Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock

Description

From running a market stall in Notting Hill, Freddie Mercury put together a band that became a legend - Queen! Renowned for stunning live performances, envied for unbelievable rock 'n' roll excesses, and loved and adored all over the world for their music they are the greatest rock band of all time, with over 300 million records, singles, videos, DVDs sold to date. Nearly twenty years after the death of flamboyant front man Mercury, Queen remain what they were - the archetypal, larger-than-life rock band, enthroned as music royalty for ever, and this book is the ultimate visual tribute to them. Glorious concert and off-stage photography covering the band's whole career, tour memorabilia, collectible LPs, singles from throughout the world - over 500 photos and artefacts in all - are accompanied by a band history, album reviews, complete tour dates, discography, reflections from some of rock's top performer's past and present. Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and john Deacon combined to a dazzling array of influences and genres in creating what would become one of the most lasting legacies in rock, and this book captures it in glorious, larger-than-life detail.

London-based journalist Phil Sutcliffe has been writing about rock since 1974 and has interviewed greats such as Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana, and Queen. Phil is also the author of Voyageur Press' AC/DC: High-Voltage Rock 'n' Roll: The Ultimate Illustrated History.

The ultimate book on Queen, arguably the most underrated (in theU.S.) rock and roll band ever, had to be as bombastic and colorful as the band itself. Everything Queen is here: Rare and not-so-rare black and white and color photos, biographical and chart info, detailed discography and tour info, and album-by-album reviews. The book has an obvious fan appeal, but is objective enough to deal with the most delicate issues in Queen s history intelligently: Paul Rodgers (the former Bad Company frontman who led the infamous Queen + Paul Rodgers concoction) ain t no Freddy Mercury, but the music he did with Brian May and Roger Taylor wasn't as bad as we think; that 1982 sHot Space, justly vilified when it came out, is now a semi-classic; and how Mercury, unfairly criticized for keeping his illness a secret during his last days, became a champion for AIDS-awareness in death. Most importantly, the book understands why Queen was a great band: Yes, they may have betrayed their own no synthesizers mantra when it was convenient to do so, but any band that can play and sing that well, and that can produce so many hits ranging from hard-rock to metal, to silly but instrumentally intricate music-hall and operatic gems, has the right to kill its own rules. A must for Queen fans and latecomers. Coffee-table books on rock bands usually fall into one of two categories; either they're chock-full of great visuals with very little textual information, or the book looks like the U.S. tax code with a few snapshots thrown in. Thankfully, music journo Sutcliffe got it right both ways with this work, a must-have under the tree for any Queen fans on your list.Though utilizing mostly previously published interviews, Sutcliffe offers a detailed and comprehensive history of the band from their early days (when three-fourths of the classic lineup was known as Smile) up to their appearance during last season'sAmerican Idolfinale. In addition, rock scribes and stars alike chime in on the band's albums, music, and impact .The real treat ofQueen, though lies in the 500+ photos of the band in action and memorabilia including vintage backstage passes, T-shirts, record sleeves from around the world, and posters. Ironically, many of the tour laminates - designed by Mercury himself - feature scantily clad or nude women, many of them (of course), fat bottomed girls. Houston Press"