen is drawing between tribute and exploitation is getting increasingly blurry.

The surviving members taking yet another victory lap after this huge theatrical success feels disrespectful to Freddie. And to the legacy of the band. Of course it smacks of a money grab, but even worse, a glory grab. Right now Queen is the most popular they have ever been. It’s time for them to stand down and let people remember them as the band fronted by Freddie Mercury. Not by Adam Lambert or Paul Rodgers or Rami Malik or anybody else. They twisted Freddie’s life to make this movie. He brought them fame & fortune and everything that goes with it.. And this is how you thank him? Brian May and Roger Taylor should stand on their history and let Freddie Mercury rest in peace: remembered as the amazing lead singer of the rock band Queen. - Colin G.

Colin Gawel wrote this at Colin’s Coffee. He also plays in the band Watershed and The League Bowlers. Below is one of his favorite Queen clips and one example of how future generations should remember the band.

Somebody To Love - Queen - HD Live - Montreal (Quebec, Canada). " God Save The Queen, Her Fascist Regime ! " : http://www.agoravox.tv/tribune-libre/article/god-save-the-queen-her-fascist-30057 Montreal Forum (november 24, 25 1981) Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor Lyrics / Paroles : Can anybody find me somebody to love?

The story of Montreal. Here is why you can watch it now in such spectacular quality. http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssboct07b.html Saul Swimmer had the idea that he could film a Queen concert, in a very high quality 35 mm double anamorphic way.

Bonus video!!! They don’t really show this side of the band in the movie, but I would guess that metal fans were the majority of Queen fans right up until around Live Aid. Then the pop fans sorta took over. Still, all true headbangers respect the band. Dig the clip below for a taste why.

Subscribe for exclusive content, official videos, live performances and much more http://bit.ly/Subscribe2Queen Sheer Heart Attack from the 1989 Queen Live video compilation, 'Rare Live'. Welcome to the official Queen channel. Subscribe today for exclusive Queen videos, including live shows, interviews, music videos & much more.

October 28, 1997 - KISS: Carnival of Souls - The Final Sessions is released.

Carnival of Souls is the 17th studio album from KISS and it was originally slated to be released in 1996. The release was derailed by an announcement in early 1996 that the original KISS line up would be reuniting for a massive world tour. The album remained in limbo for almost 2 years before finally being released on October 28th, 1997. The album came out with little fanfare and went mostly unnoticed by the general public. Most fans call Carnival of Souls the KISS grunge record. While it is heavy and dark....it doesn't sound grunge to me. It has the heavy elements of their previous record Revenge but has an overall more serious tone lyric wise. The song "Jungle" was released to radio as the only single from the record but there was no promotion at all. Carnival of Souls would be the swan song for the Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Bruce Kulick, Eric Singer line-up of KISS. Once they put the make up back on....there was no turning back. Originally Carnival of Souls was released on CD and cassette......2014 saw the first vinyl pressing of the record.

Side One
1.   "Hate"
2.   "Rain"
3.   "Master & Slave"
4.   "Childhood's End"
5.   "I Will Be There"
6.   "Jungle"

Side Two
1.   "In My Head"
2.   "It Never Goes Away"
3.   "Seduction of the Innocent"
4.   "I Confess"
5.   "In the Mirror"
6.   "I Walk Alone"

October 28, 1977 - Queen: News of the World is released.

News of the World is the 6th studio album released by Queen. News of the World is probably best known for it's opening anthems "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" ....which have been used at countless sporting events over the past 3 plus decades....but the album is loaded with other great tracks. The sound on this record was more straightforward than previous Queen records.....they streamlined their sound and went for a more direct approach......which for the most part worked. New of the World was a huge success for the band....selling more than 4 million copies in the US alone.

Side One
1.   "We Will Rock You"
2.   "We Are the Champions"
3.   "Sheer Heart Attack"
4.   "All Dead, All Dead"
5.   "Spread Your Wings"
6.   "Fight from the Inside"

Side Two
1.   "Get Down, Make Love"
2.   "Sleeping on the Sidewalk"
3.   "Who Needs You"
4.   "It's Late"
5.   "My Melancholy Blues"

October 28, 1966 - The Kinks: Face To Face is released.

Face To Face is the fourth studio album released by The Kinks. Face To Face is the first Kinks album to contain all songs written by Ray Davies, although Dave Davies disputes this fact by saying he wrote "Party Line." Two songs from the album were covered and released as singles prior to the album coming out....The Pretty Things did a version of "A House In The Country" and Herman's Hermits had a hit with the song "Dandy." Face To Face is a fan favorite and it began a string of great albums lasting through 1971's Muswell Hillbillies. There really isn't a bad Kinks record but the period from 1966 to 1971 is pretty magical.

Side One
1.   "Party Line"
2.   "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home"
3.   "Dandy"
4.   "Too Much on My Mind"
5.   "Session Man"
6.   "Rainy Day in June"
7.   "A House in the Country"

Side Two
1.   "Holiday in Waikiki"
2.   "Most Exclusive Residence for Sale"
3.   "Fancy"
4.   "Little Miss Queen of Darkness"
5.   "You're Lookin' Fine"
6.   "Sunny Afternoon"
7.   "I'll Remember"

October 28, 1996 – The Beatles: Anthology 3 is released.

Anthology 3 is a compilation album released by the three surviving members of The Beatles in 1996. It is comprised of rarities and outtakes that focus on the last 2 years of the band......from The White Album....through Let It Be and Abbey Road. The Anthology series was a huge success and Anthology 3 was the bands third No. 1 double album in a row.....the previous 2 Anthologies had also hit the number one spot. Unlike the previous 2 Anthologies....Anthology 3 did not contain any newly recorded material from the three surviving Beatles.....a new track was planned for this album but was not completed. Instead they opened the album with the track "A Beginning" .....which had originally been planned as an intro track to "Don't Pass Me By" on The White Album. "A Beginning" was composed by Beatle producer George Martin.

October 28, 1978: The NBC Movie Of The Week "KISS Meets Phantom of the Park" premieres.

"KISS Meets The Phantom of the Park" was the 2nd highest-rated TV movie of the year.

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