The Legendary Queen
Brian May and Roger Taylor, in 1970, set the wheels in motion for Queen when they decided to form a band during their college years. Queen started out as a band called Smile who signed with Mercury Records, and included: Tim Staffell, Brian May, and Roger Taylor. Once Tim Staffell left, the group added Freddie Mercury (lead singer) and bassist John Deacon. Freddie Mercury, Farrokh Bulsara, was a fan of Smile and was added on as the lead vocalist. John Deacon began as a young guitarist who was a member of the group called The Opposition. This band was composed of a group of friends, and they were influenced by groups such as The Hollies and Herman’s Hermits. Eventually, Deacon was added to the group that already included Mercury, Taylor, and May. Over time, the group changed their name to Queen. The name Queen was selected by Mercury, and this name is symbolic of power and regality. The addition of Mercury proved to be an essential aspect to the history of Queen’s success. In Queen: The Early Years, Hodkinson writes, “much of what made Freddie also defined Queen: without him they were merely a model rock band with a bent for a commercial tune” (2). The group became well known for their theatrical performances and costumes that were often over the top. “From their international breakthrough in 1976, Queen continually remained one of the best-selling rock acts worldwide beyond Mercury's death in 1991. Their total record sales are estimated at up to 300 million records” (Desler 391). This group was important to the evolution of music and music performance in bands that were to follow them.
• Now I'm Here
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Killer Queen
• The March of the Black Queen
• Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise)
• B...
... middle of paper ...
...nnect with their fans and audience members on a deeper level, and this technique is something that other groups have included in their own concerts. Similarly, Mercury’s appearance and movements on stage can be seen reflected in the work of artists such as David Bowie, who was also classified in the glam rock genre. Queen managed to create a large influence in the music world through performance, stage presence, and song writing in a way that allows for audience involvement.
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Queen was a standout among-st the best Rock groups of the 1970s and 1980s yet they aggregate would have been nothing without front man Freddie Mercury. With powerhouse vocals and touchy stage exhibitions, he was a standout among-st the most gifted specialists ever. Mercury was Glam Rock, Soul and great, out-dated Rock and Roll. Couple of craftsmen of his time could contend with his dramatic personal and more youthful acts from George Michael to Adam Lambert look silly as they
Ryan, John. “The Seventh Stream: The emergency of rock n roll in American popular music,” (Book reviews) Social Forces (1994): March, p. 927. Star, Alexander. “Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music” (book reviews)
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Raeburn, Michael & Kendall, Alan. Heritage of Music Vol II. New York. Oxford University Press: 1990
One of the most influential groups of the 20th Century—the Beatles revolutionized rock and roll into what we know it as today. Not only were they great musicians, they wrote and composed each of their songs. The band proved to be popular and exciting causing mass hysteria at each of their public performances. The “Fab Four’s” talent was so great that the phenomenon was termed “Beatlemania” in Britain and eventually erupted in the United States being called the British Invasion of the Beatles (Britannica Online, 2005).
Bonds, Mark Evan. A Brief History of Music in Western Culture. 1st. New Jersey: Pearson
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