'Taped vocals at Queen gigs? No way, sez roadie. It’s 100% FREDDIE'- John Harris's interview [in Nat
Feb 28, 2024 19:07:53 GMT
onedunpark, leo82br, and 6 more like this
Post by El on Feb 28, 2024 19:07:53 GMT
'Taped vocals at Queen gigs? No way, sez roadie. It’s 100% FREDDIE'- John Harris's interview [in National Rock Star magazine?] by Candy McGaw
Hi everybody,
here's a bit of a mystery article -- if anyone can help me identifying the source for this I would be very grateful!
I know Candy McGaw wrote at least for the National RockStar magazine in 1976, so I am guessing this article was published there? I don't know the exact issue, but sometime post the Hyde Park concert, so after 18th September 1976. (Correct me if you know better!)
In the article John Harris talks about techinicalities of FOH sound mixing and pet hates of a soundman - while defending Queen against accusations of them using taped vocals. 
There's a transcription after the image for easier reading.
Enjoy (& please get back to me if you have more info about this)!
Taped vocals at Queen gigs? No way, sez roadie. It’s 100% FREDDIE
John Harris is sometimes considered the fifth member of Queen when it comes to live shows. He’s the blond haired terror who goes raising Freddie Mercury’s vocals at just the right moment or tuning Brian May’s guitar right on to Mercury’s voice.
In other words he’s Queen’s soundman, and in some ways he probably has more to do with what you hear of Queen on the road than the actual band members.
Recently I lured him out of the studios where Queen had been piecing together their new “Day At The Races” album and over a pint of lager in a pub off Wardour Street he told how, although Queen may be classified as superstars, they still don’t own the majority of their sound system.
In England, apparently, the band uses a system rented from the Britannia Row Company, which comprises over 8.000 watts and is a five way system.
Pet hates, no problems
In the States Queen hire from Clair Bros, a company used by most touring acts on the road. This is an S-4 system not using the normal PA bits (?), but is similar in size to the English version.
In the States Queen hire from Clair Bros, a company used by most touring acts on the road. This is an S-4 system not using the normal PA bits (?), but is similar in size to the English version.
There are bigger things coming, too. There are plans to buy a customized mixing desk soon [illegible], with 55 [illegible] as opposed to the normal 45. This was the one used at the Hyde Park gig.
According to Harris the technical aspect of controlling Mercury’s voice, starting with the microphone and leading to the desk, takes some doing.
Talking to Candy McGaw
The vocal is fed into a DBX 160 Limiter which reduces peaks in the “dynamics” at the voice — i.e. keeps it smooth sounding — and with this set Harris says he can then: “tune the whole system to Fred’s voice.”
The vocal is fed into a DBX 160 Limiter which reduces peaks in the “dynamics” at the voice — i.e. keeps it smooth sounding — and with this set Harris says he can then: “tune the whole system to Fred’s voice.”
Getting into another pint Harris gets on to a pet hate: “The difference in the sound you hear in any given hall, with and without an audience present.”
This is quite a common beef with roadies, as inevitably there’s a change when the hall is full or half full.
This is quite a common beef with roadies, as inevitably there’s a change when the hall is full or half full.
The audience absorbs various amounts of sound waves, so levels in sound may vary dramatically place to place.
His second big hate: “The on stage sound level of the band, versus the level and location of the mixing desk!”
Harriss adds that he has no major problems for Queen’s shows in large halls, but in small places, all sorts of difficulties arise.
Nonetheless he’s still highly reliable: Mercury leaves virtually everything to him so far as Queen’s sound is concerned.
He’s also anxious to point out that: “Queen don’t use backing tapes on stage. The intro tapes and special sound effects, e.g. the explosions and so on, are the only ones tracked in.”
He says this because of past accusations against Queen of the band tracking into taped vocals during the show, something which many other acts do during their performances.
It’s not the case when it comes to Queen, though. You’re hearing 100% of Mercury’s tonsils.
Queen and Hyde Park
The Hyde Park gig came up in our conversation and Harris wanted to mention a few things about the day, overall.
He says this because of past accusations against Queen of the band tracking into taped vocals during the show, something which many other acts do during their performances.
It’s not the case when it comes to Queen, though. You’re hearing 100% of Mercury’s tonsils.
Queen and Hyde Park
The Hyde Park gig came up in our conversation and Harris wanted to mention a few things about the day, overall.
“The reason Queen didn’t sound overly-exciting dynamic-wise,” he said, “was due to the sound level put on us by the Park officials.
"We couldn’t even do an encore — the Park authorities called a halt to the show, Queen would have loved to come back out but they couldn’t.
"We couldn’t even do an encore — the Park authorities called a halt to the show, Queen would have loved to come back out but they couldn’t.
"I think it’s important for a roadie to work for a band whose music he likes.
"Unless you’re gonna get a buzz at the end of it — well, I can’t see bothering to put in the effort.”
"Unless you’re gonna get a buzz at the end of it — well, I can’t see bothering to put in the effort.”
— Candy McGaw
