Bootleg Reviews By Jon James (unless stated) - QFN 18
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QUEEN: The Ultimate Collection Volume 3
(ROYALTY MUSIC 007/8)

CD1.
NAZIS 1994 (Roger Taylor) Banned Version
KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE
THE NIGHT COMES DOWN
GREAT KING RAT
JESUS 
LIAR
The above 5 early tracks are the 'De Lane Lea Studio',
tracks, recorded in 1971 as Queen's first ever demo!
 
DOING ALRIGHT
KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE
Both above tracks from Earls Court 7.6.77

MAN ON FIRE (12")
STRANGE FRONTIER (12")
IN CHARGE OF MY HEART (12")
LIAR (12")...not listed on cover. This is The Cross version.

CD2
PROCESSION
FATHER TO SON
SON AND DAUGHTER
SEE WHAT A FOOL I'VE BEEN
OGRE BATTLE
LIAR (Golders Green Hippodrome 13.9.73)
STONE COLD CRAZY (Hollywood Mix)
NO TURNING BACK (The Immortals 7" version)
SON AND DAUGHTER
STONE COLD CRAZY
LIAR (Apollo Stadium, Adelaide 1976)

QUALITY      : 10 (for majority of tracks)
PERFORMANCE  : 10
PACKAGING    : 10

What a find! This is without doubt one of the best bootleg
CDs available at the moment. Having come across it I bought
it for the Adelaide tracks and The Cross track 'In Charge Of
My Heart'. I did notice the 'De Lane Lea' tracks and thought
these would probably be worthless home-made tracks such as
on the 'Golden Demos 1973-77' or 'Made In Heaven', where
vocals are faded in and out from official releases. However,
on listening to these 5 tracks it was immediately obvious
this was not the case. This was definitely Queen playing
early versions of the songs. 'Keep Yourself Alive' features
slightly different lyrics and guitar work in places. 'Liar'
features some different lyrics and drum pattern.

Having read somewhere (official) that the tapes had been
wiped, Jacky at the official fan club (London) told me that
they were indeed the original 'De Lane Lea' demos taken from
Brian's own acetate! He had lent it to a friend.... and
need we say more! Obviously Brian is not too happy to say
the least.

Acetate = a one-off flexi-type disc of magnetic material
(like tape), which can be played only a number of times
before they are inaudiable. They are usually copied (taped)
on the first 'listen' by the artist. They are consequently
very valuable to collectors, (and irreplaceable!) Though
their original purpose is to have a demo for the artist to
hear before any masters are pressed onto vinyl or these days
CD.

This CD is a must for the 'De Lane Lea' tracks alone,
however the rest is still very good. The 2 tracks from Earls
Court are superb and should have been included on 'The Night
At The Court' CD in the first place. The brilliant 12"
version of 'Man On Fire' and 'Strange Frontier' followed by
The Cross's 'In Charge Of My Heart' and the uncredited
'Liar' make a fine ending to disc one.

Disc two features the earliest Queen concert to date to be
released - 'Golders Green Hippodrome', (from a radio
broadcast). The sound is muddy on vocals at the beginning
and seems as though Freddie is some distance from the
microphone. It does improve through the tracks after about
7/8 minutes. The instruments come through clearly. 'Stone
Cold Crazy' is the Hollywood mix as on 'Demories Please
Majesties', although the cover states it to be a 1974 studio
out-take. (I thought it did sound different to the Hollywood
remix - Ed). The Immortals 'No Turning Back' 7" version is
followed by three excellent tracks from Adelaide. The
quality is superb and features Freddie talking about playing
'Son And Daughter' in it's entirety for the first time in a
long time - 1976, and the song usually by now only being
performed as a small segment to complete 'Brighton Rock'.
All in all an outstanding CD. Well thought out tracks and
professional packaging. Packaging features high quality
glossy pictures - front of cover / booklet features the 4
members of Queen from 1976/77, inside features 3 black &
white photos of members playing live, rear of booklet shows
Freddie at Wembley '86. Rear of CD with listing has
alternative 'Live Aid' publicity shot and inside shows the
four in 'Bohemian Rhapsody' pose, but not from video.

An essential addition to your collection!
______________________________________________________________________


ZOOM QUEEN - (LLX - 1/2)


C.D.1
INTRO
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
OGRE BATTLE
SWEET LADY
WHITE QUEEN (As It Began)
FLICK OF THE WRIST
MEDLEY : BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
                  KILLER QUEEN
                  MARCH OF THE BLACK QUEEN
                  BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
                  BRING BACK THAT LEROY BROWN
BRIGHTON ROCK
SON AND DAUGHTER
THE PROPHET'S SONG
STONE COLD CRAZY

C.D.2
DOING ALRIGHT
LAZING ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON
KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE
LIAR
IN THE LAP OF THE GODS
NOW I'M HERE
ROCK AND ROLL MEDLEY
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

QUALITY      :  9
PERFORMANCE  : 10
PACKAGING    :  8 (Nice period photos, but no booklet)

Finally we have the release a lot of fans have been waiting
for - Queen recorded at the afternoon concert in Osaka
29.3.76. This is taken from that ultra-rare Japanese double
LP of the same name, of which only 40 copies exist (200 were
pressed, but 80% were seized!) It features the full show
from that afternoon and so far is the only full show from
such an early concert.

The concert is outstanding, brilliant musicianship and
Freddie talking in Japanese to the audience. It also shows
how in later years Freddie had grown in confidence when
talking to an audience, but also how much he cut down the
between song banter. If highlights had to be picked out,
then it must include a 'hell for leather' start to 'Brighton
Rock', the full 'Prophet's Song' with a superb ending
featuring Brian increasing the speed in repeating the notes
leading into a blistering 'Stone Cold Crazy', a rousing 'In
The Lap of the Gods....Revisited' and 'Rock and Roll
Medley'.

In all, this is a MUST for any collection. It really is one
of the classic Queen bootlegs. Let's hope other concerts
such as 'Flash Alive' (Wembley Arena 8.12.80) and 'Crazy
Tour' (Hammersmith 26.12.79) will be added as new releases.
___________________________________________________________________

NIKON  (LSCD 52505)

CD1.
TEAR IT UP
TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN
UNDER PRESSURE

MEDLEY : SOMEBODY TO LOVE
         KILLER QUEEN
         SEVEN SEAS OF RHYE
         KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE
         LIAR

IT'S A HARD LIFE
NOW I'M HERE
IS THIS THE WORLD WE CREATED?
LOVE OF MY LIFE

CD2.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
HAMMER TO FALL
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
RADIO GA GA
I WANT TO BREAK FREE
JAILHOUSE ROCK
WE WILL ROCK YOU
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER
ONE VISION
IT'S A KIND OF MAGIC

QUALITY      :  10
PERFORMANCE  :  10
PACKAGING    :   9

This double CD set is mainly from the Yogishi Swimming Pool
Auditorium, Tokyo, May 11th 1985. It is available in a
number of forms - 'Rock In Japan', 'Tokyo 1985' etc.
However, this one features the introduction of the show.
Like the others it is excellent quality because it was a
live broadcast. It was almost the end of the world tour so
the show had been perfected. It's a shame Brian's guitar
solo with 'Great King Rat' and 'Stone Cold Crazy' wasn't
included. The only full 'Works' tour show available is 'We
Will Love You' (live in Milan 1984), which is a pity as the
band were really on form on the tour. If you have 'Rock In
Japan' then this will not be an essential purchase. The last
three tracks are from Mannheim 1986
______________________________________________________________________


'Over The Best Or Worse - The Greatest Tribute'
Catlogue Number - Work 5556 -2/1

NOW I'M HERE                  - Tokyo           - 1.5.75
LOVE OF MY LIFE               - Providence USA  - 26.8.80
TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN          - Tokyo           - 03.11.82
HAMMER TO FALL                - Milan           - 14.9.84
STONE COLD CRAZY              - Copenhagen      - 12.5.77
CRAZY LITTLE THING ...        - Osaka           - 24.10.82
RADIO GA GA                   - London          - 08.9.84
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER     - Frejus          - 30.7.86
I WANT TO BREAK FREE          - Frejus          - 30.7.86
UNDER PRESSURE                - Milton Keynes   - 05.6.82
'39                           - Copenhagen      - 12.5.77
SOMEBODY TO LOVE              - London          - 26.12.79
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY             - Beunos Aires    - 08.3.81
WE WILL ROCK YOU              - Brussels        - 21.9.84
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS          - Brussels        - 21.9.84
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN            - Brussels        - 21.9.84

QUALITY      :  10
PERFORMANCE  :  10
PACKAGING    :  10

This CD features familiar tracks, but often from shows not
put out on CD, such as Hammersmith Odeon 26.12.79 -
available on vinyl but not CD....yet! Considering the
different concerts the quality is excellent and the
performance. The packaging is a cardboard sleeve with
Freddie in 'Great Pretender' pose on the back, a picture CD
and a pull out cardboard insert. This gives track listing
(as on back cover) and a pop up Freddie. A lovely package,
well worth getting for those rarer shows, even though only
in part. 
______________________________________________________________________


PAUL RODGERS - 'IN BAD COMPANY'

This double CD set recorded at the Forum, London on 9.2.94
features Brian May on the three encores. The CDs are picture
discs (both the same picture) and audience recording. The
three tracks featuring Brian are:
BAD COMPANY
ALRIGHT NOW
(GOING DOWN TO THE) CROSSROADS

QUALITY      : 8
PERFORMANCE  : 8
PACKAGING    : 7

Brian's guitar can clearly be heard on the tracks and Paul
does call out to Brian at the start of 'Alright Now'. The
rest of the CDs feature tracks from Paul Rodgers 'Blues'
album plus Jimi Hendrix covers, Free and Bad Company songs.
______________________________________________________________________


ROGER TAYLOR - 'IT'S NOT EASY TO DEFINE IT'

CD1
A KIND OF MAGIC
TOUCH THE SKY
EVERYBODY HURTS SOMETIME
RIDE THE WILD WIND
TENEMENT FUNSTER
MAN ON FIRE
YOU HAD TO BE THERE
I WANT TO BREAK FREE
FOREIGN SAND
VOODOO CHILE

CD2
SEE YOU IN HELL (SOUL)
I'M IN LOVE WITH MY CAR
HAPPINESS?
THE KEY
REVELATION
DAYS OF OUR LIVES
WE WILL ROCK YOU
RADIO GA GA
NAZIS
OLD FRIENDS
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
TWIST AND SHOUT (including Band intros)

QUALITY      : 8/9
PERFORMANCE  : 9
PACKAGING    : 9 ( Nice picture discs)
SOURCE       : Wolverhampton, Civic Hall 4.12.94

So far this is the only double CD of Roger's tour and is the
last show of the British Tour. By now Roger knew most of the
words and so there are no noticeable slip ups. This show was
recorded from the audience but is very good and gives the
feel of the tour. Some great versions of 'Touch the Sky',
'Foreign Sand', 'We Will Rock You' and a storming 'Nazis'
are featured. Joshua J. Macrae produces a good strong beat
with Jason Falloon proving himself to be a great guitarist
and even vocalist on 'See You In Hell'. This is a worthwhile
purchase for any Roger Taylor fan. 
______________________________________________________________________


ROGER TAYLOR - 'FUN IN SPACE / STRANGE FRONTIER'
(2 Albums on 1 CD)

TRACK LISTING
NO VIOLINS
LAUGH OR CRY
FUTURE MANAGEMENT
LET'S GET CRAZY
MY COUNTRY I & II
GOOD TIMES ARE NOW
MAGIC IS LOOSE
INTERLUDE IN CONSTANTINOPLE
AIRHEADS
FUN IN SPACE
STRANGE FRONTIER
BEAUTIFUL DREAMS
MAN ON FIRE
RACING IN THE STREETS
MASTERS OF WAR (Incomplete)
KILLING TIME
ABANDON FIRE
YOUNG LOVE
IT'S AN ILLUSION
I CRY FOR YOU ( Love, Hope & Confusion)

QUALITY   : 9
PACKAGING : 9 (Picture disc CD) 
SOURCE    : Official albums

Finally available on CD, but what a shame it has to be a
pirate release rather than official. Perhaps this will
encourage EMI to release the albums officially and add on
12" versions etc, it's about time. The only quibble about
this is the last track fades out, however it means that you
do not have to wear out the old vinyl versions. Most of us
will have heard these albums, 'Fun In Space' being Roger's
real solo album on which he played practically all the
instruments and wrote all the songs. 'Strange Frontier'
features cover versions, brilliant 'Masters of War',
co-writing and additional musicians. Again a worthy purchase
for any fan.
______________________________________________________________________


Roger Taylor - 'It's Not Easy To Define It'.

                Review by Max Fuller

Though not stated anywhere on the packaging or disc on early
pressings,  the show is recorded entirely at Wolverhapton
Civic Hall, December 4th 1994.  It was the last date of the
UK 'Happiness' tour. This info has been added to the back
cover since.

The packaging is nice, solely lifted from photographs
printed in the programme, and the quality of the printing on
the picture CD discs is of a high standard (again from pics
from the programme).

As you will notice from the track listing below, titles are
not accurate, such as it is THESE ARE THE Days Of Our Lives,
Nazi's 1994 and YOU Had To Be There. But worst of all is the
mis-titling of the solo Jason Falloon interlude offering of
'See You in Hull' I think this is self penned but I don't
know. I am sure that the title of this song from vocals
should be 'See You In HELL' though it is called 'Soul'. (I
think this is a personal band joke, as a set list from a
Roger show lists 'Soul' as 'See You In Hull' (Hull is a UK
Town).

The show is unedited apart from the pause prior to the band
retaking the stage for the encore (ie the crowd chanting)
and obviously where disc one ends and disc two begins (this
is perfectly done between two songs).

Sound quality is good, after some tweaking with the tone
contols a bit as  the mix is bit out, but I got it sounding 
rather fine, quite a bit of bass needs to be added, and the
mid-range reduced a little. The sound mix and levels remain
constant throughout, leading me to conclude that it was
taped from the mixing desk. This must be true as the crowd
noise is not overpowering and the sound in the actual venue
(I was there) was rather distorted anyway and the discs are
not.

Roger was in good voice the whole night, the only criticism
of the show itself is that the renditions of Rogers songs
from the 'Happiness' album generally sounded just like the
album version with no real "live" flavour to them. Great all
the same, I hope listeners to these CD's gain just some of
the joy I felt when there (front row, right-hand side, near
the speaker), if you do then this purchase will be an
absolute certified winner. I like it.


Soaraway Records 1995
Double CD. - Catalogue Number SR-RT101/102

DISC ONE (Titles are spelt as on back cover, and times are
as stated and are within a few seconds of what my CD player
displays)

 1) A Kind Of Magic          - 5.55
 2) Touch The Sky            - 5.34
 3) Everybody Hurts Sometime - 3.55
 4) Ride The Wild Wind       - 6.00
 5) Tenement Funster         - 3.24
 6) Man On Fire              - 5.12
 7) Had To Be There          - 3.01
 8) I Want To Break Free     - 4.14
 9) Foreign Sand             - 6.48
10) Voodoo Chile             - 5.33 

         DISC ONE TOTAL TIME: 49.56


DISC TWO
 1) See You In Hull          - 5.10
 2) I'm In Love With My Car  - 2.52
 3) Happiness                - 3.48
 4) The Key                  - 3.17
 5) Revelations              - 3.59
 6) Days Of Our Lives        - 4.37
 7) We Will Rock You         - 3.52
 8) Radio Ga Ga              - 5.57
 9) Nazi's                   - 5.38
10) Old Friends              - 3.45
11) The Show Must Go On      - 4.23
12) Twist & Shout            - 4.25 (Including the Band Introductions)

         DISC TWO TOTAL TIME: 51.42
___________________________________________________________________


Bootleg Information by Andreas Speikerman - Germany.

I'd like to make an addition to one bootleg CD review in a
previous edition of QFN. It was about the CD 'Demories
Please Majesties' - there also exists a very limited edition
of that CD and it is called 'The Prophet's Dragon'. It is a
set which includes the CD as a picture disc (the normal
issue has just a black printing on it), 2 MCs with some
early interviews, a t-shirt and a candle which is a little
caricature or cartoon figure of Freddie! Everything is
packed into a round wooden box which has a picture of a
dragon's head on it's top. This set is limited to only 10
copies!

There's also a new bootleg CD which I think is very
interesting and should be in any Queen collection. It is
called 'In The Beginning....'. It has only 5 tracks (Keep
Yourself Alive, Liar, Great King Rat, Jesus, The Night Comes
Down) and therefore it has a running time of under 30
minutes, but still it is very worthy. These tracks are taken
from one of the demo-tapes that Queen recorded at the De
Lane Lea studios and they are real demos with hearable
differences to the later album versions (except of course
'The Night Comes Down' where the demo found it's way onto
the album). The sound is very good, except for a few
crackles and hisses which are understandable when you
consider the age of the tape. At a price of around 20 pounds
one might say that it is very expensive, but it is 'worth
every penny'. All in all only 1000 copies were made of this
CD and 25 of those were turned into a limited edition with
the name 'Birth Of A Legend'. This is a great collector's
item. It has a very nice picture of Queen sometime in the
70's where they each hold an award (I'm not sure which one).
As there is not that much musical information on the discs
the producers used the free space and put some pics on the
playing side too! These pictures show the eyes of Queen from
very early pictures and from the backside of 'The Miracle'.
I think that the producers are right when they say that this
is "the world's first double-sided picture CD of the world"
as I have never seen anything quite like it before.

Talking about bootleg CDs - I have given up my plans on
writing the 'Live And Rare On CD' book. The reason is that I
found a book by two Dutch fans about bootleg CDs and they
did their job very well. I'm including some copies of pages of
that book. There's already an update available. I'm not sure
whether you could use some of the copies for the next QFN -
I think before that, you must get in contact with the
authors and ask for their permission.
______________________________________________________________________
END


