Queen’s debut album is about to get a ridiculous treatment

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As a lifelong Queen fan who’s been with them through thick and thin, I’ve seen the band evolve from their humble beginnings to the iconic rock legends they are today. The news of their latest reissue of the debut album, now titled “Queen I”, has left me scratching my head a bit. I mean, come on, guys! We all know there’s only one Queen!

The current members of Queen seem focused on financial gains at present. It’s speculative whether Freddie Mercury would have followed suit, but that remains unanswered. What is certain is that the band has sold their back catalog to Sony Music for an estimated £1 billion and are preparing to release a remastered version of their debut album, hinting at potential overindulgence.

Since the reissue is quite extensive, the band opted to rename the album from just Queen to Queen I, which seems a bit redundant given that there’s no other album in their discography called “Queen,” but there is a Queen II. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that the debut was, in fact, just titled Queen.

If you enjoyed the initial album, you’re sure to appreciate the reissue even more! It boasts an expanded tracklist with 63 songs instead of just 10, featuring the previously omitted song “Mad the Swine” from the 1973 release. This deluxe six-CD box set offers remastered versions of the original tracks, as Brian May explains in the liner notes, where each instrument has been meticulously reworked to create a more “live” and vibrant sound experience.

Queen’s debut album is getting the special treatment fans of the band will love

Moving on to the topic of life, you can expect an abundance of it with the last two discs of this box set. They’ll feature BBC broadcasts of Queen’s songs from 1973 and 1974, tunes from their concerts at Rainbow in ’74, San Diego in ’76, and a couple of tracks from a ’70 concert as well.

In addition to the re-mastered tunes performed live and the album versions themselves, you’ll find demo recordings that the band made prior to finalizing the album. Also included is an extra CD filled with unutilized master recordings, alternative takes on the original tracks, and a guide vocal track.

Is this overwhelming, you might think? Indeed, given Queen’s popularity surge over the past few years, the band is seizing every financial opportunity arising from this renewed interest. Fans will appreciate the process behind the first album. Regrettably, it wasn’t their most outstanding work.

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2024-09-15 13:00