#all i know is that queen photos taken by mick rock are good queen photos

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

Today, on November 8th, 1974 - Queen Story!

'Sheer Heart Attack' album released in the UK

- Reached number 2; chart for 42 weeks, achieved Platinum status.

🔸“The album is very varied, we took it to extreme I suppose, but we are very interested in studio techniques and wanted to use what was available. We learnt a lot about technique while we were making the first two albums. Of course there has been some criticism, and the constructive criticism has been very good for us. But to be frank I’m not that keen on the British music press, and they’ve been pretty unfair to us. I feel that up and coming journalists, by the large, put themselves above the artists. They’ve certainly been under a misconception about us. We’ve been called a supermarket hype. But if you see us up on a stage, that’s what we’re all about. We are basically a rock band. All the lights and paraphernalia are only there to enhance what we do. I think we’re good writers – and we want to play good music, no matter how much of a slagging we get. The music is the most important factor. This is our first headline tour, and the buzz has got around, without any support from the media. I suppose they like to find their own bands, and we’ve been too quick for them. You see, when we started out, we wanted to try for the best. The best management, the best record deal, we didn’t want any compromise, and we didn’t want to get ripped-off. So far, it has paid off. In America, we’ve broken the ice already. As you know, we started a tour there last year, supporting Mott The Hoople, but Brian was taken ill and we had to come back. But we had a top thirty album hit there. We’ve undertaken a huge project, but it’s all good fun”

- Freddie Mercury

Extract from interview 11/09/1974 - Melody Maker

Pic: Queen in 1974 photo session for 'Sheer Heart Attack' album

📸 Photographer © Mick Rock (1948-2021)

[flickofthewrist]

hello! i would like to ask where is your header from, which photoshoot? :)

Hi! I’m not 100% sure, @dailyqueensource made the header, but judging by makeup and necklaces I think they’re from the 1973 photo session with Mick Rock

The same where they’re half naked I think? and holding that crown thing

[nothingelsematterswrites]

Adding on to the 80s Brian in a dress thing - imagine that after some time, he's confident enough to wear the dress to a photoshoot for the new album cover or even on stage for a show that's being recorded, just somewhere where it's a bit more real because of the amount of people that will get to see it. The contrast between the others in their 'just so y'all know I'm in a rock band' outfits and Bri looking totally ethereal in his dress would be so wonderful.

“What do you think?” John asks, turning in a circle in front of Brian. Brian watches the way his muscles move with interest under the too-tight blue shirt, the close-fitting blue jeans.

(He’s taken, not blind, and Freddie has commented on it enough times that Brian feels perfectly vindicated checking out their bassist.)

“Looks good, Deaks. I feel like you might bust a sleeve seam, though,” Brian teases, and John rolls his eyes.

“I cannot believe you still fit into that dress, you absolute bastard.”

Brian grins and pokes his tongue out.

“I do need a hand zipping it up, though.”

“Got you,” John replies, and steps behind Brian to carefully ease the zipper up on the delicate cotton garment. It might still fit, but it’s a snugger fit than it used to be, and Brian doesn’t quite trust himself to zip it up on his own anymore.

“Thanks. Where are those other two?”

As if on cue, Roger busts in the door, cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, jeans and leather jacket slightly askew. He twirls his sunglasses in hand. “You two nearly ready? Mick’s gonna have a conniption.”

“I think we’re ready to go, darling.”

Brian turns to face Freddie and for a moment can’t help but blush; Freddie’s leather jacket over the white tank, and his leather pants, are all a bit much and make Brian want to drop to his knees. Still, it’s not the time or place. He follows them out placidly.

To his credit, Mick barely bats an eyelash at the guitarist in the floating white dress, instead immediately positioning Brian in the centre, with the other three placed around him. It takes Brian a while to realise, but Mick’s put them in protective poses, and they pull them off with gusto.

His bandmates protecting him from the world as he sits, ethereal and fragile in his dress. It seems right.

*

The photos, of course, cause uproar when they’re first released. While some more artistic magazines praise the positioning, the beauty of Brian in his dress, too many are too eager to tear him apart for wearing it.

But for once, Brian is secure. Freddie thinks he’s the most beautiful thing on earth when he wears a dress. Roger and John, if anything, are only jealous - and only in fun - of how good Brian still looks in one. John shyly takes Brian shopping and buys a new dress of his own. He goes home wearing it, and the next day arrives at the studio with so many hickeys that recording has to cease for a full hour while the laughing and teasing subside. Roger helps him style his hair, combing and singing like they used to back in the Smile days.

So Brian chucks the papers and magazines that criticise on the fire, because he has the love of his Queen family, and that’s enough.

[robrob1127]

Hollis Brown Releases Their Breakthrough Album

By Rob Nagy

It has been a decade since high school friends Mike Montali and Jonathan Bonilla formed the band Hollis Brown, a name they adopted from the Bob Dylan song “Ballad of Hollis Brown”. Collaborating as fellow songwriters and guitarists with a passion for a variety of musical genres, the duo created the foundation for what has evolved into one of the darlings of the Americana indie music scene. 

"Growing up in Queens I fell in love with all different types of music," recalls Montali. "We had hip-hop, funk, rock 'n' roll, singer-songwriters. Otis Redding is my favorite singer, the Temptations and the Jackson 5, Mick Jagger, I love all that stuff. As a band, we are individually inspired by different flavors. We always agree on a few different things that we all like and that’s what we try to incorporate together. We want to be in the lineage of the great American kind of music like Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan.” 

Hollis Brown’s latest album, Ozone Park (Mascot Records/Cool Green Recordings), featuring Mike Montali (guitar and vocals), Jonathan Bonilla (guitar), Andrew Zehnal (drums), Adam Bock (keyboards), and Chris Urriola (bass), offers an impressive ten-song collection featuring the single "Do Me Right”. Laden with rock, blues, soul, R&B, and hip hop influences, the band shines on what is undoubtedly their highly anticipated breakthrough release. 

“Our goal with this record was to aspire to make something that could stand up to the artists that inspired us,” says Montali. “We wanted to do something could compete at that level, almost like a modern take on a classic rock album. That’s what we were going for. If you listen to Tom Petty, and you listen to us and say, ’Alright they’re there.’ But also something relevant today versus just a throwback type of band, which I think we've been boxed into with the first two albums. We were going for that vintage style where everything was done on analog tape, minimal overdubs, live in a room, like a garage band. So this time around we wanted to show that we could cross over a bigger platform, and modernize rock and roll.”

“I’m very pleased with the record,” adds Montali. “It has gotten a really good reception for the band this year, we’ve turned the corner, popularity-wise and the way people view us as a legitimate working band. So it’s been a stepping stone for us that we’re hoping to keep going with the next one. I think we’ve finally found our sound.” 

Hollis Brown became a fixture in the New York club scene, rapidly developing a significant regional following. They didn’t waste any time getting their music into the hands of music fans, releasing their debut EP, Nothing & The Famous No One in 2009. They released their first self titled debut album that same year. Accolades from the music press followed, both No Depression and Spin Magazines praised the band. Subsequent releases Ride on the Train (2013), Hollis Brown Gets Loaded (2014), 3 Shots (2015), Cluster Of Pearls (2016), Hollis Brown on Audiotree Live (2016) and Steady Ground (2016), and Run Right To You - Single (2016) served to solidify their presence in the musical landscape.

“There is a balance of being professional and still having a little rock and roll in you,” says Motali. “You still have to have a little something to you. It has been tricky for us to find a balance of just what that line is? I think we’re doing better than we were before. We almost fell apart a few times over alcoholism, money. It can take its toll on people after months of it, and it had on us. We’ve survived all that rock and roll cliche stuff, which I think was good to get out of our system before bigger and better things started to happen. It’s probably better off that we didn’t have that much money (laughs) otherwise it could have been really bad.” 

Establishing a reputation for a powerful live show that has found them hitting the concert trail hard throughout the U.S. and abroad, Hollis Brown has served as a headliner for with the Counting Crows, the Zombies, Citizen Cope, Heartless Bastards, Jesse Malin, Jackie Greene, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes. 

Hollis Brown’s songs have been featured in the trailer for the Micheal Keaton film “The Founder”, MTV’s Th Real World, Showtime’s Shameless. Direct TV’s “Kingdom”, the 2014 film Bad Country and an online ad campaign for Abercrombie & Fitch. 

“I’m never where I want to be, I think we should be further along,” says Montali. “I think we’re one of there best bands out there. I think that it takes a little longer sometimes to connect when you just have your own voice, and you have something a little different. You want to say something, and be something that’s not so in line with maybe what the major pop thing dictates at the time.” 

"We never wanted to be a band that was her today gone tomorrow," adds Montali. "We’ve always wanted to build something a bit more cult-like at the start. We’ve been fortunate enough to surround ourselves with people who believe in us, team-wise. From management to agents. People who believe in what we’re doing and let us have creative freedom. It’s taken us a little longer than it probably should have, but that's OK. And it’s happening organically.” 

“To be fair, it has taken us a little while to figure out how to do it,” says Montali. “It has taken us a few years of getting in the van and figuring out what kind of band we want to be. I feel like we have finally figured that out, we’ve paid our dues. I think we're in a really good place now. We just want to keep the ball rolling and making music we believe in."

Hollis Brown and Vintage Trouble performed the final show of their 2019 concert tour in December at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California. Performing for a packed house, the energy on stage and off was electric. Both acts went head to head giving fans an unforgettable night of music from two bands that are going to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. 

“It’s was a really good tour,” says Montali. “We were able to get to know those guys, and they got to know us. They are super cool It’s nice to see a rock band giving it their all every night, that’s what we tried to do. Having both of us added to the flavor of the tour in general. This was a really great tour that we were happy to be a part of. It was good to finish it up the year in that fashion.”

“Its grounding and nice to want to go home,” says Montali. “I enjoy being on the road, but I also enjoy time at home. You have to live to be inspired, and you have to be inspired to create. If you’re on the road all the time you’re not living, you’ve got no inspiration. So for us as a band, we are road dogs and play a ton of gigs, it’s nice to be able to have a good balance of home where you can be happy, go out, and write.” 

To stay up to date with Hollis Brown visit www.hollisbrown.com

To stay up to date with Vintage Trouble visit www.vintagetrouble.com

Photos by Rob Nagy 2019

Rnagy62@yahoo.com

[ginaakers]

David Bowie and I: A friendship through the lens of Denis O'Regan

Feature & Interview by Gina Akers

"I started to realise the more offbeat moments I got the more I was getting the real David" Denis O'Regan

A Dick Lovett car showroom in Wiltshire is a rather unexpected venue to be viewing some of the finest examples of music photography history.  But then again it is after all a showroom, the lighting, the space, in fact the whole set up is designed to showcase things to look at and what better to look at than a very special collection of photographs of David Bowie.

The photographs have all been taken by Denis O’Regan, David Bowie’s friend and favoured photographer throughout the 1980s.  The exhibition aptly named 'David and I' is Denis O'Regan's photographic account of travelling the world with David Bowie.

Off Beat Lounge are the organisers of the exhibition with one of the world’s largest collections of rare, limited edition fine art album covers, and music-related art and photography.

For 'Bowie and I' Off Beat Lounge are displaying over 40 beautiful photographs of David Bowie at specially adapted Mini car showrooms across the UK. These one night only events, with Denis O’Regan take visitors on a journey with Bowie as 'the tourist', 'the relaxed back stage band leader' and of course the 'legendary live performer'.

All photographs were shot as David and Denis toured the world together between 1978 and 1987 and many have never been seen by the public before. During the event Denis even provides a 'friend’s eye view' of one of the world’s most famous rock stars and provides an enlightening question and answer session for VIP ticket holders.

Interview with Denis O'Regan

During a special interview with The Ocelot's Gina Akers, Denis O'Regan revealed more about David Bowie and one or two other prolific musical acts. In fact Denis had so many stories and insights that the enthusiastic discussion didn't feel like an interview at all.  

How did this exhibition get off the ground? What did it take to make it happen?

Lots of planning, the idea came about before David passed away.  It was about three years ago at an event in France I was with a few other photographers.

I've been photographer for Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin and Oasis but I decided to do this event on David, the show (David and I) is based on photos picked for the event I did in France.  

What is your best David Bowie memory?

It's a memorable tiff actually, we were to do a few shows in Japan and should have captured backstage but David was getting mobbed and it didn't happen, he wasn't happy.

A few days later he ordered a picnic and hired a car to take us out to a nature reserve, so we went for a picnic for the day. It was the type thing he did when he felt he'd been unfair to someone. David hired the car and actually drove it himself to the nature reserve.  

On one occasion Prince decided to throw a party. Prince's playlist for that night actually became The Black Album, and that playlist was put together as a result of that evening for David.  

What was he like to work with? 

He could be on his own and mysterious sometimes. I didn't get on with Co-Co (fans will know who she is), she was very defensive and protective of David, she did his bidding, she was a bit troublesome.  

We quite often had no days off. Lots of good photos were taken when it wasn't work time though, on the odd night or day off, so really there was never a 'day off'.  I started to realise the more offbeat moments I got the more I was getting the real David.

I would always shoot on film until the late 90's, there was no photoshop back then.  I'd save up the rolls of film and drop them off for developing the photos. They would then get sent to another place and both David and I would go through them.  David always approved the photos and the photos he didn't think were good weren't kept.  The photos he didn't like got binned, when David found out he didn't speak to me for two weeks, over concern that the cleaner or anyone could have found the bad photos!

Offstage pictures were the ones with real value.  I could go where ever I liked on the tours, dressing rooms, on stage, wherever.

I've worked with The Rolling Stones, Queen, Thin Lizzy, lots of egos!

Once when trying to photograph I got pushed off a stage by a security guard, it resulted in me whacking the security guard and ended up with all the security guards beating me up. I had to get on to the stage to get away from them and run past Mick Jagger with me bleeding from the beating.  

Which is your favourite Bowie photo?

The earliest shot I took of him was in Newcastle in 1978.  I first saw David Bowie in 1973 as Ziggy Stardust, I loved the mime artist work he was doing and didn't know that was in rock n' roll.

There were lots of spontaneous photographs.

My favourite Bowie moments were...the lots of mime on Ziggy Stardust, the worst time was in Leon, the worst city. The best show on a tour was Edinburgh Football Stadium, a cloud of steam rose up from the audience.  

Did we get to see the real Bowie or did we just always see the artist? 

I thought David would be very private but he actually wanted me to get everything.  

David was more into art than anything. He was really nervous at Live Aid, he used to get nervous and edgy before shows.  

His name on his passport said David Jones, checking into hotels could be interesting, they had to use pseudo names. Keith Richards would use things like Dr. Ugs and Jack Daniels, I even needed a pseudo name!

Which photograph would you say best captures the real Bowie? 

The 1978 one, or the one of David chuckling would, some of the early ones, and the one on the sofa - that's just David not David Bowie like the live pictures.

If you had one more chance to photograph him again, what would you do? What would you want to capture? 

A close up of his face and just capture him.

What are you doing now? What projects are you working on?

Books, a Duran Duran book, Pink Floyd, David and I and David II.

Duran Duran are interesting to photograph, John Taylor from Duran Duran took ecstasy before we did a photoshoot.

What has been the overall highlight of your career?

The moment I knew I was going on tour with David.  Rehearsals with him in a giant shed, warehouse.  David asked which are my favourite songs at one of the first rehearsals and that moment I thought 'I can't believe this is happening'.

If you could photograph anybody who would it be?

Lady Gaga, I'd love to photograph Lady Gaga.

'David and I' truly is a unique exhibition experience and has been incredibly well thought out and put together. This is a must go to event for all photographers, music lovers and of course all David Bowie fans.  The exhibition has been so popular additional dates and venues have been added for 2017. Early booking is recommended as tickets for the events have been consistently selling out. Visit www.offbeatlounge.co.uk/davidandi

David and I: 2017 Event Dates

Wednesday 26th April 2017          Oxford

Thursday 27th April 2017               Milton Keynes SOLD OUT

Tuesday 23rd May                           Hull

Thursday 25th May 2017                Newcastle SOLD OUT

Tuesday 6th June 2017                  Bolton

Thursday 8th June 2017                Peterborough

Tuesday 11th July 2017                 Bristol

Friday 14th July                                Nottingham

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

'He was like no one I had ever met before. He was very confident and I have never been confident. We grew together. I liked him - and it went on from there.'

But when Freddie first asked her for a date on his 24th birthday, Mary pretended she was busy on that particular night.

"I was trying to be cool,' she recalls with a smile, 'not because there was any real reason I couldn't go. But Freddie wasn't put off. We went out the next day instead. He wanted to go and see Mott The Hoople at the Marquee Club in Soho. Freddie didn't have much money then and so we just did normal things like any other young people. There were no fancy dinners - they came later when he hit the big time.

She first shared a £10-a-week bedsit with Freddie in Victoria Road, Kensington. After two years together they moved to a larger, self-contained flat in Holland Road, which cost them £19 a week. By then Queen had signed a record deal and had their first big hit, Seven Seas Of Rhye.

It was at a showcase held at Ealing College of Art, Freddie's old art school, that Mary first recognised his star quality.

Things had suddenly taken a turn for him and the band. Freddie was just so good on that stage, like I had never seen him before, as if it was something he'd stored up. For the first time I felt, "Here is a star in the making. He's on his way. I don't think he needs me any more." I didn't feel tearful or upset. I was happy that it was at last happening for him because of his talent.

'When he came off the stage all the girls and his friends were crowding around him,' she says. 'He was so busy. I started to walk away and he came running after me. He said, "Where are you going?" I told him I was going home. But he wouldn't let me go. That night, I realised that I had to go along with this and be part of it. As everything took off I was watching him flower. It was wonderful to observe. There was something about seeing that happen that was exciting. I was so happy that he wanted to be with me.

'I felt very safe with him,' she adds. 'The more I got to know him, the more I loved him for himself. He had quality as a person, which I think is rare in life these days. One thing which was always constant was the love. We knew we could trust each other and we were safe with each other. We knew that we would never hurt each other on purpose,' she says.

- Mary Austin

Extract from interview 2000

by David Wigg

1974 - Freddie Mercury with his Mary Austin at dinner during 'Queen II Tour'

📸 Photo taken by © Mick Rock (1948-2021)