Brian May Unboxes ‘Queen 1’ - Noise11.com (original) (raw)
The next box set from Queen is the debut album ‘Queen’, now called ‘Queen 1’.
Why ‘Queen 1?,” Brian May asks. “Because we have always called it ‘Queen 1’ ever since the days of ‘Queen II’.
The 6CD + 1 LP Queen I box set contains 63 tracks with 43 brand new mixes, comprising the original album with its intended running order restored, intimate fly-on-the-wall audio of Queen in the studio, demos, rare live tracks, and previously unheard recordings from Queen’s first ever live performance in London, August 1970. Absent from the 1973 release, the song “Mad the Swine” has been reinstated to its original place in the running order. A 108-page book containing handwritten lyrics and memorabilia accompanies the release.
“This is not just a remaster,” writes Brian May in the CD sleeve insert notes, “this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have re-titled QUEEN I.” May continues, “All the performances are exactly as they originally appeared in 1973, but every instrument has been revisited to produce the ‘live’ ambient sounds we would have liked to use originally. The result is “Queen” as it would have sounded with today’s knowledge and technology – a first.”
The first Queen album was released on 13 July 1973 in the UK. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker, John Anthony and the band members.
‘Queen’ only reached no 24 in the UK, 77 in Australia and 83 in the USA yet the opening song off the album ‘Keep Yourself Alive’ is now the fourth most played Queen song live.
CD1: Queen I (2024 Mix)
1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing All Right
3. Great King Rat
4. Mad The Swine
5. My Fairy King
6. Liar
7. The Night Comes Down
8. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll
9. Son And Daughter
10. Jesus
11. Seven Seas Of Rhye…
CD2: De Lane Lea Demos – 2024 Mix
1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. The Night Comes Down
3. Great King Rat
4. Jesus
5. Liar
CD3: Queen I Sessions
1. Keep Yourself Alive (Trident Take 13 – Unused Master)
2. Doing All Right (Trident Take 1 – with Guide Vocal)
3. Great King Rat (De Lane Lea Take 1 – with Guide Vocal)
4. Mad The Swine (Trident Take 3 – with Guide Vocal)
5. My Fairy King (Trident Backing Track In Development)
6. Liar (Trident Take 1 – Unused Master)
7. The Night Comes Down (De Lane Lea Takes 1 & 2 – with Guide Vocal)
8. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll (Trident Takes 8 & 9)
9. Son And Daughter (Trident Takes 1 & 2 – with Guide Vocal)
10. Jesus (De Lane Lea Take 2 – with Guide Vocal)
11. Seven Seas Of Rhye… (Trident Take 3)
12. See What A Fool I’ve Been (De Lane Lea Test Session)
CD4: Queen I Backing Tracks
1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing All Right
3. Great King Rat
4. Mad The Swine
5. My Fairy King
6. Liar
7. The Night Comes Down
8. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll
9. Son And Daughter
10. Jesus
11. Seven Seas Of Rhye…
CD5: Queen I At The BBC
1. My Fairy King (BBC Session 1, February 1973)
2. Keep Yourself Alive (BBC Session 1, February 1973)
3. Doing All Right (BBC Session 1, February 1973)
4. Liar (BBC Session 1, February 1973)
5. Keep Yourself Alive (BBC Session 2, July 1973)
6. Liar (BBC Session 2, July 1973)
7. Son And Daughter (BBC Session 2, July 1973)
8. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll (BBC Session 3, December 1973)
9. Great King Rat (BBC Session 3, December 1973
10. Son And Daughter (BBC Session 3, December 1973
11. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll (BBC Session 4, April 1974
CD6: Queen I Live
1. Son And Daughter (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
2. Guitar Solo (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
3. Son And Daughter (Reprise) (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
4. Great King Rat (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
5. Keep Yourself Alive (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974
6. Drum Solo (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
7. Keep Yourself Alive (Reprise) (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
8. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
9. Liar (Live at the Rainbow – March 1974)
10. Hangman (Live in San Diego – March 1976)
11. Doing All Right (Live in San Diego – March 1976)
12. Jesus (Live at Imperial College – August 1970)
13. I’m A Man (Live at Imperial College – August 1970)
LP: Queen I Live – 2024 Mix
Side 1:
1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing All Right
3. Great King Rat
4. Mad The Swine
5. My Fairy King
Side 2:
1. Liar
2. The Night Comes Down
3. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll
4. Son And Daughter
5. Jesus
6. Seven Seas Of Rhye…
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