Robbie Rocks!!!

[dreamwatch]

I'll start this thread so that Mark and Spiff can add to it later.

We just got back from seeing Robbie Williams and by God the man rocks!!! I understand that there are perhaps some non-believers in the crowd here people but Spiff gave some of his fave songs the James Hetfield test on the way home just to make sure there excellence was 100% bonofide (as Holly Hunter miight say) and they all passed with flying colours!! HUZZAH!!!

Anyway, I shall let Robbies's biggest fans, the brothers Mark and Spiff, fill you all in on the nitty gritty deeeeeeetails.

 

[TinMan666]

Was Alex Dickson playing?

 

[Spiff]

I only decided to go to the concert two weeks ago, so I was all by my lonesome on the other side of the arena to Mark & Dreamy, and I also had to learn the songs in a fortnight! It was a great show, though, perhaps the best I've been to.

No, Alex Dickson didn't play as far as I could tell.

Where did you sit, Moony?

 

[spawn]

Originally posted by dreamwatch

I understand that there are perhaps some non-believers in the crowd here people but Spiff gave some of his fave songs the James Hetfield test on the way home just to make sure there excellence was 100% bonofide (as Holly Hunter miight say) and they all passed with flying colours!! HUZZAH!!!

Whats the James Hetfield test?

 

[Wrathchild]

Frankly, Dreamwatch, I'm surprised. I thought you of all people would want to skin Robbie Williams alive (as I do) for his dreadful version of "We Are The Champions" on the soundtrack to A Knight's Tale. What the hell were Brian, John and Roger thinking?
First they let 5ive turn "We Will Rock You" into a steaming pile of boy-band crap and now this???

That was even worse than George Michael's off-key reindition of "Somebody To Love" from the tribute concert! When will people learn that nobody can sing Freddie's songs but the man himself? (RIP)

W

 

[Mark]

Robbie's version is great, IMO. It's fun, faithfull, and he has a good voice - it sounds great live, too

 

[Mark]

Originally posted by spawn


Whats the James Hetfield test?

Sing any song while doing a James Hetfield impression, and if it still sounds good, then you know it's a great song

IE:

"I'm a rock... DjayyyyyyyyyyyyyUH!" etc

 

[dreamwatch]

Ok let me address one thing first - 5ive. *sighs wearily and allows long blotted out memories to return*

As a life long Queen fan, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt (kind of) on this one. Was it shit? Do I even need to answer this? Of course it was. I can still smell it after all this time. Now, as far as John goes, the man has nothing to do with Queen anymore. And yes, I'm serious; from what I can gather he hasn't spoken to Roger and Brian properly in years. I would go so far as to say that he was relieved when Queen became no more (although not at how that happened) as he was never comfortable in the lime light anyway.

Now Brian and Roger are a different kettle of fish - they live for music, they have to be making music, and I'm afraid that the 5ive incident was just proof of how low they will go to be performing. Is it sad? Oh yes. But if it makes 'em happy . . .

Now onto Robbie. I don't have a problem covering Queen songs. I enjoy it actually, it's all good coverage and if it's done badly it only reflects on the act doing it. I was one of the people that thought George Michael's rendition of Somebody to Love was great - joyful, faithful, and well sung. He was not impersonating Freddie. I don't think there is anyone stupid enough in the showbiz world to think that they can out 'Freddie' Freddie. Robbie's We Are The Champions was also very good, but most interestingly it was even better live.

If you want ropey covers of Queen songs look no further than Geoff Tate mullering Sombody To Love and our very own Brucey crucifying Bohemian Rhapsody, oh God help us.

This is always going to be a tough one for 'metal' fans to deal with. I know when I was really into metal I was close minded to anything else (ok, I secretly liked Wham! but I would have died rather than let anyone know ). But the fact remains that Robbie can sing, he can sing well, he is entertaining and he writes a good tune. Ofcourse it will never be to everyone's taste, and the songs you will hear on the radio are only the tip of the iceburg of his repertoire, but as Freddie himself said "Talent will out, my dear!".

 

[Spiff]

I'm not a Queen fan by any stretch of the imagination (sorry, Dreamy!) so I can't say whether or not a particular cover is faithfull or not. That said, I thought George Michael's "Somebody to Love" was absolutely brilliant ("off-key" is the last term I would use to describe his performance!), and I really liked Robbie's "We Are The Champions" as well. I had no problem with them whatsoever, but as I said I'm not a fan so I don't have as much of an emotional connection to the songs.

If someone cares enough about the song to want to cover it, and they're not doing it just because they're after a fast buck, then more power to them.

 

[spawn]

Originally posted by Mark


Sing any song while doing a James Hetfield impression, and if it still sounds good, then you know it's a great song

IE:

"I'm a rock... DjayyyyyyyyyyyyyUH!" etc

"Hit me baby one more timeUH! YEAH!" Oh my god it works.........

 

[Spiff]

*I'll* take the credit for this particular idea, thankyouverymuch

Hang on... Dreamy already gave me credit (sorta) for it. Oh well!

 

[Southy]

welll sounds like i missed a good show ..but as i have said all along i would still rather see a good metal concert ...but i dont mind Robbie..and thats something ya shouldnt akways admit

 

[Wrathchild]

Oh dear. I think I've just offended a large percentage of this board's female readership by slagging George and Robbie in the one post. Sorry folks .

I will, however, stand by my original comments. No-one's arguing that both the gentlemen in question are fine songwriters (just not of the type I like to listen to) who have drunk deep from the well of Freddie's influence. I just wish they hadn't seen fit to do inferior versions of his songs and cheapen the memory of them (at least for me). Covers like these, much like Lenny Kravitz's reindition of Deuce on that *awful* KISS tribute album, are just wrong IMHO.

Good point about some of the truly horrible "metal" versions of Queen songs floating around. Have you heard Malmsteen doing Keep Yourself Alive by any chance? No? Trust me, you don't want to.

W

 

[Winmar]

Is this the same Robbie Williams who was in a BOY BAND called Take That???!!! What's the world coming to???!!!

Right, on that note I'm off to the Deicide board to tell them how good Amy Grant's new album "God is a Swell Guy" is.

 

[spawn]

Originally posted by Winmar


Right, on that note I'm off to the Deicide board to tell them how good Amy Grant's new album "God is a Swell Guy" is.

Didnt she sing that song "baby baby"?

 

[Winmar]

Hehehe yeah that's the one.