Queen Special + Roger Taylor interview in Paris - from Argentinian magazine 'Pelo', early 1981
Mar 17, 2023 7:33:04 GMT
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Post by fabiogminero on Mar 17, 2023 7:33:04 GMT
Hi everyone.
Below is a five-page Queen special that appeared in the Argentinian magazine Pelo in early 1981. The special, titled La Caras de la Reina (translated as The Faces of Queen) talks about their latest album 'The Game' (apparently released earlier in Argentina than in the rest of the world, as noted on the first page) and offers a series of photographs of the band taken in the last ten years of their career.
Below is a five-page Queen special that appeared in the Argentinian magazine Pelo in early 1981. The special, titled La Caras de la Reina (translated as The Faces of Queen) talks about their latest album 'The Game' (apparently released earlier in Argentina than in the rest of the world, as noted on the first page) and offers a series of photographs of the band taken in the last ten years of their career.
The special concludes with an exclusive interview with Roger Taylor held in Paris, probably during Queen 1980 European tour; Roger, in addition to talking about Queen's relationship with the press, also talks about recording their albums with Roy Thomas Baker and the possibility of including a pianist in the band's live concerts.
Below the scan of the article and the English translation. Enjoy the reading!
Below the scan of the article and the English translation. Enjoy the reading!
THE FACES OF QUEEN
A new year, a new album, a new image. This is how this step that Queen has taken in her rising musical career can be synthesized. Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor have shown that Queen is one of the greatest bands that English music has produced, even despite the English critics themselves. From 1973, the year of the release of their first album, until today, each new album and each tour represented a gratifying surprise for the group's followers. In their latest album, entitled "The Game", the band offers a different image and renewed music; quite far from the epic classicism of the beginnings. In addition, "The Game" meant an unprecedented experience in Argentina: it was published here before it was published in the United States and England. In this special note we graphically history the culminating moments in the history of the band, and we publish an exclusive report granted by drummer Roger Taylor to our correspondent in Paris.
"IF THE GROUP CHANGES, IT WILL END"
It is difficult for Queen to give interviews to the press. But this time we were able to convince Roger Taylor, who agreed to answer a few questions over a cup of tea.
Why doesn't the group give interviews?
At first we did, but later we realized that they always asked us the same questions. In addition, a good part of all those interviews were useless, it was not worth wasting our time for that, especially in England. There one says one thing and they print another. They are more interested in promoting themselves than talking about the people they interview.
Freddie Mercury is one of the most attacked by the press. How does he react?
Hmm. They have never insulted him to his face. But we have learned to ignore what they say about us, there is nothing else to do. What happens is that the British press does not like permanent success, and if it does listen to someone, it is only for a certain moment.
Do you think that the British press has not supported them throughout your career?
I supported us at first, but even then I remember reading very bad reviews about one of our first albums. The funniest thing is that, two years later, the same guy who had criticized that album came out saying of another one that he was sorry that it wasn't as good as the first one. We never get to understand that kind of thing.
In view of how they have behaved in all these years, the press could consider Queen as a group "without interest, without scandals or whims".
It is that all this does not interest us. It would never occur to us to throw the champagne on the heads of our colleagues in front of the half dozen photographers that our advertising agency would have hired in advance to record the scene. We are not interested in being loved that way.
You started in 1970; but you released your first album in 1973, and by that date you hadn't even done many performances. Did you wait until the big groups, like Zeppelin, went through a time of eclipse?
No. Those bands were very strong when we appeared and they still are. One cannot, obviously, do projects of this magnitude and wait for all the others to fall off a bit. We jumped in when we thought we had enough material to support us.
So far there has not been a single change in the group's line-up, despite the rumors.
Rumors are rumors. But if the group changes, it will end. We would separate, because it would no longer be this group.
Is that because this is the perfect line-up?
Yeah. And maybe the necessary. In addition, there is a simple basic fact that has already shaken many groups when changes begin to take place within a group, what is behind it weakens.
But you always say that you do not maintain any more relationships than work.
That is not entirely true. We do have other relationships: we see each other, we visit each other from time to time. But lately we've worked so much that when we come back from tours we don't feel like continuing to see each other every day. We must also take into account that we spend more than ninety percent of our time points.
Why did you part ways with producer Roy Thomas Baker, and why did you come back after?
We didn't have any problems with him, we just wanted to produce ourselves. That's all. We thought we were going to do the next albums alone, but later we saw that it was too much tension and we called him back.
Most of their albums were produced by Baker; but, in theory, would you say that you also produced them?
Yes, it was always a joint job. At first they didn't pay us for it, but then we were there all the time.
Do you plan to continue recording abroad in the future?
Yes, it is very likely. At the moment I don't feel very comfortable in England.
Why?
Because it's very depressing. There is no joy. The country does not work. Actually I prefer some regions of France.
And New Orleans?
New Orleans is a totally decadent, a corrupt city. But at least jazz came out of it.
Sometimes Mercury can't cope on stage between singing, piano and acting. Haven't you thought about hiring a pianist?
Many times we have thought that everything would be much easier if we had a fifth man, because Freddie spends the whole show going from the piano to the microphone. But if we did that we wouldn't be the same. After all, we're not so bad this way.
Finally, after several years in this, do you think that it was worth it?
Yeah, I think we've had our "rewards." But in the show you have to have an ego. Anyone who says they don't have it is lying. English journalists, for example, have bigger egos than many artists. But, despite everything, I do not live thinking about that. When we had our first success we had a monstrous idea of what that could mean, whereas to the man in the street it means almost nothing. Many groups consider themselves to be gods. It seems nauseating to me.
A new year, a new album, a new image. This is how this step that Queen has taken in her rising musical career can be synthesized. Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor have shown that Queen is one of the greatest bands that English music has produced, even despite the English critics themselves. From 1973, the year of the release of their first album, until today, each new album and each tour represented a gratifying surprise for the group's followers. In their latest album, entitled "The Game", the band offers a different image and renewed music; quite far from the epic classicism of the beginnings. In addition, "The Game" meant an unprecedented experience in Argentina: it was published here before it was published in the United States and England. In this special note we graphically history the culminating moments in the history of the band, and we publish an exclusive report granted by drummer Roger Taylor to our correspondent in Paris.
"IF THE GROUP CHANGES, IT WILL END"
It is difficult for Queen to give interviews to the press. But this time we were able to convince Roger Taylor, who agreed to answer a few questions over a cup of tea.
Why doesn't the group give interviews?
At first we did, but later we realized that they always asked us the same questions. In addition, a good part of all those interviews were useless, it was not worth wasting our time for that, especially in England. There one says one thing and they print another. They are more interested in promoting themselves than talking about the people they interview.
Freddie Mercury is one of the most attacked by the press. How does he react?
Hmm. They have never insulted him to his face. But we have learned to ignore what they say about us, there is nothing else to do. What happens is that the British press does not like permanent success, and if it does listen to someone, it is only for a certain moment.
Do you think that the British press has not supported them throughout your career?
I supported us at first, but even then I remember reading very bad reviews about one of our first albums. The funniest thing is that, two years later, the same guy who had criticized that album came out saying of another one that he was sorry that it wasn't as good as the first one. We never get to understand that kind of thing.
In view of how they have behaved in all these years, the press could consider Queen as a group "without interest, without scandals or whims".
It is that all this does not interest us. It would never occur to us to throw the champagne on the heads of our colleagues in front of the half dozen photographers that our advertising agency would have hired in advance to record the scene. We are not interested in being loved that way.
You started in 1970; but you released your first album in 1973, and by that date you hadn't even done many performances. Did you wait until the big groups, like Zeppelin, went through a time of eclipse?
No. Those bands were very strong when we appeared and they still are. One cannot, obviously, do projects of this magnitude and wait for all the others to fall off a bit. We jumped in when we thought we had enough material to support us.
So far there has not been a single change in the group's line-up, despite the rumors.
Rumors are rumors. But if the group changes, it will end. We would separate, because it would no longer be this group.
Is that because this is the perfect line-up?
Yeah. And maybe the necessary. In addition, there is a simple basic fact that has already shaken many groups when changes begin to take place within a group, what is behind it weakens.
But you always say that you do not maintain any more relationships than work.
That is not entirely true. We do have other relationships: we see each other, we visit each other from time to time. But lately we've worked so much that when we come back from tours we don't feel like continuing to see each other every day. We must also take into account that we spend more than ninety percent of our time points.
Why did you part ways with producer Roy Thomas Baker, and why did you come back after?
We didn't have any problems with him, we just wanted to produce ourselves. That's all. We thought we were going to do the next albums alone, but later we saw that it was too much tension and we called him back.
Most of their albums were produced by Baker; but, in theory, would you say that you also produced them?
Yes, it was always a joint job. At first they didn't pay us for it, but then we were there all the time.
Do you plan to continue recording abroad in the future?
Yes, it is very likely. At the moment I don't feel very comfortable in England.
Why?
Because it's very depressing. There is no joy. The country does not work. Actually I prefer some regions of France.
And New Orleans?
New Orleans is a totally decadent, a corrupt city. But at least jazz came out of it.
Sometimes Mercury can't cope on stage between singing, piano and acting. Haven't you thought about hiring a pianist?
Many times we have thought that everything would be much easier if we had a fifth man, because Freddie spends the whole show going from the piano to the microphone. But if we did that we wouldn't be the same. After all, we're not so bad this way.
Finally, after several years in this, do you think that it was worth it?
Yeah, I think we've had our "rewards." But in the show you have to have an ego. Anyone who says they don't have it is lying. English journalists, for example, have bigger egos than many artists. But, despite everything, I do not live thinking about that. When we had our first success we had a monstrous idea of what that could mean, whereas to the man in the street it means almost nothing. Many groups consider themselves to be gods. It seems nauseating to me.