Cheering you up for a dreadful Wednesday, one song at a time
It’s the first Wednesday of 2022, and The Hump Day Picker-Upper is back. I just returned to work yesterday after a Christmas and New Year’s break, so I shouldn’t be complaining, and I’m not. But it’s safe to assume other readers didn’t have all of last week off, so to them, I suspect today pretty much feels like any other Wednesday.
For those of us taking care of business during the regular workweek, we’ve all felt that dreadful Wednesday blues. Sometimes, that middle point of the workweek can be a true drag. But help is on the way!
My proposition to chase any clouds away today: We Are the Champions by Queen. This rock anthem was penned by the British group’s killer vocalist Freddie Mercury. Sing along and feel like a winner. Take it away, Freddie!
We Are the Champions, paired with We Will Rock You, first appeared on October 7, 1977, as the lead single of Queen’s sixth studio album News of the World. The record followed three weeks thereafter on October 28.
Together with Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are the Champions and We Will Rock You for that matter became signature tunes for Queen. The single surged to no. 2 in the UK and was a major chart success in many other countries as well. Among others, this included The Netherlands (no. 2); Ireland and Canada (no. 3 in each); and the U.S. (no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100).
Happy Hump Day, and always remember the words of the wise George Harrison: All things must pass!
Here’s Part 2 of my mini-series recalling musical highlights from the Live Aid concert that took place on July 13, 1985. Like in the first part, the footage in this post was all captured at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The next installment is going to feature clips from John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the second stage of the music marathon.
One of Live Aid’s definitive moments was the performance by Queen. Freddie Mercury once again vividly illustrated he was a born live performer and showman, and the rest of the band was on fire as well. Here’s We Are the Champions, the closer of Queen’s mini set. Written by Mercury, the tune combined with We Will Rock You was the lead single of the band’s sixth studio album News of the World. Both appeared in October 1977, with the single predating the album by two weeks.
It kind of must have sucked having had to follow Freddie Mercury, especially after that performance. The Who, who had reunited for Live Aid following their breakup in December 1983, proofed they were up to challenge. Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle, together with Kenny Jones and John Bundrick on drums and keyboards, respectively, were in decent shape. Here’s the mighty Townshend-penned Love, Reign O’er Me from Quadrophenia, the sixth studio album by The Who released in October 1973. And, yep, the chap announcing them is Jack Nicholson, who I guess was so excited he literally read everything from a piece of paper. 🙂
Let’s wrap up this second part with some Elton John. Bennie and the Jets, composed by John with lyrics from Bernie Taupin, first appeared on his seventh studio album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road that came out in October 1973. The song was also released separately as the record’s third single in February 1974. Nice performance by John who had staged a comeback in 1983 with his great album Too Low for Zero, though seeing him without flashy glasses is unusual.
Sixth annual music tribute festival on Jersey show delivers day of great music for a great cause
While late September in New Jersey means fall is upon us and soon folks will start bitching about rain, wind and cold weather, I’ve been looking forward to this last weekend of the month all year. The reason is Rock the Farm, the annual music tribute festival and fundraiser in Seaside Heights, N.J., organized by the CFC Loud n Clear Foundation. As previously noted on these pages, this charitable organization provides support to families struggling with addiction at a particularly critical time when their loved ones come out of drug rehab and need to rebuild their lives while staying sober.
It’s a good thing if you like me have never been hooked on drugs, but let’s not kid ourselves: Even if we think we’re immune, there’s no doubt in my mind addiction can happen to anybody. And it can probably go faster than we want to admit. Therefore, I strongly feel we shouldn’t look down on folks who are in the throes of drugs. Instead, we should support them as best as we can. It’s safe to assume nobody wants to be a drug addict, if they could freely choose. And, yes, impacted people probably made some choices they wish they could take back. But we shouldn’t judge. Behind each case, there is a human being with a unique story.
In fact, just like last year, the event featured individuals who had the courage to come on stage and briefly share their stories with the audience. It’s safe to assume it takes guts to this. It’s also extremely powerful. Among these folks was an 18-year-old woman who said she became a drug addict at age 13. Thirteen years – that’s a good deal younger than my 17-year-old. Her life fell totally apart and she lost everything. This is truly heart-breaking stuff. Luckily, thanks to support from the CFC Foundation, this young woman was able to turn things around and now feels she’s stronger than ever. While it was obviously a happy outcome, I have to admit these stories get to me. I also love the message of hope and empowerment. With that being said, let’s get to some music. There was plenty, and once again, most of it was outstanding.
For readers who aren’t familiar with Rock the Farm, the concept of the 10-hour open air event is this: Imagine a music festival many folks wish would happen but can’t, since artists have passed away or no longer perform. As a music lover, I think it’s a fun idea. Yesterday’s line-up brought a nice mix of tributes playing different music styles, including folk, rock, pop and even hair metal. Following are some clips.
I’d like to kick things off with One Fine Tapestry, a tribute to Carole King, one of my favorite singer-songwriters. At the core of this act are Gerard Barros and Diane Barros, a New Jersey-based versatile husband and wife duo performing a variety of different shows. Yesterday, they were backed by a full band and in addition to King also played some tunes by Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. For more information and their schedule of shows mostly in Jersey, you can check out their website. Here’s Sweet Seasons, a tune off King’s third solo album Music from December 1971, co-written by her and Toni Stern.
Coo Coo Cachoo, another Jersey-based act, are Thomas Johnston and Ed Jankiewicz, who have been singing Simon & Garfunkel songs since they met in high school some 47 years ago. This means they started about two years after Simon & Garfunkel had released their fifth and last studio album Bridge Over Troubled Water. I find that pretty amazing. In addition to performing as a duo, they each do solo projects. Johnston recently completed his third album of original singer-songwriter material. Jankiewicz has recorded one original album and plays in an eclectic array of music groups , from symphony to blue grass to jazz. More information is on the duo’s Facebookpage. Here is their rendition of America. Written by Paul Simon, the song appeared on Simon & Garfunkel’s fourth studio record Bookends released in April 1968. I’ve always liked this tune!
Following are a few tribute acts I covered before, but they’re just too good to skip. First up: Decade, a great act revolving around Neil Young tribute artist John Hathaway, who is also from New Jersey and performs with different line-ups of great backing musicians. Frequent members include guitarist Gordon Bunker Strout, pedal steel player Joseph Napolitano, bassist John Dickson and keyboarder Steve Cunniff. Sometimes, Hathaway’s band also features a female backing vocalist as was the case yesterday with Pam McCoy. For more information and upcoming gigs, visit Decade’sFacebookpage. Here’s Cinnamon Girl, a tune from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, which Young released as his second solo album in May 1969.
The Glimmer Twins, a Rolling Stones tribute from Philly, are another excellent band I previously featured. Adopting the nickname of the songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, this bandis led by Keith Call (vocals, harp) and Bernie Bollendorf (guitars, vocals), who bring to life the sound and looks of Jagger and Richards in the ’70s. While the band’s remaining musicians don’t resemble the other members of The Rolling Stones, they sound fantastic: Michael Rubino (guitars), Bobby Corea (drums), Rob Ekstedt (Bass), Rocco Notte (keyboards), Valorie Steel (vocals) and Bobby Michaels (saxophone, flute, organ). For more information, check out their website. Here’s Can You Hear Me Knocking, one of my favorite tunes from the Sticky Fingers album that appeared in April 1971. Check out the nice sax work by Michaels!
Yet another outstanding band I’ve covered before is TUSK, a tribute to Fleetwood Mac, which mirrors the Rumours lineup. Their members include Kathy Phillips (as Stevie Nicks, vocals), Kim Williams (as Christine McVie, keyboards & vocals), Scott McDonald (as Lindsey Buckingham, guitar & vocals), Tom Nelson (as Mick Fleetwood, drums) and Randy Artiglere (as John McVie, bass). While TUSK are from Jersey, they tour nationally. Check the band’s website for more information including their schedule. If you are into Rumours and other albums the band recorded with that line-up, this is definitely a tribute act I can recommend. Here’s the McVie tune You Make Loving Fun from Rumours, the Mac’s 11th studio album released in February 1977.
The last band I’d like to call out is Simply Queen, a tribute to – yes, you guessed it – Queen. This Canadian band, which has been around for 15 years, features Rick Rock (as Freddie Mercury), Bob Wegner (as Brian May), Phil Charrette (as Roger Taylor) and Mitch Taylor (as John Deacon). Despite some technical issues they seemed to have, especially in the beginning, Simply Queen put on a great show. It was quite obvious that Rock and Wegner have closely studied Mercury and May, respectively, beyond the music to mimic their onstage personas. So similar to the Glimmer Twins and also TUSK, Simply Queen is an audio-visual experience. While they mostly perform in Canada, they venture out to the U.S. fairly frequently. For more information and their schedule, visit their website. Here’s a nice rocker called It’s Late. Written by Brian May, the song is from News of the World, Queen’s sixth studio album released in October 1977.
With some not so great things that have happened on the family front over the past two weeks, Rock the Farm could not have come at a better time for me. Oftentimes, I feel music is the best therapy and distraction when the shit hits the fan. I was a happy camper. Can you tell from the selfie?
This was the 6th annual Rock the Farm festival and my third time there in a row. I have every intention to return next next year. More information about this great event is available here.
Sources: Wikipedia, Rock the Farm website, One Fine Tapestry website, Coo Coo Cachoo Facebook page, Decade Facebook page, Glimmer Twins website, TUSK website, Simply Queen website, YouTube
In memoriam of Freddie Mercury, the greatest rock and pop vocalist of all time
On this day twenty-seven years ago, Freddie Mercury passed away at the age of 45 from bronchopneumonia, a complication he had acquired from AIDS. No matter what you may think about him, I would go as far as calling Mercury the greatest rock and pop vocalist of our time. He also was a beast of a live performer, as illustrated by the above clip of Queen’s epic appearance at London’s Wembley Stadium during the Live Aid benefit concert on July 13, 1985.
According to Wikipedia, Mercury had a near five-octave range from a bass F2 to a soprano’s F6, something that’s extremely rare. Here’s what Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballé said about his voice: “The difference between Freddie and almost all the other rock stars was that he was selling the voice. His technique was astonishing. No problem of tempo, he sung with an incisive sense of rhythm, his vocal placement was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from a register to another. He also had a great musicality. His phrasing was subtle, delicate and sweet or energetic and slamming. He was able to find the right colouring or expressive nuance for each word.”
Mercury admired and was friends with Caballé. He also recorded a collaborative album with her, Barcelona, which was released in October 1988. The record, which combined elements of pop and opera, was a commercial success but received mixed reception from critics. The title track became the official anthem of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games held in the Spanish city and received massive air play.
Queens above eight-song set at Live Aid featured a mix of old and then more current tunes (albums in parentheses): Bohemian Rhapsody (A Night At The Opera, November 1975);Radio Ga Ga and Hammer To Fall (The Works, February 1984), Crazy Little Thing Called Love (The Game, June 1980); We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions (News Of The World, October 1977) and Is This The World We Created…? (The Works).
Mercury and Queens oftentimes were pretty bombastic and over-produced, and I don’t like all of their songs, but there was simply no other band that sounded like them, and there was no none who sang like Freddie Mercury.
Almost Queen couldn’t have come up with a better a name. These four guys from New York really make you feel like you’re watching Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor. While unfortunately this is no longer possible and, as such, they are almost Queen, this band is doing a true killer job. I caught their show last night at The Stone Pony in Asbury, N.J. They really blew the frigging roof off the place!
Queen has been on my radar screen on and off since the late ’70s/early ’80s. While I wouldn’t call myself a die-hard fan, I’m well familiar with their better known songs and like many of them. In fact, I had contemplated doing a post on the English rock band a couple of times before. Then I spotted a notification on Facebook about Almost Queen’s gig last night and watched a few YouTube clips. Since yours truly has been called the King Of The Tribute Bands, of course, I had to continue performing my duties to continue living up to the title. 🙂
Almost Queen (from left to right): John Cappadona, Randy Gregg, Joseph Russo & Steve Leonard
Before getting to last night’s gig and of course some clips, a few words about the band. There isn’t a lot of public background information out there, so I’m quoting from their website: Almost Queen delivers a live performance showcasing signature four part harmonies and intricate musical interludes. Donning genuine costumes, Almost Queen captures the live energy and precision that is the penultimate Queen experience. Okay, you simply could have said they are a kick-ass tribute that sounds and looks pretty darn close to the real deal!
Almost Queen are Joseph Russo as Freddie Mercury, Steve Leonard as Brian May, Randy Gregg as John Deacon and John Cappadona as Roger Taylor. While I couldn’t find any bios on these guys, it’s pretty clear to me that Almost Queen isn’t their first trip to the rodeo – there’s simply too much serious musician craftsmanship going on here! Take it from a guitarist and former bassist, who may have been only moderately capable but who sure as heck knows skill when he sees or hears it! Okay, let’s get to some killer clips before we all get a sheer heart attack!
After the great opener Tie Your Mother Down, one of my favorite Queen tunes I unfortunately missed to capture, Leonard rhetorically asked, are you ready to get crazy?When the crowd unambiguously expressed their sentiments, the band appropriately kept their foot on the gas pedal with Stone Cold Crazy. The tune first appeared on Queen’s third studio album Sheer Heart Attack from November 1974 and was credited to all four members of the band. The track was also released separately as a single and became a staple of Queen’s live shows thereafter.
Next up: Killer Queen, another track from Sheer Heart Attack. Written by Freddie Mercury, the tune also became the album’s lead single in October 1974. Almost Queen did a great job with the harmony vocals here. These guys definitely can do both play and sing!
Another One Bites The Dust is from Queen’s eighth studio record The Game, released in June 1980. The funky tune was written by John Deacon and also came out separately as the album’s fourth single. Ever since I’ve heard the hilarious version by “Weird Al” Yankovic, who turned it into Another One Writes The Bus, his take is in my ears.
By the time Almost Queen got to Don’t Stop Me Now, there was absolutely no chance anything could get in their way. The crowd had fully embraced them right from the get-go of the show, and the room was cooking, fueled by the pulsating drums and pumping bass! Written by Freddie Mercury, Queen first recorded Don’t Stop Me Now for their seventh studio album Jazz from November 1978. It also became the record’s second single released in January the following year.
Next up: Fat Bottomed Girls, another track from Jazz, written by Mercury. The tune also became the B-side to the album’s lead single Bicycle Race. Almost Queen made it another vocal gem.
Crazy Little Thing Called Love is not an Elvis Presley song, as Russo reminded the crowd, but yet another great Freddie Mercury composition from The Game. The cool rockabilly tune also became the album’s lead single in October 1979.
And then the time had come for Almost Queen to pay tribute to David Bowie with Under Pressure. The collaboration with The Thin White Duke was included on Queen’s 10th studio release Hot Space from May 1982. It also appeared as the album’s lead single in October the previous year and became Queen’s second no. 1 hit in the U.K. after Bohemian Rhapsody, topping the Official Singles Chart for nine week. For Bowie it was his third no. 1 on that chart, following Ashes To Ashes and the 1975 reissue of Space Oddity. The track is credited to all members of Queen and David Bowie.
No Queen tribute show would be complete without the above mentioned Bohemian Rhapsody. In my humble opinion, it is one of the weirdest and the same time most brilliant rock songs I know. The epic track was first recorded by Queen for A Night At The Opera, their fourth studio album from November 1975. Written by Mercury and also released separately as the record’s lead single in October that year, the tune should have laid to rest any doubts anyone might ever have had that he could have been an opera singer as well. There aren’t many rock vocalists with that quality – the only other one that comes to my mind spontaneously is Roy Orbison.
And since all things must pass, including great rock & roll shows, the time had finally come for Almost Queen to wrap things up. And what better songs to choose than We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions, just like Queen did traditionally. Both songs appeared back to back as the openers on Queen’s sixth studio album News Of The World. Perhaps not surprisingly, the guitar rocker We Will Rock You was penned by Brian May, while We Are The Champions is yet another Freddie Mercury composition.
So here we are, nine clips later – can you tell somebody got a little bit excited here? I just wish the sound quality of the footage would be better, since I feel it doesn’t do full justice to the band. The audience’s ability to sing, on the other hand, is captured accurately, I’m afraid! 🙂 Oh well, ultimately live music should be about having a great time, and I highly doubt there was anyone last night walking out of the place and being disappointed.
While I obviously recorded a good deal of the show, obviously, there were many things I left out, including pretty impressive drum and guitar solos by Leonard and Cappadona, respectively. Each of the band’s guys is massively talented.
According to the tour schedule on their website, upcoming Almost Queen shows include Brooklyn, N.Y. (Sep 8), Beverly, Mass. (Sep 21) and Plymouth, N.H. (Sep 22). If you like Queen and these guys come to your neck of the woods, you should seriously consider them. Tickets are quite affordable. Take it from the King Of The Tribute Bands – Almost Queen truly is almost Queen! 🙂
Christian's Music Musings 