I have never attempted to hide my near pathological loathing of the popular beat combo outfit Queen. There is literally nothing I like about them. Yes, I know that Freddie Mercury was A Great Showman. I know that Brian May is a good guitar player. I know that millions of people absolutely love them. Well, I don’t and for the life of me I don’t understand how anyone could.
I almost liked one of their records, Under Pressure, on the simple grounds that David Bowie performed with them, but only almost. Mercury’s voice has the same effect on my ears as fingernails being dragged across a blackboard. Even the genius of Bowie couldn’t persuade me to like them. But today, on BBC 6 Music, I heard a version of a Queen track, the aforementioned Under Pressure, performed by someone else. And it was really good.
6 Music is going to town on ‘Glasto’ and this week they have been broadcasting from previous festivals. Today’s Under Pressure was performed in 2017 by Foo Fighters.
Apparently, Taylor Hawkins, the Foos’ drummer until he died earlier this year, was a big fan of British rock music and also Queen. He often left the drummer’s stool to main man Dave Grohl to sing a Queen song. This time, it was Under Pressure.
While the Foos version was relatively respectful of the Queen/Bowie original, it actually sounded like rock music, unlike Queen’s usual overblown dreck. As well as having been a fine rock drummer, Hawkins could sing, too. Where I find much of Grohl’s later career stuff to be generic stadium rock, this was genuinely exciting. I had to remind myself it was actually a Queen song.
I’m actually enjoying the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage so far, especially the bits when Lauren Laverne is presenting. Yes, while it is very white, middle class and middle-aged, but what’s new about that? And the truth is that whatever anyone tells you, this year’s line up is utterly superb. Here are some names:
- The Avalanches (my current favourite band)
- Khruangbin
- Amyl and the Sniffers
- St Vincent
- Glass Animals
- Kojey Radical
- Little Simz
- Snarky Puppy
- Leon Bridges
- Bicep
- Confidence Man
- Courtney Barnett
- Warmduscher
- Mitski
And that’s without even mentioning Paul McCartney, for whom doubtless the haters will be out in force, Sam Fender and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on the Pyramid stage. Trust me, I’ve not had the space to include all the acts performing this year but it’s going to be a vintage Glastonbury.
I’m thrilled that Queen, with or without Adam Lambert aren’t playing this year, although I’d have liked to have seen the Foos reprise Under Pressure or improve, as they would, any other Queen dirge. Maybe that will be next year because whether or not I care much for Foos music – I don’t – the truth is many people, not least at Glastonbury, do. I hope it happens.
Meanwhile, if you don’t like Glastonbury, then don’t watch it. I’m sure plenty of folk will tune in to find something to moan about on social media but I hope they keep it to themselves. As a dear friend of mine always says, there’s no such thing as bad music. Apart from Queen, he’s right.
