#meisterworks

[theowlhousefanboy]

Time will tell. There was a time when people thought Pixar will never make another meisterwork after Cars 2 happened.

Let’s be real guys

There’ll NEVER be a Disney movie with girls so beautiful like in Encanto, I mean, look at them

Character design peaked here, there’s no surpassing them

[natromanxoff]

Record Mirror (July 14, 1979): 119/?

THE QUEEN BACKLASH ENDS HERE

WITHOUT DOUBT Queen are among that elite number of bands universally hated by the rock press.

The rancour is, make no mistake, mutual which is understandable. If you find yourself on the receiving end of an inveterate dislike at the outset of your career and watch it being nurtured and carefully cultivated over the next six years you’re bound to retaliate.

Queen’s hatred manifests itself by their continued habit of ignoring the music press i.e. refusing to give interviews. There is the occasional token “chat”, pointless as it is innocuous, but in the main it amounts to a blanket “No.”

One of the last interviews Freddie Mercury gave was the last nail in the perspex coffin. Under a headline which boldly asked ‘Is This Man A Prat?’ the king of the leotards was demolished by one of the old school Queen haters and Freddie obviously came to the conclusion, in its wake, that interviews in future would be both superfluous (he was popular enough) and detrimental.

The curtain, velvet naturally, closed.

Roger Taylor, a little wary, a little weary, sits stiffly in an armchair. The juggernauts rattling the Chelsea Street outside create a sonorous buzz bomb hum in the room.

You expect a member of Queen to look elegant. In fact Roger is only wearing a wine colour mohair jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.

He apologises for being a little late and explains how he went to the wrong address. Roger seems to be the only member of Queen left who is prepared, albeit rarely, to open his mouth in the presence of a hack. A question springs to mind . . . why?

“We all sat around a table before I flew over from Munich to discuss the press situation and we agreed I should be the one to represent the band. Freddie is very uncompromising and refuses to have much to do with journalists.

“Obviously, he’s had a few raw deals with them in the past,” observes Taylor.

Roger himself has a rather low view of the music press.

“Most of it is rubbish. There was something I liked recently, a piece on Malcolm McLaren, but in the main I think I’m the only one of Queen to actually read the music papers.”

Why does he think the band are systemically slagged?

“I think it’s because Queen have always come across as being a rather confident band. We seemed, to other people at least, to be very sure of ourselves. I think the press may have misconstrued the confidence, mistaking it for a form of arrogance. Hence they became wary of our motives which bred a dislike for our music.”

Now that’s what I call a neat conclusion.

At the risk of being sent to Coventry by my colleagues I’d like, if I may, to come clean. I love Queen (you’re fired, Ed).

I think it all began with a simple pre-packed but indisposable line – “Dynamite with a laser beam” and has continued uninterrupted (despite the occasional flaw) right through to ‘Queen Live Killers’.

A combination of reasons, Freddie Mercury’s lascivious lisp – the most attractive intonation known to man . . . Brian May’s reel ‘em off rococo riffs that would, in his capable hands, transform the theme music for ‘Waggoners’ Walk’ into a meisterwork . . . John Deacon’s almost stoic stance, incongruous yet integral . . . Roger Taylor’s intense power, so unexpected from one so slight . . . the ability to go over the top without failing into the trap of caricature . . . a desire to give the punters what they want without pandering . . . that cast iron confidence . . . those nine glorious winter weeks of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which kept the cold away from my soul . . .

Yes, I love Queen.

Roger explains the story behind ‘Killers’ which features just about every Queen classic which ever found its way into a silk lined memory bank.

“We always knew that one day we would make a live album. I think it was well planned. About 90 per cent of our last European tour was recorded on a mobile unit and we then spent weeks sitting through the songs in the studio.

“The result is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that’s pretty rare these days. Many ‘live’ albums are tampered with.”

The choice of single is unusual – ‘Love Of My Life’. “It’s not so unusual when you hear the way it came out. The song seems to have such a wide appeal. Everywhere we go the reaction to it is the same. The audience are just bursting to sing along.”

The result is Queen’s best single since ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ (that was their LAST one crawler, ED)

As I mentioned earlier the band are currently residing in Munich where they are “experimenting” in the studio.

“We are recording in a totally different way for us,” says Roger who speaks with a delicate London accent only typical of cockneys with dramatic training and David Essex.

“Every time we entered a studio in the past we had a good idea of what we were going to do. This time we started from scratch and the result is amazing. The music is nothing like anything we’ve done before, I guess you could say it’s much simpler.”

And this novel approach to their music also extends to their shows. On their next British tour – in the late Autumn – the band will be playing much smaller venues than they are accustomed to.

“In London for example we went to play to audiences of about two or three thousand in different areas. I think it’s much fairer to the fans.”

But won’t this affect their stage show which is after all a crucial factor for any powerpomp outfit?

“Not really. We will just scale down the show accordingly. Besides,” he says taking another bite out of the biscuit, “we haven’t used dry ice in years.”

The monkey on Queen’s back, as corpulent and cantankerous as ever, has been put there by those who firmly believe the band can never emulate past achievements. Roger is cognizant of its presence but refuses to unpeel its bananas.

“That all began after ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. When it stayed at number one all those weeks we were kindly informed that we would never be able to make another single to rival it both artistically and from the point of view of sales.

“Yet ‘We Are The Champions’ sold a great deal more and has since become the biggest selling single in the entire history of Elektra Asylum – our label in the States.

“We don’t do the amazingly complex things any more because we’ve moved on from that. We concentrate on the music we are doing now and we intend to do it the best we can, it’s ridiculous looking behind and and what you’ve done.

“There’s nothing like going back on the road to re-unite the bond between the four personalities and strengthening our belief in the band. We are a real working unit and, in my experience of the music business, one of the most democratic bands around today.”

A statement like that cries out to be expounded.

“People think every member of all the bands, not naming any names, are treated equally that is get the same money as their colleagues. That’s rubbish. In many bands there are a couple of guys that get all the money. The rest are on wages. Queen share the profits equally.”

And they don’t have a manager taking his cut either, John Reid departed a couple of years back and now the band themselves make all the major policy decisions. Why did they decide to dispense with the services of a manager?

“Basically because we were fed up with giving other people money. Y’know it never ceases to amaze me how naive those guys are in bands who have just had their first hit. After all this time I’ve forgotten just how naive we must have been at the beginning.

“I mean, everything seems so great when you get into the charts for the first time. You’re living on cloud nine and nothing else matters. But in truth that hit means absolutely nothing. So few people achieve any amount of financial success in this business.

“Oh, you think, you’re really living . . . for a while. Somebody gets you a flat in Chelsea and it’s all free. But one day the rent stops being paid for you and you realise you’re skint.

“Since John Reid has gone the four of us have always made a point of discussing everything together. We have various people working for us but all the important decisions are made by us alone. That way we get freedom of choice – and financial independence.”

My attention is suddenly diverted.

“FORTY-LOVE!” Wimbledon, the Persil White opiate for the hoi polloi squashed in a strawberry crush wrings out its perspiring petticoats on the TV in the next room.  Roger’s girlfriend, an extremely attractive French girl called Dominique, is engrossed. The couple have lived together for two years. Crippled old marriage questions permeate the air.

“I don’t believe in marriage,” says Roger. “It’s simply a contract and the fewer contracts I enter into the better. If you get on well with someone then there isn’t any harm in living with that person – but marriage is something else again.”

They live in a six bedroomed Victorian house just outside London, which is set in 20 acres. Roger has a “tiny” town house in Barnes as well. What’s it like having a bank full of money at the age of 29?

“I don’t hide away from life. Queen have never been one of those ‘being grabbed in the street’ type bands. It may happen when the four of us are together – but when we are out alone we are seldom bothered. That gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself. I go to clubs a lot. I like having a good time. I don’t think you could describe any of the band as leading sheltered lives.

“But I have completely lost touch with how much things cost. When you find yourself living in hotels for so long you never really deal in money as such. Everything is available whenever you want it – but you never see the cash actually being handed over.

“I’ve forgotten what it was like to be penniless which Queen were for years. I guess that must happen to many successful rock bands.”

Another thing that happens to many successful rock bands – they quit the country. But not Queen it appears.

“We have always based ourselves in England and I see no reason why we shouldn’t continue to do so. We could leave at any time but we choose to stay. People believe we are tax exiles because we spend a lot of the time out of the country recording in studios all over Europe and touring.”

And what will happen when the band finally trudge wearily down the road leading to that  ivory strewn elephants’ graveyard . . . ?

“I know it’s bound to happen one day. I suppose I’d take a long, long holiday . . . and then make a solo album.”

[yg-bmx-blog]

#Ygbmx goals in action what’s your Bmx goals? ・・・ 🔥Via 👊 @meisterwebzr DM // Lets grow! . . . . . . . ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ #mworks #meisterworks #mworksdesign #pissedoffforgreatness #successmindset #digitalmindset #thinkangrowrich #choosesuccess #faith #workspace #30daysofsc #entrepreneur #businessowner #businessman #businesscoach #creativebusiness #creativeentrepreneur #keshdesigns #keshevents #author #instapic #instagood #weddingdesigner #weddingplanner #weddings #socialcurator #30daysofmeister #calibusiness #mykm #foreverdress ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

[fiercepowers]

in the vein of contrapoints’ meisterwork video on “gender critical” ideology, i really want to make a video talking about the concept of “detransition” and my own experience with gender dysphoria and transitioning

[theowlhousefanboy]

Still a meisterwork, even with the arguably better manga version and its admittedly rough older dub (the Streamline one, I guess, not the Pioneer/Animaze one).

Akira

[thesinglesjukebox]

KANYE WEST - ALL MINE [3.67] Want more Ye takes? We've got the scoop-di-dee-whoop right here!

Juan F. Carruyo: The first meaningless Kanye single, and thank God. [2]

Will Rivitz: Kanye the lyricist is dead and gone ("I love your titties 'cause they prove I can focus on two things at once"), but Kanye the producer and sonic overseer is at least still with us. Others will likely (and rightfully) excoriate the content of what he's saying, but as of the past two album cycles Kanye's remained excellent pretty much exclusively because of his instrumentals: here, the elasticity of the bass's minimalism careens around untethered until the massively distorted claps of the second verse grind it to a halt. No matter how glorious his previous maximalism, nobody strips it down quite like Kanye. [6]

Stephen Eisermann: As if his ridiculous politics weren't bad enough, he follows up his ludicrous statements with... this? Between the weird Kardashian drama in here coupled with terrible lines like, "none of us would be here without cum," I'm just not sure what to make of Kanye anymore. The production is interesting and makes me long for College Dropout Kanye, but I'm starting to believe maybe that was more of a one-off and everything after seemed better by association -- because this, this is not good. [3]

Katherine St Asaph: Ye, if nothing else, is proof that no amount of genius or creativity can make a polished masterpiece of a rush job. But to those concerned about the decline of Kanye's lyrics and/or quality control, allow me to remind you of the existence of "Drunk and Hot Girls," or his verse on "Knock You Down," or -- actually, if he can release an unedited brainstorm, I don't need to finish either. [3]

Alfred Soto: From bits on Beyonce and The-Dream songs to his own meisterworks, Kanye's been stupid about women for years. Using staccato Trevor Horn-inspired shrieks with the help of Francis and the Lights, he conjures a private hell -- his own VIP room in which he encourages no one to appear, not even his sexual fantasies. Too vaporous to make an impression -- it's received smut. [4]

Jonathan Bradley: In 2005, Kanye thought he needed a Nia Long. In 2010, it was "some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands." Now it's Kerry Washington, Naomi Campbell, and -- dear me, I nearly fell asleep writing this out -- Stormy Daniels. In 2004, he was trawling through Black Planet; this year it's Christian Mingle. My issue isn't with West repeating himself -- even if Ye gives the uncomfortable impression that its author's once restless creativity can be resolved to a selection of tabloid quips and abrupt production punch-ins -- but with the way he abandons any attempt at situating his pop-culture nods within a wider thematic or narrative context. It's rap as listed trending topics: a refusal to allow us to consider that Kanye West might still be more than his Twitter account. From "On Sight" to Extremely Online in five short years. [4]

Tim de Reuse: "Bound 2," released almost exactly five years ego, was a fever dream collapsing, wherein Kanye wrestled with his own monogamous urges like a failed organ transplant; the lines "Maybe we could still make it to the church steps / But first, you gon' remember how to forget" had an immediate, satisfying narrative finality, the kind of line that you hear right before the credits roll. Then, take this paper-thin single that sees the fever dream back up and running, like nothing ever happened -- no deeper theme beyond Ant Clemons talking about his dick, no actual content beyond a few jokes that might have been worth a chuckle were the whole thing not so depressingly empty -- a no-calorie cable TV spinoff held fast at an indeterminate moment of non-time, status quo tortuously maintained. If there's actually something more interesting to talk about here, it's buried under layers and layers of twitterverse context. You could spend your time digging through them if you wanted to, but you could also spend your time listening to literally anything else. [1]

Leonel Manzanares de la Rosa: "All Mine," like the rest of Ye, is the work of a genius. I'm not saying it's really that good -- it's weak lyrically and very inconsistent, but Ye's brilliance shines through every nook and cranny (this record, along with Daytona, Kids See Ghosts and Nasir are proof that he's still in the top five of the best rap producers ever). True genius does not care about clean and perfect; there's always something broken, raw, real. Some people hate Kanye being called a genius, but almost no one in modern music fits that label as him. I compare Mr. West to Salvador Dalí (particularly on his obsession with money/celebrity and his problematic romance with ultra-conservative ideas) and, like him, his body of work is quite spotty. But also like the painter, there's an insatiable search for transcendence, and one can recognize an innate ability to create something powerful and iconic in each of Ye's strokes. Like Kanye, Dalí had a weird, dark dystopian period (Yeezus), an ultra-religious phase (Pablo) and a time where he favored austerity (Ye). These all happened after he "peaked," way after he actively tried to make something perfect (MBDTF). But genius doesn't peak, it just evolves and travels wildly wherever it wishes to go. Kanye is rightfully criticised about a lot of things (like the Trump love or the slavery comments), but to "cancel" him would be to shut down a conversation that should remain open. This song is kind of a portrait on where he is in his life right now. Many call it a "dad/old man record," and yes, that's what he is too. Is it as good as others in his discography? Does it really matter? Are we really gonna shit on him for not trying to make a second MBDTF? Dalí unveiled his perceived masterpiece "The Persistence of Memory" in 1931. Then, his work ranged from dreamscapes, to historical and religious scenes. But sometimes he just wanted to paint his sister next to a window or his wife with a swan. That's what "All Mine" is at heart. [6]

Nicholas Donohoue: Nihilism, misogyny, crassness, and misery. Effective in making the listener sullen, and that's most certainly the point. The organ dropping out, the debasement of sexuality to body parts and celebrity, a clunking beat mixed with horror movie stock sounds. I wish this were easy to brush off, but the production details work too well technically and the outside context of Kanye West and what he used to mean has me curling my fists. I guess I care despite it all. [4]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[tachikoma9]

14th(JuYonDai), Sake of Meisterwork #japanesesake #sake — view on Instagram http://ift.tt/2l58o2v

[caseinpoints]

Twitter reacts to Paris Climate Agreement withdrawal

The solar industry and other advocates of clean energy and climate change took to Twitter to discuss Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The renewables industry

“The U.S. is now missing a clear opportunity to stand as a global leader.” #SPWR CEO Tom Werner on #ActonClimate https://t.co/Jd0bkB9apz http://pic.twitter.com/uzuOkAtDgw

— SunPower (@SunPower) June 1, 2017

Fascinating tone at @SEIA #FTseminar re Trump & Paris agmt. Uniformly upbeat on prospects for solar. No stopping trend lines favoring solar!

— Joel Meister (@MeisterWorks) June 2, 2017

States will continue to #ActOnClimate even if the White House won’t. #cleanenergy #solar #solarisnow #solarisworking @NYGovCuomo @NYSERDA http://pic.twitter.com/nE60kuOD7x

— Renovus Solar (@RenovusSolar) June 1, 2017

The #USA has twice as many solar jobs as coal jobs. Latest figures in new @IRENA jobs report https://t.co/kNiZiLdlBv #REjobs http://pic.twitter.com/MBhHWbYFzZ

— IRENA (@IRENA) June 1, 2017

Other world leaders

We are deeply disappointed that the United States federal government has decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 1, 2017

Chancellor Merkel disappointed w/ Pres. Trump’s decision. Now more than ever we will work for global climate policies that save our planet.

— Steffen Seibert (@RegSprecher) June 1, 2017

I do respect President Trump's decision but I think it's a mistake for our planet.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 1, 2017

Business leaders

Decision to withdraw from the #ParisAgreeement was wrong for our planet. Apple is committed to fight climate change and we will never waver.

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 2, 2017

Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 1, 2017

State leaders

Withdrawing from the Paris Accord is reckless.

I’m signing an Executive Order affirming NY’s role in fighting climate change. #ActOnClimate http://pic.twitter.com/IMHVdNrHJc

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 1, 2017

As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future. https://t.co/3znXGTcd8C

— bill peduto (@billpeduto) June 1, 2017

My statement on @realDonaldTrump’s #ParisAgreement announcement #ActOnClimate https://t.co/XrIpW5d6k7 http://pic.twitter.com/TYiPIy5CaO

— Jerry Brown (@JerryBrownGov) June 1, 2017

Our country should be leading the fight against climate change, it is disappointing to see us retreating into isolation. #ClimateMayors

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 1, 2017

Today’s action by the president leaves the full responsibility of climate action on states and cities throughout our nation. #ActOnClimate

— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) June 1, 2017

Climate change threatens Oregon’s economy & future. It’s irresponsible to deny these real-world implications. https://t.co/jCja6xyEAj http://pic.twitter.com/cdgxNXCJoY

— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) June 1, 2017

Ask any Montana farmer, rancher, hunter, angler or skier – climate change is real. My full statement on #ParisAgreement http://pic.twitter.com/ixUKQ5EHUg

— Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) June 1, 2017

Solar Power World

[theowlhousefanboy]

Gods, this show deserves a proper endgame not unlike Disney's Gargoyles. We don't want another besmirched overambitious Greg Weisman meisterwork like W.I.T.C.H. or The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Spitfire in Young Justice

[stesichoreanpalinode]

‘Freddie Mercury’s lascivious lisp – the most attractive intonation known to man . . . Brian May’s reel ‘em off rococo riffs that would, in his capable hands, transform the theme music for ‘Waggoners’ Walk’ into a meisterwork . . . John Deacon’s almost stoic stance, incongruous yet integral . . . Roger Taylor’s intense power, so unexpected from one so slight . . . ‘

Record Mirror (July 14, 1979): 119/?

THE QUEEN BACKLASH ENDS HERE

WITHOUT DOUBT Queen are among that elite number of bands universally hated by the rock press.

The rancour is, make no mistake, mutual which is understandable. If you find yourself on the receiving end of an inveterate dislike at the outset of your career and watch it being nurtured and carefully cultivated over the next six years you’re bound to retaliate.

Queen’s hatred manifests itself by their continued habit of ignoring the music press i.e. refusing to give interviews. There is the occasional token “chat”, pointless as it is innocuous, but in the main it amounts to a blanket “No.”

One of the last interviews Freddie Mercury gave was the last nail in the perspex coffin. Under a headline which boldly asked ‘Is This Man A Prat?’ the king of the leotards was demolished by one of the old school Queen haters and Freddie obviously came to the conclusion, in its wake, that interviews in future would be both superfluous (he was popular enough) and detrimental.

The curtain, velvet naturally, closed.

Roger Taylor, a little wary, a little weary, sits stiffly in an armchair. The juggernauts rattling the Chelsea Street outside create a sonorous buzz bomb hum in the room.

You expect a member of Queen to look elegant. In fact Roger is only wearing a wine colour mohair jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.

He apologises for being a little late and explains how he went to the wrong address. Roger seems to be the only member of Queen left who is prepared, albeit rarely, to open his mouth in the presence of a hack. A question springs to mind … why?

“We all sat around a table before I flew over from Munich to discuss the press situation and we agreed I should be the one to represent the band. Freddie is very uncompromising and refuses to have much to do with journalists.

“Obviously, he’s had a few raw deals with them in the past,” observes Taylor.

Roger himself has a rather low view of the music press.

“Most of it is rubbish. There was something I liked recently, a piece on Malcolm McLaren, but in the main I think I’m the only one of Queen to actually read the music papers.”

Why does he think the band are systemically slagged?

“I think it’s because Queen have always come across as being a rather confident band. We seemed, to other people at least, to be very sure of ourselves. I think the press may have misconstrued the confidence, mistaking it for a form of arrogance. Hence they became wary of our motives which bred a dislike for our music.”

Now that’s what I call a neat conclusion.

At the risk of being sent to Coventry by my colleagues I’d like, if I may, to come clean. I love Queen (you’re fired, Ed).

I think it all began with a simple pre-packed but indisposable line – “Dynamite with a laser beam” and has continued uninterrupted (despite the occasional flaw) right through to ‘Queen Live Killers’.

A combination of reasons, Freddie Mercury’s lascivious lisp – the most attractive intonation known to man … Brian May’s reel ‘em off rococo riffs that would, in his capable hands, transform the theme music for ‘Waggoners’ Walk’ into a meisterwork … John Deacon’s almost stoic stance, incongruous yet integral … Roger Taylor’s intense power, so unexpected from one so slight … the ability to go over the top without failing into the trap of caricature … a desire to give the punters what they want without pandering … that cast iron confidence … those nine glorious winter weeks of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which kept the cold away from my soul …

Yes, I love Queen.

Roger explains the story behind ‘Killers’ which features just about every Queen classic which ever found its way into a silk lined memory bank.

“We always knew that one day we would make a live album. I think it was well planned. About 90 per cent of our last European tour was recorded on a mobile unit and we then spent weeks sitting through the songs in the studio.

“The result is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that’s pretty rare these days. Many ‘live’ albums are tampered with.”

The choice of single is unusual – ‘Love Of My Life’. “It’s not so unusual when you hear the way it came out. The song seems to have such a wide appeal. Everywhere we go the reaction to it is the same. The audience are just bursting to sing along.”

The result is Queen’s best single since ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ (that was their LAST one crawler, ED)

As I mentioned earlier the band are currently residing in Munich where they are “experimenting” in the studio.

“We are recording in a totally different way for us,” says Roger who speaks with a delicate London accent only typical of cockneys with dramatic training and David Essex.

“Every time we entered a studio in the past we had a good idea of what we were going to do. This time we started from scratch and the result is amazing. The music is nothing like anything we’ve done before, I guess you could say it’s much simpler.”

And this novel approach to their music also extends to their shows. On their next British tour – in the late Autumn – the band will be playing much smaller venues than they are accustomed to.

“In London for example we went to play to audiences of about two or three thousand in different areas. I think it’s much fairer to the fans.”

But won’t this affect their stage show which is after all a crucial factor for any powerpomp outfit?

“Not really. We will just scale down the show accordingly. Besides,” he says taking another bite out of the biscuit, “we haven’t used dry ice in years.”

The monkey on Queen’s back, as corpulent and cantankerous as ever, has been put there by those who firmly believe the band can never emulate past achievements. Roger is cognizant of its presence but refuses to unpeel its bananas.

“That all began after ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. When it stayed at number one all those weeks we were kindly informed that we would never be able to make another single to rival it both artistically and from the point of view of sales.

“Yet ‘We Are The Champions’ sold a great deal more and has since become the biggest selling single in the entire history of Elektra Asylum – our label in the States.

“We don’t do the amazingly complex things any more because we’ve moved on from that. We concentrate on the music we are doing now and we intend to do it the best we can, it’s ridiculous looking behind and and what you’ve done.

“There’s nothing like going back on the road to re-unite the bond between the four personalities and strengthening our belief in the band. We are a real working unit and, in my experience of the music business, one of the most democratic bands around today.”

A statement like that cries out to be expounded.

“People think every member of all the bands, not naming any names, are treated equally that is get the same money as their colleagues. That’s rubbish. In many bands there are a couple of guys that get all the money. The rest are on wages. Queen share the profits equally.”

And they don’t have a manager taking his cut either, John Reid departed a couple of years back and now the band themselves make all the major policy decisions. Why did they decide to dispense with the services of a manager?

“Basically because we were fed up with giving other people money. Y’know it never ceases to amaze me how naive those guys are in bands who have just had their first hit. After all this time I’ve forgotten just how naive we must have been at the beginning.

“I mean, everything seems so great when you get into the charts for the first time. You’re living on cloud nine and nothing else matters. But in truth that hit means absolutely nothing. So few people achieve any amount of financial success in this business.

“Oh, you think, you’re really living … for a while. Somebody gets you a flat in Chelsea and it’s all free. But one day the rent stops being paid for you and you realise you’re skint.

“Since John Reid has gone the four of us have always made a point of discussing everything together. We have various people working for us but all the important decisions are made by us alone. That way we get freedom of choice – and financial independence.”

My attention is suddenly diverted.

“FORTY-LOVE!” Wimbledon, the Persil White opiate for the hoi polloi squashed in a strawberry crush wrings out its perspiring petticoats on the TV in the next room.  Roger’s girlfriend, an extremely attractive French girl called Dominique, is engrossed. The couple have lived together for two years. Crippled old marriage questions permeate the air.

“I don’t believe in marriage,” says Roger. “It’s simply a contract and the fewer contracts I enter into the better. If you get on well with someone then there isn’t any harm in living with that person – but marriage is something else again.”

They live in a six bedroomed Victorian house just outside London, which is set in 20 acres. Roger has a “tiny” town house in Barnes as well. What’s it like having a bank full of money at the age of 29?

“I don’t hide away from life. Queen have never been one of those ‘being grabbed in the street’ type bands. It may happen when the four of us are together – but when we are out alone we are seldom bothered. That gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself. I go to clubs a lot. I like having a good time. I don’t think you could describe any of the band as leading sheltered lives.

“But I have completely lost touch with how much things cost. When you find yourself living in hotels for so long you never really deal in money as such. Everything is available whenever you want it – but you never see the cash actually being handed over.

“I’ve forgotten what it was like to be penniless which Queen were for years. I guess that must happen to many successful rock bands.”

Another thing that happens to many successful rock bands – they quit the country. But not Queen it appears.

“We have always based ourselves in England and I see no reason why we shouldn’t continue to do so. We could leave at any time but we choose to stay. People believe we are tax exiles because we spend a lot of the time out of the country recording in studios all over Europe and touring.”

And what will happen when the band finally trudge wearily down the road leading to that  ivory strewn elephants’ graveyard … ?

“I know it’s bound to happen one day. I suppose I’d take a long, long holiday … and then make a solo album.”