Memories of 1981

[poliphilo]

I switched the TV on last night and caught the last half hour of a concert by Queen-  the one they did in Montreal in 1981.  They were a pretty good band, weren't they?- good songs, virtuoso musicianship. And what a showman Freddie Mercury was! I've always thought of them as theatrical- decadently so- and not in a good way- but this was a tight show, with some hard and fast rocking going on.    Apparently the filming  wasn't a happy business. The audience was quieter than was usual (Canadians, see) and the producer had managed to piss off the band- but it doesn't really show- and I bet the surviving Queen boys are pleased there's this record of them in their pomp.

What was I doing in 81? Not listening to Queen, that's for sure. I had a young family- and I was in Reddish, working with Graham Marshall- trying to get that dour, downcast, old cotton-spinning town to show a little enthusiasm for Jesus. We had a beautiful,  late Victorian church- very Stones of Venice- a soaring, redbrick homage to the mill-owner's happy memories of his Italian honeymoon. It was dark, impossible to heat- and if ever a building suffered from depression that building did. Graham and I used to spend long mornings discussing the parish's financial crisis- meetings from which I generally came away with an incipient migraine.  When I did listen to music it was probably Holly Near. We went to a Holly Near concert in Manchester- not well attended because she really hadn't made much of a name for herself in Britain. We were sitting in the front row and when she sang "For Me and My Gal" she tipped me a wink on the line, "The parson's waiting".

Holly was being a lesbian then. I believe she dropped it later. And my first wife was becoming one. She hasn't dropped it.

Comments

[gioiaverdi.livejournal.com]

I went to see Queen in 1980 (started listening to them around 74, I think) It was my first live concert. It was absolutely, completely wonderful. It was also the night John Lennon was shot. Overall, it wasn't a forgettable expereince onany level.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Watching them last night made me happy.

I wish I could have seen them live.

[ibid.livejournal.com]

I was gestating for the greater part of 81 before emerging in August!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Which makes you a little older than my youngest son- who was born in December. :)

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Queen was an excellent, talented group. They are one of my favorites of that genre. I wish that things had not ended as they did... how sad!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They're still going- after a fashion- May and Taylor still play together as Queen- with Paul Rogers as vocalist. Personally I think they should have retired the brand after Freddie died.

[petercampbell.livejournal.com]

In 81, I was working as a projectionist in our local cinema, and have vague memories of seeing the Queen concert as a support feature to the main feature. I used to hate Queen with a passion, but have mellowed a bit with age and have developed a hitherto unspoken fondness for Seven Seas of Rhye and Killer Queen. Strange how age does that to you. I used to loathe spinach and have developed a taste for that in middle-age too.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I used to hate mustard, now I slather it on thick. It's the same with olives and watercress and a number of other things. Queen are a strong taste too.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

We're singing Bohemian Rhapsody for a competition in our choir. You haven't lived till you've sung the following in four part harmony. Who needs church?

Bis-mil-lah! NO! We will not let you go! (Let him go)
Bis-mil-lah! We will not let you go (Let me go)
Bis-mil-lah! We will not let you go
Will not let you go
Will not let you go let me go
No no no no NO NO NO!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That must be of fun.

I wish I could sing, but I can't. When I was in primary school and we were putting on a show for the parents I had to stand on the back row and mime the words.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

So did Mr Strange. He's never forgiven the choir teacher.

[seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Ah, 1981. Late that year, I was nearer your neck of the woods, advertising American imperialism with the US Navy. I got to spend a day in the Orkney's when one of our boiler rooms caught fire. Then we dropped in on Edinburgh for a week.

It's also terribly American of me, but I can't help sharing that my first and only wife also discovered she was a lesbian while I was away on yet another sea voyage some time later.

What a koin-ki-dink! Isn't it fun to share?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Becoming a lesbian was pretty fashionable back then. I must say I considered doing it myself.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

And I was involved with a gay man once when I was young and blind, and always wondering why the relationship kept turning sour...
Like the Good Book says "There is nothing new under the sun...".

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

At least these days gay people aren't under the pressure they once were to conform to the sexual norm.