1. Forum
  2. Usenet
  3. REC.MUSIC.BEATLES

  • "Life is Real" by Queen

    From Norbert K@21:1/5 to All on Wed Sep 1 07:58:35 2021
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have not
    encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From geoff@21:1/5 to Norbert K on Thu Sep 2 15:57:12 2021
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have not
    encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Norbert K@21:1/5 to geoff on Thu Sep 9 07:40:56 2021
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have not
    encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From geoff@21:1/5 to Norbert K on Fri Sep 10 15:32:23 2021
    On 10/09/2021 2:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have not
    encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.


    Built with with his father. The commercially-available versions are
    copies of his original design (made for brianmayguitars.co.uk) that
    became available in 2004, 30 years or so after the original 'red special'.

    He still uses both the original and the reproductions versions of it.

    geoff

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Norbert K@21:1/5 to geoff on Fri Sep 10 04:32:59 2021
    On Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 10/09/2021 2:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have
    not encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.

    Built with with his father. The commercially-available versions are
    copies of his original design (made for brianmayguitars.co.uk) that
    became available in 2004, 30 years or so after the original 'red special'.

    He still uses both the original and the reproductions versions of it.

    geoff

    I'm pretty sure I read a review of a Guild version of the guitar in the 80s or early 90s.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Norbert K@21:1/5 to geoff on Fri Sep 10 12:40:13 2021
    On Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 10/09/2021 2:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have
    not encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.

    Built with with his father. The commercially-available versions are
    copies of his original design (made for brianmayguitars.co.uk) that
    became available in 2004, 30 years or so after the original 'red special'.

    He still uses both the original and the reproductions versions of it.

    geoff

    I just watched a short video of Brian May explaining how they made the original Red Special. What a story! I'm going to have to track down a copy of his book.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From geoff@21:1/5 to Norbert K on Sat Sep 11 17:22:46 2021
    On 11/09/2021 7:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 10/09/2021 2:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have
    not encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.

    Built with with his father. The commercially-available versions are
    copies of his original design (made for brianmayguitars.co.uk) that
    became available in 2004, 30 years or so after the original 'red special'. >>
    He still uses both the original and the reproductions versions of it.

    geoff

    I just watched a short video of Brian May explaining how they made the original Red Special. What a story! I'm going to have to track down a copy of his book.


    From an old fireplace mantle IIRC ...

    geoff

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From geoff@21:1/5 to Norbert K on Sat Sep 11 17:21:14 2021
    On 10/09/2021 11:32 pm, Norbert K wrote:
    On Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 10/09/2021 2:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading about
    the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have
    not encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.

    Built with with his father. The commercially-available versions are
    copies of his original design (made for brianmayguitars.co.uk) that
    became available in 2004, 30 years or so after the original 'red special'. >>
    He still uses both the original and the reproductions versions of it.

    geoff

    I'm pretty sure I read a review of a Guild version of the guitar in the 80s or early 90s.



    Yeah, apparently 316 of those copies were made between 1984 and 1988.
    And from 1993 on a limited production of 1000 units. Also some made by
    Burns. The currently produced ones are made in Korea to exacting specs
    and QC.

    Sorry, not very Beatly thread, but Brian does cite The Beatles as an
    influence. And we are surely getting tired of endless 'I hate Yoko' threads.

    geoff

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Norbert K@21:1/5 to geoff on Sat Sep 11 09:43:04 2021
    On Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 1:22:55 AM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 11/09/2021 7:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:32:33 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 10/09/2021 2:40 am, Norbert K wrote:
    On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 11:57:19 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
    On 2/09/2021 2:58 am, Norbert K wrote:
    So I heard the famous Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure" yesterday. It was good to hear this piece, however I remembered that the album it's from, Hot Space, received predominantly negative reviews. I did a bit of online reading
    about the record -- and learned that the album features a tribute to John Lennon: "Life is Real."

    I just listened to it, a minute ago (it's on Youtube, of course), and I find it a very credible tribute to JL It is written in the style of Lennon's piano-based songs; and it deals in Lennonesque themes. It's very good, IMO; I'm surprised I have
    not encountered discussion of it in here (though there probably is such discussion in the archives).

    Not a 'bad' song. But nowhere as near an epic tribute (equally
    applicable to JL) as this :


    Enjoy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKyaOLb2Fs

    geoff

    Brian May gave that his all. I've always liked that guitar he designed & built on his own, although there are also commercialy-available versions of it.

    Built with with his father. The commercially-available versions are
    copies of his original design (made for brianmayguitars.co.uk) that
    became available in 2004, 30 years or so after the original 'red special'.

    He still uses both the original and the reproductions versions of it.

    geoff

    I just watched a short video of Brian May explaining how they made the original Red Special. What a story! I'm going to have to track down a copy of his book.

    From an old fireplace mantle IIRC ...

    geoff

    I thought the fact that Queen did that tribute to JL made an acceptable tie-in.

    Yeah, Brian May's guitar was made in part from an old, worm-eaten fireplace mantle, the fillings of which are still visible.

    Then the fretboard inlays and bridge system are fashioned from his mother's sewing equipment. It's mind-blowing.

    He couldn't afford a real electric guitar, so this was achieved out of necessity. However, how many aspiring rockers would even attempt such a thing today? In my high school woodshop class, a couple of guys started to make their own electric guitars...
    and quickly gave up. Brian May didn't even have power tools at his disposal when he made his guitar.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)