"Queen in Japan" book - photographer interview
Apr 10, 2020 18:26:57 GMT
Chief Mouse, The Real Wizard, and 4 more like this
Post by deathtoming on Apr 10, 2020 18:26:57 GMT
Hi everyone,
First of all, I'm so happy to see a fresh Queen forum. Thank you!
Okay, back in January, an official Queen in Japan book was released at the same time as the CD Greatest Hits in Japan. I'm planning on translating some parts here and there, and today I've translated a part of an interview with photographer Koh Hasebe, who took the photo that was used for the Liver Killers cover:
Interviewer: The Live Killers cover photo was taken during the '79 tour, right?
Hasebe: The concept for the cover was up to the band, and before a show the four of them would go back and forth with ideas backstage. I thought Freddie was the one who would decide these things, but I was wrong. Freddie actually didn't say much. He'd use gestures to communicate what he wanted to say. I asked Roger, "Is there something wrong with Freddie's throat?" And Roger responded, "Freddie's always like that before a show." I then realized that Freddie took great care of his throat and voice, as a vocalist.
Interviewer: I've heard that it was really tough getting that cover shot.
Hasebe: We decided that the band would go to the front of the stage at the end of the concert to wave, bow, and so forth, but they'd forget to do that. They would just forget and quickly go back stage. What a pain that was. I was below them at the front of the stage, so I did my best to get their attention, but they were so caught up in the moment that they wouldn't notice me. Afterwards, I would go to them backstage and say, "Hey, you didn't do what we had discussed," and they'd just say, "Oh, we forgot." By the third attempt I got something close to what I wanted. Personally, I wasn't too thrilled with it.
Interviewer: But Roger said years later that the cover photo was the only thing he liked about Live Killers.
Hasebe: He's just being kind, haha.
[...skipping some bits...]
Interviewer: From your point of view, as photo subjects, how were the four members?
Hasebe: Freddie's never off his guard. He has a showiness about him appropriate for a frontman, and understands how a photo should be taken. Brian can be a bit sensitive at times, so you need to know when you can take a photo and when you can't. That was especially true in the early days. As for Roger, he'll joke around in front of the camera when he's in a good mood, but when he loses interest he stops trying. I think he's photogenic in his natural state, though. The one who always gives me a smile and co-operates with me when I point the camera at him is John. I'm appreciative of the fact that he's so easy to work with, but man, he always has the same expression, haha!
First of all, I'm so happy to see a fresh Queen forum. Thank you!
Okay, back in January, an official Queen in Japan book was released at the same time as the CD Greatest Hits in Japan. I'm planning on translating some parts here and there, and today I've translated a part of an interview with photographer Koh Hasebe, who took the photo that was used for the Liver Killers cover:
Interviewer: The Live Killers cover photo was taken during the '79 tour, right?
Hasebe: The concept for the cover was up to the band, and before a show the four of them would go back and forth with ideas backstage. I thought Freddie was the one who would decide these things, but I was wrong. Freddie actually didn't say much. He'd use gestures to communicate what he wanted to say. I asked Roger, "Is there something wrong with Freddie's throat?" And Roger responded, "Freddie's always like that before a show." I then realized that Freddie took great care of his throat and voice, as a vocalist.
Interviewer: I've heard that it was really tough getting that cover shot.
Hasebe: We decided that the band would go to the front of the stage at the end of the concert to wave, bow, and so forth, but they'd forget to do that. They would just forget and quickly go back stage. What a pain that was. I was below them at the front of the stage, so I did my best to get their attention, but they were so caught up in the moment that they wouldn't notice me. Afterwards, I would go to them backstage and say, "Hey, you didn't do what we had discussed," and they'd just say, "Oh, we forgot." By the third attempt I got something close to what I wanted. Personally, I wasn't too thrilled with it.
Interviewer: But Roger said years later that the cover photo was the only thing he liked about Live Killers.
Hasebe: He's just being kind, haha.
[...skipping some bits...]
Interviewer: From your point of view, as photo subjects, how were the four members?
Hasebe: Freddie's never off his guard. He has a showiness about him appropriate for a frontman, and understands how a photo should be taken. Brian can be a bit sensitive at times, so you need to know when you can take a photo and when you can't. That was especially true in the early days. As for Roger, he'll joke around in front of the camera when he's in a good mood, but when he loses interest he stops trying. I think he's photogenic in his natural state, though. The one who always gives me a smile and co-operates with me when I point the camera at him is John. I'm appreciative of the fact that he's so easy to work with, but man, he always has the same expression, haha!
