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| DECEMBER 2007 |
Contains some Industry, General and UNOFFICIAL News from 'OUT THERE' © brianmay.com |
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**Mon 31 Dec 07** KOREA TIMES - South Korea "We Will Rock You'' at Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province on Feb 2 to 13; will be put on stage. © brianmay.com |
**Mon 31 Dec 07**
Queen’s first new studio recording in 10 years and Paul Rodgers’ first in 7 years is out today! ‘Say It’s Not True’ comes as an enhanced CD single release carrying the full video shown at the December 1st 46664 Johannesburg concert. All royalties from world sales will be donated to Nelson Mandela’s AIDS cause, 46664.
-------------------- QUEEN and PAUL RODGERS Say it's not true 1. Say It's Not True 4.01 Parlophone enhanced CD Written by Roger Taylor. 46664 -------------------- The band promise buyers of the single the premium of hearing the track in a new mix, heightened by further studio work by the band after the necessity of delivering an early mix for free download in time for World AIDS Day on December 1st. Queen and Paul Rodgers are responding to public demand to make their newly recorded track available as a commercial CD single release. Roger Taylor, Brian May and legendary singer Paul Rodgers, have been recording intensively for their first studio album together, expected to be released in 2008. The track is also available as a digital download through local iTunes Stores (except North America). Click here for the full ‘Say It’s Not True’ Press Release. © brianmay.com |
**Sat 30 Dec 07** More than 40,000 people are expected to pack Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, promising to make this New Year's Bash one of the busiest and best yet. The entertainment includes the entire cast of the Canadian We Will Rock You. THE TORONTOIST reports: CityTV's Annual New Year's Bash, Nathan Phillips Square, free admission. If you've got kids, alcohol allergies, or some other reason not to drink on (arguably) the biggest drinking night of the year, this zero-proof "evening of entertainment" is for you. Performers include the Plain White T's (because you haven't heard "Hey There, Delilah" quite enough this year), Roz Bell, JDiggz, Skye Sweetnam, Midway State, and the cast of We Will Rock You. Preshow starts at 8 p.m., telecast at 11 p.m. Don't forget to wave to your mom. © brianmay.com |
**Sat 29 Dec 07**
The Hard Rock Park is said to be the world’s first rock ’n’ roll theme park, and will feature over 40 attractions, with 5 roller coasters, on 140 acre site. A night-time laser/fireworks show themed on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” is expected to be announced, according to Screamscape. Check out the park map and you will also see an area titled "Kind of Magic" - and The Queen's Head pub. The main attraction of the park will be “Led Zeppelin - the Ride,” a 155-foot-tall steel roller coaster, named by Jimmy Page, who picked “Whole Lotta Love” to be played as riders hurl through six loops and rolls at speeds of up to 65 mph. “Midnight Rider” roller coaster is dedicated to Southern rock, and will run inside a building styled as a haunted old sawmill. Other attractions include a stunt show, a hip-hop-themed midway, a country ice show, a “Pinball Wizard” arcade and an amphitheatre. Tickets most days will be $46, free for children under 3. Information: www.hardrockpark.com. LA TIMES gives the follosing preview report: What do you get when you mash together the Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, Queen and the Allman Brothers? Hard Rock Park, the first major regional theme park of the decade. The $400-million rock ‘n’ roll theme park in Myrtle Beach, S.C., opens in April 2008 with more than 40 rides and attractions (check out the webcam). Here are the highlights of the 140-acre park, which will be divided into five musical lands: Rock & Roll Heaven British Invasion Lost in the ’70s Born in the USA Cool Country © brianmay.com |
**Thu 27 Dec 07**
PORTSMOUTH A fan of the rock band Queen has spent £181,500 moving his wife and three children to a house big enough for him to convert a room dedicated to the band. Andy Sparks, 38, a carpenter, turned the old kitchen into a soundproofed room full of 3,000 of the band’s records, posters, signed photos, T-shirts and press cuttings. “As soon as we walked in I could see this was the house for us and I knew exactly what I was going to do: make my Queen room,” Mr Sparks said. © brianmay.com |
**Tue 25 Dec 07** Check out the Sky Radio, Netherlands, Top 50 Christmas songs. Queen's Thank God It's Christmas climbs one place on last year, to No 9. Full list HERE. 1 (2) All I Want For Christmas - Mariah Carey © brianmay.com |
**Mon 24 Dec 07**
DVD Review: Queen Rock Montreal and Live Aid Queen Rock Montreal and Live Aid Some may remember an earlier version of this concert, entitled, We Will Rock You. Originally launched at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1983, it was later released in North America in September of 1984. Actually the first commercially available concert footage of Queen, the picture has been digitally restored from the original 35mm negative. It also contains bonus footage of the band’s complete Live Aid set from the summer of 1985, plus originally unreleased rehearsal and interview footage. An audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor pertaining to the Montreal show is the icing on the cake for collectors and fans. Though I haven’t viewed the earlier releases of this concert, supposedly Brian May made certain that the PCM stereo remix outshined the earlier DTS format, which he was never truly happy with. He speaks of this in more detail in the added commentary. That said, the sound quality here is positively stunning, and I’m truly amazed that they were able to make a show recorded in 1981 sound so high-quality. The sound of a droning chord beneath thunder gets it all started, as the four band members are personified onstage from within the obscurity of dense fog. "We Will Rock You," a strident punk metal version of the song, opens the show. Brian May fingers some interesting chord runs, easily bringing a new perspective to the Queen classic. A standard version of the same is saved for number 24 of the 25 song set, so if this opening version isn’t your cup of tea, the more familiar one is still yet to come. The next one, "Play the Game," is a vocalist’s vocal song, and the first of many on the DVD to remind us of the extreme vocal talent of the late, great Freddie Mercury, and the fact that he was a talented pianist as well. "Somebody To Love" gets the audience in a respondent mode, a familiar trait at Queen shows back in the day. The song is raw energy and sheer excitement. Mercury takes the trouble to introduce "Killer Queen." The run of steady quarter notes in the opening piano chord renders that action somewhat redundant, primarily because it’s easily one of their most well-known and loved songs. They do an outstanding job with at as well. May’s signature solo embellishes his stage presence and stays true to the actual recording. The song’s ending segues nicely into the Roger Taylor penned "I’m In Love With My Car." Mercury sticks to piano and background vocal as Taylor takes over the lead vocal reign, a task his gritty, potent voice handles perfectly well from the drum stool. "Get Down Make Love" wanders off in Zeppelin-like tangents, with Mercury hollering "Love!" as May dabbles with guitar effects and skittish fretwork. He trades his guitar for piano keys in the melodic "Save Me," from The Game album. In a stunning performance displaying the Queen live rock band experience, a capacity that isn’t always realized through listening to the studio albums, the band rocks hard in "Now I’m Here" and "Dragon Attack." Brian May gets into some incredible soloing, riffing, and multifaceted changes throughout, sometimes sounding like Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page. Roger Taylor gets quite a workout on the drum kit as well. With just May and Mercury onstage, it’s audience participation and sing-along time with 12-string acoustic in "Love Of My Life." Afterward, when electrified and at full capacity again, John Deacon gets into the opening bass riff of "Under Pressure," and brings the fully elated crowd to their feet. With May playing his signature axe into Vox combo stacks, Mercury dawns the 12-string acoustic for a little rockabilly fun in "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." His Elvis-like pelvic gyrations segue nicely into a pumped up "Jailhouse Rock." It’s then back to the piano for a perfect rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody." Next is "Tie Your Mother Down," and it’s as energetic and rockin’ as one might expect. Though there’s lots of music to see and hear on this DVD, there’s the option to view the whole Montreal show along with the May and Taylor commentary as well, which is really very interesting. Plus, anyone who has seen the Live Aid performance knows it’s a concert for the ages. Included here as well is Brian and Freddie’s amazing performance of "Is This The World We Created," done later at that show. But besides the fact that it was done at the band’s height of success and creativity, an interesting aspect about the Montreal show, this whole era as well, is that it transpired right before they brought in a fulltime touring keyboardist. It was the four Queen members giving it all up in the live setting, as fans had originally known them to look and sound. The way we had imagined it in all those great recordings. This is the definitive Queen DVD set, easily making it a must have for all Queen fans. Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid* Queen Rock Montreal Track Listing: 1 - Intro *This review was completed by viewing a copy of the Queen Rock Montreal DVD without the Live Aid add-on. Realizing the value of the two-disc set containing both shows compelled the author to inform fans of the existence of Queen Rock Montreal and Live Aid. Link: © brianmay.com |
**Sat 22 Dec 07**
Iran's government has launched a crackdown on hip-hop, moving to close studios and arrest local artists. "There is nothing wrong with this type of music in itself," an official from the country's Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry was quoted as saying by the government's official news agency. "But due to the use of obscene words by its singers, this music has been categorized as illegal". Hip-hop has become popular among young men in Tehran and officials suggest it has been difficult to crack down on because it is cheap and easy to produce. It's not the only Western music banned in the Islamic Republic: Most rock & roll is also illegal. A rare exception is Queen's Greatest Hits, which gets a pass because lead singer Freddie Mercury was of Iranian decent. © brianmay.com |
**Fri 21 Dec 07**
QUEEN LIVE IN RIO: Queen Live in Rio Queen Live in Rio Queen Live in Rio Queen Live in Rio © brianmay.com |
Queen are included in the attractions of The Hard Rock Park, set to open in May in Mrytle Beach, South Carolina.
The Times
