Queen On Video

 

SIMON DUCKETT AND DAVID L. CLARK SURVEY THE BAND'S VISUAL HISTORY, AS CAPTURED ON FILM, TELEVISION AND HOME-VIDEO RELEASES.

 

  Even in the absence of the great Freddie Mercury, the recent tribute concert at Wembley Stadium confirmed that Queen are one of the best live bands in rock history. Add in Mercury's flair as a performer, and you have a group who were made for video. Small wonder, then, that the field of small and bigscreen ventures by the band is so rich for collectors. The most enduring Queen myth surrounds the film made to promote their 1975 hit, "Bohemian Rhapsody", which is often credited as their (or in extreme cases of amnesia!) the first promotional video. Neither contention is true, though the massive success of both song and film clearly alerted the world to the potential of the pop promo. Queen themselves were careful to maintain their superiority in the field, and "Bohemian Rhapsody" was followed by a string of entertaining and instantly memorable promotional films.As one would expect, there have been plenty of home videos by the band issued during the pas decade, although regulars at Queen conventions will know that much of the footage that remains unreleased is superior to what is currently on sale. Because the visual story of Queen extends far beyond their officially sanctioned releases, we've decided to outline the history of the band on film and video, concentrating on live performances and incorporating the wealth of unissued material that exists. The first song to be immortallised in a promotional film was "Keep Yourself Alive" from 1973, a clip that didn't see the light of day until its inclusion in Queen's limited edition "Box Of Flix" collection last year. The keen-eared will have spotted that this video version is slightly different to the vinyl release, with alternate lyrics, guitar and drum sound (this take is also available on the U.S. Hollywood edition of the "Queen" CD). Later in 1973, the group made another film for "KeepYourself Alive" (featuring the U.K. single version of the track), together with one for "Liar", the band's second U.S. 45. Both tracks were performed 'live' on Queen's British TV debut, on BBC 2's "The Old Grey Whistle Test" in October 1973.The group made their first "Top Of The Pops" appearance in 1974, albeit in the form of a BBC promo film, to support their first British hit, "Seven Seas Of Rhye" , but this has yet to find its way onto a commercial release. The follow-up, Killer Queen", was issued in October, and the group turned up on ITV's "45" programme and mimed their way through a "Top Of The Pops" performance to support it. No official "Killer Queen" video appears to have been made, unless you count the montage of stills made for the "Greatest Flix" in1981. Proof of the group's rising popularity came when their shows at London's Rainbow in November 1974 were filmed and subsequently given a cinematic release in Britain. The result remains a great favorite at Queen conventions and looks a good bet to appear on video later this year (As we went to press, news reached us that the 1974 Rainbow appearance was to be releases on May 18th as part of Queen's "Box Of Tricks" -- see 'For The Record' for more details). There are two versions of the Rainbow concerts, running for 33 and 55 minutes respectively; both were heavily edited, against the band's wishes.Queen returned to the television studios to promote their next single, "Now I'm Here", both on Granada TV, and "Top Of The Pops"on 30th January 1975. Neither performance has yet surfaced officially. That year they extended their following with headlining tours of North America and Japan. The concerts at the Budokan in Tokyo were filmed, and an excerpt can be seen in the "MagicYears" set issued in 1987.

 

TOURS

 

  Ironically, they broke new ground at home while attempting to make inroads further abroad. With upcoming British and American tours already pencilled in, the new six-minute "Bohemian Rhapsody" single had to be promoted with a specially shot film rather than with live performances. The song entered the U.K.charts at No. 30, prompting the video to be broadcast that same week. The clip caused an immediate sensation, and the song rose to No. 1 where it stayed for a staggering nine weeks. The dramatic film magnificently mirrored the song's ambitious nature, and launched Queen's reputation as pioneers in the growing area of promotional videos.The success of "Bohemian Rhapsody" prompted the BBC to film Queen's 1975 Christmas Eve concert at the Hammersmith Odeon, broadcasting it simultaneously on TV and in stereo on Radio 1. The experiment proved so popular that it was repeated a year Later, and again in 1984. Surely such a memorable event in British pop music now deserves the honour of an officialhome-video release. An estimated 150,000 fans turned up for Queen's free concert in Hyde Park in September 1976. This historic appearance was again filmed by the BBC, but was neither broadcasted nor given a cinematic release in the U. K. But once again, an excerpt can be found on "Magic Years", and snippets are also to be seen in the "Somebody To Love" video. the full film has proved a great favourite at conventions, however, chiefly because it features some unusual material: "Flick Of The Wrist", "The Prophet's Song" and the first ever live rendition of "You Take My Breath Away". Queen's progression since the 1975 show is immediately obvious from their stage costumes and, more significantly, the breadth of material they performed at Hyde Park. This ranged from the acoustic ballad "'39" to the epic 'The Prophet's Song", complete with its stand-out vocal from Freddie. When Queen's massively successful 1977 world tour reached Britain, they played two gigs at London's Earls Court. Both nights sold out and were filmed and recorded for a planned autumn release. The film never surfaced full, but probably stands as the finest document of Queen in concert. "Killer Queen" and "You Take My Breath Away" are available, though, on "Rare Live" and a stunning excerpt of Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" from the show can be seen on "Magic Years: Volume 2". The Earls Court shows captured the band at their peak with over two hours of superb material. All the early hits were featured alongside excellent versions of well-loved album tracks, including an amazingly reworked "Doin' All Right", and "White Man", from Brian May. "White Queen", possibly the best song on "Queen II", is beautifully sung by Freddie, who demonstrates his gift for humour and self-mockery throughout the show. Of all the unissued concerts, this is certainly the one I would like to see released in full.Queen appeared live on "Top Of The Pops" in summer 1977,turning in a splendid rendition of "Good Old Fashioned Loverboy". Again, this is not yet available commercially, but it has been heavily bootlegged. Instead of the proposed double live album (which was vetoed by Freddie) Queen returned to the studio to record their sixth LP, "News Of The World", squeezing it into the only two free months left in their hectic tour schedule. This time limit, plus a response to the back-to-basics ethos of1977, produced a much harder and more direct sound. The album's first single was the anthemic "We Are The Champions",and the accompanying video included members of the Queen Fan Club as extras. There is also an alternate take of the clip which, unlike the official version, features Freddie playing the piano. Videos were also made for "We Will Rock You" and "Spread Your Wings" featuring the band performing in Roger Taylor's show-filled back garden. Out-takes of these appear on the first volume of "Magic Years". On the 1977 U.S. tour, the band were filmed in concert at Fort Worth and Houston, Texas, shows which featured "News Of The World" material such as "My Melancholy Blues", "We WillRock You", "Sheer Heart Attack", and the future American No.1, "We Are The Champions". Each of these songs has now appeared officially, which is an indication of the quality of the performances, but it would be far more satisfactory if fans could have the whole show!Whilst on European dates in 1978, German TV filmed partof a "News Of The World" show with Freddie dressed in PVC. The rest of the year was spent recording the "Jazz" album and on another U.S. tour in the autumn. On yet another tour of Europe in January 1979, the band reluctantly recorded some dates in order to meet public demand for a live album, although a film of the Paris show in March remains a far better document of the tour than the eventual "Live Killers" set. More dates in Japan followed where the band were once again filmed at the Budokan, but only one song emerged from this show, the promo for "Love Of My Life". In December, Queen appeared on TV performing a live version of the new single, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". The all-star charity event, the Concert For Kampuchea at the Hammersmith Odeon, was also filmed that month. Disappointingly only two songs from their two-hour set were shown on U.K. television, but American TV programmers aired almost the entire set in 1980. The band gave a fiery performance, the highlights being the debut of "Save Me", released as their next single, plus classic versions of "Don't Stop Me Now", "Somebody To Love", "Spread Your Wings", "Keep Yourself Alive" and of course "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". Once again, the complete show deserves a full official release. "Save Me", the band's first single of 1980 from the album"The Game", was accompanied by a haunting video blending stage performance and animated sequences, a technique which has been copied many times since. The follow up, "Play The Game", is worth mentioning as the video features Freddie sporting his infamous moustache for the first time, and Brian makes an unusual departure by playing a Fender Stratocaster in place of his ubiquitous 'Red Special' (he also strapped on a Telecaster in "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"). The next single - on a suggestion from Michael Jackson - was the disco number, "Another One Bites The Dust". It was promoted by a video which was shot on the U.S. tour. While the single went to No. 1 in the States and many other countries, in Britain "Top Of The Pops" would not show the video, which may account for the relatively modest No. 7 placing here.

 

MEMORABLE

 

 After a short tour of America, Queen then brought "The Game" to Britain and Europe. Sadly these memorable concerts, which can be counted among the band's best, were not filmed. Only the Brazilian and Argentinian leg of the tour was captured by TV cameras, during Queen's first South American con-certs in 1981. The Brazilian broadcast shows Queen in fine form, and is, again, a popular attraction at the annual conventions. Among its highlights are versions of "Need YourLovin' Tonight", "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Somebody To Love", together with "Save Me" and "Bohemian Rhapsody". After recording the follow-up to "The Game", in their mountain retreat in Montreux, Switzerland, and a collaboration with David Bowie ("Under Pressure", a British No. 1), the first "Greatest Hits" retrospective appeared. To celebrate its success, the band played two concerts in Montreal, Canada, which were filmed and released as "We Will Rock You" in cinemas in North America, in 1982. This later became the group's first commercially available live video, in 1984. Queen then finished the "Hot space" album and in the spring of 1982 set off on what was to be their last world tour. The European leg came fist: two shows were filmed for TV - in Frankfurt and Vienna. The tour arrived in the U.K. in June and Channel 4's "The Tube" filmed the Milton Keynes concert, notable for a gospel rendition of "Somebody To Love". Queen also played a terrific "Staying Power", but other "Hot Space" songs, "Action This Day" and "Back Chat", were edited out of the film. Nevertheless, all the big hits were there, making it a really good souvenir of an enjoyable tour. An edited version of the show was recently repeated on Channel 4 as a tribute to Freddie Mercury. The set list was radically revised for the next American tour, which was followed by more Japanese dates. One show, at the Osaka Lions Stadium, was filmed and given a Japanese-only video release. This bears little resemblance to the Milton Keynes concert and is now one of the rarest Queen videos. It's particularly desirable for the inclusion of the "Hot Space" number "Put Out The Fire", as well as "Teo Torriatte", the song Queen specially recorded for their Japanese fans in 1976. The band upped their television profile during the Eighties, appearing on "Top Of The Pops" to sing "Las Palabras De Amor" and on the American TV show, "Saturday Night Live", where they played live versions of "Under Pressure" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". In 1984 they performed at the Italian San Remo Festival singing "Radio Ga Ga", before headlining the Montreux Festival, where they mimed to "The Works" singles, with Freddie playing up wildly to the TV audience. 1984's "The Works" tour was initially confined to Europe where the band turned in some excellent performances. Sadly neither these, nor later Japanese dates, seem to have been filmed, and when a tour video was released, Queen relied on the massive 1985 show in Rio, albeit in a heavily edited form. There were in fact two Rio shows, as the group both opened and closed a week-long music festival. The other show has not been commercially released, but is available as a bootleg. July saw the band at the huge Live Aid concert at Wembley, which was broadcast across the world. Queen were in magnificent form, stealing the show from under the noses of David Bowie, the Who, U2, Led Zeppelin, Madonna and Dire Straits.

 

  Inspired by the public reaction to this and their songs for the "Highlander" film, Queen returned to the studios in Munich to record their next album, taking the highly unusual step of allowing camaras in to film them at work. The resultswere seen on the promo for their next Top Ten hit, "One Visi- on", while a longer version of the film appears on the first volume of "Magic Years". Queen emerged from the studio in 1986 with the "A Kind Of Magic" single and video, while America had the brilliant "Princes Of The Universe", complete with a great promo film of the band performing with "Highlander" star Christopher Lambert. This has yet to be given a full commercial release.After another appearance at the Montreux Festival, the band took off on the "Magic Tour" during the summer, a series of huge shows which occurred mainly at outdoor venues. The U.K dates ranged from London to Newcastle, Manchester to Ireland, with the Wembley shows filmed by Channel 4. One of the German concerts on the subsequent European leg was also filmed, as was their appearance in Budapest. This, the band's final tour, culminated in the spectacular appearance at Knebworth. The year ended with the group's first video single, "Who Wants To Live Forever"/"A Kind Of Magic", which was recently voted as one of the worst albums of all time! Over the next two years, the band members indulged themselves in solo projects, before re-grouping in 1989 for "I Want It All" and the huge hit album, "The Miracle". What follows is a comprehensive listing of officialreleases, both group and solo, unissued television and filmed concert appearances, and a list of possible projects. Note: all videos are on VHS format unless otherwise stated.

 

OFFICIAL QUEEN VIDEO RELEASES

 

QUEEN'S GREATEST FLIX

(TVD 90 0504 2; also on Betamax [TXD 900504 4]; 11/81)

 

  Queen were the first rock group to grasp the commercial potential of a sell-through collection of promo videos, and this pioneering set went to the top of the video rental charts. From 1975's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (a slightly different version to the one that appears on subsequent videos: this one features superimposed flames onthe opening 'four heads' sequence) to "Flash" five years later, it takes in all promos from the band's classic era. Only the very early video and television performances are absent. Two live gems, "We Will Rock You" from 1977 and "Love Of My Live" from 1979, are also included. With its sixty-minute running time, "Greatest Flix" is great value, especially as there was a Picture Music International budget price reissue in 1984 (MVP 99 1011 2/Beta MXP 991011 4). Collectors should note that "Queen's Greatest Flix" also appeared on the CED Videodisc format (33064) in 1983, and on Laserdisc a year later (6133-70).

 

WE WILL ROCK YOU

(Peppermint Music Vidwo 6122; also on Betamax; 9/84)

 

  This 1981 concert movie of almost an entire show is an accurate record of "The Game" tour. "Under Pressure" makes its livedebut while the funky introduction to "Keep Yourself Alive" pointed out the direction Queen would pursue in 1982. "We Will Rock You" originally appeared in a sleeve with a black background, but was later repackaged with a new design against a red background. In September 1986, this very reasonable introduction to the band's live shows reappeared on The Video Collection as a budget release (VC 4012), and was again reissued in October 1989 on that label's budget Music Club subsidiary (MC 2032).

 

THE WORKS VIDEO EP

(PMI MVT 99 0010 2; also on Betamax [MXT 990010 4]; 11/84)

 

  Hot on the heels of the live video was this four-track EP featuring four big hits from "The Works" album - "Radio Ga Ga", "I Want To Break Free", "It's A Hard Life", and "Hammer To Fall". This 20-minute set is now redundant because all four tracks have since turned up on "Greatest Flix II". "The Works" first appeared in a cardboard sleeve, but later copies came in a standard plastic case with an inlay card.

 

LIVE IN RIO

(PMI MVP 99 1079 2; also on Betamax [MXP 99 10794]; 5/85)

 

  This second Queen live video was the heavily edited record of two headlining shows at the massive Rock In Rio concerts in January 1985. Although this is the only official film of "TheWorks" tour, the band are clearly not on top of form and thereare numerous mistakes. One for the devoted, I'd imagine, although enthusiasts should look out for Video 8 (MSP 99 1079 5) and Laservision (MLP 99 1079 1) formats of this set.

 

WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER/A KIND OF MAGIC

(single, PMI MVW 990059 2; 10/86)

 

  This two-track video single was another world first for the band. In retrospect, this gimmick did more harm than good, as it meant Queen fans lost "Princes Of The Universe" and the extended clip of "One Vision". We also had to wait until 1991 for "Friends Will Be Friends" to appear on "Greatest Flix II".

 

LIVE IN BUDAPEST

(PMI MVN 99 1146 2; 2/87)

 

  Filmed in the Nepstadion, Budapest by the Hungarian Mafilms company during the "Magic Tour". this was Queen's third and most satisfying live video. Nearly a complete show, it contains some marvelleous off-stage moments too, among them Freddie warming up in the empty stadium, his voice managing to fill the venue without the aid of electrical amplification! There are also cameos of Roger go-kart racing, Brian in a hot- air balloon and John chatting to a little girl. This great live video manages to capture the atmosphere of the event, portraying the band as warm but professional, and is highly recommended. Collectors should be aware of Video 8 (MSN 99 1146 5) and 12" CD video (Polygram 080 510 1; 12/88) format editions.

 

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE

(Gold Rush-es/Video Music Collection PM 0022; 4/87)

 

MAGIC YEARS

(PMI MVB 99 1157 2; 12/87)

  This three-volume set - also available individually - sought to cover the entire 17-year history of the band, although the choice of the Austrian production duo, the Torpedo Twins, to complete the set wasn't an inspired one. The group's first hit was "Seven Seas Of Rhye" not "Killer Queen", for example!

* Volume One: Foundations (MVP 99 1154 2)

  This volume is split into three segments, and is an ambitious attempt to cram Queen's early history into 30 minutes of film incorporating interview footage and photographs. The result, however, is muddled and inaccurate. Worse still, the rare early promos and TV appearances are savagely sliced - "Liar", for instance, lasts barely a minute. There is no mention of the first hit single, "Seven Seas Of Rhye", and the film is put together in the style of a commercial, intercut with interview contributions from artists like Jeff Beck, Elton John and Paul McCartney. Part two contains out-takes from promos which, while amusing, aren't really essential to the story. But the release is redeemed by the third segment which includes film of the band working in the studio in 1985. Freddie Mercury is seen encouraging the other band members to rise to the occasion.

* Volume Two: Live Killers In The Making (MVP 99 1155 2)

  Volume Two spans Queen's live career from 1974 to 1984. Again, the whole thing is presented like an extended advert, with slick comments added halfway through songs and more inaccuracies. There is some glorious footage from early shows but these are ruined by premature fade-outs.

* Volume Three: Crowning Glory (MVP 99 1156 2)

  This volume covers the period 1985-1986, but even committed fans find it rather tedious. Much of the material is available elsewhere and the dull interviews with non-Queen stars tend to grate after a while. It would have been far more successful if the video had included the rare promos from 1981 to 1986, rather than this jumbled mix of live and offstage footage.

 

RARE LIVE: A CONCERT THROUGH TIME AND SPACE

(PMI MVP 99 11893; 8/89)

 

 Avoid this one. Again it is a Torpede Twins compilation and, as with "Magic Years", is reddled with inaccuracies, over- slick intercutting and brutal edits. Worse still is the lack of any chronological structure. As for the title, it's a gross misrepresentation. It's worth explaining that the original idea for "Rare Live" came from several fans, who suggested a chronologically arranged two- or three-volume set. This would have redressed the imbalance that exists in Queen's video catalogue by bringing together the best early performances from the 1970's, including many rare songs. It certainly would not have contained the appalling edits that ruin this miserable sixty-minute video.

 

THE MIRACLE EP

(PMI MVL 99 0084 3; 11/89)

 

 Aside from the fact that the title track doesn't appear (the video for "The Miracle" wasn't actually made until about a week after this release was), this four-track EP is now highly collectable, chiefly for its inclusion of "Scandal". Three of the four clips included are quite superb.

 

QUEEN AT WEMBLEY

(PMI MVP 11 1259 3; 12/90)

 

 PMI put this out solely to silence fans, who were crying out for new material in the wake of news that the "Innuendo" album would be held back until 1991. Had they bothered to consult the Queen Fan Club before releasing this, they would have learnt that most fans would have preferred the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon concert or the 1982 Milton Keynes performance, both of which are far superior to this video. But the kudos of a Wembley gig seems to have prevailed. That aside, this is a good souvenir of the 1986 Wembley show. But sadly, the seventy five-minute film edits out so many songs from the set list, that only brief highlights remain. The earlier "Live In Budapest" is a far better record of the 1986 tour, but at least Wembley has one bonus - "Another One Bites The Dust", which was not included on the Budapest video. Parts of this show can also be found on "The Magic Years" and "Rare Live".

 

GREATEST FLIX II

(PMI VC 4112; 10/91)

 

 With its running time of 90 minutes, "Greatest Flix II" is a terrific collection that covers ten years of the band's hits. Unlike its predecessor, these are not presented chronologically but follow the LP sequence. Although "Body Language", "Calling All Girls", "Back Chat", "Princes Of The Universe" and "These Are The Days Of Our Lifes" are not included, all the big hits are here, from the humorous "I'm Going Slightly Mad" to the grandiose "Radio Ga Ga", and the fun of "I Want To Break Free" to classic rockers like "Hammer To Fall" and "Headlong". Also included is the highly rated video for "Innuendo". A lavish, informative booklet accompanies the set.

 

BOX OF FLIX

(2-video set, PMI MVB 99 1324 3; 10/91)

 

 This real gem, housed in a superb red sleeve and embossed cover, looks set to become a future collector's item. It comprises both volumes of "Greatest Flix", adding four bonus tracks to the first. These include the original 1973 version of "Keep Yourself Alive", with the alternate lyrics. "Liar" also dates from 1973, but is from the band's second film session. Best of all though, is "Killer Queen", taken from a 1974 edition of "Top Of The Pops". The final bonus track, "Now I'm Here", is a bit of an oddity: it comes from the 1974 Rainbow film and doesn't quite fit in with the other studio and TV performances. Nevertheless, this is an excellent and good-value collection.

 

THE SOLO VIDEOS 1986-1991

Not surprisingly, the late, great Freddie Mercury dominates this section. However, the recent successes achieved by Brian and Roger should see this situation rectified in the nearer future.

 

STAR LICKS

(Star Licks Master Series, 1986)

 

 This hour-long video is by far the most collectable solo Queen release. Only briefly available, at a forbidding 26.99 pounds, it features Brian May guiding the viewer through the guitar licks from eleven Queen classics. No Queen visual clips are included, but excerpts from the songs are illustrated by stills of the band's record sleeves.

 

FREDDIE MERCURY VIDEO EP

(PMI MVS 99 0055 2; also on Betamax [MXS 99 0055 4];7/86)

 

 This four-track EP compiles three songs from Freddie's 1985 solo album, "Mr Bad Guy", and the title track from Dave Clark's 1986 "Time" project. If you like lavish videos and Freddie's tongue-in-check humour, then this is essential. I love this video, especially the gloriously OTT "Made In Heaven", which was the best song on Freddie's solo LP. Others will enjoy the hilarious disco romp of "Living On My Own", filmed at one of his notorious birthday parties, and subsequently banned by several TV stations.

 

THE GREAT PRETENDER

(video single, MVP 99 0066 2; 3/87)

 

 More camp fun from Freddie on this two-track single, featuring his cover of the Platters' 1957 hit. Roger Taylor appears in the video, which is now a collector's piece. This choice of song becomes more poignant as more is known about Freddie's private life: despite the vast wealth and success, he was really a shy and quiet funny-man.

 

THE BARCELONA EP

(with Montserrat Caballe; Channel 5 CFV00932; 2/89)

 

 Freddie stunned fans and critics alike in 1987 with his partnership sith renowned Spanish diva Montserrat Caballe, for the operatic "Barcelona" - a project he'd wanted to undertake for several years. The EP combines the lavish studio promo for "Barcelona" with two live songs recorded at a Spanish festival in 1988. It's definitely not aimed at the casual buyer or at the rock audience, but if you feel like something completely different, then this could be it!

 

BARCELONA

(CD video single; Polygram 080 548-2; 4/89)

This promotional video for the title track is preceded by three audio-only songs.

 

THE GOLDEN BOY

(CD video single; Polygram 080 580-2; 5/89)

Once again, this promo video for the title cut follows three audio-only tracks, playable on both compact disc and CDV equipment.

 

QUEEN-RELATED VIDEO APPEARANCES

Queen and its constituent members make appearances in a variety of other videos, including the following:

 

THE AWARDS 1992

(Wienerworld WNR 2026)

This features the promo video for "Innuendo".

 

GREENPEACE NON-TOXIC VIDEO HITS

(Vestron Music Video 11032):

Includes "Is This The World We Created (live)", plus Roger Taylor's promo video for his "Strange Frontier" single.

 

GUITAR

(Warner Music Vision 7599 38251-3)

A documentary about the appeal of the rock guitar, with an interview with Brian May and a live excerpt of him performing "Honky Tonk Dream" with Les Paul at Fat Tuesdays club in New York.

 

HARD'N'HEAVY - Volume 3

(PMI MVP 99 1192 3)

This heavy metal video magazine includes an interview with Brian May and Roger Taylor, plus clips of Queen playing five numbers.

 

HARD'N'HEAVY - Volume 5

(PMI MVP 99 1203 3)

With a feature on the recording of the charity single, "Smoke On The Water", by Rock Aid Armenia, a conglomeration of musicians including Brian May and Roger Taylor.

 

HAVING YOUR CAKE

(Pinnacle): This freebie, with a brief clip of Queen performing "Liar", came with "Music Week" magazine (27/1/90), to promote the independent distributor, Pinnacle.

 

HELL'S BELLS - THE DANGERS OF ROCK'N'ROLL

 

(InternationalFilms): This Christian documentary attempts to blame society's evils on rock music, with among other things, a section on 'backmasking'. Queen's video for "Another One Bites The Dust" is first played forwards then backwards, with an allegation that it contains a concealed inducement to 'start to smoke marijuana'.

 

IS THIS LOVE

(PMI MVP 99 1175 3)

Includes the promo video for "Who Wants To Live Forever?".

 

JERRY LEE LEWIS - THE KILLER: LIVE!

(Telstar TVE 1031)

1989concert recorded at London's Hammersmith Odeon, with Brian May among the musicians in Jerry's band.

 

MISSING YOU

(PMI MVP 99 1251 3): Includes the promo video for "Who Wants To Live Forever?".

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 4

(PMI/Virgin MVNOW 4): Compilation, with the promo video for "It's A Hard Life"

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 6

(MVNOW 6): Includes the "One Vision" video.

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 7

(MVNOW 7): Has "A Kind Of Magic" video.

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 9

(MVNOW 9): Freddie's promo for "The Great Pretender" is among the selection here.

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 10

(MVNOW 10): Has the video for "Barcelona" by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe.

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 15

(MVNOW 15): With the "I Want It All" video.

 

NOW YOU CAN SEE THE MUSIC

(CD video single; Polygram 080 546-1): With the promo video for "Barcelona".

 

THE PRINCE'S TRUST ROCK GALA 1988

(MSD V 9122): All-star concert with Brian May playing on five songs by other artists.

 

ROCK AID ARMENIA - SMOKE ON THE WATER: THE VIDEO COLLECTION

(Virgin Music Video VVD 636; also released as "The Earthquake Video"): Features the promo video for "Smoke On The Water" by Rock Aid Armenia, a collection of rock musicians which included Brian May and Roger Taylor.

 

ROCK CLASSICS

(Polygram Music Video 083 102-3): Includes the promo clip for "We Will Rock You".

 

ROCK IDOLS

(Video Gems R 1051): Includes Queen performing "Killer Queen" on a Dutch TV pop show.

 

SEXY SHORTS

(PMI MVP 99 1076 2): A compilation featuring the only commercial release of the "Body Language" promo clip, and the Dutch TV version of "Killer Queen".

 

SMASH HITS - NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC

(Virgin Music VideoVVD 267): Includes the promo video for "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie.

 

MEMORIES OF 1991

(Columbia Tristar CBR 14603, 3/92): Freddie is the cover star of this news compilation: his death is mentioned, followed by excerpts from Queen promo clips, in a two-minute sequence.

 

UNRELEASED SOLO AND TELEVISION APPEARANCES

 

  Roger Taylor was the first band member to release a solo single, 1977's "I Wanna Testify", appearing on Marc Bolan's "Marc" TV show to promote it. His second effort, "Future Management", reached the Top 50 in 1981, and Taylor became the first member of Queen to appear on "Top Of The Pops" as a soloist. In 1983, Brian May shot a superb video for his "Starfleet" project, mixing action footage from the cult children's TV serial with his singing disembodied head! Sadly, this has not yet made available commercially. Roger's second solo album, "Strange Frontier", was prede- ded by a superb single, "Man On Fire", which was accompanied by an explosive video that, for reasons best known to themsel- ves, the BBC refused to broadcast. Another brilliant, atmospheric promo accompanied the title track, "Strange Frontier", when it was released as the album's second single. Freddie's first solo 45, "Love Kills", taken from Giorgio Moroder's soundtrack of "Metropolis", appeared in the autumn of 1984. BBC 2's "Whistle Test" broadcast an excerpt from a video that incorporated footage from the film on a Bank Holiday special in 1984, but hasn't been repeated since.After forming in 1987, Roger Taylor's band the Cross recorded two videos for their first single, "Cowboys And ndians", while their debut concert was filmed by Thames TV and broadcast in edited format as part of the "Meltdown" series. Despite the losing thirty minutes of material in the editing process, it's a well worth seeing. The Cross made further videos, for "Shove It" and "Heaven For Everyone", in 1988, and for "Power To Love" and "New Dark Ages", in 1990, but it's not known whether one was made for the "Life Changes"single.

 

  Both Brian May and John Deacon appeared at the 1988 Prince's Trust concerts broadcast on television later that year. Brian May produced and appeared in the Comic Relief charity single and video for "The Stonk" which went to No. 1 in 1991.

 

"Driven By You" was written and recorded by Brian for Ford's 1991 television advert, while the video for the single was shot at the Seville Guitar Greats Festival. He also appeared on Fichard Digance's TV show, where he played the "Last Horizon" instrumental from his forthcoming solo album; and he turns up in promos by Bad News and Anita Dobson. John Deacon appears in a video for the Immortals' "No Turning Back" single and the eagle-eyed will just be able to spot him in two Morris and the Miners videos. And did anyone spot Brian's debt in the "Comic Relief" broadcast in 1991?!

 

UNRELEASED QUEEN VIDEOS AND TV SHOWS

 

"Keep Yourself Alive" (1973, version2)

"Keep Yourself Alive" (1973, BBC, "The Old Grey Whistle Test")

"Seven Seas Of Rhye" (1974, BBC film)

"Seven Seas Of Rhye" (1974, BBC, "Top Of The Pops")

"Killer Queen" (1974, ITV, "45")

"Now I'm Here" (1975, Granada TV)

"Now I'm Here" (1975, Granada TV)

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (1979, BBC, live)

"Las Palabras De Amor" (May 1982, "TOTP")

"Back Chat" (1982)

"Calling All Girls" (1982)

"Under Pressure" (1982, U.S. TV, Saturday Night Live)

Montreux TV festival (1984)

"Radio Ga Ga" (1984, San Remo show)

"Princes Of The Universe" (1986)

Montreux TV festival (1986)

The making of "I Want It All" (1989)

The making of "Breakthru" (1989)

"These Are The Days Of Our Lives" (1991, Disney animated version)

"These Are The Days Of Our Lives" (1991, studio version)

The making of "I'm Going Slightly Mad"

 

UNRELEASED QUEEN CONCERT FILMS

 

The Rainbow (November 1974)

Budokan, Tokyo (April 1975)

Hammersmith Odeon (24/12/75)

Hyde Park (September 1976)

Earls Court (June 1977)

Houston, Texas (December 1977)

Paris (March 1979)

Budokan, Tokyo (March 1979)

Hammersmith Odeon (27/12/79)

Argentina (April 1981)

Milton Keynes (July 1982)

Osaka, Japan (November 1982)

Budokan, Tokyo (March 1985)

Manheim, Germany (July 1986)

The above is a list of known complete shows. There is also a European television film of the 1978 German concert. German TV filmed Frankfurt and Austrian TV filmed Vienna in 1982, but its not certain whether they filmed the entire shows.

 

POSSIBLE FUTURE RELEASES

 

The premature death of Freddie Mercury has raised many questi- ons regarding archive product. No-one wants to appear to be cashing in on his death, but the current state of video releases is far from satisfactory. Those now available create the false view that Queen's most successful period was the early Eighties and that they only played huge shows. This should be redressed with, at the very least, a good compilation of their seventies live performances. Concerts from the Rainbow, Hammersmith Odeon, Hyde Park, Earls Court, Houston and Paris deserve video release, as they show exactly why Queen became so successful. My own feeling is that the concept of two- or three-volume set, covering the best performances from the early shows in chronological sequence, would plug the gap nicely. Both the 1982 "The Tube" show and the Japanese live set are worthy of seperate release; the BBC's 1975 Hammersmith show could appear on CD as well as video; and although the Earls Court and Hyde Park films suffer from technical faults, they could be made into exceptional videos with very little effort or expense. At the time of writing, we hear that PMI are planning to release another compilation of Freddie Mercury solo material, and are also working on a fourth volume of the "Magic Years" series, which will bring the Queen story up to date.

 

FILMS FEATURING QUEEN MUSIC

 

FLASH GORDON

(Thorn-EMI TVA 90 0300 2; also on Betamax [TXA 900300 4] & Video 2000 [TPS 90 0300 3]; reissued with new numbers:

TVS 90 0300 2/TXS 90 0300 4; 1980) This Dino de Laurentis film, featuring music written by Queen, has been released on VHS, Betamax and more recently reissued at budget-price (4 Front LED 50052).

 

METROPOLIS

(Vestron VA 14090; also on Betamax [VB 15090]; 1984)

Giorgio Moroder's revamped version of Fritz Lang's 1928 classic includes Freddie's superb solo single, "Love Kills". Again, this is currently available on budget-video in the U.K.

(Music Club CC 1160), though the soundtrack is available on CD only in the U.S.

 

TEACHERS

(1985) This trashy American comedy featuring Nick Nolte in the leading role includes Freddie's lacklustre "Fooling Around" on its soundtrack.

 

BIGGLES

(CBS-Fox 6789-50; also on Betamax 6789-40 & Laservision 6789-70; '85)

The closing credits of this film are set to "No Turning Back" by the Immortals, with Queen bassist John Deacon in the line- up. John wrote and produced the track. The film also includes "Another One Bites The Dust".

 

IRON EAGLE

(RCA/Columbia CVT 10773; also on Betamax [CBT10773]; reissued CVT 20773; 1986)

"One Vision" appears during one of many battle scenes in this low-budget "Top Gun"-style film. This can now be picked up at budget-price (The Video Collection's Cinema Club label CC1125)

 

HIGHLANDER

(Cannon 90 4017 2; also on Betamax [90 4017 4]; reissued on Weintraub/Warner Home Video PES 38050; 1986)

Queen recorded the music for this superb cult sci-fi film. Collectors should note the movie features different versions to the ones on the group's official albums.

 

HIGHLANDER II

 

This disappointing sequel features "A Kind Of Magic" on a jukebox in a bar scene and snippets of an orchestral version of "Who Wants To Live Forever?".

 

WAYNE'S WORLD

 

Comedy starring Mike Myres and Dona Carvey (of "Saturday Night Live" fame), featuring a 'new' video for "Bohemian Rhapsody" which consists of excerpts from the film mixed with clips of the original promo and snatches of Queen performing the song live.

 

 

 

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