Jeff Scott Soto, who was one of the vocalists for the officially sanctioned QUEEN tribute QUEEN EXTRAVAGANZA, has weighed in on the recently released QUEEN biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody". Although the movie has been a crowd pleaser, going on to make over $700 million in theaters so far, it has been critized by some QUEEN fans for getting some of the timelines shuffled and facts changed to make a more compelling story. Asked by "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" for his opinion of the film, Soto said (see video below): "I thought the entertainment factor was brilliant. I thought the acting was brilliant. Everything across the board was great. Of course, there were a few timeline things, but that's Hollywood making a story. You're taking a 40-year career, 50-year career and condensing it to a two-hour movie. You kind of have to mess with the timeline to make it entertaining and keep everybody watching. I love the movie. I'm extremely proud and happy for Brian [May, QUEEN guitarist] and Roger [Taylor, drums] and all the success they're able to now have… I don't even wanna say a 'second life' — they're on their ninth life right now, with how many times that band just comes back around. Think about 'Wayne's World' and how that brought back [the song] 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Now this movie is bringing it to another generation. It's just transcending time. And that's what the beautiful thing about QUEEN is." When pressed to name two of his favorite QUEEN songs, Jeff laughed and said: "God, you're kidding me. I go deep when it comes to QUEEN, because I am an über fan. I am a B-sides über fan of QUEEN. So I would never choose the obvious; I'd never choose the hits. I go deep. I like when QUEEN goes a little goofy, a little wacky, novelty, nostalgic. When they go… like the 'Bicycle Race' and 'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy' — when they get crazy with all the harmonies and all that lushness behind it. That's the QUEEN I love… Most people think I'm just a hard rock, heavy metal screamer. They don't realize that I'm into the really sultry 'You Take My Breath Away', 'Love Of My Life' kind of stuff. I mean, that's the kind of stuff that's in my blood, in my DNA. [When it comes to] my voice and being able to do [sing] many different things, I got all that from Steve Perry and Freddie Mercury." In "Bohemian Rhapsody", Freddie Mercury, played by Rami Malek, reveals to his bandmates in QUEEN that he is suffering from HIV/AIDS just before their legendary performance at the 1985 Live Aid benefit show at Wembley Stadium. In reality, however, Mercury hadn't been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS until April 1987. Launched in 2012, QUEEN EXTRAVAGANZA was put together by Taylor, who, along with May, has been tasked with the duty of preserving the legacy of QUEEN for the past 28 years after the passing of Mercury in 1991.
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