Queen: The Complete Works (149 page)

Two books appeared in anticipation of Queen’s fortieth anniversary, and both are excellent. Phil Sutcliffe’s
The Ultimate Illustrated History Of The Crown Kings Of Rock
, awkward title notwithstanding, is an embarrassment of riches, with each page stuffed with text, rare images and memorabilia, while Mark Blake’s
Is This The Real Life?
is a warts-and-all account of Queen’s history. At the time of writing (spring 2011), three more books are due for publication:
40 Years Of Queen
(Goodman Books) by Harry Doherty is an expansive (and expensive) box set that includes reproduction memorabilia and was compiled with the full co-operation of the band, and
On Camera, Off Guard: 1969–1982
(Pavillion Books) by Mark Hayward is a compilation of rare and unpublished photos, with the photographers offering anecdotes and recollections of the images. Most impressive will be Peter “Ratty” Hince’s
Queen Unseen
(John Blake Publishing Ltd), to be published in October 2011 and, judging by his fantastic pictures that have been reprinted in various official and unofficial publications alike, Ratty’s insight and photographic expertise will be the envy of budding writers and photographers alike.

INTERNET

With the internet’s booming popularity in the early 2000s, it’s not surprising that several hundred Queen fan pages popped up, most of dubious quality or intent. Almost all sites allow for optimal interaction between fans, and I count myself as happy and proud to have discussed (and argued!) with some of the top Queen collectors and most enthusiastic and passionate Queen fans on some of these sites. The following are absolutely essential sites to visit for information, and should be bookmarked by casual and die-hard Queen fans alike.

QueenZone
www.queenzone.com

Queenpedia
www.queenpedia.com

Queen Archives
www.queenarchives.com

Queen Concerts
www.queenconcerts.com

Queen Live
queenlive.ca

Bechstein Debauchery
sebastian.queenconcerts.com

Queen Cuttings
www.queencuttings.com

Queen Vault
www.queenvault.com

Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour

www.queentour2005.wegotit.at

QueenOnline
www.queenonline.com

Brian May
www.brianmay.com

I am grateful for the love and support of the following people, without whom I never would have started this project.

My thanks to Thijs Arends, Adam Baboolal, Walter Bazen, Ivor Biggun, Erin and Pieter Cargill, Dan Corson, Joey Crawford, Pim Derks, Andy Ferguson, Flashman, Jeroen Geerts, Benn Kempster, Patrick Lemieux, Dan McCord, Barry O’Neil, Richard Orchard, Steve (Stav) Pickard, Jonathan Planner, Sergey I Radchenko, Ian Regan, Janet Baynes Repetsky, Scott Simpson, Cynthia A Stevens, Freya Valentine, Mike VanMaldegiam, Leonardo Venegas, Davie Wilson, Tomasz Wiznieweski, and Zeni, for invaluable audio and video references.

The following fans are some of the top Queen collectors in the world, each with their own specialty and area of focus, and I was honoured to be asked to be a part of this brain trust of Queen fans. It’s been a pleasure to pick their brains and exchange wisdom and information, and without their invaluable knowledge and encouragement, this book wouldn’t have been as comprehensive as it is. So to Pablo Amieva, David Backhouse, Ron Buczko, Ferdinando Frega, David Fuller, Barbara Johann, Niek Lucassen, Rien van Nispen, Craig Piper, Simon Reeve, Olivier Ruth, Sebastian, Martin Skála, Alexander Smirnov, John S. Stuart, Peter Vanek and Bob Wegner, take a bow – it’s been a privilege and an honour to work with them and trade information, all for the greater good. Additional props to Bob for his superb live website and for double-checking my research.

Thanks also to Stanley Loeb for helpful advice in the initial stages. Also, many thanks to Richard Reynolds and Marcus Hearn for giving a first-time author a chance, and to Katy Wild, Laura Price, Lizzie Bennett and Rodolfo Maraguchi at Titan Books for their consideration, kindness, enthusiasm and patience.

A big thank you for their undying support goes to Christian Alsis, Jonathan Ardito, Patrice Babineau, Leslie Ballway, Chelsea Bennett and Cameron Cuming, Dan Boerger, Beth Boyle, Ellen Brennan, Jaime Buss, Sean Caldwell, Jacob Carpenter, Ashley Carraher, Scott Cohen, Kayla Conklin, Nick and Nikki DiBuono, Tracy Diehl, Ken and Brittney Ehrenzeller, Caitlin Esmond, Paul Fennessy, Robert Goldfarb, Matt and Joy Gorzalski, Kathy Greer, Collette Hendler, Shannon Hewitt, Laura Janoff, Elaine Kasmer, Jim Kent, Joshua Kistner, Scott Koenig, Jennifer Kowalak, Brandon Lapsley, Steph Larson, Dan Lawler, Tara Lorah, Geri Loudenslager, Mary Ludwicki, Louise (Izzy) Mahoney, Tom McNamara, Steph Mlot, David Moreau, Gabrielle Mosquera, Jeremy and Maria Nagle, Matte Noble, Diane Paluba, Kyle Peron, Randy Phillips, Arlene Putterman, Jack Rotoli, Bev Tscheschlog, Theresa Santarlas, Steve Sokolow, Lynda Taylor, Laura Thomas, Rob Troyan, Beverly Kotsur Tscheschlog, Ceil and the library ladies at the Bucks County Free Library (Doylestown branch), and all members of the Hedrick, Purvis, Ransford, Zimmerman, Noble and McGovern families.

Special thanks and love to Meredith Ann McGovern: “You’ve captured my love, stolen my heart, changed my life.”

Finally, I am forever thankful to my father Georg, my mother Lynn and my sister Leah for their words of encouragement and support. Special additional thanks to mom for not only undertaking the unenviable task of making sense of what I’d written through a careful editing process, but also for starting my obsession with Queen in 1993 with a cassette of
News Of The World
.

What a ride it’s been.

Georg Purvis is a writer, graphic designer, and avid music collector and enthusiast. In April 2007, with Pieter and Erin Cargill, he co-founded the website Queenpedia (
www.queenpedia.com
), an ever-evolving place to find information about the band. He also periodically writes about music he likes at Sound Round Review (
soundroundreview.wordpress.com
), founded in September 2008.

NICHOLAS PEGG

Now fully updated and expanded,
The Complete David Bowie
is widely recognized as the foremost source of analysis and information on every facet of Bowie’s career. From the eleven-year-old’s skiffle performance at a Scouts’ Summer Camp in 1958, to the surprise 2011 appearance of the lost album Toy and beyond,
The Complete David Bowie
discusses and dissects every move in rock’s most fascinating career.

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The Complete David Bowie
’

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The Complete David Bowie
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ISBN: 9780857682901

MICHAEL HEATLEY

Dave Grohl, drummer in Nirvana on Kurt Cobain’s genre-defining grunge anthems, successfully switched instruments to then become guitarist, singer, and frontman of the critically acclaimed Foo Fighters. This revised and updated biography traces Grohl’s history from schoolboy to superstar, examining his musical roots, and his motivation to remain at the top of his tree.

ISBN 9780857685971

MICHAEL HEATLEY

By any standards, Kings of Leon are unique. They have audaciously mixed elements of classic rock with grunge, garage and a very contemporary attitude. The result is music that has found a global audience. In this book, Michael Heatley recounts in this now fully updated full-length biography the rise of Kings of Leon from local hopefuls to Grammy-winning chart-toppers.

ISBN 9780857687173

SIMON SHERIDAN

For the very first time,
The Complete ABBA
compiles all of the Swedish supergroup’s singles, albums, TV specials, tours and movies. From their 1972 debut single ‘People Need Love’ the book chronicles the band’s incredible story right through to the hit movie
Mamma Mia!
and beyond, to 2012, the band’s 40th anniversary.

ISBN 9780857687241

SIMON SHERIDAN

Twenty-five years from the release of her first single,
The Complete Kylie
gives the most definitive overview of the performer’s career ever published. From her days as a young TV actress and movie star through to her worldwide domination of the music charts as one of the globe’s best-selling, and best-loved, pop stars.

ISBN 9780857687258