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Re: Brian May Talks About Catcher n The Rye
I emailed the one and only Brian May about the answer Axl gave about why he decided not to include his parts in CITR (i.e. Axl having the impression Brian wasn't too happy with the way the solo was copy pasted together and also people at the time talking more about Slash rather than Brian's imo sublime performance....and how later most people preferred Brian's version).
This is the response I got and Brian gave me permission to share with everyone who would be interested:
That's a very kind message. Many thanks.
I have been reluctant to say anything about the sessions, ever since it happened, out of respect to Axl, and, well, its the decent way to behave. But there is so much talk about it now, and so many questions ... I have been putting together a small piece about it for my 'Soapbox".
The important thing from my point of view is that it happened at all, and was an enjoyable experience. I was honoured. I really didn't do it with the expectation that I would get any long-term rewards !!! Axl is pretty exceptional, and unpredictable ...
I am reminded of something my Mum told me once, many years ago. She said it's OK to lend money to people, but you must lend it with the full knowledge that it will probably never come back. This is the only way to live in peace with yourself !!
So its the same with time, or deeds, or anything that you can give. If you do it expecting thankyou's, or rewards, you're going to be disappointed !
I'm really not disappointed in the least. I'm very happy that people like yourself have been writing to me saying good things ... that's a real bonus. I sleep well in my bed !! And I will always have great love for Axl.
Cheers
Dr. Bri
**Sun 14 Dec 08**
AXL ...© brianmay.com
(See Copyright Note)Well, a lot of people have been asking about me and Axl.
It's very simple really ... Axl is making his record, and he can do whatever he wants ! After all these years I'm still a huge fan.
It was such a long time ago, it tends to recede into the mists of time, for me ... I certainly don't remember anything about disapproving of any 'comping' Sean Beavan had done - I remember it, I had actually comped it up with him myself. Of course, soon afterwards, Sean was taken off the project, although I have to say I thought the tracks were overall sounding bloody good at that time! I'm not sure if we know where the version that was 'leaked' to the public came from. I have my own rough mixes, which I took away at the time for the purposes of working on the stuff further if necessary, but nobody but me has ever heard those. I kept them totally private, because that's the professional way to be. I actually played on three tracks.
The scenario was very different from what folk-lore seems to be embroidering it into. So maybe I ought to say something ...
What happened, the way I remember it, was this. I had been on tour with GN'R, and had a very good relationship with them ... they were much kinder to me than they needed to be, as a support artist to them as they toured the USA and Europe. We had some great times. People will recall that GN'R also guested at our Freddie tribute concert, at the good old Wembley Stadium, as it was then. They did an amazing job on Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door", and they donated all the proceeds of their live recording to the newly-founded Mercury Phoenix Trust - that's a nice answer to anyone who accuses GN'R of being anti-gay.
Well, some time later, once I was back home, Axl phoned me up, out of the blue, and told me he felt he was losing his way over guitars on the tracks on the album, and asked me if I would come over for a couple of days to LA and have look. The idea was not that I become part of the band! It was more about me coming in as a friend, giving what I could to the project, as an objective outside opinion, and doing a bit of guitar playing as well. I said I'd be very happy to do that. His people booked me on plane, and I arrived a couple of days later. It was fun. Axl came down to the studio from his house, where he was also working in parallel on other stuff in his home studio, and, with Sean, played about 20 tracks to me ... pretty much almost the whole album as it stood at that time. That's a lot of listening time! But it was all fascinating. My comments were mainly appreciations, and reassurances, and I liked most of the guitar that was already on there, but I remember having strong 'producorial' feelings about making sure Axl's great vocals didn't get swamped in too much guitar ornamentation.
Then I played some guitar ... working with Sean. Over the next couple of days I went in and spent most of day there, trying things out on various tracks. Axl actually stayed away from that time on, getting Sean to take up rough mixes of what we'd been doing each night, and sending back appreciative comments. Then I went home!
Oh .. we also had a nice evening having dinner up at Axl's home, with a few friends and record company guys, during which Axl played everybody a whole bunch of tracks that were NOT already on the album ... which he had been working on separately. It was evidently already a mammoth project.
In my mind, I gave it a small piece of my life, without any thought of getting anything back, except the feeling that I'd contributed a little to the journey of the album project. I didn't ask to be paid, or even credited, and I certainly didn't put any constraints on whether the guys had to use my work or not.
I'm totally relaxed about the outcome, as I always was, and I hope that Axl will now feel liberated, by the final emergence of his magnum opus, to move on, and get back out there where we all want him to be, rockin' around the world ...
It's interesting that, at the time of all this, I was completely sure that for us, as Queen, the days of playing packed stadium gigs were over. I never thought that in 2008, we would be playing, in Buenos Aires, for instance, in the same football stadium (Velez Sarsfield) as we played with Freddie all those years ago, to a reaction every bit as frenetic as in the Old Days. The reviews of Queen and Paul Rodgers in Brazil were ecstatic, to the point where one article said our show out-did the first Rock in Rio. So I'm very grateful that the wheel keeps turning, and even happier still to be in the Great River of Rock.
Cheers
Bri
thanks to Soul Monster @ HTGTH
Re: Brian May Talks About Catcher n The Rye
"Axl: There's a few reasons and none of them all that big and definitely not in spite or to slight anyone.
1st off obviously I knew people liked the song but the Brian appreciation really only showed up in force publicly after we had moved on in Guns. In fact Not many seemed to care and most comments were aimed at why Slash in their opinions should be here.
Brians solo itself is a personal fave of mine and I really couldn't understand as he's such a rock legend why it wasn't openly appreciated more at the time.
In actuality all that feel and emotion referred to now had a lot to do with Sean and I and the parts I chose out of Brian's different runs, versions, practice runs etc to make sure we had those elements in one version. It's entirely constructed from edits based around one specific note Brian hit in a throw away take. And though Brian seems to have warmed a bit to it at least publicly he was unfortunately none to pleased at the time with our handiwork.
I remember looking at Brian standing to my left and him staring at the big studio speakers a bit aghast saying "But that's not what I played."
Sean Beavan and I were not in any way tring to mess with Brian we just did what we do and then try and do our best to stand up for our decisions. "
Re: Brian May Talks About Catcher n The Rye
Its interesting, Brians saying it was only him and Sean Beaven working in the studio and they sent the tapes up to Axls lair. Axl tells if differently.
Its interesting because we all know that over the course of time people unconsiously remember things a little differently to others sharing the same experience, more often than not it skewes a little bit to suit themselves.
This example seems fairly innocent, and its just human nature after all, yet when Slash and Axl have discrepancies in stories, the forums all form ranks and declare one or the other an outright liar.
- estrangedpaul
- Rep: 5
Re: Brian May Talks About Catcher n The Rye
I thought Brian was upset that Axl and Beaven chopped up his solo and stood bewildered as they played it back to him?
Is this another example of 2 people having different recollections of the same event?
Brian addressed that point in the message, saying he had no problem with Sean chopping and changing the solo; in fact he and Sean had been involved. Perhaps, Axl wasn't aware Brian was helping Sean cut and paste. Still, the stories don't add up. And neemo, Axl was referring to Brian May, not Brain.
- estrangedpaul
- Rep: 5
Re: Brian May Talks About Catcher n The Rye
"Axl: There's a few reasons and none of them all that big and definitely not in spite or to slight anyone.
1st off obviously I knew people liked the song but the Brian appreciation really only showed up in force publicly after we had moved on in Guns. In fact Not many seemed to care and most comments were aimed at why Slash in their opinions should be here.
Brians solo itself is a personal fave of mine and I really couldn't understand as he's such a rock legend why it wasn't openly appreciated more at the time.
In actuality all that feel and emotion referred to now had a lot to do with Sean and I and the parts I chose out of Brian's different runs, versions, practice runs etc to make sure we had those elements in one version. It's entirely constructed from edits based around one specific note Brian hit in a throw away take. And though Brian seems to have warmed a bit to it at least publicly he was unfortunately none to pleased at the time with our handiwork.
I remember looking at Brian standing to my left and him staring at the big studio speakers a bit aghast saying "But that's not what I played."
Sean Beavan and I were not in any way tring to mess with Brian we just did what we do and then try and do our best to stand up for our decisions. "
Axl never really explained why he took Brian May off. Just claimed that Brian May wasn't too happy with the results. Axl wonders why it wasn't more appreciated - it wasn't officially released! Among the hardcore fan base it was loved!!
