It's been close to two months since iconic rockers Queen marked what would have been the 65th birthday of legendary frontman Freddie Mercury (Rest In Peace), and according to NME the band is soldiering on with a couple of exciting new projects.
Guitarist Brian May has confirmed that he is in the process of compiling previously-unheard Freddie Mercury demos for use on an upcoming album. Additionally, the band is working on a follow-up to the hit musical We Will Rock You, now entering its 10th year in London's West End.
Interesting stuff for sure, and we'll keep you posted as more about that upcoming album comes to light.
Well now - as if the promise of a long holiday weekend here in the States wasn't cool enough, it looks like we'll also have something epic to watch as we relax. In addition to it being Labor Day, September 5th is also the birthday of one of the greatest rock heroes of all time, Queen's Freddie Mercury; he would have been 65 years old this year. And to commemorate this day, the band has announced that they'll be streaming the second night of their legendary 1986 Wembley Stadium run for 48 hours beginning at midnight ET on Monday.
Fans will be able to catch the performance at Queen's official YouTube channel, and as an added bonus, the 25th Anniversary DVD of the concert will be available that day as well globally (except in North America, but we get a holiday so no whining). Get a taste of the show with the band's performance of "Radio Ga Ga" below the jump, along with a full list of the songs that they played that historic night back in '86.
I made a mix during my senior year at University of Hartford. This was before podcasts were around and iPods were still chunky. It was just my discman and me, roaming the campus everyday, with the CD of this mix on repeat and sometimes on shuffle. This was during my final semester so I had a lot on my mind—completing works for my composition recital, competing in the regional semi-finals with my a cappella group, asking myself if there is a future with this guy I was seeing, wondering what the fuck I was going to do after I graduate. Those were bittersweet times but it was my best semester.
I graduated, then I had to pack everything and take down the photos from my wall one last time. I had that room all to myself for the entire school year. Boy, if those walls could talk… Anyway, my family helped me pack. They knew I could be slow and inefficient sometimes so they were being a little pushy. The truth was I was dragging my feet because I was too sad. Our family friend drove up from Queens in his van and took my parents and myself to his house where my boxes and suitcases would be stored for the entire summer. I would then spend the next two months in Taipei before I returned to New York for my summer job. After that, Lori and I would go apartment hunting while we submitted our resumes to whoever was hiring. That was all I knew: the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Ah, the unknown.
As we drove away from my dorm, I put my headphones on and listened to my mix once again. The opening track that gave me confidence and energy every morning now made me feel anxious and…well…FUCKING NOSTALGIC. Wow, four years go by so fast. I had great times there. Senior year rocked. Where am I going to live in New York City? What jobs can I get? What funds do I have? When am I going to see my boyfriend again? What can I do with my music? And so on. If only I could go back in time and tell myself that everything will be OK, but I think deep down I knew that already.
This is the exact order of the mix with fewer gaps. None of these songs were popular hits in 2004, so this is nostalgia within nostalgia. Yes, there are two U2 tracks. Yes, there are three songs by The Cure. Welcome to my life in West Hartford, Connecticut. I hope you enjoy this mix as much as I enjoyed my spring of 2004.
