Tater Thoughts

As we close out the angst and edge of News of the World with Freddie's stunningly jazzy and sweeping "My Melancholy Blues" , I feel a touch of the blues myself. This number evokes that emotion effortlessly, through Freddie's impeccable piano and flawless vocal. If you love this as much as I do, there are other versions you need to hear: Live , BBC , and Original Rough Mix . Enjoy them all...

It's my 100th podcast episode! To celebrate, I'm breaking down two Queen songs, back-to-back; John Deacon's Latin-flare " Who Needs You " and Brian May's rockin' out " It's Late ". NOTE: "It's Late" Dive begins at 24:45. Song versions mentioned... "Who Needs You" acoustic take "It's Late" live "It's Late" alternative version "It's Late" BBC version

In a rare one-off, with the help of John on groovin' bass and Roger on shuffling drums, Brian jives on his guitar and all vocals to give us " Sleeping on the Sidewalk ", a bluesy, breezy song with an instrumental track entirely recorded in one take. Freddie is noticeably absent; but he does appear on the rare live performances , on lead vocals.

Leave it to Freddie Mercury to bring the heat with Queen's first overtly sexual song, " Get Down, Make Love "; complete with a psychedelic interlude. It's polarized fans from the very beginning, and critics were hard on it. But even if the lyrics surprise, the instrumental of this song is something amazing to behold. The musical conversation in the verses, contrasted with that loud and aggressive...

Do you ever feel irrelevant, too? Yeah. I get you. In this episode, I dig into the digital world, social media, digital privacy, skepticism, trust (or lack of it, rather), and how all of that informs our feelings of relevancy and connection. And finally, I touch on how we can feel relevant in real life when the online world feels so foreign.

When Roger Taylor brings it on an angry song, you better believe it's going to be feisty. And hot. " Fight from the Inside " is both, and is surprisingly, kind of sort of disco. In a way. It's that guitar riff! You might be shocked to find out that we're missing not one, but two Queen members here. But knowing Roger played so much of this himself, and sang all the vocals? That's kind of amazing. B...

John Deacon gives us his first of two tracks on News of the World, " Spread Your Wings ". Many fans adore this, crowds always loved it , and I personally think it's one of John's best, if not his best. A bluesy rock ballad, the song features John on bass and acoustic guitar, with Freddie providing the sole lead vocal. Brian soars on guitar and Roger perfectly punctuates impactful moments on percus...

Partially inspired by the loss of his cat, Brian gives us one of Queen's darkest lyrical moments with " All Dead, All Dead ". It's surprisingly jazzy and almost glittery with its piano arrangement; and somehow, strangely calming. Though it was never performed live, a hybrid version with both Freddie and Brian on lead exists, and was unveiled to celebrate the 40th anniversary of News of the World.

I went on a little vacation last week, and disconnected from the world (literally) on hikes in the high desert. But the best part? My two best girlfriends, and their much-needed incredibly-appreciated company. I love these ladies and I've known them forever. And it got me thinking about what they mean to me personally, and the value of good friendships in all our lives.

One of Roger's fantastic contributions to News of the World, " Sheer Heart Attack " is Queen's one and only real punk number. And Roger wrote it years prior, during sessions for the album of the same name, when punk wasn't even a thing! In fact, this is almost a Roger solo track. He played several instruments, including bass (yeah, John sits this one out), and sings lead in the chorus. Freddie giv...

This is officially the catchiest song in the history of popular music. Freddie Mercury's " We Are the Champions " effectively put Queen on the map in even more parts to the world, and secured their place as an iconic piece of music history. But this is so much more than just a crowd anthem. The complexities of this song's key changes, the subtlety of Roger's strategic drumming, Brian's supportive...

Stomp stomp clap. That's it. That's all I could write about this all-important number from Queen, Brian's innovative a cappella-like album opener " We Will Rock You ". It sets the stage for one of their most iconic albums. It actually has two versions . The fast version was a beast that kicked off many a Queen concert. To celebrate News of the World 's 40th anniversary, the boys released an origin...

I finally got my order of " Outsider ", Roger Taylor's newest album, and long story short, I'm in love. There's a lot of heart and intention here, and it feels like a breathe of fresh air. Even the pink cover art is calming and refreshing, reflecting the contentment in much of the album's tracks. Roger wrote and recorded this almost entirely on his own, which makes it all the more special. But the...

I'm excited to kick off Queen's antsy and edgy sixth album, News of the World. For the first time, the guys are consistently and noticeably angrier and more aggressive among the stark, raw and minimal arrangements. Gone are the classical inflections, and the lush and sweeping warmth of previous albums. It's a radical shift in Queen world, as we get into this diverse classic hard rock album. Glimps...

After a bunch of Queen episodes, I'm just chatting about everything. I dive into some heavier things that have been on my mind, but it's not all gloom. It's October, some good things are happening, I'm working on my music, and I'm making positive medical treatment changes. I also touch on coffee brewing, an app I really love, new music releases (Roger Taylor's latest Outsider !) and other random t...

I promised you guys that Freddie would get some love from me on future albums, because on the previous, it was Brian who impressed me the most. So here you go. On Queen's amazing fifth album, Freddie takes the cake . But yeah, I admit...something happened as I was going through the album's songs, and I had a revelation...a twist, a turn. Find out what happened.

Brian penned this memorable tribute, " Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together) ", for Queen's first massive fanbase. The boys were overwhelmed by the love and appreciation the Japanese had for their music when they toured the country in '75. In classically inspired pentatonic arrangements, Brian throws in plastic piano and harmonium, along with affecting parallel modulations, crafting the perfect lov...

Roger's absolutely stunning classic folk rock number " Drowse " is his sole contribution to A Day at the Races. It was never performed live, and as sad as that is, perhaps the song feels more precious and rare because of it. Roger knew this was very different when he wrote it, and it wasn't just the lack of a rock 'n roll feel that made it so. It's incredibly reflective, and surprisingly heavy. An...

Freddie gives us full-on fashionable style and flare darling, in his last vaudeville-inspired music hall number, " Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy ". The guys perform some of their tightest harmonies yet, with playfulness and panache to spare. John is totally grooving on bass, Roger provides bright percussive moments and Brian sings in woodwind style once again on his guitar. There are actually two v...

Written from the perspective of the Native and the horrible torment inflicted upon them, thoughtful and inquisitive Brian May challenges the listener in " White Man ". Controversy surrounds this number, given its delivery and the subject matter. But as a hard, heavy rock number? This is one of Queen's best. It really shined live , linking to another May composition flawlessly.

A bit of a break and some ramblings from me, mostly about my latest challenge; another necessary change in my treatment regimen for my autoimmune disease. Come hang out with me as I talk the lives we live, the games we play (not always by choice), and coffee and other things. I'm glad you guys are here.

Freddie's favorite song, his own " Somebody to Love ", is amazing. I don't really need to write that, but I'm compelled. Because I literally just fell deeper in love. In its more conventional, more simple structure (one time and key signature), the vocals are massively amplified with magically multitracked takes of Freddie, Brian, and Roger all delivering immaculate performances. But this is, of c...

Bassist John Deacon, in total Sneaky Deaky style (yeah, I don't care how that sounds, because he's a songwriting genius) gives us a fabulous piece of poppy rock with " You and I ". It's better than the hit " You're My Best Friend ", and I'm not the only one who thinks so. The production here, the balance of dynamic drums, oscillating guitar, Freddie's fabulous lead vocal and those trademark harmon...

" The Millionaire Waltz " is my 50th Queen Deep Dive! How appropriate that it's such a glittering and extravagant waltz number, and one from our dear Freddie, no less. Brian shimmers in so many guitar layers but takes a breather on backing vocals, with Roger and Freddie sweeping along in harmonious expression. But it's Freddie's fantastic piano and lead vocals (along with John's memorable lead bas...

A few episodes ago , I talked about the musical dopamine rush, and I didn't touch half the stuff I wanted to discuss. So I decided to dive into more detail about the structure of music, the importance of emotional and artistic authenticity, how good production and intention makes a difference, and just a few other random things I thought of. If you're a lover of music, I hope you'll enjoy this...