X-Ph: V3.19@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu To: qms@uiuc.edu Subject: Old reviews of 'The Game' From: sheri.hurt@loebbs.com (Sheri Hurt) Message-Id: <6978.400.uupcb@loebbs.com> Date: Sat, 1 Jan 94 21:25:00 -0700 Organization: The LAND OF ENCHANTMENT BBS! Albuquerque, NM 505 857-0836 Reply-To: sheri.hurt@loebbs.com (Sheri Hurt) X-Charset: LATIN1 X-Char-Esc: 29 Another couple of short articles from the UK. Two very conflicting opinions of The Game. The spellings are as they appear in the articles. There were one or two places where I wasn't sure if it was just a typo or if was actually the correct British spelling, so I left it as is. Sheri The Bad: QUEEN 'The Game' by Robbie Millar SOUNDS July 5, 1980 (This article is accompanied by a picture of Freddie (captioned 'The Loser') seated on the floor wearing leather jacket, leather pants, and no shoes. It has a really ugly angular black mustache added to the picture--by the newspaper itself, not just one drawn in by a reader.) WINGS, ELO, QUEEN. Some bands belong between the Mantovani and the Martini in the G-plan wall-fitting. Drag out the Pye music centre, flop down on the Habitat fat furniture, nibble on an olive and listen to Queen. Feel safe. Feel comfortable. We'll worry about the mortgage in the morning. Once upon a time there was a band called Queen who were *different*, treading the boards of classy theatrical camp, taking it out of the tatty bourgeoisie via 'Killer Queen' and discovering that four beats in a bar was not compulsory through the startling originality of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. There was little else to look to. Queen, at least, had something. Then they discovered harmonies. They found out about lightshows and how playing Wembly-sized cattle grounds was a doss. But they didn't really need to play 'gigs' anymore 'cos they also discovered the key to commercial success. Brush up the image, flush out the fashion and release another 'rock classic'. Of course, bands like Queen do NOT belong in the pages of the throwaway pop press! The many thousands of their faithful fans will declare 'The Game' to be just what they wanted (or will they - the standard's dropped to an all-time low) but the journalists won't even recognise its existence. 'The Game is a colossal mountain of unmovable mediocrity. It is old and tired and bland and blinkered. It purrs with self- satisfaction. All around the singles, such as 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' and the grossly banal 'Play The Game,' are scattered tidbits of Queen at play and at investments. Money, money, money. 'Dragon Attack' is the flabbiest example, a meandering maze of sycophantic guitar squeals and unintelligible (in joke) wordage that's quite devoid of musical beat. 'Sail Away Sweet Sister' floats nearer to the 'Seven Seas of Rye' tradition but it's still a flimsy and trite occupation. The entire lyrical substance of the band has crumbled under a barrage of million-dollar special effects. The cliche's are hanging out in the cruiser's end of town while up at the flash disco everybody is busy *getting down* no doubt to 'Rock It'. "When I hear that rock and roll/It gets down to my soul/ When it's real rock and roll, oh rock and roll/ Oh oh oh oh/ You really think they like to rock in space?/ Well I don't know." Exactly, Freddie. Even the Village People didn't sink so low. In case it passed you by, Sham 69 also have a new album called 'The Game'. Struggling beneath the usual Sham difficulties lies a message of protest, pleading and relevant 1980's comment. Queen's game is rather different. Cash from chaos? Cash from trash! The Good: QUEEN PLAY AND WIN Queen: 'Play the Game' **** (out of a 5 * rating) Record Miror, June 21, 1980 by Robin Smith I LIKE QUEEN, I LIKE QUEEN, I LIKE QUEEN, I LIKE QUEEN, I LIKE QUEEN. So there you are, you bunch of jerks making your cute little sideswipes at one of Britain's leading attractions. Go and slap on the next Willie Nile record and leave me in peace. I was converted to Queen the first time I saw them live. It's that big production that I've always gone for, that Hollywood Babylon stage show, those lights and that dry ice. After Zeppelin and even before the Scorpions, Queen are the most exciting band I've ever seen or heard. And I'm sure all you lovers of quality music will agree. This album is a straight kick into the goal (Christ what a pun). It's like winning the men's singles at Wimbledon. It's a pity though that Queen have seen fir to include two recent singles in the running order. Considering the price of albums these days would it not have been worthwhile to slap on some new material? This album isn't exactly high camp Queen either. Gone, nearly forever, are those halcyon over the top days of fruit cake harmonies. Nowadays Queen have cut down considerably on such ploys, but there's still enough left for their brandmark. The title track is couched in the grand style. Fred, high on lung power, while May is invited in for the odd guitar burst and Taylor gets fondly engaged in his heavy 'stripper theme' drum work. On 'Dragon Attack' you perhaps expect some more of the same style setting, a pattern for side one. 'Fraid not, 'Dragon Attack', despite the title, crawls and sprawls in what sounds like the development of a simple Jam, complete with a brief bass solo -- one of the few look ins that Deacon seems to be allowed these days and what a pity. What's all this then, eh? 'Bites The Dust' merely comes over as a bit of disco wrapping. Maybe the track isn't meant to be taken that seriously but I'm not sure. Sorry, but this is the weak point of side one plundering from a well flogged idea. But hold on, here comes 'Need Your Love Tonight' which isn't at all awful despite the mundane title. Queen emerse themselves in the rock pile on a neat piece of toe tapping, only equalled in force by 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. This track is the perfect counterpoint with those blue eyed harmonies. 'Rock It' could have really done without that Alvin Stardust overtoned intro, but fortunately it develops into a fine flash, bang, wallop and should be good for videos. Meanwhile 'Suicide' is black comedy. Fred wields the flick knife and leathers to a quirky chorus and lines that fit together like a tight fitting jigsaw. Ah ha, it's here at last. One of those Queen lump in the throat epics on 'Sweet Sister'. Let it all go with baroque guitar and sweet vocal refrains on this track for romantic fools. 'Coming Soon' features the headlights blazing again as the lads glide through the chords for an eternity. 'Save Me' finds Fred clinging to the rock of desperation once again. More plaintive vocals, more desperate soul searching. My don't you just love it. Oh, yes, in case you've forgotten, I LIKE QUEEN. ---- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | LAND OF ENCHANTMENT BBS! Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) (505) 857-0836 | | MS-DOS/OS-2/Windows - 60M a month! U'NI/Intelec/ILink/Basenet/P.E.N. | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+