What with all the excitement over the release of Lullaby Renditions Of Queen, I thought I’d share a left-field pick for those of you who can’t get enough of the legendary glam quartet.
New York cartoonist Mike Dawson’s 2008 memoir Freddie & Me traces his life as an immigrant to the United States in the 70s from England, with a soundtrack from Queen, who he was obsessed with. It’s a funny, quirky tale that will teach you more about Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon than you’d ever thought you’d know.
Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on the island of Zanzibar.
When he was ten, Freddie became a table tennis champion at his boarding school.
Young Freddie at School
Freddie, an art school grad, designed Queen’s logo based on the band’s zodiac signs– fairies to represent himself, a Virgo, two lions for Leos Roger and John, and a crab for Brian, a Cancer.
Brian May’s signature guitar, called “Red Special,” was hand built by the young guitarist and his engineer father in 1963.
Brian May, who’d abandoned his doctoral thesis in astrophysics to become a guitarist, finally earned his PhD in 2007, 36 years after he’d started his thesis. In 2008 Dr. May was named Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.
Roger Taylor’s first band was called the “Bubblingover Boys.”
Roger Taylor as a Young Lad
John Deacon hoped to work in electronics when he grew up.
Tell us your best, most personal story about Queen—where you were the first time you heard them or the first time you saw them in concert, why you love them, or tell us about your favorite Queen song—anything personal to you in 200 words or less. Leave it in a comment right here on this post. We’ll pick our ten favorites to win!
Don’t forget, you must submit an email address with your comment to be entered. The deadline to enter is 12:00 pm pst, June 9, 2009.
Have we mentioned how much we love our new album Lullaby Renditions of Queen, which comes out tomorrow? Only a few hundred times? For those still wondering why, check out some selected songs posted here, and read this interview with producer Leo Flynn II, who lets us in on his lullaby-making secrets.
Rockabye Baby! sat down with Leo over a hot cup of Sleepytime tea in our cozy cave. He was nice enough to stop by to share some of his insights into transforming the timeless and challenging songs of Queen, this special album, and the process of creating music that both babies and their parents can love.
Buy the album at your favorite baby boutique or on our website!
Producer Leo Flynn II photographed by Sarah DiCiccio
Rockabye Baby!: How do you go about creating a lullaby album?
Leo Flynn II: Well, it all starts with getting the cutest sounds. We build up a palette of the most gentle lullaby instruments we can find (or craft):xylophones, woodblocks, celestas, glockenspiels, etc.At that point, we have the basic ingredients of our lullaby “band”!
Then we break down the original song, find out what really makes it tick, and bring to life its key elements—melody, guitar riffs, certain rhythms—with the different lullaby instruments.If we do it right, we come up with a really soothing sound for little ones while maintaining some rock attitude—that sense of rebellion or heartache or humor that always draws the grown-up listeners to their favorite songs.
RB!:What kind of things do you do in the studio to keep you focused on making sleepy music? Did you have any special inspiration for this album?
LF: Producers are generally sleep-deprived people, so having them work long hours on lullaby music is a bit sadistic…
Actually, I did keep pictures of two babies in my family, Michael and Avery, asleep, above my keyboard.That helped me to remember my audience and to play everything softly!
RB!:Were there any special challenges to making a lullaby to Queen?
The scope of Queen’s style is massive.The band effortlessly leaped from hard rock to country shuffle to operatic musical theater…sometimes in the same song!I wanted the lullaby versions to be just as dynamic.Like Queen, I wanted to create tracks that were each a world of their own.
RB!:What is your favorite track on the album and why?
LF: I love the way Under Pressure turned out.All the emotions in the original song seem to surface on our little lullaby stage.The song’s whole crescendo plays out—from lamenting this big cruel world to refusing defeat and embracing love despite the odds.All the while, the track stays soft and sweet.
So, perhaps our version is about trying with all your tiny might to speak your first word or take your first step.The world might seem set against us, but we humans—big and small—are a defiant bunch!
RB!: What inspired you to be a musician? How old were you? Did you study music?
LF: Genetics definitely play a big part.When I was a baby, my dad used to bring me to his band’s rehearsals and sit me on his bass amp when he played.Apparently, the thump of the bass made me a very happy little dude!
I picked up my dad’s bass around age 13 or 14, after scattered piano lessons as a kid.My best friends and I put together a band and wrote music constantly throughout high school.That later led to attending Berklee College of Music, where I dove deeply into writing and producing music.
RB!:What are you working on now?
LF: I’m working on some original instrumental material that ranges from classical to pop/rock to funk and dance sounds. I really enjoy blending genres.Rockabye Baby is a treat for me because it combines arranging orchestral instruments with rock songs and rock production techniques.
Next up for me is Lullaby Renditions of Kanye West!I’m really excited to get inside Kanye’s music and see what hip-hop will bring to our lullaby world.
Tuesday is a big day around Lullaby World Headquarters. We’re due! Lullaby Renditions of Queen drops May 19. In honor of our new arrival, all next week is ”Queen Week” on the Rockabye Baby! Blog.
We’ll be giving away CDs (you know you want ‘em) and there are lots of fun Queen-centric features scheduled like an interview with producer Leo Flynn II, plus new print & play activities and more, so stop by.
You can check out “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Under Pressure” here to see why we’re so excited. Give a listen and let us know what you think.
In the meantime, excuse us. We’ve got to prepare for the big day, by which we mean nap. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
