Queen + Paul Rogers. Cosmic Rocks. The best ever Queen album.

Haven't heard Cosmic Rocks, so I can't argue, but I don't like Paul Rodgers, and also suspect that his presence will have encouraged Brian to do what he's bad at: the sort of tracks he did on his solo album "Back To The Light" with Cozy Powell. Many of the other tracks (The Dark, Nothin' But Blue, Last Horizon) are outstanding, but things like I'm Scared, and particularly the awful Love Token (On a par with Andy Partridge's worst moment, "Pink Thing") would have been best left unheard.

Queen are IMO probably the best example of a band where the sum of the parts were much better than the individuals, mostly reigning in each others excesses, though Freddie's dreadful 1920's style pastiches (of which Seaside Rendezvous is just one) slipped through. The one exception, for me, is Roger's "Happiness?", which is a superb album, better than many Queen albums.

Queen 11 is my favourite, Queen 1 next, and SHA, Night and Day are all generally good, but after that, they lost it. Hot Space was the low point (not alone in that, Elton's Victim of Love was another from the same general era, a symptom of bands/artists being swayed by the punk passing phase)

I was a Queen fan from Q2, when most people didn't know who they were. I played them to death. Everywhere! When BoRap got to no. 1, I was in the lower 6th form. During assembly, an upper 6ther came up to me, shook my hand, and said "Well done, you spotted them before any of us. Cue instant street cred!

Queen fan here, and dude, you have guts. Cosmos Rocks is the worst ever Queen album, far below anything Queen did with Fredddie Mercury. It is an average rock album at best, for bearing the name "Queen" it is almost an insult. On top, its sound quality is shitty: maximum dynamic compression, the bass kick doesn't even have a punch any more, and the EQing is heavy on the lower mid frequencies. Unbalanced sound as if somebody messed up every setting in the mastering.

A Night At The Opera is one of the, if not the best Queen album ever. Anyone who cannot recognize musical quality in this record should not bother with Queen at all. Queen in the classic quartet lineup were always a band who went for these extra quirky bits noone else would do and they succeeded triumphantly so.

Maybe you're interested to learn that there's a 3-minute single version of Bohemian Rhapsody that omits the intro and the opera and rock interludes. It was cut on demands of the record company but the band insisted the album version was put out. That stripped version might work for you.

Personally, all of those operatic flourishes and whimsical lyrics were what set Queen aside from the rest. Sure, they could have been a straight-up rock band but where would be the fun in that? They'd be no more interesting than...Free. Honestly, Paul Rogers? One-trick pony, mate. I can name one song by Free, and that's Alright Now. What a dull little tune that is.

To date, I haven't heard Cosmic Rocks and I can't think of a single reason why I'd want to. I think the singer that Queen have now is a much better fit for the group but do they even make studio albums anymore?

I loved Queen between the ages of about 8 and 14 then completely lost interest. I first saw them on Top Of The Pops doing Seven Seas and thought it was brilliant, really exciting. My brother got the single then later got Sheer Heart Attack, which for me is probably my favourite of the few Queen albums I know. Now I'm Here, what a superb piece of pop-rock. I loved Bohemian Rhapsody (I just can't bring myself to use the abbreviation!) and the ANATO album, which I thought had some really impressive stuff such as Prophet's Song with all the vocal overlap effects etc.

Around the time of NOTW it was like a switch being thrown - it wasn't that I suddenly thought they were now rubbish, it's just that they vanished from my personal radar, never to re-appear. I'd watch the occasional live performance if one got shown on TV, and a friend lent me Live Killers which was ok apart from the over-long noodling on Brighton Rock.

I've occasionally wondered about why a band I really liked stopped being of any interest to me so abruptly. All I can think is that at that time my musical interests were expanding quite rapidly and Queen, while not bad, were no longer sufficiently remarkable or appealing so got nudged out of the way.

I mentioned my loving Seven Seas and my brother getting the single. My favourite Queen song remains its b-side, See What A Fool I've Been. It perfectly combined the heaviness and loucheness that helped define a big part of their sound. Now I'm Here would be almost neck and neck with it.

One of my closest friends is the biggest Queen fan I know, but pulled a face and shook his head when I asked him if he was interested in the post-FM incarnations.

Quote from thefarmer

I have no guts , I'm now hiding behind the settee.!!!

No need for that, it's just Genesis fans on here. The worst they'd do is tut and shake their head at you, like they would at someone who liked the "wrong era" of Genesis. They're hardly likely to hunt you down while brandishing meat cleavers.

By the way, good use of 'settee' there. That's a word I haven't heard since my childhood. is it a dance settee? (as in that song, "I am the lord of the dance settee").*

* (c) Richard Herring

Quote from Backdrifter

I loved Queen between the ages of about 8 and 14 then completely lost interest. I first saw them on Top Of The Pops doing Seven Seas and thought it was brilliant, really exciting. My brother got the single then later got Sheer Heart Attack, which for me is probably my favourite of the few Queen albums I know. Now I'm Here, what a superb piece of pop-rock. I loved Bohemian Rhapsody (I just can't bring myself to use the abbreviation!) and the ANATO album, which I thought had some really impressive stuff such as Prophet's Song with all the vocal overlap effects etc.

Around the time of NOTW it was like a switch being thrown - it wasn't that I suddenly thought they were now rubbish, it's just that they vanished from my personal radar, never to re-appear. I'd watch the occasional live performance if one got shown on TV, and a friend lent me Live Killers which was ok apart from the over-long noodling on Brighton Rock.

I've occasionally wondered about why a band I really liked stopped being of any interest to me so abruptly. All I can think is that at that time my musical interests were expanding quite rapidly and Queen, while not bad, were no longer sufficiently remarkable or appealing so got nudged out of the way.

I mentioned my loving Seven Seas and my brother getting the single. My favourite Queen song remains its b-side, See What A Fool I've Been. It perfectly combined the heaviness and loucheness that helped define a big part of their sound. Now I'm Here would be almost neck and neck with it.

One of my closest friends is the biggest Queen fan I know, but pulled a face and shook his head when I asked him if he was interested in the post-FM incarnations.

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Yes, I always liked "See What a Fool I've Been" too, bought it as a download a while back. "Now I'm Here" was the first song I ever had in my possession before it was released as a single, so it always has a special place in my heart. Great song it is too.

Quote from thefarmer

You can only name one song by Free!! No Bad Company !! Or The Firm .You've been missing out.

Must admit I much prefer The Firm’s catchy “Arfur Daley” & even “Star Trekkin” to the interminably dull “Alright now”, but didn’t know Paul Rodgers was on them.

Still, nothing matches Queen with Freddie, flounces & all. He's irreplaceable!

Quote from boredatwork

Must admit I much prefer The Firm’s catchy “Arfur Daley” & even “Star Trekkin” to the interminably dull “Alright now”, but didn’t know Paul Rodgers was on them.

😂

It's close but I think I might prefer The Firm too.

Quote from Backdrifter

No need for that, it's just Genesis fans on here. The worst they'd do is tut and shake their head at you, like they would at someone who liked the "wrong era" of Genesis. They're hardly likely to hunt you down while brandishing meat cleavers.

Us Genesis fans are a lovely bunch really Sometimes we will even dare to say we enjoy other music.

I started to listen to Queen when I was 11. They had already released their first three albums by them but I had not heard any of them. First track I heard was Seven Seas Of Rhye and I played it over and over and over again. Even now it is one of my fave songs of theirs along with Bicycle Race/Fat Bottomed Girls. I think I am similar to most who have replied, in that I enjoyed their earlier stuff. The first six albums up to News Of The World were excellent albums but after that they became patchy. I doubt very much I would play many of the albums after that all the way through. Of the latter material there were some good songs on A Kind Of Magic and Innuendo but not the whole albums.

As for Cosmic Rocks I am afraid I did not know it existed.

I'm the person who saw them with Adam Lambert. I had had the honour of seeing them with Freddie on The Works tour (Great album).

I was a big fan but started losing interest around the time of Hot Space. They then rebounded with Innuendo, which is one of their best albums. I could write a great deal on how many Queen songs have had a huge effect on me, but I 'm not as good as others here at doing that.

Regarding Paul Rodgers, the man is a great singer & if you don't know his work with Free & Bad Company, you should check it out.

Quote from thefarmer

You can only name one song by Free!! No Bad Company !! Or The Firm .You've been missing out.

You know what? I seriously doubt it.

Quote from FeelItComing

I'm the person who saw them with Adam Lambert. I had had the honour of seeing them with Freddie on The Works tour (Great album).

I was a big fan but started losing interest around the time of Hot Space. They then rebounded with Innuendo, which is one of their best albums. I could write a great deal on how many Queen songs have had a huge effect on me, but I 'm not as good as others here at doing that.

Regarding Paul Rodgers, the man is a great singer & if you don't know his work with Free & Bad Company, you should check it out.

Agree completely with the highlighted bits.

I'll even hold up "The Game" as a great album. Despite being the first Queen album not to have the "No Synthesizers" label upon it, it's just a great album. There's plenty to enjoy even if you got burned out on "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love".

Quote from thefarmer

Loved star trekkin.

I have a copy! But I think that was a different band , who, I heard at the time, was by a member of the Rubette's (Sugar Baby Love)

Quote from thefarmer

I write this whist wearing a crash helmet and suit of armour. Cosmic Rocks is the best album Queen did. Ok it's not really a Queen album it's a collaboration, and I guess it's seen by Queen fans in same light as CAS is seen by Genesis fans. However it's the best studio album to bear the name Queen . I like Queen and Queen II . I always said they could have made a great rock band if they made the effort, and Live Killers was the one album that prooves it. Yes FM had a good voice .( His death was a tragic loss ) They they made some good songs but far too much flouncing , prancing and posing. I bought ANATO at the tender age of 13 when it was released , liked most of it at the time, (I still hold the same opinion,) and always liked Bo Rap but they really should've left all that psuedo operatic stuff there. They couldn't put an album together and often a song without spoiling it. Prophet Song has the longest la las in history. Let's face it Seaside Rendezvous is complete bollocks. What's that about ? Irony? They just went downhill from there. Somebody to Love was awful and " We Are The Champions" has to be one of the most irritating songs in the history of songs. Whilst they were doing rubbish like "I Want To Break Free" they could've done great rock music.

Then years later, Cosmos Rocks . It literally rocks. Just been playing it. It's great. Warboys, Through The Night , Say it's Not True and Surf's Up Schools Out are highlights but not a weak song and no nonsense. A really good rock album . Did Paul Rogers ever do a poor album? A shame the project didn't last. I suspect I'm in a minority of one . ( The FACTS presented above are based objective research by listening to Cosmic Rocks and ignoring most of the other stuff)

Love this album, and saw a show on the Queen + Paul Rogers tour. Excellent!!!