Ministry Of Works
Did you know that Freddie Mercury wants to make a reggae
record?
And that Roger Taylor would be selling flowers if he wasnt in Queen?
Read on for more fascinating facts
Mayhem in Munich! Freddie Mercury is cavorting with a
scantily dressed transvestite and its only three in the afternoon. Are you man or woman
enough to read on? The swallow your vitamin pills and follow me.
Queen are limbering up for their forthcoming tour in Germany and to celebrate another
single rising majestically up the charts, theyre holding a little press bash in Munichs P1
club. A place even more decadent than the South Finchley Whiskey A Go Go.
The Ghost of Adolf Hitler probably wanders around here on dark nights, as The Fuhrer used
to store his paintings and other plunder in the club and the building next door.
Unfortunately theres nothing left around today.
Instead, the club has gems of another kind. A selection of Queens videos including the
notorious Body Language - and champagne and wine flowing like Niagara Falls.
The cabaret is Freddies own idea: a group of well passed it drag artists, so outrageous in
G strings and lingerie that they make Divine seem as tame as Marjorie Proops. Freddies
more than willing to join in when one of the girls does a rendition of I Want To Break
Free, but the rest of the members of Queen look on shyly from the comforts of the bar.
Everybody, but everybody is here to witness the event, including a film crew from the US
air force, tramping around in full combat gear making a nuisance of themselves.
Freddies doing well considering hes in quite a lot of pain. He remains tight lipped about
the full details but he injured his leg after incident in a club. A physiotherapist has
been pummelling at it nearly every day.
«This c+++ kicked me», says Fred. «Im hoping my knee will be ready in time for the
tour, but its still giving me a lot of trouble. It might mean I will have to cut down on
some of my more elaborate gorgeous stage moves».
Freds also been hobbling around a Munich recording studio putting the finishing touches to
his first ever solo album which should be out in January. Gadzooks, could this be the
start of a split with Queen? Is it true Limahls doing to take over?
«Not at all. Ive wanted to do a solo album for a long time and the rest of the band have
encouraged me to do it. Some of then are even featured doing a few bits and pieces to help
me out.
«There are lot of musical territories I wanted to explore, which I couldnt really do with
Queen. I wanted to cover such things as reggae rhythms and Ive done a couple of tracks
with a symphony orchestra. It will have a very rich sound».
Freds also done some work with Michael Jackson, but he still doesnt know when this is
going to see the light of day. Theyve done a selection of tracks together in Michaels home
studio. For a while, Fred was even in the running to do State Of Shock.
«I was out of town at the time so Mick did it instead,» he says. «I dont mind at all.
Id like to release something with Michael because he is a really marvellous person to work
with. Its all a question of time because we never seem to be together at the right time.
Just think, I could have been on Thriller. Think of the royalties Ive missed out on.
«Michael has been a friend of ours for a long time. Hes been to our shows and enjoyed
them. We make a great team.»
One of Freds songs Love Kills, is being used on the soundtrack of the reactivated
Metropolis film and he hopes to make a 20 minute video using four or five of his own
songs.
Freddie and all the members of Queen have a long standing appreciation of Metropolis,
which originally came out in 1927. Their stage set, in the shape of a futuristic city, has
been inspired by it.
The lighting rig measures 74ft by 50ft and the original design was so heavy they had to
change it because it was in danger of bringing theatre roofs down. What a way to go,
crushed by your own equipment.
After the European tour, Queen will be taking the whole shebang down to South America,
headlining a 10 day festival in Rio. The place they will be playing is an amphitheatre
down by the sea that can seat 300,000 people a night. It all makes Castle Donington seem
like just another night at the Marquee. A local radio station in Rio held a survey to see
who the most popular bands were and then some local promoters went out and booked them for
the extravaganza. Naturally, Queen came out top.
Queen will also be doing some shows in South Africa. This is more than just a little bit
controversial. Especially with the memory of Nelson Mandela still very warm.
«Weve thought about the morals of it a lot and its something weve decided to do», says
Brian May. «This band is not political, we are not out to make statements, we play to
entertain anybody who comes to listen. The show will be in Botswana in front of a mixed
audience».
The band wanted to play Russia but the authorities objected. This situation might change
now though, considering that Iron Maiden have been let into Poland to wreak havoc.
«The Russians still think were very decanent», confides Roger Taylor. «We want to play
China as well, and Korea. John and I spent a holiday in Korea and its a fascinating place.
Theyre finishing work on the Olympic stadium for the next games!
Perhaps the Ruskies heard about Rogers high living in Ibiza. Hes bought a house there and
enjoys powerboat racing. Play time is over for the time being, though. After their two
year break, Queen have been working more than 12 hours a day rehearsing.
«Its strange how rusty we are, and so were trying to blow the cobwebs away», continues
Roger. «Its taking a lot of work. Usually we rehearse until about nine and then we eat
together and decide what were going to do in the evening. The clubs here are really fun.
Something to cater for every taste or perversion».
«On the tour well be playing a lot of the old material and well be giving the audience
what they want. A lot of the music I hear in the charts today doesnt interest me. I just
cant see how anybody can get excited over fontdau Ballet. It doesnt send shivers up my
spine. I like listening to Bruce Springsteen».
They might be old stagers, but Roger claims that tickets for Queens British show sold out
in three hours flat and they could have easily played another 12 nights here.
«We still have rock and roll gypsy mentality», he says. «Even 12 years without a
line-up change we still really enjoy the buzz from playing live and the fact that we have
hit singles. Some bands in our position might take it all in their stride, but were still
like kids, we get very excited.
«Youve got to have a laugh havent you? If Queen wasnt any fun, then Id jack it all in and
go and sell flowers».
Robin Smith |
