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IT’S ONLY ROCK’N’OPERA (BUT THEY LIKE IT)

IT’S ONLY ROCK’N’OPERA (BUT THEY LIKE IT)

In memory of FREDDIE MERCURY, a double-A sided QUEEN single was released last week, featuring ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives’. It will, barring miracles, be the 1991 Kerristmas Number One. By way of a premature celebration, PAUL ELLIOTT conducted this straw poll of memories from just some of those who will buy the single and mourn his passing...

WRITTEN BY Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody is Freddie and Queen’s greatest hit. It was originally released in 1975 and went to Number One, where it stayed for nine weeks. Beginning and ending with Mercury alone at a piano, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ includes both operatic and Heavy Metal passages. Its reissue is a fitting tribute to one of rock’s greatest singers and showmen. Here, the Metal community remembers...

ROB HALFORD (JUDAS PRIEST)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ brought Queen recognition and critical acclaim on a world level. The ability to put together so many diverse musical forms into one song was a first. The video itself was seen as a unique way in which to present music, and to many people it represented the beginning of the music video era.

“Freddie Mercury will be remembered as the consummate frontman on stage and on record. To me, he was a musical genius who constantly explored every area of contemporary popular music from rock to blues through jazz to opera and beyond Freddie and the rest of the band proved a constant source of exciting inspiration to millions of fans and fellow musicians around the world.

“I for one eagerly anticipated every new Queen release, I was never disappointed and always thrilled with the new songs. I never had the pleasure or the privilege of meeting Freddie, but like millions of Queen fans, he made me feel close to him through the music.

“I was deeply saddened when he passed away and I shall miss him greatly. Thank God his music will shine and live forever. One way or another. I love everything Queen have recorded. Their adventures into all styles of music taught me to explore every area of musical form and not remain blinkered or one-dimensional. For that and everything else Freddie and the rest of Queen have given me, I gratefully thank them.”

OZZY OSBOURNE

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ is a timeless classic. It will sound as good in many years to come as it does now. Queen had an individual sound that no one else could ever duplicate.”

Favourite Queen album: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite songs: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We Are The Champions’

BRIAN WHEAT (TESLA)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ was one of the first truly long songs to be a hit. It wasn’t a contrived pop hit like so many others of that time. An uncompromising, brilliant piece. Freddie’s voice and flamboyance made him and the group unique. There will never be another voice like his. He had a passion for what he did. Queen took over where the Beatles left off in exploring new areas of music.”

Favourite Queen albums: ‘Jazz’, ‘Innuendo’, ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite songs: ‘Tie Your Mother Down’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Headlong’, ‘Innuendo’

WOLFSBANE (All four in perfect, multi-tracked harmony)

“BESIDES BEING incredibly long, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is the most over-the-top single ever to make Number One. Queen had a great sense of humour, even down to the band’s outrageous name. They were the one band that proved that great art can overwhelm even the most small-minded and prejudiced bigot.”

Favourite Queen album: ‘A Day At The Races’

Favourite Queen songs: ‘We Are The Champions’, ‘Now I’m Here’, ‘Is This The World We Created?’, ‘Under Pressure’… ‘and everything that wasn’t crap.’

LUKE MORLEY (THUNDER)

“AS A piece of music ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was totally innovative(?). No one had ever fused opera with rock before and above all that, it was a (…) (…) (…) Queen were like Led Zeppelin in that they could take any form or different musical style and stamp their own authority on it, so you always knew it was Queen no matter what they did.”

Favourite Queen albums: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite songs: ‘Killer Queen’, ‘Another One Bites The Dust’

DANNY BOWES (THUNDER)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ was a landmark in rock music. There was nothing like it before nor(?) since. It’s a classic in every sense of the word. Freddie Mercury WAS(?) Queen as far as I’m concerned. People go on about Brian May’s guitar sound, but I’ve always hated it! Sorry Brian, but for me, it was always Fred! It’s a sad loss.”

Favourite Queen songs: ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’, ‘Bicycle Race’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

HARRY (THUNDER)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ is a unique record(?), one in a million. One minute you’re in the opera and the next you’re at Hammersmith listening to Queen as a rock band. Queen had everything.”

Favourite Queen albums: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite song: ‘Tie Your Mother Down’

SNAKE (THUNDER)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ is simply a classic. Freddie Mercury was top of the league as far as frontmen go and a larger than life personality. I’ll remember Queen most for stealing the show at Live Aid.”

Favourite Queen album: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite song: ‘Killer Queen’

GUNNAR NELSON (NELSON)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ was the (…) of Freddie Mercury — a bold, ‘I don’t give a f**k what people will think’ expression that, fortunately for us materialised in a song that we can (…) in and enjoy forever.

“When you hear the song, pictures instantly form in your mind of a tat(?) lady in pigtails singing her guts out and a romantic tragedy (?) unleashing(?) before your eyes (…) (…).

“I spoke to Uncle Roy (Thomas Baker) about the recording of the song and he said it was not composed(?) and recorded(?) quickly like most Queen songs. Rather, Freddie would come into the studio over a three month period of time with completely new sections and layers to add to the basic tracks. Roy knew(?) better than to edit this creative (…) so he continued adding parts as fast as Freddie was coming up with them. That’s why the finished work was so damn long — and so f**king brilliant!”

Favourite Queen albums: ‘A Day At The Races’, ‘A Night At The Opera’, ‘News Of The World’

Favourite song: ‘Somebody To Love’

SEAN HARRIS (DIAMOND HEAD)

“I CAN still remember the first time I heard ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ on Radio One, I thought it was brilliant. Freddie Mercury was just a star. If he’d been a hairdresser he’d still have been a star. He had a great voice and was the best front man of all time.

“Queen never got the recognition they deserved. A lot more bands could do with being influenced by them.”

Favourite Queen album: ‘Greatest Hits’

Favourite song: ‘Now I’m Here’

BRIAN TATLER (DIAMOND HEAD)

“I WAS at school when ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was released, and everybody was talking about it. I particularly liked the bit in the video when the heavy end section came in with flash bombs! I watched it every week on ‘Top Of The Pops’ Incredible single!”

Favourite Queen album: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite song: ‘Now I’m Here’

JIZZY PEARL (LOVE/HATE)

“I WAS a big Queen fan in school and considered ‘Bohemin Rhapsody’ one of the first (…) pieces of music I’d ever heard. Freddie Mercury had a unique voice, I’ll remember Queen for their live shows.”

Favourite Queen album: ‘News Of The World’

NIGEL MOGG (QUIRE BOYS)

“THE BEST thing about ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ isthe ‘Gallileo!’s... brilliant! I’ll remember Queen for their tight trousers! They were the first band I ever saw at the Ally Pally in 1979. My mum used to work there.

“I remember seeing Freddie Mercury wearing a big cloak and playing keyboards at the soundcheck. I saw Queen before I even saw UFO!”

Favourite Quean albums: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’, ‘A Night At The Opera’

PETE WAY (UFO)

“WHEN I first heard ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ I didn’t like the opera part. Still don’t as it happens, but I really like the hard rock bit and the dynamics. It kinda reminded me of some of the stuff we were trying to do…

“I’ve been watching some of the videos lately and it’s made me realise just how good a band they were…”

Favourite Queen album: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’

Favourite song: ‘Now I’m Here’

ERIC ADAMS (MANOWAR)

“BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY was the first rock song of its kind, a technical and artistic landmark. A technical achievement by virtue of the recording technique. Queen were able to combine incredibly intricate, beautiful and powerful vocals with rock music that was equally powerful’

Favourite Queen albums: ‘Queen I’ and ‘Queen II’

CHRIS McLAUGHLIN (LOUD)

“EVEN AFTER hearing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ hundreds of times, I will always maintain that it is a supreme work of art. Undeniable! All the members of Queen are brilliant songwriters. Freddie was probably the most magnanimous performer ever. Only Elvis is on a par with him. Lovely guy!”

Favourite Queen albums: “Everything!”

STUMPY (THE ALMIGHTY)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ was the first single to have a promo video and was at the top of the charts for nine weeks over Christmas, a notoriously difficult period.

“You couldn't predict what Queen were going to do next. Great songs, very rousing live shows.”

Favourite Queen album: ‘A Day At The Races’

Favourite song: ‘I’m In Love With My Car’

SCOTT GORHAM (EX-THIN LIZZY, NOW OF 21 GUNS)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ broke new ground due to its length and it still hold the interest the whole way through. The video was just the icing on the cake. God! They were breaking new ground left, right and centre.

“The first tour we did with Queen showed all of us in Lizzy just what brilliant showmanship went into rock’n’roll at the highest level. It gave us a chance to see just how an audience could react if you perfomed with them as well as to them.

“My last memory of Freddie is a good one. He invited me up to the studio as Queen were finishing their last album, not necessarily to hear it, but because he’d heard I was a bit of a ping-pong player.

“He told me that he was his university's ping-pong team captain, so we had a competition over 10 games and, yep, I was too good for him and won!”

Favourite Queen albums: ‘Sheer Heart Attack’, ‘A Night At The Opera’, ‘Innuendo’

Favourite songs: ‘March Of The Black Queen’, ‘Now I’m Here’, ‘Sprend Your Wings’

TOBY JEPSON (LITTLE ANGELS)

“‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ broke the mould. Who would have believed that a song six minutes long would go to Number One? It’s almost the perfect song, combining melody with incredible rock dynamics never tried before. It’s an amazing concept that could only have been conceived by a one-off like Freddie Mercury. It’s never been matched. “Freddie Mercury was the reason I got into rock’n’roll. I spent my childhood trying to emulate him, walking around cloaked in my dressing gown singing ‘We Are The Champions’! Queen were unique because they never compromised in their attempts to push forward the boundaries of rock — and usually did!”

‘Sheer Heart Attack’, ‘A Night At The Opera’