Frank
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Post by Frank on Oct 28, 2020 23:36:34 GMT
News of the World is now 43 years old. It represents one of Queen's most pivotal moments as it tested the band's staying power and ability to adapt to change while still maintaining their unique identity. All the while you've got punk rockers sneering at them. So here's a question to ponder. If Queen had stuck to their ways and not changed their approach, would they still be remembered in the same way? Or did this album, as is my opinion, help to define them? You see, for me, while News of the World is a brilliant album, it did mark the end of an era. I loved how the band kept pushing it with the previous albums. I wish we had more from that chapter. But still, News of the World proved to the masses that they were truly here to stay. And afterwards, you might argue that there was a downward trend in their material....I'm looking at you Jazz. Regardless, I have a huge soft spot for this album. It has the most striking album cover and it's as eclectic as ever. I love this one so much that I made it a part of me...literally.  And no, not talking about my avatar. I got a tattoo of Frank. |
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ted
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Post by ted on Oct 29, 2020 0:47:26 GMT
To answer your question, in my view, NOTW helped to define Queen in particular due to the extreme popularity of some of the songs contained within: We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions, and (to a lesser extent) Spread Your Wings and possibly Get Down, Make Love.
Ted
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Oct 29, 2020 0:52:17 GMT
News of the World is now 43 years old. It represents one of Queen's most pivotal moments as it tested the band's staying power and ability to adapt to change while still maintaining their unique identity. All the while you've got punk rockers sneering at them. So here's a question to ponder. If Queen had stuck to their ways and not changed their approach, would they still be remembered in the same way? Or did this album, as is my opinion, help to define them? You see, for me, while News of the World is a brilliant album, it did mark the end of an era. I loved how the band kept pushing it with the previous albums. I wish we had more from that chapter. But still, News of the World proved to the masses that they were truly here to stay. And afterwards, you might argue that there was a downward trend in their material....I'm looking at you Jazz. Regardless, I have a huge soft spot for this album. It has the most striking album cover and it's as eclectic as ever. I love this one so much that I made it a part of me...literally. And no, not talking about my avatar. I got a tattoo of Frank. I agree. It contains my favourite Queen track, It's Late (and also one of my least favourites, GDML), and it's one of the best sounding albums they produced, along with ADATR and The Game. Those first five albums should be kept in a time capsule forevermore. |
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Dimitris
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Post by Dimitris on Oct 29, 2020 6:04:48 GMT
It was an end of Era in Rock music in general terms. New wave, post punk were coming, also rock n roll revive was happening and of course heavy metal was about for its wave.
Queen wanted to sound fresh and new, Jazz has all the things for something traditional and new, the bad production made this album to lose its potential and magic, NOTW was a great Queen album, but it didn't have surprises while jazz did.
It is very good that Queen changed their music approach through the years, their difficult task was to stay fresh and inspired. In all albums after 1977 there are small details from their early works.
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Frank
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Post by Frank on Oct 30, 2020 1:10:29 GMT
News of the World is now 43 years old. It represents one of Queen's most pivotal moments as it tested the band's staying power and ability to adapt to change while still maintaining their unique identity. All the while you've got punk rockers sneering at them. So here's a question to ponder. If Queen had stuck to their ways and not changed their approach, would they still be remembered in the same way? Or did this album, as is my opinion, help to define them? You see, for me, while News of the World is a brilliant album, it did mark the end of an era. I loved how the band kept pushing it with the previous albums. I wish we had more from that chapter. But still, News of the World proved to the masses that they were truly here to stay. And afterwards, you might argue that there was a downward trend in their material....I'm looking at you Jazz. Regardless, I have a huge soft spot for this album. It has the most striking album cover and it's as eclectic as ever. I love this one so much that I made it a part of me...literally. And no, not talking about my avatar. I got a tattoo of Frank. I agree. It contains my favourite Queen track, It's Late (and also one of my least favourites, GDML), and it's one of the best sounding albums they produced, along with ADATR and The Game. Those first five albums should be kept in a time capsule forevermore. I have to agree with you. NOTW, ADATR, and The Game are their best sounding records...though Made In Heaven is something else entirely, if you ask me. |
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Frank
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Post by Frank on Oct 30, 2020 1:17:12 GMT
It was an end of Era in Rock music in general terms. New wave, post punk were coming, also rock n roll revive was happening and of course heavy metal was about for its wave. Queen wanted to sound fresh and new, Jazz has all the things for something traditional and new, the bad production made this album to lose its potential and magic, NOTW was a great Queen album, but it didn't have surprises while jazz did. It is very good that Queen changed their music approach through the years, their difficult task was to stay fresh and inspired. In all albums after 1977 there are small details from their early works. I'm not so sure what you mean regarding NOTW not having surprises. If anything, I would argue NOTW had plenty of surprises. The sheer simplicity of Rock You, the rich anthemic quality of Champions, the funky Get Down Make Love, the Latin groove of Who Needs You, and especially the jazz lounge Melancholy Blues. Again, it's a very eclectic album. Yes, the band stripped things back mostly, but the album featured a wide spectrum of music genres. I think Queen tried following a similar formula with Jazz, but things fell flat due to production and, frankly, less than stellar songwriting. It's not as solid, if you ask me. Still excellent though! Not trying to knock it down too hardly. |
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flyaway
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Post by flyaway on Oct 30, 2020 3:38:43 GMT
I’m not sure I ever thought of NOTW as eclectic, but I can see what you mean now that I think about it. On the other hand, there is a clear “back to basics” about the production, and in my my a few nods to the blues are threaded through the album.
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ted
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Post by ted on Oct 30, 2020 14:47:34 GMT
Frank wrote: I'm not so sure what you mean regarding NOTW not having surprises. If anything, I would argue NOTW had plenty of surprises. The sheer simplicity of Rock You, the rich anthemic quality of Champions, the funky Get Down Make Love, the Latin groove of Who Needs You, and especially the jazz lounge Melancholy Blues. Again, it's a very eclectic album. Yes, the band stripped things back mostly, but the album featured a wide spectrum of music genres. I think Queen tried following a similar formula with Jazz, but things fell flat due to production and, frankly, less than stellar songwriting. It's not as solid, if you ask me. Still excellent though! Not trying to knock it down too hardly.
I agree with everything in the above statement.
Ted
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Post by peacelovingguy on Oct 30, 2020 16:03:02 GMT
Here is a long build up to answering your question.
In any sphere of shared intellectual curiosity, there is a tendency toward consensus forming around overly simplistic narratives. People echo leading opinions, they get magnified and taken as canon. This has definitely happened with News of the World.
Off the top of my head, I can think of only two occasions when mainstream, successful British rock musicians (post sgt.pepper) made conscious, “free” decisions to totally pull off a radical, shocking sound change on successive albums. David Bowie with Low (1977) after Station to Station (1976) and Radiohead with Kid A (2000) after Okay Computer (1997). I’m not saying these are the only ones, but I am saying News of the World is not one of them and the Bowie example is far more of a pertinent example to Queen.
We Will Rock You is indeed a startling, mesmerising, novel change in sound, not just for Queen but for any rock band, but the song was the b side to We Are The Champions, and Champions is clearly, obviously by the same band that released Somebody to Love, Bohemian Rhapsody and Killer Queen, just as Fat Bottomed Girls and Bicycle Race will clearly be by the same band, as is It’s Late. Switch It’s Late with White Man does the Queen Universe implode in time travel anachronism? Switch Fight From The Inside with Loser in the End and your mind is not blown. And wow, Sheer Heart Attack was three years late in arriving.
Queen abruptly change with Crazy Little Thing and Another One Bites the Dust. Neither of them pre planned strategies and the latter a reluctant release. Everything before those singles is a slowly modifying sound.
Now in answer to your question, as I perceive it, I think there is undoubtedly a type of Queen fan who wished they’d released A Night At The Opera 3, followed by a Night At The Opera 4. (I think we can all agree A Day At The Races is A Night At The Opera 2), just like Mike Oldfield was forever stuck making sequels to Tubular Bells if he ever wanted to make a dollar. (Same for Meatloaf).
I am not one of those Queen fans. I love Innuendo (the song), but I also love Don’t Stop Me Now and Radio Gaga Ga and I Want It All. March of the Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, Millionaire’s Waltz, Innuendo, great stuff, but not on every album. I can imagine plenty of “original Gangsta” Queen fans hating Sheer Heart Attack after Queen 2. I would not have been one of them.
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Post by peacelovingguy on Oct 30, 2020 17:17:42 GMT
Saying News of the World is a radical change is like claiming Heston Blumenthal opened a MacDonalds just because he cut back on the reconstituted duck’s blood black pudding and chocolate mousse.
It’s a narrative mirage to view the album as existing across a dividing line from the previous albums. It was a nice packaged product that appealed to middle America and the band had more money for staging and lighting on the tour. It’s a continuation. Queen fans were singing along to everything at shows since year dot. Champions serves no different live purpose to In The Lap of the Gods. It’s just better at doing it because it’s a great song.
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Oct 30, 2020 18:10:52 GMT
Well, that's told us! 😄
I certainly think there was an element of 'back to basics', and I recall the band saying so at the time. There was no 'frilly' stuff like Millionaire, no opera, no gospel, no dixieland jazz band, and it was mostly just basic guitar, drums, bass and vocals, which was quite a departure from the previous two albums, in my opinion.
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Frank
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Post by Frank on Oct 31, 2020 11:20:07 GMT
Well, that's told us! 😄 I certainly think there was an element of 'back to basics', and I recall the band saying so at the time. There was no 'frilly' stuff like Millionaire, no opera, no gospel, no dixieland jazz band, and it was mostly just basic guitar, drums, bass and vocals, which was quite a departure from the previous two albums, in my opinion. I agree! I never once said that NOTW was a radical shift. So I'm not sure why we're even trying to compare it to an album like Low, where Bowie was pushing for atmosphere and electronic sounds. I was simply trying to say that the band changed their approach while still maintaining their unique identity. Like Lord Fickle said, gone are flamboyant songs like Millionaire Waltz and Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy. No more vaudeville. No more epics like Bohemian Rhapsody, March of the Black Queen, Somebody To Love, and In The Lap of the Gods...with the exception of WATC. Generally speaking, NOTW feels much more straight edged and back to basics. I think what helps to make this change, is the fact that both Roger and John are taking more prominent roles as songwriters. They contribute two songs each, which makes up 36% of the album, doubling their normal output. And Freddie and Brian, while still inputting the odd traditional moment here and there (WATC and Brian's guitar arrangement on All Dead), inject new blood with Get Down Make Love and We Will Rock You, both of which take on a more minimalistic approach. |
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Post by magicheaven on Oct 31, 2020 17:36:01 GMT
They needed to change their sound because i think fans might get bored.
This album shows they didn't need the big harmonies i think it is a great rock album
My favourite songs are Spread Your Wings and It's Late
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Post by saintjiub on Oct 31, 2020 19:49:28 GMT
Well, that's told us! 😄 I certainly think there was an element of 'back to basics', and I recall the band saying so at the time. There was no 'frilly' stuff like Millionaire, no opera, no gospel, no dixieland jazz band, and it was mostly just basic guitar, drums, bass and vocals, which was quite a departure from the previous two albums, in my opinion. That is essentially why I consider NotW to be an average Queen album. I even slightly prefer Jazz over NotW. |
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Post by badboybez on Oct 31, 2020 20:59:23 GMT
First Queen album I bought with a WHSmith voucher back in the day which then started a passion.
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BrƎИsꓘi
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Post by BrƎИsꓘi on Oct 31, 2020 22:49:50 GMT
First Queen album I bought with a WHSmith voucher back in the day which then started a passion. for WHSmith Vouchers?  |
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