Queen + Adam Lambert: In Concert!

I wrote on my personal Facebook page a few weeks back that every four years in July, Brian May and I get together to celebrate his birthday. Obviously this post wasn't entirely true: alas Dr. May has no idea about the interesting timing of our two encounters but that doesn't change the fact that on July 19, 2014 (Dr. May's 67th birthday and nearly four years to the day from the time I had the amazing opportunity to meet him), I saw Brian May and Roger Taylor performing as Queen in concert!

Rumors of this current North American tour began to circulate ages ago. You may recall that as early as 2010, Foo Fighter and massive Queen fan, Taylor Hawkins started talking about a tour. Unfortunately that particular matchup didn't come to pass but the whispering continued. I caught wind of them early on and vowed right then and there that if they scheduled a date anywhere near me, I was going. I missed out in 2005 when I was on my "but it's not Queen without Freddie" high horse and then their 2008 tour didn't even include a visit to the States. Honestly, Brian and Roger could have announced that they were touring with a bunch of singing rattlesnakes and I'd have made it my business to be there. (Although blech - maybe not rattlesnakes!)

As it turns out Brian and Roger decided to connect with American Idol veteran Adam Lambert for a North American tour, which began earlier this summer. Reception to this news on the major Queen fan front was - to put it mildly - mixed. Many felt that touring with anyone besides Freddie (and, of course, reclusive bassist John Deacon) was blasphemy. Others felt that a tour was fine but just not with someone whom they considered the very embodiment of a "C-lebrity", a song from the Queen + Paul Rodgers album released a few years back. Then there was the contingency of which I was a part: generally younger fans who sadly had no opportunity to see Queen in their heyday and realize that with both Brian and Roger firmly into their 60s, the reality of a tour is rapidly decreasing by the day.

When they released the dates, I was ecstatic: Madison Square Garden in NYC, TD Garden in Boston, and - ohmygosh, in my very own backyard - Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut! I dug out my rarely used American Express card to qualify for presale tickets and tasked ever-humoring Husband to purchase three tickets to the show. Presale, unfortunately, did not go smoothly. Tickets had been released in groups of 2 so a request for 3 was downright impossible: the system kept saying "none available"! Eek! Finally Husband snagged 2 tickets for me and a fellow fanatic friend and set out to find a single ticket for himself. The whole process was ridiculously nerve-wracking and made worse by the fact that tons of VIP tickets were available for several hundred dollars a pop. If it had just been me and Husband I probably would have paid the premium to get floor seats but I wasn't sure how high my friend was willing to go so we stuck with the regular seats. Finally, Husband got a ticket for himself and all systems were a go.

Of course literally the next day they announced a second date in Connecticut to account for the unexpected demand: that show is next Friday and tickets are still available. Argggg!

We booked a babysitter and made reservations to eat at Bar Americain (Bobby Flay's restaurant) before the show. To say I was nervous on Saturday was a bit of an understatement! I knew for sure that this concert was a once in a lifetime experience and I hoped everything went off without a hitch. Thankfully, it did! Dinner was delicious and just the right amount of food. I even treated myself to a frosty beverage to hopefully take the edge off a bit! We explored the casinos a while and I found my favorites: penny slots! I'm just about the cheapest person in the world and the idea of plopping down money that I'm just going to lose in five seconds makes me ill. With penny slots, I played the same $20 all evening before I lost it!

When it was time to go to the arena, there was a huge crowd gathered. Security was kind of a mess: they had male officers frisking male attendees and female officers further up the line frisking the ladies and checking bags. Seems like it might have made more sense to split up men and women or at least have some sort of signage indicating that was the procedure. While we waited, I checked out the makeup of the crowd which was very interesting. There were lots of older folks, but not older in the sense that "Brian and Roger are in their 60s and still awesome older"; it was more like "I'm going to hit the buffet at the golf club before nap older". I also spotted a fair number of families: parents in their 40s-50s with teenage-ish kids. The older generation definitely had the biggest showing though.

My shirt, which I will rarely wear lest it get worn!

The admission line basically lead straight into the merchandise line, which was fine because I knew I wanted a shirt. I'd scoped them out online earlier in the week and had narrowed it down to a particular style. My friend liked another style better (and I actually did too), but it didn't have the concert dates on the back and I really wanted that feature on the shirt. Otherwise it's just a Queen shirt that I could have bought anywhere! I also wanted to snag a program for a friend in Canada who visited the Montreal show but the programs were sold out.

So we waited...and waited...and waited.

Oh my gosh we were in this line forever! The shirts were all numbered and displayed on the wall so all you had to say was, "Number 3, size Medium" and then pay, but people were taking forever! One lady in front of us would say, "Number 12, size XL", the lady would get the shirt and then the first lady would say, "Number 30, size XL." You seriously couldn't order all the styles at once?!?!! Another two ladies stood there for ten minutes holding shirts up to their backs to figure out sizing as if they had never purchased t-shirts before. And I can't even count the number of people who asked, "What's on the back of Number [whichever]?" If the back isn't displayed on the wall, it's blank, people! Geesh!

We made our way to the front and at that point had decided to combine our orders to save time. My friend dealt with the lady for literally 45 seconds and 30 of those seconds were the lady fetching our two shirts. Everyone is seriously lucky that the show didn't start in the meantime or else I think we would have totally freaked out!

View from our seats. There were two giant television
displays and then a Q in the center with a video screen.
Unfortunately, our view of the Q video was blocked by
a piece of sound equipment.

Afterwards we found our seats. I've been in this particular arena before, but I was pleasantly surprised at how small it seemed. Suddenly our seats in the middle of nowhere didn't seem to terribly far from the stage. And even better, there was a catwalk and second smaller stage well within our view!




At this point it was past 8pm and I was ready for the show to start! I was definitely a little nervous and was bouncing around in my seat trying to contain my excitement. We did use the time to take a selfie photograph since Husband wasn't sitting with us to be official photographer of the night! We also chatted up the folks next to us: the couple to our left claimed to be big fans, but didn't know it was Dr. May's birthday so we weren't sure what to make of that and then man to our right said his brother was a big fan but he didn't do much squealing so who knows! (Obviously I'm being silly with both those statements: I don't go around judging whether someone's Queen fandom is adequate...or do I?)

The show itself was, in a word, amazing. Completely and utterly amazing. The set list was perfect: a combination of tried and true classics (Another One Bites the Dust, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and Killer Queen) and more obscure tracks that separated out the real from the casual fans (Seven Seas of Rhye, In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited, and Now I'm Here). And more importantly, the boys sounded great. Dr. May and his Red Special were in rare form and good ole Roger thundered through the songs like a drummer half his age! He did have some assistance in the form of his youngest son, Rufus, who has been performing with the band as a percussionist for the past few years. Rog definitely held his own though and it was only during one song (Tie Your Mother Down, which came very late in the set list) that he completely handed over the drumming reigns to Rufus.

I'd made a very conscious decision that I didn't want to see any video of Adam Lambert performing with the band prior to the concert. You have to understand that this meant restraining myself for ages as Adam has been performing in one-off shows with Brian and Roger for several years now. For me, I felt very strongly that I needed to make my own opinion about the collaboration and I hoped that someday I'd be able to form that opinion after watching them perform together live. That said, I thought Adam did a fine job. He very clearly understood and made it clear to the audience that he understood that the show wasn't about him. I read a review that questioned why the boys didn't throw Adam's fans a bone in the form of one of his solo songs, but I think the answer is obvious: this wasn't Queen AND Adam Lambert. This was Queen + Adam Lambert. Of all the merchandise for sale outside the arena, there was ONE Adam Lambert shirt. Out of nearly 30 different Queen variations, including several that featured Freddie Mercury. Yes, Adam Lambert's fans may have come to the show to hear him sing, but there was no question that he was there to sing Queen songs and rather proud and honored to be doing so.

Adam's certainly got a flamboyant personality, that's part of the reason why many felt he would be a good fit for a band once fronted by Freddie Mercury, one of the most outrageously flamboyant frontman ever.  He was cheeky and wore some wild costumes, but remained respectful of his stagemates the entire evening. At one point, Dr May asked the crowd how we liked the "new guy" and his bashfulness at our polite applause seemed rather genuine.

Speaking of bashfulness, however, I'd be lying if I didn't say that my favorite part of the show was the middle section where Adam took a lengthy break. It began with Adam announcing that it was Dr. May's birthday and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to him. I'm including Husband's videos because he had a slightly better position in the crowd and has a better camera on his phone (and if you listen closely to the second video below, you can hear him singing along!!) Oh my gosh I seriously could not love this man more! As we sang, he made his way down the catwalk to the smaller stage and I knew immediately that some wonderful things were about to happen!

I was not disappointed. The next song was one that I've always wanted to see performed live because of its sing-along component: Love of My Life. The history behind this song is that Queen embarked on a world tour in 1980-1981. When they arrived in South America, this song (though released several years prior on the Night at the Opera album) was a huge hit and audiences demanded that the band play it. They complied and the crowd would sing along, often drowning out Freddie himself. When the band returned to North America (to film their iconic Queen: Rock Montreal concert), they included it in the set list, not realizing it wasn't quite the hit up north. This led to a very sweet exchange between Freddie and Brian about one verse into the song where Freddie says, "they don't know it!" From that point on, however, the song became fan favorite all over the world and has been a staple in the band's set list for decades. Now, of course, Dr. May both sings and plays guitar on this song and the emotion in his voice is evident. He asked us to sing along and promised us a "treat" at the end if we performed well. I'm not ashamed to admit that I definitely shed a tear while singing along to this one and I was horrified to see how many people made a beeline to the restrooms during this song! I think we should have locked them out! How could you walk out on this beautiful moment?

Although it was rather predictable, the "treat" at the end was a video of Freddie singing the final portion of the song. Yup, the tears were definitely flowing at that point!

The mini-set ended with Roger joining Dr. May for another one of my favorites: '39! Oh how I love this song and I greatly enjoyed singing along to this one as well. It really is a perfect example of what a dork Dr. May is though: he went into this whole elaborate explanation about how the song is a folk song set in outer space and then said we were going on a mission into space. Oh my gosh - talk about adorkable! Then they headed back to the main stage where Roger sang his signature contribution: Days of Our Lives, another one that tugs on the heartstrings of those fans who remember and loved Freddie so much.

Overall, I was very pleased with the concert. I was thrilled when later (on the closer stage, no less) they played Under Pressure. I didn't recall that one being on the set lists and as you may recall it holds a special place in my heart for being the song that showcases what an amazing musician Roger is. He sang his part as strong as ever and I swear for a minute it sounded like David Bowie had shown up! I was a little sad that Rog didn't get to sing lead on Radio GaGa, but I greatly enjoyed his dueling drum solo with Rufus! That was definitely not on the set list!

The one song I really did wish they had played was It's Late, my absolute favorite Queen song. They only ever played it live a few times in the 1970s so I knew this one was a long shot but I think it would have been amazing to hear. Maybe next time, eh boys?

I don't regret for a minute going to the show and several times just closed my eyes and enjoyed the fact that I was in the same room with Dr. May and Roger Taylor listening to them play music. It was completely surreal. And, again, I shed another tear during the encore as they played We are the Champions and I realized that this was the last song I'd likely ever hear them play live. (Unless I go back for tonight's show, which I totally might skip town and do!) It was truly a magical evening with two of my favorite musicians!

**NOTE** I've linked to my previous posts for each song on the set list that I featured as a Queen Song of the Week. I highly recommend that you go back and listen to the original recordings and live versions of those songs as they really are masterpieces that showcase the talents of four of the most iconic and diverse musicians of the 20th century!

Week 3: Keep On Running

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: a week where I didn't get my act together and complete all my scheduled workouts. This week between doctor's appointments, my office picnic (which lasted hours longer than anticipated), continued hot temperatures and a fair amount of laziness, I skipped my long run which was supposed to be 8 miles. I also only managed to do one afternoon of yoga.

Let's see what I did do:

Monday:       2 miles
Tuesday:       Yoga
Wednesday:  3 miles
Saturday:      5 miles

It looks rather pitiful listed out like that, doesn't it. Bah! I'm entitled to a bad week every once in a while but I'm still not happy about it.

And now as punishment, we don't get to listen to RT's cover of Keep on Running, we have to listen to his unreleased solo song Two Sharp Pencils, which features RT's voice being electronically lowered and is about as dreadful as my training was this week.


Sorry to do that to you, folks. I'll try to get my act together next week!

Week Two: Keep On Running

Alright, readers, it's time to check in on my weekly half marathon training schedule. This week, due to a few unforeseen appointments, I ended up doing my first "brick" workout, which means two workouts-a-day. The heat has also caused me to slow down tremendously. A rule of thumb is that your pace slows 15-30 seconds/mile for each 5 degrees over 65: it was 80 degrees this morning when I finished my long run so you do the math. Perhaps I should call it my weekly long "crawl".

Monday:          3 easy miles
Tuesday:          5 miles (1 mile, 2x1600 m w/ 800m recoveries, 1 mile)
Wednesday:     Yoga
Friday:             2 easy miles/Yoga
Sunday:            7 mile long run

Yay! Week 2 is a success! In celebration, let's listen to RT's version of this post's namesake: Keep on Running (if I hadn't completed my workout this week, I would have made you listen to The Whisperers, probably the worst song ever so be grateful that I struggled through today's long run!).


Let the celebration and well wishing commence!

New Weekly Feature: Keep on Running

This blog is supposed to be about Queen, fashion/shopping, and running.

I've got the fashion/shopping part covered. Between my daily What I Wore posts, Anthropologie Fitting Room Reviews, Fashion Challenges, and Outfit Polls, I think a good 75% of my non-working/sleeping day is spent shopping, thinking about shopping, or writing about shopping.

The Queen part, I've been pretty good about too. I've stuck to my plan of highlighting a Queen Song of the Week every Friday, detailed meeting Dr. May, wished the boys birthday wishes, and occasionally ranted about various business decisions.

The running part?

Eh - not so much. Sure, I ran some posts called "Running Essentials" but running is a pretty straightforward sport. Once you have a couple of things, you're pretty much good to go. I have a few more that I can write, but that's not enough to properly feature the third component of my blog.

I've also been slagging off a bit in my training. This summer has been the most hot and humid that I can ever remember. The temperature hasn't dipped below 70 degrees (nights included) in weeks and the humidity is frequently about 75%. In the winter, my treadmill is a viable option, but in the summer, it's a recipe for heat stroke: there's no air conditioning in that room and no matter how many fans I set up, I cannot generate enough air circulation to make me not want to die.

This is a bit of a problem, however, since my fellow princesses have convinced me to run my fourth half marathon in October.

Hence, my new weekly feature "Keep on Running", loosely based on Designer Me's Monday Training Posts (click here) and named after a song originally by the Spencer Davis Group that Roger Taylor recorded (and didn't release) during his 1984 Strange Frontier sessions.


Basically I'm going to post my half marathon training plan every week and then I'll say which workouts I successfully completed. If I have a good week and follow the training plan, you will all congratulate me and I'll be happy. If I have a bad week and slag off, you will all yell at me and I'll be publicly embarrassed.

See? Fun for everyone!

To generate my workouts, I use the SmartCoach training program on the Runners World website. You have to be a member of Runners World to use SmartCoach, but membership is free. I plugged in my recent 10K time of 1:05:00, selected a 10 week training program, that I typically run 15-20 miles a week, and that I wanted a moderately hard program.

I'm also going to try to work in yoga at least twice a week. Occasionally, I'll combine shorter runs (like the 2 milers this week) into one longer run.

Now, here comes the fun part: did I stick to my workout schedule for Week 1?

Sunday:          Yoga
Monday:         2 mile easy run
Wednesday:    5 mile tempo run
Thursday:       Yoga
Friday:            2 mile easy run
Saturday:        7 mile long run

What this week has taught me is that not running in the hot/humid weather makes running much more difficult that a tough run in hot/humid weather. Typically your pace slows in the summer, but when you combine that with basically being lazy for an entire month, your pace ends up essentially a crawl. The best thing I can say about my runs this week is that I got through them.

I will say this though: already this feature is having an impact on my training. At about 3 miles in today, I really really wanted to call Husband and make him come get me, but then I thought to myself, "Geesh - I can't run the silly feature for the first time and not have completely made it through all the runs," so I sucked it up and got through 4 more miles. Hopefully this shame will carry me through the next nine weeks until the Diva Half Marathon.

So Week 1 of my Half Marathon Training Program was a success. You can now commence the obligatory congratulatory comments!

I'm off to the Red Sox game now. I'll be back tomorrow with the wrap-up and final outfit in my 18 for 18 Challenge.

Happy Running!

And GO Red Sox!

Queen Song of the Week: New Dark Ages

Since Dr. May got a special Queen Song of the Week in honor of his birthday on July 19 (click here and here), I thought it was only fair that RT got one this week in honor of his birthday on July 26 (click here).

RT's birthday coincidentally falls at the same time as I am finally gathering together all of the CDs by The Cross, his side band. I received Shove It, the band's 1988 release, for my birthday, I won Blue Rock from 1991 in a $15 ebay experiment, and am currently hunting for their 1990 release Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know.

Blue Rock is frequently the topic of hot conversation amongst Queen fans. It's widely praised as the best CD released by The Cross (which honestly isn't saying much as Shove It and Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know are rather dreadful in places) and for many fans, it's one of Roger's best, if not the best, "solo" CD. Here's where the controversy enters: RT didn't write most of the songs on Blue Rock. In 1991, he was dedicating most of his time to Queen and his family (his third child was born that year).

That said, is it fair to consider Blue Rock a RT CD? Without him, The Cross wouldn't exist and his songwriting on Shove It/Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know certainly set the tone for the band's songs. On the other hand, is it really fair to give RT credit when it was his band mates who penned the majority of these songs which are so good?

Then again, there's debate as to whether this album can even be considered a great album. Is the only reason anybody even knows it exists because of RT's affiliation? Would it be great when held up against other great albums? Or is it only great because an album like Shove It, for example, is in comparison so bad.

I'm of the mind that without RT, there is no band called The Cross. And honestly, though he didn't write many of the songs on the album, the band, either consciously or subconsciously, have very similar songwriting styles to his. On a few occasions I had to check the liner notes to see who had written a song and was surprised to find that certain songs were or were not written by RT.

I also don't think the album's low sales have anything to do with whether it's a good album. Blue Rock didn't sell well because it wasn't promoted. The Cross was already frustrated with their record label for failure to promote Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know. Then just as they were determining how to proceed with this release, Freddie Mercury died and RT pulled the album and its single resulting in the extremely limited release that the album had.

Regardless of how one feels about the album as a whole, it's generally accepted that New Dark Ages, the second track on the album, is one of the strongest songs that RT has ever wrote. So in honor of RT's 61st birthday, New Dark Ages is this week's Queen Song of the Week.


New Dark Ages was written by Roger Taylor. It was released as a single only in Germany in 1991 and did not chart.

The story goes that RT originally proposed the song to Queen during the Innuendo sessions in 1991. Upon reading the lyrics, bassist John Deacon basically threatened to quit the band if Freddie were made to sing the song. The lyrics are available here - I don't think I need to elaborate on why they may have upset John. Rather than press the issue, RT took the track to his band mates in The Cross and they recorded the song.

Not having ever spoke to RT or John personally, I obviously can't say whether this story is totally true. But I will say that it is a rumor that has floated around for some time and was confirmed by someone who I consider a very reliable source (who wouldn't have said something unless he felt convinced of it's accuracy). On his Soapbox, however, Dr. May has stated that he doesn't recall RT bringing this song to the band. I'm not aware of RT ever making a public comment about it so we'll likely never have the full story on the song's origins.

The song itself is great and treads the fine line between being a regular commercially popular song and a "Roger" song. I consider a "Roger" song one that no one else on the planet could have gotten away with writing - whether due to the lyrics or some studio sound effects or, in some cases, a combination of both. Sometimes, the song turns out to be a disaster and sometimes it's comes together beautifully. In this case, it's the latter. And frankly, I can't say I'm sorry that Queen didn't record it because RT's voice really adds a lot to the song.

Happy Listening!

And Happy Birthday RT!

Book Review: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

This book was recommended to me by a reader as a possible beach read. When I walked into the bookstore two days before we left for our vacation it happened to be the first book I saw so I grabbed it. Then earlier this week I was having an extensive conversation with someone about a boy with a dragon tattoo and I realized, "Whoops - I wanted to do a book review."

So here is my book review on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson.

I was about halfway through this book before I realized that it is the first book in a series of three. It seems the books aren't connected in any way other than the two main characters, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. I was glad to see that there were additional books because: 1) Mikael and Lisbeth don't even meet until more than halfway through this first book and 2) this book ends rather abruptly after it ties up the loose ends of the mystery that the pair are solving. Knowing that there are two more books to look forward to is definitely a good thing (although also a sad thing - author Steig Larsson wrote the three books, delivered them to his publisher and then died shortly thereafter so they are releasing the three books in quick succession).

I liked this book nearly immediately. The chapters bounce back and forth between following Mikael and Lisbeth so the reader can slowly piece together information about their lives without getting sick of them. The story revolves around Henrik Vagner, an aging businessman who hires Mikael to solve the mystery of his niece's disappearance some 40 years ago.

When I'm reading a book, I like to imagine what the main characters look like. It helps me personify them more. Usually this image changes in my mind as I make my way through the book, but sometimes I am able to identify a specific person of whom a character reminds me.

Here's the description of the first time we meet Henrik Vagner, "He looked surprisingly vigorous for eighty-two: a wiry body with a rugged, weather-beaten face and thick grey hair combined straight back. He wore nearly pressed dark trousers, a white shirt, and a well-worn brown casual jacket. He had a narrow moustache and thin steel-rimmed glasses." (p. 85)

In this case, here is what I'm absolutely convinced Henrik Vagner looks like:

It's RT! Now granted, RT's about twenty years younger (more so when this picture was taken) than Henrik and I wouldn't necessarily call his body "wiry" these days, but otherwise, it's a perfect match.

And to prove that I'm not just being silly, here's a picture of the actor who played Henrik Vagner in the 2009 Swedish adaptation of the book:

Yeah, I thought you'd agree. You're forgiven for doubting me.

So there you go, my review!

What? You want more?

Really? It's not enough to tell you that one of the main characters made me think of a member of Queen. Ugh - alright then.

Maybe I'm a dork but there's a whole culture of Russian literature that I really like. I adored Crime & Punishment. I've read Anna Karenina (twice). Mr. Larsson was Scandinavian, but elements of this book fell into the same category as the aforementioned Russian novels. For example, he alternates calling characters by their first and last names based on the context and the character speaking. I can't tell you how many times I had to reread portions of Crime & Punishment before I figured out that Raskolnikov, Rodion, and Rodya were the same person. So in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, sometimes it's Lisbeth and other times Salander, sometimes Mikael and sometimes Blomkvist - luckily, unlike Dostoevsky Larsson doesn't also give the characters random nicknames that readers are left to suss out for themselves.

Another element which reminded me of the Russian novels which I adore is the dialogue. There's lots of dialogue in this book. I like that. Nothing bores me more than pages and pages of description about what a certain archway in a particular garden looks like - BORING! This book moves quickly and Larsson gives just enough information so that the reader is coming to the same conclusion as the characters at about the same time. That makes me feel smart and I like feeling smart when I'm reading (because otherwise, why would I bother reading? I'd just do what I really want to do which is sit mindless in front of the television watching reruns of Family Guy. Seriously.) And, unlike the Russian writers, Larsson rarely launches into a three page string of one sentence statements with nary a clue as to which character is speaking - again, much appreciated and makes me feel smart.

The plot is a straight-up mystery. There was a crime (or was there?) and Henrik Vagner would like Mikael Blomkvist to figure out the perpetrator. Through a series of not so random events, Mikael eventually hires Lisbeth Salander to assist him in solving the crime. Initially the crime itself is straight-forward enough. Henrik's niece Harriet disappeared forty years ago. Henrik suspects that she was murdered by someone in the family and wants Mikael to discover who. Right around the time Mikael and Lisbeth finally meet up, clues begin to link Harriet's disappearance to something much more large scale and by the end of the book - HOLY CRAP, I'm sleeping with the lights on tonight! It gets dark and it gets dark fast.

Throughout the book, readers get glimpses into Mikael and Lisbeth's personal lives, but they are just that: glimpses. As I read the last page, I didn't feel like I really know Mikael or Lisbeth at all. I knew I liked them both, particularly Lisbeth who comes across as a sort of kick-ass, feminist, regular person/super hero hybrid. If you've read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (one of my favorite books), she was very Howard Roark-esque: she does her thing and could really care less what anyone thinks of her.

Henrik, on the other hand, not so much. Throughout the whole book, he comes across as this kindly old man but by the end, I was mad at him.

Actually I was mad at Roger. I tend project anger like that. I'll have a dream where Husband does something to upset me and I wake up mad at him. So here, I had no Henrik to be mad at and Husband really hadn't done anything wrong this time, so my anger ended up directed at Roger.

All I can say is, "Not cool, Roger. Not cool."

I'd definitely recommend this book and I plan on picking up the second book in the series The Girl Who Played With Fire and eventually the third book The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to read them as I'm not planning any more vacations, but who knows, I might even be tempted to read these books while not on vacation.

I know, right? I must really like a book when I start making crazy statements like that!

Happy Reading!

Queen Song of the Week: Say It's Not True

In 2005, Dr. May and RT teamed up with Paul Rodgers (of Bad Company and Free) for a world tour. In 2008, they released a brand spankin' new studio album The Cosmos Rocks. While the Queen + Paul Rodgers tours in 2005 and 2008 were well received by fans, the album is considered by many to be a disaster of gargantuan proportions. Personally, I don't own it and I've only heard a few songs off it so I'll reserve judgment. The studio version of Say It's Not True appears on The Cosmos Rocks.

The version of Say It's Not True that's on The Cosmos Rocks is nice enough; however, my favorite version of the song is this one which is available on Queen: Return of the Champions, a live album from 2005.



What's the difference?

The studio version of the song from 2008 features RT, Dr. May, and Paul Rodgers sharing lead vocals: they each sing a verse. The live version from Return of the Champions features RT on lead vocals for the entire song. The latter version is also acoustic and more poignant than the former version which gets really heavy at the end. Lyrically, this is one of RT's strongest songs. Like in Man on Fire (reviewed here), he uses a metaphor and I really wish he'd attempt this more often because he truly excels at it. The tune of the song can be a bit monotonous, but I think RT does a good job of alternating the end notes to mix it up a bit. RT appears to enjoy singing this one live too because he sang it solo at the Band du Lac concert (see here for his performance and see here to purchase the Blu Ray).

RT originally wrote the song for Nelson Mandela's 46664 campaign against HIV/AIDS so obviously the subject matter is something near and dear to his heart. I think the tone of the song is better suited to his voice and he hits some rather lovely high notes in the live version of the song. You can also see he's getting a bit emotional at the last line ("Could be happening to you. Could be happening to me.")

In one of Husband's frequent rants about how he thinks RT takes himself so seriously, I tried to tell Husband that RT actually does some serious charitable work and isn't just all talk (or all lyrics, as the case may be). In response, Husband spat out, "Who does he think he is? Nelson Mandela?" To which I squealed, "Yes! He works with Nelson Mandela's 46664 campaign!"

I decided to feature Say It's Not True today because Sunday July 18 is Mandela Day 2010, a global initiative proposed by 46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation as a day to honour and celebrate Nelson Mandela and his legacy. Nelson Mandela Day includes a series of events involving interactive art, entertainment, music, film, educational outreach and community service with the hope of inspiring people around the globe to embrace their individual power to make an imprint and help change the world around them for the better. (This is taken straight from the 46664 website which I've linked at the bottom of the post).

RT wrote this song for Mandela Day in 2005. He and Dr. May then rerecorded it with Paul Rodgers for The Cosmos Rocks, but made the song available for free download on the 46664 website. Eventually they decided to release the song as a single and donate all the profits to 46664.

RT and Dr. May's work with 46664 isn't their first foray into charitable work. Following Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, they (along with John Deacon, long time Queen manager Jim Beach, and Freddie Mercury's long time friend Mary Austin) established the Mercury Phoenix Trust as a vehicle to distribute the money raised during the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert (see here to purchase and here to view the most famous bit, George Michael singing Somebody to Love). The Trust has continued to raise money over the past two decades and has a number of projects currently in the works. In 1995, RT, Dr. May, and John Deacon donated profits from the studio album Made in Heaven to the Trust.

For more information about the Mercury Phoenix Trust, visit their official web page here.

For more information about Nelson Mandela's 46664 Campaign, visit the official web page here.

Happy Listening!

And Happy Mandela Day 2010!

Birthday Girl! Birthday Girl!

Okay, believe it or not, I didn't make this (nor would I even know how to make it), but it was made for me and I think it's hysterical so here is my official birthday post:

Isn't he a cutie? Enjoy, everyone! I'll try to post some fitting room reviews at some point this weekend!

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Queen Songs of the Week: SingStar: Queen/The Show Must Go On

Last week, I discussed the songs in the Rock Band Track Pack. This week I'm highlighting the 25 songs contained on SingStar: Queen.

SingStar: Queen contains the 10 Rock Band Track Pack songs. I discussed playing that game last week, click here to read it. The songs available on both SingStar and Rock Band will be highlighted in yellow.

Part of the fun of SingStar: Queen is that while you play the game, you can watch the song's music video. Of course, Queen can boast creating one of the first music videos in 1975 for Bohemian Rhapsody (see here for more information). Their videos only got more awesome from there so watching them is ton of fun!

The four catagories are as follows: Save For Your Mix Tapes (these songs are best listened to and not sung - skip 'em!), Play with a Crowd (self-explanatory - these are the favorites of non-Queen fans everywhere), Play Alone (or go ahead and play with a crowd, but you'll likely be embarassed at how into it you get!), and Give These a Chance (lesser known songs that are nonetheless fun to try with a group).

Save For Your Mix Tapes:
Tie Your Mother Down (I'm just not a fan of this song and in particular dislike the spoken vocals. Play it on RockBand and enjoy the guitar riff.)
You're My Best Friend (Husband and I hired a string trio to play this song at our wedding, but it's a slow tempo without being a powerful ballad so it falls a little flat in this game.)
These Are the Days of Our Lives (This song is really lovely, but the music video is the last one that Freddie shot so it's really tough to watch (especially given the sentiment of the song).)
Play the Game (I'm not really sure why this song was even included, other than Dr. May/RT trying to be funny (aka "punny"). It's a decent song, but like You're My Best Friend, not the greatest tempo for this game.)

Play with a Crowd:
One Vision (This could also be in Give These a Chance - I may be overestimating its popularity. In any event, it's fun (albeit difficult) to sing and the music video is fun to watch. Queen allowed cameras in the studio during the recording process and this video is the end result.)
I Want It All (Great song - even more so since you don't have to worry about the drum or guitar solos in this game! Just sit back, enjoy the theatrical video, and sing along! Pay particular attention to RT's kit at the end of the song - he's got water on the snare so it splashes up everytime he hits it! Awesome!)
Another One Bites the Dust (It really is fun to sing and dance to. Word on the street is that it was originally about cowboys and Freddie toughened it up a bit. This is one of the first Queen songs that I loved so even though I now realize there are better songs out there, I still have a soft spot for this one!)
We Will Rock You (Who didn't sing this song when they were little and who doesn't sing it now at sporting events? This song is lots of fun and the video is great too - the band filmed it in RT's backyard. Unfortunately he had just bought the house and the old owners hadn't left yet so they couldn't go inside. Freddie stole some ratty gloves from a roadie and poor RT is shivering throughout the entire video!)
I Want to Break Free - (In the video, the boys dressed up in drag and Freddie brought in the Royal Ballet Company - really over-the-top stuff. The song is fun to sing and relatively easy as far as Queen songs go.)
Killer Queen (This song is actually pretty tricky to sing, but everyone knows and loves it!)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen goes rockabilly on this one with both the song and the music video. This is another party favorite because everyone really does love this song.)
Under Pressure (This song has the duet option so two people can sing at once - one as Freddie and one as David. That makes it lots of fun, but be warned, SingStar rates the singing much harder than RockBand does (particularly in this song!))

Bohemian Rhapsody (I'm of the generation that head banged in my car singing this song a la Wayne's World - in fact, I sang BoRhap at karaoke after my senior prom in high school! It's fun to actually see how many of the notes I'm hitting. The backing track is a bitch and filled with harmonies that I will never be able to figure out - I guess that's why I'm not actually in Queen...yet! One annoyance is that some of the notes attributed to Freddie are actually RT in the backing track (I mean you can actually see RT singing the notes in the video! Geesh!) You can't go wrong playing this song with a group though!
Fat Bottomed Girls (The day that the Rock Band Queen Track Pack was finally released, I came home from work, downloaded the songs, and then sang this one three times in a row! The melody is great and the lyrics are pretty funny too! This is also a fun one to sing when playing with a group of people because everyone knows this song (even if they don't realize it's Queen). Don't move around too much while you sing though - the notes are high and the lyrics are quick so you'll soon find yourself out of breath!)

Play Alone:
A Kind of Magic (Husband hates the video (Freddie, a magical man, turns the rest of the group from bums into musicians), but I think it's sweet. This was written by RT so I imagine doing duets with him while he's drumming (a la Queen + Paul Rodgers, see here)).
Somebody to Love (This song is known for its absolutely beautiful layered vocals that have a gospel choir feel to them, but sadly there is no duet mode for this song! The reason why I got the game was so that I could sing: "At the end of the day...goes home...goes home on his own" and the rest of RT and Dr. May's amazing background vocals. I still really love singing it by myself though!)
We Are the Champions (Here's an example of a Queen song that I don't particularly like listening to, but I love singing on this game (*gasps* I know guys, but it really is over-played and a bit sappy). Freddie really does have an amazing voice and this one really showcases that. If you think you can control yourself, play it with a crowd. Personally I get too into the song and prefer to sing it by myself!)
Who Wants To Live Forever (Not my favorite song to listen to, but man is this a powerful song to sing, especially in the final chorus. The video is really beautiful too with the band dressed to the nines, John Deacon playing a stand up bass, and the boys singing amidst a gospel choir! Be sure to keep your eyes on RT during the video - he showed up for the shoot so hung over, he couldn't even stand up let alone play the drums properly.)

Give These a Chance:
Hammer to Fall (This is an 80s song with a great guitar riff. The vocals are fun, but a bit tricky to keep up with.)
Breakthru (After the beginning (which is actually another song that was unfinished) which has some difficult harmonies, this song is lots of fun to sing and even more fun to watch the video. Don't get too complacent though - Freddie mixes up the vocals a bit towards the end!)
Don't Stop Me Now (Husband's favorite song to sing. It's a catchy song, but the lyrics are quick so make sure you know all the words before you move up in difficulty level! This song can be frustrating because it combines background vocals with Freddie's vocals so you'll probably finish the song gasping for air!)
Innuendo (Queen's last single before Freddie died - it's got some really powerful vocals and a cool Spanish guitar solo in the middle. The song switches styles a few times making it difficult to keep up with if you don't know it really well.)
Save Me (I love this song, but I love the live version better.  It showcases Freddie's powerful voice (this song is not included in the U.K. version, but rather Bicycle Race is - I think we lucked out, U.S.))
Radio Ga Ga (I love the video. I love the song. I love the story behind the song (see here). I sing this song, I imagine I'm really on stage with Queen and inevitably I have a blast! Now that I think about it, this one might be a Play Alone too!)

So that's 24 out of the 25 Queen: SingStar songs. The 25th song is my absolute favorite song in the game and this week's Queen Song of the Week: The Show Must Go On.



The Show Must Go On appeared on Queen's 1991 album Innuendo. It is credited to the entire band, but Dr. May is believed to have written the majority of the song. The Show Must Go On was released as a single in the U.K. in 1991 and peaked at #16 spending 10 weeks on the chart.

This is one of the last songs Freddie recorded before he died. It took playing this game for me to realize how awesome it is. Now it's one of my favorite songs (not just Queen songs) ever. The vocals are strong and powerful and the song is amazing! Many fans feel that the Innuendo album was closer in feel to the band’s music from the 1970s which is considered a really good thing.

The Show Must Go On is definitely a Play Alone song for me. I get really into it and enjoy trying to emulate Freddie's freestyle vocals, particularly at the end of the song. The music video is also really interesting to watch - it's a compilation of many of the band's past music videos (including I Want to Break Free, Princes of the Universe, and A Kind of Magic).

So even if you don't want to invest in SingStar: Queen, take a listen to The Show Must Go On and you won't be disappointed!

Happy Listening!

Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders: Album & Concert Review & What I Wore

Don't forget to enter Princess of Taylor's first giveaway (click here for details and to enter). The prize is a travel sized Laura Gellar Blush-N-Brighten in Sunswept and Queen's Greatest Hits. And, um guys, right now everyone has like a 25% chance of winning. This is free stuff people - enter my giveaway!

On Sunday night, Husband and I drove to Boston to see Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. I have a tendency to really build things up in my mind so I had really high hopes for this concert: basically I envisioned an audience of maybe 100, me in the front row, Roger Taylor showing up, and me hanging out with the band (and Roger) afterwards into the wee hours of the morning.

Um, guys? Other than Roger Taylor showing up (he didn't), my imaginary concert was not far from the actual concert experience! It seems that outside the Queen/Roger Taylor-obsessed bubble I live in, people don't really know who Taylor Hawkins is. On all the signs in the bar advertising the show, someone had written in "of Foo Fighters" next to Taylor Hawkins's name (this poster was on the wall in the ladies room). Now, granted I wasn't familiar with his solo work prior to the last few months, but I did know his name and that I always thought he was the "cute" one in the Foo Fighters. Clearly the rest of New England feels differently about Taylor Hawkins (or feels differently about going to a concert on a Sunday night) because there was a seriously small crowd at the show!

I borrowed my sister-in-law's camera and (because I couldn't figure out how to work the darn thing and, more importantly, wanted my hands free for potential Roger Taylor grabbing) deemed Husband the evening's "official photographer". He rose admirably to the challenge and took a ton of amazing photos.

Here's the venue. It's a bar with a small stage - I'd say at full capacity, it could maybe fit 250. According to the sign above the bar, the concert was not sold out. I'd estimate that there were about 100-150 people in attendance. No backstage. No dressing rooms. When the band left the stage prior to their encore, they stood in the public restroom for a few minutes and then joked that they had come back onstage a little early because someone had to use the restroom.

This is Taylor Hawkins's drum kit set up next to the stage on the way to the restrooms. Just sitting there in plain view. Husband admitted that he was seriously tempted to steal a piece of duct tape off one of the snares, but he figured that could lead to him being asked to leave. I told him that if he was asked to leave, I would have stayed so he probably made a wise decision by not touching the drums.

Here's the set list taped to the stage. I took this photo from where I was standing for the show (actually I think I even crawled up on stage a bit).

So do we have a general understanding of how small this venue was? It was ridiculous.

There was an opening band called Township. Here's their website. They were exactly what you would expect from a band opening for another band at a venue with 150 people in the audience. They played for about 45 minutes and their songs were catchy enough, they acoustics were good, and Husband and I decided that the guitar player was seriously the biggest poser on the planet so his onstage antics kept us amused!

It was after 10pm before Taylor Hawkins came onstage. I had my plan of attack all plotted out - I went to the ladies room and sent Husband to scope out a good spot. When I returned, I squeezed my way to the front of the stage and ended up in the front row, dead center in front of Taylor Hawkins's drum kit. I struck up a conversation with the guy standing next to me and was horrified to learn that he had been only 2 years old when Green Day released their debut album "Dookie". Man, did I feel like an old lady. I could have been this kid's mom!

Here are some shots from the show.

Husband found it tremendously amusing that I could turn around to face him and be in the same shot as the band so he took several photos like that throughout the evening. Unfortunately the silly camera missed the point of us both being in the photo so Taylor is basically in darkness - Arg!

At the end of the night, Taylor Hawkins skittered out of the venue right away which was a huge disappointment. I had so planned on cornering him and asking him about the rumored Taylor Hawkins/Roger Taylor tour. I did spot the guitarists Gannin Arnold and Nate Wood hanging around outside so I chatted them up a bit and had Husband take a picture. They both clearly need to work on their "picture with a fan face" - is it me or does it look like I've told them both that I intend to punch them immediately after the photo is taken? Smile, boys! I, on the other hand, look positively giddy as I have now officially met someone who is in a band with someone who is friends with RT. Nice!

The set list was a mix of new material from Red Light Fever and songs from their self-titled debut album. I was actually a bit surprised by a few of the new songs that they played, but thought that overall the show was great (and according to Gannin Arnold the crowd was great too!) For some reason until last week I assumed that Taylor Hawkins did his vocals and played guitar. I have no idea why I thought that because obviously Taylor Hawkins is known as a drummer so he leads this band RT-style from behind his drum kit. That is absolutely amazing, to say the least. Drumming is hard. Crazy drumming like Taylor Hawkins does is insanely hard. Crazy drumming like Taylor Hawkins does while singing lead vocals is freakin' unbelievable!

I've reviewed each of the songs on the new album individually below. The songs that they played at the concert are highlighted and I've included live reviews as well.

Not Bad Luck - This song is the most Queen-like on the album, but ironically neither RT or Dr. May appear on it. It does feature Elliot Easton of The Cars. The choir in the chorus is definitely reminiscent of Somebody to Love, Bohemian Rhapsody or Let Me Live. This song also contains what I've decided is one of the most awesome lyrics ever written: "complicated doesn't make it wrong." I'd say this song is one of the top three on the album. Here's a clip of the band playing this song live on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. The song sounded pretty similar on Sunday night - except that there were no female background singers. This was the final song of the encore and really ended the show on a high note for me!

Your Shoes - RT sings backing vocals on this song. I like this song a lot - it has a really great beat and I've completely convinced myself that I could foot pedal the heck out of this song on Rock Band. I do wonder if I'd like it as much without RT. You can definitely hear him in the chorus ("And you know"), but I'm not sure whether he also does some harmonies during the verses. In any event, he sounds great and it makes me giggle to think of him in the studio recording his parts and then sending the track along to Taylor Hawkins. I really wish RT had done some additional vocals or drumming on the album, but I'll take what I can get. Before the band played this song, Taylor Hawkins said, "This is the second song on the album," at which point I could not stop myself from cheering because I knew what song it was. Then he said, "Roger Taylor sings backing vocals on it, but he's not here tonight." To that, I yelled, "Boo!" That got a grin out of Taylor Hawkins (who was super interactive with the audience - I mean we could basically just say something at normal volume level and he'd hear us and respond!) The song sounded great live and for the most part, the band didn't try to recreate RT's vocals which in my mind was a tip of the cap to his complete and utter greatness!

Way Down - Husband and I agree that this is the best song on the album. Dr. May sings and plays his Red Special on it (he also co-wrote it). The chorus is repetitive and catchy - I was singing along to it the first time I heard the song. This song also shows what a good voice Taylor Hawkins has - man, he is singing high! If you're going to listen to one track on this album, pick this one and you'll have it running through your head for days! Before playing this song, Taylor Hawkins said that he never in a million years thought this song would be the single because it's so goofy and that he was shocked that everyone likes it!

It's Over - This is a song that I was really surprised that they played at the concert, but once they started it, I completely understood why they picked it: this is a song meant to be played live. On the album, it's catchy enough, but watching Taylor Hawkins play the drum fills and then somehow having the breath left to sing the song was pretty spectacular and gave me a whole new appreciation for the song!

Hell to Pay - If I had to pick a song on the album that's my least favorite, it might be this one. Not saying that it's a bad song - it's just not as memorable as the others. I listened to the CD a lot in preparation for this concert and yet as I sit here typing the review, I can't for the life of me remember how this song goes...hmm okay it just popped into my head, but I really shouldn't have had to think that hard! I think the issue is that it's a bit slow compared to the rest of the songs on the album which tend to pick up a bit at the chorus. This one stays at a moderate tempo throughout and just ends up being forgettable.

Sunshine - The thing that stands out the most in my mind about this song is a metronome-style clicking that you can hear throughout. I cannot get out of my mind the mental image of someone in the recording studio playing ping pong! It's super annoying! RT, did you put Taylor Hawkins up to this? I can't imagine he'd come up with ping pong studio effects on his own! The ping pong lets up for the chorus so I enjoy that part. This was the last song of the set so they played an extended version complete with mini-solos for all four band members. I'm happy to report that the metronome-style-clicking did not make it to the live version so for that reason alone, I much preferred this song live!

Never Enough - This song reminds me of a Nirvana song which isn't terribly unexpected (of course, Taylor Hawkins drums for the Foo Fighters which are lead by Dave Grohl who drummed for Nirvana). I can actually picture Kurt Cobain singing this song, especially the "I give you everything and it's never enough" part of the chorus. That said, I was always a bit of a Nirvana fan so its nice to hear a new song in their distinctive style.

Hole in My Shoe - Another one of my favorite songs on the album. Taylor Hawkins writes a really good chorus and this song is the perfect example of that - the chorus is awesome and the verses...well they're good, but why don't you play the chorus again? I also very much like this song because I can hear the harmonies. This happens to me with a song every so often: for some reason, the harmony is just really obvious to me (and not because it's being sung!) so I have lots of fun singing this one in the car and imagining I'm singing backing vocals. I was really pleased that they played this one and sang along. I was close enough to the stage that I think Nate Wood noticed that I was singing along and was a bit surprised (it being a new song and all).

James Gang - This song is a grower: meaning I had to listen to it several times before I finally liked it. I bet I'd have more to say about it if they'd played it live because this is another one that like It's Over, I bet sounds ten times better live than on the record. I guess I'll never know for sure though.

Don't Have to Speak - This is the other track that Dr. May contributed to and I have to say, I have never been someone who even pretended to recognize what the Red Special sounds like. It's a guitar. Yeah Dr. May happened to build it himself fifty years ago, but it's still just a guitar. However, in this song, I can absolutely recognize the Red Special during the guitar solo. I didn't know which other song Dr. May appeared on besides Way Down, but then I heard this song and knew immediately this was it. This is a great song even without Dr. May's awesome guitar solo - probably the most ballad-like on the album and one of my favorites. Of all the songs on the album, I was most disappointed that they didn't play this one live, but I can see why with the Red Special being so prominently featured on the song. I bet they'll play it at their show in London next week when the rumor is Dr. May and RT are going to show up! ARG!

I Can See It Now - Here's another song that took me a few listens to warm to. At one point I was ready to write it off as forgettable and then I couldn't get it out of my head for the entire next day! The tune has some unexpected notes in it (and being totally unmusical I have no idea if they are flat or sharp), but I like 'em! This song also has a catchy guitar riff following the chorus which I rather enjoy.

I Don't Think I Trust You Anymore - Another song with a great chorus and a really cool guitar riff following it. The verses are kind of moody and whispered and then the chorus kicks in and the song really starts to rock. I was pleased that they played this song at the show, but really surprised that it was their opening song. It absolutely got the show off to a great start though so I guess that's why Taylor Hawkins is the rock star and I'm just sitting at home typing reviews on my blog!

So what did I wear to this exciting event? My outfit actually took a tremendous amount of planning. I knew from previous experience that closed-toed shoes were a must (especially anticipating that I would be elbowing my way to the front of the crowd). I also wanted to wear something sleeveless and machine-washable because I knew I'd be sweating like a mofo! I also didn't wear any jewelry for fear of it being stolen (*zoinks!*) or ripped off (*ouch!*)

Ludi V-Neck in Sky, Anthropologie, size Medium (available here)

Jeans, Banana Republic, size 12L (from fall 2006)

Puma sneakers, size 9

I'd definitely recommend picking up Red Light Fever. It's got a Foo Fighters/Nirvana/Queen influence which seems both nostalgic and modern at the same time. I liked the songs played off their debut album so I'll probably buy that one myself. I'd also definitely recommend seeing their show if they are going to be nearby. Their entire concert schedule is on their website here (they're in Baltimore, NYC, and Philly before heading to Europe for the summer). My one complaint is that I was really hoping for a Queen cover (the kid next to me, on the other hand, was really hoping for a Foo Fighters cover). What did we get? A Cars cover. Their first encore song was You're All I've Got Tonight from The Cars 1978 debut album (click here for details). It's a good song and they played it well, but I would have seriously lost my mind if they had busted out Tenement Funster or Now I'm Here!

So that's my review - two super duper thumbs up for both the record and the concert. Now, everyone go enter my giveaway!

Queen Song of the Week: Man on Fire

I've mentioned this song before (um several times actually), but it still warrants an entire post dedicated to it because it is that awesome!

Man on Fire is on RT's 1984 solo album Strange Frontier. It was released as a single, but as RT was busy touring with Queen, he did little to promote the single so it peaked at #66 in the U.K.

This is a great song with a great drum centered beat. I've heard criticisms that this song has no rhythm guitar, but in my (completely non-musically educated) opinion, I don't think it needs one as the drums serve more as mellody than beat. The cymbal crashes throughout the chorus are great- as soon as I figure out how to stream songs through Rock Band so I can play along, this is the first song I'm going to try because it's just so fun to listen to and play along with on my steering wheel!

Lyrically this is a really strong song for RT because he uses *gasp* a metaphor. Obviously, RT isn't literally "on fire" so right there, he's beyond "the way you boil your eggs" (Okay, I've linked this song before, but I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about it. The song is Touch the Sky from RT's 1994 album Happiness? and it really is a good song once you get past that one awful lyric and the children's laughter at the beginning and end of the song. Studio effects sparingly, remember RT? Sparingly.) In 1984 Bruce Springsteen was huge and many have suggested that RT was trying to parallel the same "struggles of the working man" theme in his songwriting. This song is definitely an example of that theme (whether RT was influenced by Springsteen, I can't say unless RT wants to contact me directly to discuss the matter!) as RT sings about trying to make ends meet to support his family but sometimes just wanting to run away from it all. I can report that Strange Frontier was released a few weeks prior to Springsteen's iconic Born in the U.S.A. so any direct similarities are pure coincidence.

Though RT didn't do much to promote Man on Fire as a single, one thing that he did do was make a music video the greatest music video of all time. I can describe it but really seeing is believing - all I can say is that you should pay particular attention to RT's attempt at dancing (How can a drummer have so little rhythm?) culminating in what I can only describe as a frog-hopping move during the last part of the bridge ("It's the power of your love that keeps me under their thumb. Cause the beat of your heart is the beat of my drum.") RT wasn't able to restrain himself from a strictly literal interpretation of the song in the music video so at the end he burns down the building. This ending may have even resulted in the video being banned in the U.S.

Despite it not enjoying any real success on the charts, Man on Fire is a fan favorite and RT often played it live when performing solo as well as with his side project The Cross.

Should RT ever tour in the U.S. again (or should I convince Husband that we need to schedule a trip to England based on when he's touring there), I'll be in the front row screaming, "Play Man on Fire!"

Happy Listening!

Queen Song of the Week: Pressure On

I briefly flirted with the idea of not picking a Queen Song of the Week this week. I was going to post a catty remark about how if RT was going to be so stingy about releasing new solo material and he and Dr. May were going to refuse to release any of the Queen back catalog that I didn't want to post a song every week because I'd run out of songs!

But who would that punish? Not RT. Not Dr. May. No, it would punish you, readers, and that wouldn't be fair.

The last time I picked a RT solo song as the Queen Song of the Week, it happened to fall the day after I got a little angry at him (see here). I picked the song to emphasize what it is about RT that I enjoy so much and as a consequence, why I get so frustrated with him when he pulls one of his stunts. Since I'm not too pleased with my boy right now, I am highlighting another one of his songs this week in hopes that it will remind me that RT's solo work is getting consistently better as he ages and even if he doesn't release a new album for a year (or at this rate, ten), the end result will be amazing and that's what is important.

Pressure On is a Roger Taylor solo track from his 1998 album Electric Fire. It is the first track on the album and the first single as well reaching #45 on the U.K. charts.

Electric Fire is arguably his best solo album, but unfortunately also his most recent. To promote Electric Fire, RT did a small tour throughout the U.K. which was very well received by fans. He also did one of the first ever internet gigs which for a time was listing in the Guinness Book of World Records. He released a documentary that's a mix of pre-show, show, and post-show clips. The documentary is available in six parts on Youtube - here is the first bit.

I watched the documentary before I owned this album. As the first part ran on my computer, I kept thinking to myself, "What is that song that keeps playing?" By the time RT took the stage and began singing Pressure On, it's opening riff had already burrowed its way into my mind.

Pressure On is RT's swan song. It's absolute perfection. He creates a mood with the opening that doesn't let up until the song comes to an end more than five minutes later. Treana Morris provides lovely background vocals and RT plays most of the instruments on the track. This song is, however, a RT song through and though ("politics, schmolitics, I'm developing tics, clean out of tricks" he sings in the second verse). On paper, it's laughable, but it works here in a way that his lyrics don't work in other songs. The musical elements of the song are thoughtfully layered and complex - at each listen, I pick up on a clap or a beat that I'd previously missed. All those components together result in this gem which was the perfect choice to lead off an incredibly strong album.

Pressure On is also a great example of RT using studio effects effectively and not just because he has a new sound board that he wants to try out. About 3/4 of the way through the song, right before the final chorus, he uses what I can only describe as a metal crank. I have no idea what it is, but it fits absolutely perfectly into the song. As a funny aside, I had this song playing in my car once with a co-worker. The volume was turned down low but she heard the cranking noise and thought something was wrong with my car. "No," I assured her, "that's the song." To which she responded, "What exactly are we listening to?"

Honestly, I don't know why RT's never had commercial success as a solo artist. He should have had it following the release of Strange Frontier in 1984, but was unable to truly promote the album due to Queen's The Works tour. Happiness? from 1994 saw his three biggest solo hits to date and should have been a jumping off point for him, but wasn't. Then there's Electric Fire filled with amazing songs like Pressure On and yet outside of the loyal Queen community, it barely made a splash.

RT has assured us that he is working on new material so at this point we're just playing the waiting game. I certainly understand him not wanting to rush things, but I kind of wish he'd stay quiet about all this if he's not ready to deliver any time soon. I mean he's famous enough; he's rich enough; he doesn't have to do anything so I guess fans should be pleased that he wants to put new music out there at all. However, I'd be lying to say that I'm not a bit worried that by the time he finally releases something, no one (even his most loyal fans) will care anymore.

In any event, Pressure On is one of my absolute favorite RT songs, if not songs period. Check it out!

Happy Listening!