I was listening to a recent recording of Queen with Adam Lambert on the vocals. I know that this has been going on for a while now, this whole Queen and Amber Adam Lambert thing. And I haven’t really developed an opinion about it. On the one hand, part of me thinks Queen should have ended officially once Freddie Mercury died. But I don’t think the remaining members of Queen are in any way attempting to replace Freddie Mercury: they know that is impossible. And they aren’t recording new music as Queen, thank Christ. I think that maybe Brian May And Roger Taylor want to continue to perform live as Queen playing Queen music, the music that they helped write and create. And I think to do that they had to have somebody singing lead vocals. And for that purpose Adam Lambert is fine. He can hit the notes. Into everyone’s credit, they are billing them selves as “Queen + Adam Lambert.”
I ask myself, “Would I go to see this ensemble perform live?” and I absolutely would, just to see Brian May and Roger Taylor play. I did get to see Brian play live when he opened for Guns’n’Roses on the Use Your Illusions tour. And it was amazing. Being able to say that I have seen Brian may play his solos from both We Will Rock You and Bohemian Rhapsody makes my aorta wiggle.
I can understand Brian May’s and Roger Taylor’s perspective. It is reasonable. But I can also understand John Deacon’s perspective: John Deacon let it be known that he is retired with a capital R. He is done with Queen, he is done performing live, and he is done with music. Which, good for him. He was wildly successful as a founding member of one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and then he was finished. I can respect that. I can also respect Brian and Roger wanting to continue to play live. And I can respect Adam Lambert for taking the gig: if you’re a singer, and the surviving members of Queen call and ask you to be the new front man, you don’t say no.
But it doesn’t work for me, the Queen + Adam Lambert thing. They sound great, but it’s just not the same, and I want the same.
Tomorrow is Saturday, which of course means Whiskey, Wings, and Writing. I’d invite you over, dear reader, but, you know…quarantine and all that. But I shall cheers you as I sit down to do battle with the literary gods. You shall be cheersed.
N.P.: “Radical” – AWOLNATION
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