Magazine Round-Up  QFN-19
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Record Collector - July 1995
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There's quite a lot of Queen information in this issue
spread throughout the magazine, rather than as a Queen
feature. It certainly highlights Queen's versatility in the
entertainment industry. 

Firstly, Gordon Giltrap releases a new album on the Munchkin
label entitled 'Music For The Small Screen' which includes a
guest appearance by Brian May among other guitarists. For
more details write to Munchkin Records 25a Bridgenorth Ave,
Wombourne, South Staffs. WZ5 0AD - UK

Christies sale, in May earlier this year, sold various Queen
items but the highest price was paid for an acetate of the
Larry Lurex (Freddie Mercury) song 'I Can Hear Music' at
780 or 787 (depending which report you read); which Record
Collector says is proof of Queen's growing importance in the
auction market. We all knew that though, didn't we! Other
Queen items sold were:

Signed 12" versions of 'Under Pressure' and 'Back Chat' for
225.

A 1981 South American/Japanese tour jacket for 190

And 14 b/w negatives (1970s/1980s) with copyright for 315.

A further 9 Queen lots were sold - no details.

Discovered! There has been a recent claim that Roger did, in
fact, record with the group 'The Reaction' whilst a
teenager, and two acetates have surfaced. Though Roger
doesn't recall ever going in to the studio with the band, he
has in the past confirmed he was a member. The acetates
which were cut privately (as they had no record contract)
are both from 1966 which would make them the earliest
Queen-related recordings known! 

The first acetate has 4 tracks and is credited to 'Johnny
Quale & The Reaction'. The tracks are all cover versions as
follows, with the original artists in brackets. 'Buona Sera'
(Acker Bilk), 'Just A Little Bit' (Rosco Gordon), 'What's On
Your Mind' (Shelly Smith) and 'I'll Go Crazy' (James Brown).

The second acetate has only 2 songs and is credited just to
'The Reaction' as Johnny Quale (real name Grose) had left by
the time this recording was made. The Tracks are, 'In The
Midnight Hour' (Wilson Picket), 'I Got You (I Feel Good)'
(James Brown), '

Here's what Record Collector had to say about some of the
tracks.

"In The Midnight Hour, opens explosively with a
characteristic Queen-style Roger Taylor drum solo before
giving way to Roger's distinctively husky vocals.

Indeed so powerful and strikingly confident is his
performance that it evokes comparison with Lulu's 'Shout' or
Helen Shaprio in that all three artists demonstrate a
maturity well beyond their tender years. 'I Got You (I Feel
Good)' is another track brimming with Taylor's vocal and
drumming virtuosity. On this evidence it's easy to see that
Roger was destined for success".

(If any QFN reader has copies of, or has heard the above
mentioned recordings be sure to send in your rewiew of these
important discoveries. - Ed)


Rise Of The Robots - The Directors Cut. (PC CD-ROM)
===================================================

It all started with films a few years ago. Some of them are
OK, (Bladerunner), but others just don't seem any different
to the originals to me (Fatal Attraction). Lets face it,
it's another money spinning plot by the men in grey suits to
get us to buy a product again and again in a slightly
different format. Personally I dispair at this sort of
exploitation of fans, but there is not a lot we can do
except avoid the purchase. Though that won't stop product
being produced, or collected by true fanatical [sic] fans or
indeed rip-off dealers for later exploitation.

So, now we have limited edition 'Director's Cuts' of video
games, and it's the turn of a game which Brian provided the
music for - 'Rise Of The Robots'. This game has recently
been released as a 'limited edition' game for the PC market
on CD-ROM.

Now to be honest I haven't played this game as it's not
available for the Acorn machine yet. I'm not a computer game
player really. I'm interested in Brian's involvement, and
the graphics I've seen in magazines are very impressive. I
wonder if many game-players really have the equipment to get
the best sound out of their computer. As lots of computers
are fitted with small tinny speakers I have reservations
that the music was chosen as it sounded right for the game.
I think it's a great idea that two industries are crossing
over, but I do feel that Brian's name is being used to sell
the product into a non-computer market, ie. record
collectors.

In true form Brian embraced the project whole heartedly and
even re-recorded some of the music and provided sound
effects and incidental music too. The limited edition PC
CD-ROM comes with a 'Making Of' book which include a chapter
devoted to Brian and includes Mirage's (The manufacturers of
the game) initial hounding of Brian to a possible future
collaboration. Watch this space. 

Anyway, should you be in the market for Queen-related games,
or are a collector who will buy the game even though you
haven't got a computer or CD-ROM to play it on, then
Mirage's new release will no doubt be of interest to you.
The Brian May tracks concerned in case you're not aware are
'Resurrection' and 'The Dark' from Brian's 1992 album 'Back
To The Light'. I tried to get hold of the versions used in
the game by contacting Mirage direct, but nothing arrived
when they promised they could send me the soundtrack on
audio tape or as a computer music file. I had hoped to
review the game's music here in QFN as they had been
re-recorded, but I'm afraid it's not to be this time around.
I'll try again and keep you informed. 

After all that negative waffling I really want a copy of
this game as I'm now intrigued by its' content and Brian's
involvement. 

If any QFN reader has bought, or has played 'Rise Of The
Robots' then be sure to send in your review, (on floppy if
possible). Maybe you can send QFN the music etc. as a
tracker/music file or on audio tape.

Finally from the July issue of 'Record Collector' is
something on the 'Letters' page about the recent 'Queen
Collaborations' feature which appeared in RC magazine a
couple of months ago. (see QFN-18 for details). The letter
informs the readers that the so-called 'record-club' (as
mentioned in a previous 'update' on the RC letters page)
pressing of the 'Zabou' soundtrack (misspelt as 'Zazou' in
RC) is in fact a Dutch pirate copy. The pirated album is
apparently also available on CD.  

(Pirate = An illegal copy in every sense. Made to be as
close to the original as possible. To seem like the real
thing). 

The letter also goes on to confirm that Brian does play on
the D-Rok track 'Get Out Of My Way', and that Freddie denied
any knowledge of the Fredieric Mercier/White Soxx
connection. Also the Gavin York LP 'Injured Innocence' is
not anything to do with Queen's Brian May but is in fact by
the Australian composer of the same name who is responsible
for the film soundtracks 'Mad Max' and The Clinic' amongst
many others.

Jim Jenkins added a few updates of his own as to Brian's
recent activities. Jim says that Brian is to play on a Jimi
Hendrix tribute album on the song 'One Rainy Wish' by
producer Eddie Kramer. It was also reported some months ago
in the oficial fan club magazine that Brian has been
recording with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and that Brian's duet
with Jennifer Rush on 'Who Wants To Live Forever' was
released as a single in Germany and is supposed to be
available in the UK sometime soon.

Finally...

Jeroen Kooistra wrote in telling us that the Minako Hondo
album 'Cancel' is available on CD in Japan on the Eastworld
label (CA 32-1300 WTP 90433), and that the Greenpeace
'Alternative NRG' album (featuring Brian) was released in
Europe (BMG / Hollywood 74321 18091 2). And finally... the
May/MeatLoaf collaboration, 'A Time For Heroes' appears on a
Dutch mid-price CD called 'Heart Rock' (Discy DCD 5430).



Record Collector - September 1995
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A few but important articles about Queen are to be found in
this issue. The first mentions the new album rumoured to be
titled 'Made In Heaven' (which we now know is true), and
claims the album will include out-takes from previous albums
with a single to be precede it.

A 20 CD limited edition boxed-set is planned, containing all
the bands albums, including 'Made In Heaven', and also 'Live
Killers'/'Live At Wembley'. It's apparently modelled on a
Platinum award, wall-mounted display complete with Queen
logo plaque and hinged framed lid with each disc in a
recess. The set will be numbered and limited to 15,000
worldwide. The price will be approx 400. A protoytpe which
EMI used as a demonstration model will be signed by Brian,
Roger and John and auctioned prior to the commercial launch.
(Information from the fan club tells us that this item will
be awarded to whoever has the lucky seat number at the
launch party).

A six-part 'Radio 1' documentary is also mentioned, which
will include rare material compiled by veteran BBC man
Stuart Grundy. The Freddie Mercury solo boxed-set and the CD
single of the 1973 Larry Lurex single 'I Can Hear Music' are
apparently "years away".

Channel 4 (UK) have two specials planned for December.

The first on the 4th will see the screening of the video
'Queen - The Phenomenon', an hour-long documentary with
interviews with Axl Rose, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Rod
Stewart and Michael Hutchinson. Archive material will
include Smile in concert and Freddie's last ever interview.
A commercial home-release of this video will be extended to
2 hours and include behind the scenes footage currently
being compiled by Brian May. (The two hour commercial
release described here was denied by the fan club in London
- Ed.)

The 6th of December will see a repeat of the 90 minute film
of Queen's Wembley  show from 1986. 

It's recently been reported that British ex-DJ Mike Smith
has bought the production rights to Jim Hutton's book
'Mercury & Me' (mis-titled 'Freddie & Me' in RC) and plans a
3-part mini-series. (Earlier this year it was reported in a
UK tabloid that either Robert Carlise or Robert Lindsey
would be cast as Freddie with Jim Broadbent playing Jim
Hutton).

And finally, there are a few paragraphs about the Fan Club's
special pressing of Bohemian Rhapsody. This pressing was an
instant rarity and sold for a modest 5 at the Fan Club's
10th Annual Convention held at Pontin's holiday camp at
Southport Merseyside UK earlier this year. All profits from
the pressing go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust.

Each copy of this purple 7" vinyl limited edition (2,000)
comes in a laminated replica of the original sleeeve and
each copy is individually hand-numbered. The catalogue
number 'EMI QUEEN DJ 95'. The original b-side is also
included on this special release.
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