Roger Taylor with Barry Cain - from 'Record Mirror', 14 July 1979
Jan 29, 2024 9:14:44 GMT
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Post by fabiogminero on Jan 29, 2024 9:14:44 GMT
Hi everyone.
Today I propose to you an article published in the English music magazine Record Mirror on 14th July 1979: entitled The Queen Backlash Ends Here, it's an interview with Roger Taylor held by the journalist Barry Cain.
In the long dialogue with Taylor, Cain highlights Queen's recent activities: they talk about the album 'Live Killers' and the new single 'Love Of My Life', released on 45 rpm after the great response from the crowd during concerts. Speaking of 'Live Killers', Roger is keen to underline that the album "is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that's pretty rare these days. Many 'live' albums are tampered with"; we all know that in reality, during the mixing process in the studio, the band made some overdubs (for example, the first 30 seconds of 'Don't Stop Me Now' and the first verse of 'We Are The Champions' and most likely also some parts of 'Love Of My Life' and Freddie's second verse in 'Brighton Rock').
The interview with Roger then continues with some questions on personal issues, such as marriage and a hypothetical solo album, and on other topics concerning the band such as the managerial aspect, the current recording sessions in Munich and the group's relationship with the music press.
Below is the scan and transcription of the article. Enjoy the reading!
THE QUEEN BACKLASH ENDS HERE
A Barry Cain interview
WITHOUT DOUBT Queen are among that elite number of bands universally hated by the rock press.
The rancour is, make no mistake, mutual which is understandable. If you find yourself on the receiving end of an inveterate dislike at the outset of your career and watch it being nurtured and carefully cultivated over the next six years you’re bound to retaliate.
Queen's hatred manifests itself by their continued habit of ignoring the music press i.e. refusing to give interviews. There is the occasional token "chat", pointless as it is innocuous, but in the main it amounts to a blanket "No."
One of the last interviews Freddie Mercury gave was the last nail in the perspex coffin. Under a headline which boldly asked 'Is This Man A Prat?' the king of the leotards was demolished by one of the old school Queen haters and Freddie obviously came to the conclusion, in its wake, that interviews in future would be both superfluous (he was popular enough) and detrimental.
The curtain, velvet naturally, closed.
Roger Taylor, a little wary, a little weary, sits stiffly in an armchair. The juggernauts rattling the Chelsea Street outside create a sonorous buzz bomb hum in the room.
You expect a member of Queen to look elegant. In fact Roger is only wearing a wine colour mohair jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.
He apologises for being a little late and explains how he went to the wrong address. Roger seems to be the only member of Queen left who is prepared, albeit rarely, to open his mouth in the presence of a hack. A question springs to mind … why?
"We all sat around a table before I flew over from Munich to discuss the press situation and we agreed I should be the one to represent the band. Freddie is very uncompromising and refuses to have much to do with journalists.
"Obviously, he's had a few raw deals with them in the past," observes Taylor.
Roger himself has a rather low view of the music press.
"Most of it is rubbish. There was something I liked recently, a piece on Malcolm McLaren, but in the main I think I'm the only one of Queen to actually read the music papers."
Why does he think the band are systemically slagged?
"I think it's because Queen have always come across as being a rather confident band. We seemed, to other people at least, to be very sure of ourselves. I think the press may have misconstrued the confidence, mistaking it for a form of arrogance. Hence they became wary of our motives which bred a dislike for our music."
Now that's what I call a neat conclusion.
At the risk of being sent to Coventry by my colleagues I'd like, if I may, to come clean. I love Queen (you're fired, Ed).
I think it all began with a simple pre-packed but indisposable line – "Dynamite with a laser beam" and has continued uninterrupted (despite the occasional flaw) right through to 'Queen Live Killers'.
A combination of reasons, Freddie Mercury's lascivious lisp – the most attractive intonation known to man … Brian May's reel 'em off rococo riffs that would, in his capable hands, transform the theme music for 'Waggoners' Walk' into a meisterwork … John Deacon’s almost stoic stance, incongruous yet integral … Roger Taylor’s intense power, so unexpected from one so slight … the ability to go over the top without failing into the trap of caricature … a desire to give the punters what they want without pandering … that cast iron confidence … those nine glorious winter weeks of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which kept the cold away from my soul …
Yes, I love Queen.
Roger explains the story behind 'Killers' which features just about every Queen classic which ever found its way into a silk lined memory bank.
"We always knew that one day we would make a live album. I think it was well planned. About 90 per cent of our last European tour was recorded on a mobile unit and we then spent weeks sitting through the songs in the studio.
"The result is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that's pretty rare these days. Many 'live' albums are tampered with."
The choice of single is unusual – 'Love Of My Life'. "It's not so unusual when you hear the way it came out. The song seems to have such a wide appeal. Everywhere we go the reaction to it is the same. The audience are just bursting to sing along".
The result is Queen's best single since 'Don't Stop Me Now' (that was their LAST one crawler, ED)
As I mentioned earlier the band are currently residing in Munich where they are "experimenting" in the studio.
"We are recording in a totally different way for us," says Roger who speaks with a delicate London accent only typical of cockneys with dramatic training and David Essex.
"Every time we entered a studio in the past we had a good idea of what we were going to do. This time we started from scratch and the result is amazing. The music is nothing like anything we've done before, I guess you could say it's much simpler."
And this novel approach to their music also extends to their shows. On their next British tour – in the late Autumn – the band will be playing much smaller venues than they are accustomed to.
"In London for example we went to play to audiences of about two or three thousand in different areas. I think it's much fairer to the fans."
But won't this affect their stage show which is after all a crucial factor for any powerpomp outfit?
"Not really. We will just scale down the show accordingly. Besides" he says taking another bite out of the biscuit, "we haven't used dry ice in years."
The monkey on Queen's back, as corpulent and cantankerous as ever, has been put there by those who firmly believe the band can never emulate past achievements. Roger is cognizant of its presence but refuses to unpeel its bananas.
"That all began after 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. When it stayed at number one all those weeks we were kindly informed that we would never be able to make another single to rival it both artistically and from the point of view of sales.
"Yet 'We Are The Champions' sold a great deal more and has since become the biggest selling single in the entire history of Elektra Asylum – our label in the States.
"We don't do the amazingly complex things any more because we've moved on from that. We concentrate on the music we are doing now and we intend to do it the best we can, it's ridiculous looking behind and and what you've done.
"There's nothing like going back on the road to re-unite the bond between the four personalities and strengthening our belief in the band. We are a real working unit and, in my experience of the music business, one of the most democratic bands around today.”
A statement like that cries out to be expounded.
"People think every member of all the bands, not naming any names, are treated equally that is get the same money as their colleagues. That's rubbish. In many bands there are a couple of guys that get all the money. The rest are on wages. Queen share the profits equally."
And they don't have a manager taking his cut either, John Reid departed a couple of years back and now the band themselves make all the major policy decisions. Why did they decide to dispense with the services of a manager?
"Basically because we were fed up with giving other people money. Y'know it never ceases to amaze me how naive those guys are in bands who have just had their first hit. After all this time I've forgotten just how naive we must have been at the beginning.
"I mean, everything seems so great when you get into the charts for the first time. You're living on cloud nine and nothing else matters. But in truth that hit means absolutely nothing. So few people achieve any amount of financial success in this business.
"Oh, you think, you're really living … for a while. Somebody gets you a flat in Chelsea and it's all free. But one day the rent stops being paid for you and you realise you're skint.
"Since John Reid has gone the four of us have always made a point of discussing everything together. We have various people working for us but all the important decisions are made by us alone. That way we get freedom of choice – and financial independence."
My attention is suddenly diverted.
"FORTY-LOVE!" Wimbledon, the Persil White opiate for the hoi polloi squashed in a strawberry crush wrings out its perspiring petticoats on the TV in the next room. Roger's girlfriend, an extremely attractive French girl called Dominique, is engrossed. The couple have lived together for two years. Crippled old marriage questions permeate the air.
"I don't believe in marriage," says Roger. "It's simply a contract and the fewer contracts I enter into the better. If you get on well with someone then there isn’t any harm in living with that person – but marriage is something else again."
They live in a six bedroomed Victorian house just outside London, which is set in 20 acres. Roger has a "tiny" town house in Barnes as well. What's it like having a bank full of money at the age of 29?
"I don't hide away from life. Queen have never been one of those 'being grabbed in the street' type bands. It may happen when the four of us are together – but when we are out alone we are seldom bothered. That gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself. I go to clubs a lot. I like having a good time. I don’t think you could describe any of the band as leading sheltered lives.
"But I have completely lost touch with how much things cost. When you find yourself living in hotels for so long you never really deal in money as such. Everything is available whenever you want it – but you never see the cash actually being handed over.
"I've forgotten what it was like to be penniless which Queen were for years. I guess that must happen to many successful rock bands."
Another thing that happens to many successful rock bands – they quit the country. But not Queen it appears.
"We have always based ourselves in England and I see no reason why we shouldn't continue to do so. We could leave at any time but we choose to stay. People believe we are tax exiles because we spend a lot of the time out of the country recording in studios all over Europe and touring."
And what will happen when the band finally trudge wearily down the road leading to that ivory strewn elephants' graveyard … ?
"I know it’s bound to happen one day. I suppose I’d take a long, long holiday … and then make a solo album."
Today I propose to you an article published in the English music magazine Record Mirror on 14th July 1979: entitled The Queen Backlash Ends Here, it's an interview with Roger Taylor held by the journalist Barry Cain.
In the long dialogue with Taylor, Cain highlights Queen's recent activities: they talk about the album 'Live Killers' and the new single 'Love Of My Life', released on 45 rpm after the great response from the crowd during concerts. Speaking of 'Live Killers', Roger is keen to underline that the album "is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that's pretty rare these days. Many 'live' albums are tampered with"; we all know that in reality, during the mixing process in the studio, the band made some overdubs (for example, the first 30 seconds of 'Don't Stop Me Now' and the first verse of 'We Are The Champions' and most likely also some parts of 'Love Of My Life' and Freddie's second verse in 'Brighton Rock').
The interview with Roger then continues with some questions on personal issues, such as marriage and a hypothetical solo album, and on other topics concerning the band such as the managerial aspect, the current recording sessions in Munich and the group's relationship with the music press.
Below is the scan and transcription of the article. Enjoy the reading!
THE QUEEN BACKLASH ENDS HERE
A Barry Cain interview
WITHOUT DOUBT Queen are among that elite number of bands universally hated by the rock press.
The rancour is, make no mistake, mutual which is understandable. If you find yourself on the receiving end of an inveterate dislike at the outset of your career and watch it being nurtured and carefully cultivated over the next six years you’re bound to retaliate.
Queen's hatred manifests itself by their continued habit of ignoring the music press i.e. refusing to give interviews. There is the occasional token "chat", pointless as it is innocuous, but in the main it amounts to a blanket "No."
One of the last interviews Freddie Mercury gave was the last nail in the perspex coffin. Under a headline which boldly asked 'Is This Man A Prat?' the king of the leotards was demolished by one of the old school Queen haters and Freddie obviously came to the conclusion, in its wake, that interviews in future would be both superfluous (he was popular enough) and detrimental.
The curtain, velvet naturally, closed.
Roger Taylor, a little wary, a little weary, sits stiffly in an armchair. The juggernauts rattling the Chelsea Street outside create a sonorous buzz bomb hum in the room.
You expect a member of Queen to look elegant. In fact Roger is only wearing a wine colour mohair jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.
He apologises for being a little late and explains how he went to the wrong address. Roger seems to be the only member of Queen left who is prepared, albeit rarely, to open his mouth in the presence of a hack. A question springs to mind … why?
"We all sat around a table before I flew over from Munich to discuss the press situation and we agreed I should be the one to represent the band. Freddie is very uncompromising and refuses to have much to do with journalists.
"Obviously, he's had a few raw deals with them in the past," observes Taylor.
Roger himself has a rather low view of the music press.
"Most of it is rubbish. There was something I liked recently, a piece on Malcolm McLaren, but in the main I think I'm the only one of Queen to actually read the music papers."
Why does he think the band are systemically slagged?
"I think it's because Queen have always come across as being a rather confident band. We seemed, to other people at least, to be very sure of ourselves. I think the press may have misconstrued the confidence, mistaking it for a form of arrogance. Hence they became wary of our motives which bred a dislike for our music."
Now that's what I call a neat conclusion.
At the risk of being sent to Coventry by my colleagues I'd like, if I may, to come clean. I love Queen (you're fired, Ed).
I think it all began with a simple pre-packed but indisposable line – "Dynamite with a laser beam" and has continued uninterrupted (despite the occasional flaw) right through to 'Queen Live Killers'.
A combination of reasons, Freddie Mercury's lascivious lisp – the most attractive intonation known to man … Brian May's reel 'em off rococo riffs that would, in his capable hands, transform the theme music for 'Waggoners' Walk' into a meisterwork … John Deacon’s almost stoic stance, incongruous yet integral … Roger Taylor’s intense power, so unexpected from one so slight … the ability to go over the top without failing into the trap of caricature … a desire to give the punters what they want without pandering … that cast iron confidence … those nine glorious winter weeks of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which kept the cold away from my soul …
Yes, I love Queen.
Roger explains the story behind 'Killers' which features just about every Queen classic which ever found its way into a silk lined memory bank.
"We always knew that one day we would make a live album. I think it was well planned. About 90 per cent of our last European tour was recorded on a mobile unit and we then spent weeks sitting through the songs in the studio.
"The result is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that's pretty rare these days. Many 'live' albums are tampered with."
The choice of single is unusual – 'Love Of My Life'. "It's not so unusual when you hear the way it came out. The song seems to have such a wide appeal. Everywhere we go the reaction to it is the same. The audience are just bursting to sing along".
The result is Queen's best single since 'Don't Stop Me Now' (that was their LAST one crawler, ED)
As I mentioned earlier the band are currently residing in Munich where they are "experimenting" in the studio.
"We are recording in a totally different way for us," says Roger who speaks with a delicate London accent only typical of cockneys with dramatic training and David Essex.
"Every time we entered a studio in the past we had a good idea of what we were going to do. This time we started from scratch and the result is amazing. The music is nothing like anything we've done before, I guess you could say it's much simpler."
And this novel approach to their music also extends to their shows. On their next British tour – in the late Autumn – the band will be playing much smaller venues than they are accustomed to.
"In London for example we went to play to audiences of about two or three thousand in different areas. I think it's much fairer to the fans."
But won't this affect their stage show which is after all a crucial factor for any powerpomp outfit?
"Not really. We will just scale down the show accordingly. Besides" he says taking another bite out of the biscuit, "we haven't used dry ice in years."
The monkey on Queen's back, as corpulent and cantankerous as ever, has been put there by those who firmly believe the band can never emulate past achievements. Roger is cognizant of its presence but refuses to unpeel its bananas.
"That all began after 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. When it stayed at number one all those weeks we were kindly informed that we would never be able to make another single to rival it both artistically and from the point of view of sales.
"Yet 'We Are The Champions' sold a great deal more and has since become the biggest selling single in the entire history of Elektra Asylum – our label in the States.
"We don't do the amazingly complex things any more because we've moved on from that. We concentrate on the music we are doing now and we intend to do it the best we can, it's ridiculous looking behind and and what you've done.
"There's nothing like going back on the road to re-unite the bond between the four personalities and strengthening our belief in the band. We are a real working unit and, in my experience of the music business, one of the most democratic bands around today.”
A statement like that cries out to be expounded.
"People think every member of all the bands, not naming any names, are treated equally that is get the same money as their colleagues. That's rubbish. In many bands there are a couple of guys that get all the money. The rest are on wages. Queen share the profits equally."
And they don't have a manager taking his cut either, John Reid departed a couple of years back and now the band themselves make all the major policy decisions. Why did they decide to dispense with the services of a manager?
"Basically because we were fed up with giving other people money. Y'know it never ceases to amaze me how naive those guys are in bands who have just had their first hit. After all this time I've forgotten just how naive we must have been at the beginning.
"I mean, everything seems so great when you get into the charts for the first time. You're living on cloud nine and nothing else matters. But in truth that hit means absolutely nothing. So few people achieve any amount of financial success in this business.
"Oh, you think, you're really living … for a while. Somebody gets you a flat in Chelsea and it's all free. But one day the rent stops being paid for you and you realise you're skint.
"Since John Reid has gone the four of us have always made a point of discussing everything together. We have various people working for us but all the important decisions are made by us alone. That way we get freedom of choice – and financial independence."
My attention is suddenly diverted.
"FORTY-LOVE!" Wimbledon, the Persil White opiate for the hoi polloi squashed in a strawberry crush wrings out its perspiring petticoats on the TV in the next room. Roger's girlfriend, an extremely attractive French girl called Dominique, is engrossed. The couple have lived together for two years. Crippled old marriage questions permeate the air.
"I don't believe in marriage," says Roger. "It's simply a contract and the fewer contracts I enter into the better. If you get on well with someone then there isn’t any harm in living with that person – but marriage is something else again."
They live in a six bedroomed Victorian house just outside London, which is set in 20 acres. Roger has a "tiny" town house in Barnes as well. What's it like having a bank full of money at the age of 29?
"I don't hide away from life. Queen have never been one of those 'being grabbed in the street' type bands. It may happen when the four of us are together – but when we are out alone we are seldom bothered. That gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself. I go to clubs a lot. I like having a good time. I don’t think you could describe any of the band as leading sheltered lives.
"But I have completely lost touch with how much things cost. When you find yourself living in hotels for so long you never really deal in money as such. Everything is available whenever you want it – but you never see the cash actually being handed over.
"I've forgotten what it was like to be penniless which Queen were for years. I guess that must happen to many successful rock bands."
Another thing that happens to many successful rock bands – they quit the country. But not Queen it appears.
"We have always based ourselves in England and I see no reason why we shouldn't continue to do so. We could leave at any time but we choose to stay. People believe we are tax exiles because we spend a lot of the time out of the country recording in studios all over Europe and touring."
And what will happen when the band finally trudge wearily down the road leading to that ivory strewn elephants' graveyard … ?
"I know it’s bound to happen one day. I suppose I’d take a long, long holiday … and then make a solo album."