Fun In Space (CD) By Roger Taylor

Queen spent a lot of time on the road during 1980 but in between stops drummer Roger Taylor spent a fair amount of time at the Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, recording tracks for what would ultimately become his first solo album Fun In Space.

The music completely originated from the fertile mind of Taylor as he wrote all the songs, played all the instruments except for some keyboards here and there,  provided all the vocals, arranged the music, and produced the album.

Taylor’s career and this album in particular are very different from that of Queen. The music is more experimental as he lets his mind wander to produce material that would not have fit into the Queen sound. The use of synthesizers and the odd melodies travel a different road from the songs he wrote for the band.

“Future Management” is about as close to the mainstream as he comes. It is a sonic piece of rock that draws on influences from Pink Floyd. “Let’s Get Crazy” and “Airheads” veer in a hard rock direction complete with experimental like percussion and synthesizers. Songs such as “Laugh Or Cry,” “Interlude In Constantinople,” “My Country I & II,” and the title track have off kilter melodies that are more haunting than catchy.

There are three bonus tracks included. While Fun In Space was his first album, back in 1977 he released a non-album single “I Wanna Testify/Turn On The TV.” While they do not fit the musical concept of the album, their inclusion fills in the missing pieces of his early material. The last song is an altered version of “My Country I & II,” now titled just “My Country,” which was issued as a single in the U.K.

Roger Taylor’s solo work is always interesting and full of surprises, especially when compared to the Queen body of work. Fun In Space was the first step in his eclectic solo journey that continues down to the present day.

Best By Roger Taylor

Drummer Roger Taylor was a founding member of Queen and is a member of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In the United States he has always been associated with his band. In his home country, he has also had a successful solo career. Now the music from his solo career is coming to two compilation CD’s. If you are a hard core fan there is The Lot, which is a 12 CD, one DVD box set, which contains his entire solo output. If you want a taste of his career there is Best, which draws 18 tracks from his five albums and two singles.

Taylor’s solo career has been very different from that of Queen as without the band around him, he has been free to move in different directions. There are passionate ballads, electronic music, and good old rock and roll.

Taylor has always been able to create a song. He has written or co-written three number one songs in the United Kingdom; “These Are The Days Of Our Lives,” “Innuendo,” and “Under Pressure.”  In addition, at least one of his compositions was included on every Queen album. While he is the drummer for Queen, on his solo releases he also is a capable guitarist and vocalist.

“Foreign Sand” is an excellent example of his ability to carry a ballad that builds throughout. “Man On Fire” is a down to earth gritty tune. “A Nation Of Haircuts” finds him letting loose as he just rocks.

There is an excellent booklet that provides an informative history of his solo career. The music is well-recorded and clear, which enhances the listening experience.

Best may not be a cohesive album as it jumps from different periods of his career and sometimes skips a decade. What it does is provide an introduction to his solo music and possibly whets your appetite to explore his music further. It also proves that he has a creativity that extends beyond Queen and that he is capable of creating some good music on his own.

 

Best Of By Roger Taylor

Drummer Roger Taylor was a founding member of Queen and is a member of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In the United States he has always been associated with his band. In his home country, he has also had a successful solo career. Now the music from his solo career is coming to two compilation CD’s. If you are a hard core fan there is The Lot, which is a 12 CD, one DVD box set, which contains his entire solo output. If you want a taste of his career there is Best, which draws 18 tracks from his five albums and two singles.

Taylor’s solo career has been very different from that of Queen as without the band around him, he has been free to move in different directions. There are passionate ballads, electronic music, and good old rock and roll.

Taylor has always been able to create a song. He has written or co-written three number one songs in the United Kingdom; “These Are The Days Of Our Lives,” “Innuendo,” and “Under Pressure.”  In addition, at least one of his compositions was included on every Queen album. While he is the drummer for Queen, on his solo releases he also is a capable guitarist and vocalist.

“Foreign Sand” is an excellent example of his ability to carry a ballad that builds throughout. “Man On Fire” is a down to earth gritty tune. “A Nation Of Haircuts” finds him letting loose as he just rocks.

There is an excellent booklet that provides an informative history of his solo career. The music is well-recorded and clear, which enhances the listening experience.

Best may not be a cohesive album as it jumps from different periods of his career and sometimes skips a decade. What it does is provide an introduction to his solo music and possibly whets your appetite to explore his music further. It also proves that he has a creativity that extends beyond Queen and that he is capable of creating some good music on his own.

We Are The Champions/We Will Rock You 45 by Queen

Queen burst onto the American music scene during 1976. By 1977 they were stars and during the early fall they released the single “We Are The Champions” backed by “We Will Rock You.” The single peaked at number four on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Hot 100.

While the songs were split for the single, they were connected on the album NEWS OF THE WORLD. The B side also received extensive airplay and both tracks have become signature songs for the band.

They could not have realized it at the time but boths songs have been played tens of thousands of times at American sporting events, which make them instantly recognizable to a large segment of the American population.