A mercurial chap

September 22, 2011 5:07 PM

To mark the 40th anniversary of his famous band, Roger Taylor is organizing The Queen Extravaganza, a tribute tour intended to "bring the glorious music and live experience of Queen to a new generation of fans in cities across North America in 2012." Two days after video auditions began, fans are saying the perfect vocalist has already been found.

This isn't the first time Marc Martel, frontman of the Christian rock band downhere, has found himself singing Freddie Mercury.

posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis (77 comments total)

its a bit show tune-y
posted by empath at 5:17 PM on September 22, 2011

If he's going to sing with Queen, he needs to turn it up to 11.
posted by swift at 5:17 PM on September 22, 2011 [4 favorites]

Finding your new lead vocalist on youtube has some precedent. When will Tay Zonday's uh... day arrive?
posted by Winnemac at 5:19 PM on September 22, 2011

Wow. I'd say he lacks a little of the raw raspy energy Freddie had. But he's damn good.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 5:19 PM on September 22, 2011

"I'd say he lacks a little of the raw raspy energy Freddie had."

Check this out.

Get this man a sequined unitard stat!
posted by sutt at 5:24 PM on September 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

Imagine him with the mustache and he even looks a bit like Freddie.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:28 PM on September 22, 2011

If he's going to sing with Queen, he needs to turn it up to 11.

Yeah. He's close. Real close. But he needs to fucking tear it up.

Imagine him with the mustache and he even looks a bit like Freddie.

Also: teeth. I'll say no more.
posted by Jimbob at 5:30 PM on September 22, 2011 [5 favorites]

Also, can he do this?
posted by Jimbob at 5:31 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Great impression, good luck to him. He looks like he loves performing almost as much as Roger Taylor loves money.
posted by howfar at 5:32 PM on September 22, 2011 [4 favorites]

Proof that I'm becoming an old fuddy-duddy: This guy's voice is really nice, and he sounds very much like Freddy Mercury, but if you're going to send a YouTube audition tape that may very well be seen by millions because you get a great gig like this, wouldn't you clean your damned apartment, or at least the part that's on camera?
posted by xingcat at 5:35 PM on September 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

Great impression, good luck to him. He looks like he loves performing almost as much as Roger Taylor loves money.

The way Queen got abso-fucking-lutely screwed at the start of their careers they deserve a bit of scratch. Didn't make a fucking dime off their first three albums.
posted by Talez at 5:36 PM on September 22, 2011 [3 favorites]

The better a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody is, the more obvious it becomes that Queen was utterly, completely inimitable.
posted by klanawa at 5:40 PM on September 22, 2011 [8 favorites]

It's crazy how much he sounds like Freddie Mercury, but there is absolutely no stage presence (based on sutt's video).
posted by NoMich at 5:41 PM on September 22, 2011 [5 favorites]

I tried to give his christian rock a listen and fair shake, but it's standard christian rock. His lazy Freddie Mercury is far better.
posted by Challahtronix at 5:41 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

I've never had a great appreciation of Queen, but from what I've heard over the years, holy shit does that guy sound like Freddy Mercury. Agreed with those upthread, he's no Freddy Mercury-level rock star, but that is a bit much to expect, no?
posted by Hoopo at 5:42 PM on September 22, 2011

there is absolutely no stage presence (based on sutt's video).

I think my feet moved more than his did while I was watching that video. Which is kind of sad, cause I'm totally sitting on my ass.
posted by valkyryn at 5:43 PM on September 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

"but there is absolutely no stage presence"

Clearly because he is sans-unitard.
posted by sutt at 5:43 PM on September 22, 2011 [4 favorites]

I never realized how quickly this song can slide over into twee.
posted by Twang at 5:43 PM on September 22, 2011

The audition tape is good, but I had to shut off that Bohemian Rhapsody. Felt like an episode of Glee.
posted by scrowdid at 5:44 PM on September 22, 2011 [3 favorites]

The better a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody is, the more obvious it becomes that Queen was utterly, completely inimitable.

The UnQueeny Valley?
posted by LionIndex at 5:44 PM on September 22, 2011 [17 favorites]

Agreed with those upthread, he's no Freddy Mercury-level rock star, but that is a bit much to expect, no?

Not really. If you're going to tour under the Queen name, you best be getting a dynamic front man.
posted by NoMich at 5:45 PM on September 22, 2011

Not really. If you're going to tour under the Queen name, you best be getting a dynamic front man.

I just caught a glimpse of how the end of the universe may be brought by Queen fronted by Wayne Coyne... Then I lost it.
posted by Jimbob at 5:46 PM on September 22, 2011

He's obviously an excellent singer.

But damn, Freddie had passion, and it can't just be immitated.
posted by Cygnet at 6:17 PM on September 22, 2011 [6 favorites]

something about the almost unsettling good imitation of mercury he can do combined with the fact that he's in a christian rock band make me think this can work.
he'll get some exposure, have a frank-n-furter moment on a tour bus and COME ALIVE. the second coming!

i can only hope though, cause i never saw queen live, but I've watched concert movies of theirs relentlessly.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 6:26 PM on September 22, 2011

also: this
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 6:26 PM on September 22, 2011

The UnQueeny Valley?

Exactly. He's about 80% of the way there, but his voice lacks real weight and depth on the lower end; it's really kind of frustrating to hear him sing Queen, I keep wanting to yell, "Put your back into it, man!"
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:30 PM on September 22, 2011 [4 favorites]

The next Freddy Mercury is either the guy from Foxy Shazam or Mika.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 6:30 PM on September 22, 2011 [5 favorites]

The flick he did at 1:23 was perfect Freddie.

Maybe he didn't turn it up to 11 because he was a small room? Gotta lose those manboobies if he wants to be strutting around in some of Freddie's kit!
posted by uncanny hengeman at 6:40 PM on September 22, 2011

Seriously why not Mika, bastard love-child of Mick Jagger and Michael Chabon?
posted by villanelles at dawn at 6:42 PM on September 22, 2011 [4 favorites]

There's always a few of these Queen tribute shows touring around. But seriously. Foxy Shazam.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 6:47 PM on September 22, 2011

None of these guys seem to fit. You need someone who has tons of charisma, can wear a wife beater with style - and still make the lyrics "Can anybody find me somebody to love?" sound incredible, sexy and from the heart. You don't command a crowd just by sounding like someone. You have to have the gift.

Like this

Maybe there was and will ever be just one. Freddie.
posted by Bighappyfunhouse at 7:02 PM on September 22, 2011 [2 favorites]

The next Freddy Mercury is either the guy from Foxy Shazam or Mika.

A friend of mine is a huge Mika fan, and the first time she sat me down in front of a couple of his songs, the first words out of my mouth were "Oh my god please tell me he covers some Queen." No, he doesn't sound like a carbon copy, but he's got passion and verve and that certain, shall we say, je ne se queer. He's also utterly unironic in his shiny glee, which is pretty crucial to emulating a man who's synonymous with sequined leotards.
posted by Tomorrowful at 7:09 PM on September 22, 2011 [5 favorites]

It has been confirmed that Baron Cohen will star as Freddie Mercury of the rock band Queen in an upcoming film about the period in the band's history from 1971 leading up to the Live Aid concert in 1985.

It was Baron Cohen himself who contacted screenwriter Peter Morgan with the idea of portraying the flamboyant lead singer. TIME commented with approval on his singing ability and visual similarity to Mercury...
I is from da West Staines Massive

Hmm. Anyone heard him sing?
posted by uncanny hengeman at 7:24 PM on September 22, 2011

You know, the thing about stage presence is, it takes practice. It also takes an audience.

He's got the voice, and he's got a little of the showmanship in the video, but not enough -- but then he was also singing alone to a camera. If this guy wins, he'll rehearse with the band and get coaching to develop more of a Murcury-esque ownership of the stage. And then dress rehearsals with an audience... and then to the tour, where he can feed off the energy of the crowd.

If he's 80 percent there now, he's got a good shot at 95 percent before an audience ever sees him.
posted by me3dia at 8:22 PM on September 22, 2011

No one can replace Freddie Mercury. You can strip to your underwear and pretend to be him anytime you like, however.
posted by Catblack at 8:23 PM on September 22, 2011

He's got the pipes and oddly, the look. So as long as he has huge lush parties with cocaine filled hat-wearing little people, serving it up, this guy has my vote.
posted by brando_calrissian at 8:43 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

You know, the thing about stage presence is, it takes practice. It also takes an audience.

He's got the voice, and he's got a little of the showmanship in the video, but not enough -- but then he was also singing alone to a camera. If this guy wins, he'll rehearse with the band and get coaching to develop more of a Murcury-esque ownership of the stage.

He's in a small, goofy shaped room full of furniture. Any more showmanship and it might look like an accidental parody of The Star Wars Kid. I get the vibe that he's got a lot left in the tank.

The way he introduced himself… then busting a few of Freddie's moves during the song... giving us a taste. He's an extrovert, for sure.


Completely agree with your assessment, except I'd replace "coach" with "choreographer." Just a feeling I get, not claiming to be Simon Cowell.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 8:48 PM on September 22, 2011

Hmm. Anyone heard him sing?

Well... kind of?
posted by elizardbits at 8:55 PM on September 22, 2011

Sacha Baron Cohen singing as Signore Adolfo Pirelli in Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd"
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:14 PM on September 22, 2011

Also, after watching a few of the real Freddie clips - damn, those were some big-ass teeth, weren't they?
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:19 PM on September 22, 2011

Seriously, The Game was the first album a pre-teen Sphinx ever bought. I bought it for Another one bites the dust, but was entranced by the other melodical songs.

We sat around a really old record player and sang the absolute shit out of those songs. I still remember sitting with my cousins singing two part to Sail away sweet sister, goddamit, I really fuckin miss you, Sean.

Styx, Kilroy was here was the second. I should have stopped there, I was two for two.
posted by Sphinx at 9:32 PM on September 22, 2011

Completely disagree with the haters. This guy is totally Freddy. You can tell he's holding a shit-ton back, as he should. This was a vocal audition, not an acting audition. But put him in a shiny outfit and give him a couple shots of Tequila and I bet he opens right up.

His upper register and transition to falsetto (and especially his "screamy" upper register) is so incredibly spot-on it makes me wonder about the biological structures of the human voice box—like his DNA just happened to have the right set of random circumstance that resulted in a near-identical throat and larynx or something. I've always held that there are some people that are just born singers with singers' voices, much like some people are born runners and there's no amount of training that an average person can do that could ever let them compare. There are just simple biological circumstances that you can't do a damned thing about, and for whatever reason, this guy's got the Freddy gene.

It is strangly—almost sadly ironic that this Marc fellow is in a Christian rock band. That's fate fucking with us.

Imagine him with the mustache and he even looks a bit like Freddie.

You don't have to imagine. He's got the dirty 'stash in the second link.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:18 PM on September 22, 2011 [4 favorites]

Put him on a stage with full band and tech in front of an audience and I think you'd see some fireworks.
posted by gallois at 10:21 PM on September 22, 2011

Also, after watching a few of the real Freddie clips - damn, those were some big-ass teeth, weren't they?

I like to think the Simpsons characters were modeled after him.

I'm really disappointed that no one in the audience started headbanging during the fast part of Bohemian Rhapsody.
posted by dirigibleman at 10:22 PM on September 22, 2011

I can never listen to foxy shazam again because of those fucking bing commercials on justin.tv
posted by empath at 10:44 PM on September 22, 2011

Some of these Freddie videos make Heineken look awesome.

That is how awesome Freddie is.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:51 PM on September 22, 2011

The thing I can't stand about impressions is the better they are, the more I dislike the fact that it isn't the real thing up there. I watch this guy's video and the fact that it's about a 98% accurate impression of a specific Freddy Mercury recorded performance just makes it irritating that it's some guy up there making like a parrot with his vocal cords alone.

It's interesting as a novelty but it palls fast. Besides, if it actually were Freddie Mercury up there, he would not be doing an impression of his album performance, he would just be bringing to it whatever he had with him that day.
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:56 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's close, but a little flat and listless compared to Freddy, who would just belt out every single fucking note in a way that was loud and clear and pitch perfect but also raw in the right places. I'm surprised out how much the maybe 2% difference throws me. I'm sure that with lots of practice he could nail another 1%, but will it be enough? It's like Freddy's Uncanny Valley (band name!)
posted by obiwanwasabi at 11:03 PM on September 22, 2011

There can be only one.
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:17 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

There can be only one.

You know what else I like about that album, apart from it being a good album?

It was the freaken soundtrack for Highlander but, at least in Australia, it was never marketed as such. This completely bucked the trend at the time where Hollywood movie soundtracks were serious biz.

Not sure if this was planned.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 11:58 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

The thing I can't stand about impressions is the better they are, the more I dislike the fact that it isn't the real thing up there. I watch this guy's video and the fact that it's about a 98% accurate impression of a specific Freddy Mercury recorded performance just makes it irritating that it's some guy up there making like a parrot with his vocal cords alone.

It's interesting as a novelty but it palls fast.

Yikes. That's the money quote. We may as well be discussing Susan Boyle.

And now I feel great shame for devoting so much grey matter to the subject.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 12:01 AM on September 23, 2011

Meh. He's doing a decent impersonation of Freddie Mercury, but his vibrato is fast and choppy. Similar to Chris Daughtry in that even though he can hold a note, his voice isn't really very strong, and I don't think he's really singing with his diaphragm. I think if he went on tour, he'd kill his vocal chords, because he's singing incorrectly.
posted by MexicanYenta at 2:10 AM on September 23, 2011

Although there's a certain charm in the idea of a Christian Rocker being dragged across America impersonating one of the gayest men in rock.

Got to see a bog-standard Queen tribute band from sound-check to performance once. Very interesting - in civvies they didn't look anything like - the Freddy was more of a John Deacon and the Brian was about seven feet tall. The soundcheck sounded fine, but when they gave the performance, and they had all the Signifiers of Queen (the clothes, the teeth and silly cut-off mic stand for Freddy, the guitar and wig for Brian and the right clothes, wigs and correct instruments for the other two), and the correct choreography and body language (sic) the complete wrongness of the individuals melted away. A really fun show - Queen's back catalogue is probably only second to the Beatles in British pop for the sheer number of really great records.

Queen were carefully stylised in performance and presentation for almost all their career, and once you've got that, actually a lot of the other things don't matter. Bands that are like that (Abba and the Beatles, for example) tributize very well. It's the songs that matter, though.
posted by Grangousier at 2:39 AM on September 23, 2011

It's like listening to Queen on a really tinny old radio. His voice lacks depth, and he enunciates way more than Freddie. I mean, when the backup singers overpower you, you have a bit of a problem.

That said, I was so disappointed that the Christian rock didn't sound like Freddie.
posted by Kaleidolia at 3:45 AM on September 23, 2011

It is strangly—almost sadly ironic that this Marc fellow is in a Christian rock band. That's fate fucking with us.

Although there's a certain charm in the idea of a Christian Rocker being dragged across America impersonating one of the gayest men in rock.

I'm an atheist, and I'd be as happy as punch if we all woke up tomorrow not believing in Jeebus, but you do know quite a lot of Christians have no problem whatsoever with gay people, right? I mean sure, if it turns out that this guy thinks being gay is a sin, then maybe there's something to the whole 'lol xtian irony' thing, but is there any evidence that's the case?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:30 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

Completely disagree with the haters.

I"m not a hater of the guy, I just want to see someone who can hold the audience in the palm of his hand during the show. Does this guy have it in him? I didn't see that in the video that sutt linked to, but it could be the venue. Maybe it was in some church and he felt he had to hold back? Dunno. That being said, if it means that Queen is going to hit the road with Paul fucking Rogers again, then they best be hiring this Christian fellow and fast! Really, Queen? Paul Rogers? What about Paul Rogers reminds you of Freddie Mercury?
And is Roger Taylor going to be the only actual member of Queen in the band for this tour? If so, that's pretty bad. I guess they can just do I'm In Love With My Car all night long if they never find their singer.
posted by NoMich at 4:38 AM on September 23, 2011

You know what else I like about that album, apart from it being a good album?

It was the freaken soundtrack for Highlander but, at least in Australia, it was never marketed as such. This completely bucked the trend at the time where Hollywood movie soundtracks were serious biz.

Not sure if this was planned.

It wasn't marked as the Highlander soundtrack in the US, either. It was a Queen album, which happened to be material from Highlander.

It was both brilliant and a bit frustrating. I've managed to track down actual Highlander soundtracks which feature movie versions of the songs and selections from the score, so I'm happy to have both, but I remember being both thrilled to have a new (very very good) Queen album and annoyed that there was no Highlander soundtrack available anywhere for purchase.
posted by hippybear at 4:53 AM on September 23, 2011

I'm an atheist, and I'd be as happy as punch if we all woke up tomorrow not believing in Jeebus, but you do know quite a lot of Christians have no problem whatsoever with gay people, right? I mean sure, if it turns out that this guy thinks being gay is a sin, then maybe there's something to the whole 'lol xtian irony' thing, but is there any evidence that's the case?

Explicitly? I don't think so. All I know about this guy is that he does a more than halfway-decent Freddie impression and that he's in a "Christian" "rock" band.* But the thing is, someone sold enough on evangelical culture to be part of an explicitly "Christian" "rock" band is almost certainly not one of those types of Christians. You don't see all that many Episcopalians, Methodists, or mainline Presbyterians forming "Christian" "rock" bands, let alone Congregationalists or UCC-types. To the extent that such people are drawn to make pop music, they usually just do it, they don't feel the need to apply themselves or conform to any particular label. Sufjan Stevens and (arguably) John Darnielle are both Christians of some stripe** and neither of them has ever felt any compunction to "make Christian music." Stevens in particular has always been very careful to distance himself from CCM specifically to avoid the cultural ghetto that is evangelical culture.

The fact that this guy does identify as CCM in some sense suggests that he's either entirely ignorant of his own theological tradition (even to the point of not being able to take a principled stand against those parts of it with which he disagrees) or of rock history. Potentially both. Both of which make me sad, but both of which also contribute to his potential as the world's premier Freddie impersonator that much funnier.

*Both in quotes because I'm completely unconvinced that "Christian," as an adjective, is applicable to anything but individuals and the Church, and that whatever the hell these bands are doing, it ain't rock most of the time.

**That stripe may be "lapsed," but whatever.
posted by valkyryn at 5:21 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

Explicitly? I don't think so. All I know about this guy is that he does a more than halfway-decent Freddie impression and that he's in a "Christian" "rock" band.* But the thing is, someone sold enough on evangelical culture to be part of an explicitly "Christian" "rock" band is almost certainly not one of those types of Christians. You don't see all that many Episcopalians, Methodists, or mainline Presbyterians forming "Christian" "rock" bands, let alone Congregationalists or UCC-types. To the extent that such people are drawn to make pop music, they usually just do it, they don't feel the need to apply themselves or conform to any particular label. Sufjan Stevens and (arguably) John Darnielle are both Christians of some stripe** and neither of them has ever felt any compunction to "make Christian music." Stevens in particular has always been very careful to distance himself from CCM specifically to avoid the cultural ghetto that is evangelical culture.

I suspect you just used a lot of words to make a grand definitive sweeping statement about something you really don't know much about.

Casting Crowns, P.O.D., Underoath... I mean, I've heard of these bands, and I don't listen to Christian rock much at all. They've all had mainstream success and aren't part of any cultural ghetto.

There's a whole thing going on which you seem to know nothing about. I know next to nothing about it, but apparently more than you.
posted by hippybear at 5:36 AM on September 23, 2011

Also, after watching a few of the real Freddie clips - damn, those were some big-ass teeth, weren't they?

I swear I heard once that Freddie considered fixing his overbite a couple times -- but each time he was too scared that somehow it would affect his singing voice, and decided against it.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:36 AM on September 23, 2011

Ever since the first time I heard “Speechless,” I’ve been convinced that Lady Gaga should front a Queen tribute.
posted by nicepersonality at 6:34 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

I swear I heard once that Freddie considered fixing his overbite a couple times -- but each time he was too scared that somehow it would affect his singing voice, and decided against it.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:36 AM on September 23 [+] [!]

Yes that is true based on a couple of Behind the music and documentaries I've seen.
posted by Gungho at 7:07 AM on September 23, 2011

I suspect you just used a lot of words to make a grand definitive sweeping statement about something you really don't know much about.

Umm.... say what? I grew up with this shit, man. I'm completely aware of the "crossover" phenomenon, wherein a formerly "Christian" band signs with a mainstream label and achieves some modicum of success there. It's always a massively controversial move with the original fanbase. There's a whole weird phenomenon where a "Christian" artist will sign with a secular label and suddenly lose all of their original fans. Happened to Amy Grant when she got divorced, and it remains to be seen whether Dave Bazan's career will survive his developing spiritual journey. Those bands that don't sign with a major label almost never get any real exposure.

Seriously, CCM has its own damned bizzaro world award show, and the overlap between people who are up for Doves and the people who are even functionally eligible for any Grammy other than "Gospel album" or something related is practically zero. You heard of more than a handful of these guys? Or these songs? Chris Tomlin, anyone? Rich Mullins? Stephen Curtis Chapman? These guys are absolutely huge in the evangelical world but have almost zero recognition outside of it.

There is indeed a "whole thing going on" here, and I'd bet good money that I know a damn sight more about it than you do.
posted by valkyryn at 7:08 AM on September 23, 2011

I'd bet good money you're wrong about that. I grew up with it, too. But I quit paying attention to it a couple of decades ago. When I look at it now, I realize that there are a lot more of these bands achieving mainstream success than ever happened during my years immersed in it.

Yeah, I know all about the Dove awards. I was stewing in this up to my eyeballs.

I suspect, at this point in 2011, we're both completely out of the loop when it comes to what is actually going on today.
posted by hippybear at 7:15 AM on September 23, 2011

For God's sake, can't we have just ONE thread in here that doesn't experience a "LOLxtians" derail???
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:16 AM on September 23, 2011

As long as we're contributing individual data points here, my definition of "mainstream success" by CCM artists extends to the likes of Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, and of the Dove Awards for new artist list that valkyryn posted, the only names that I recognize are BeBe & CeCe Winans, Take 6 (worked with k.d. lang), Jars of Clay (never heard any of their stuff), and Jennifer Knapp (recently un-retired and came out of the closet, never heard anything of hers either).
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:28 AM on September 23, 2011

Halloween Jack: there are likely a few more Christian Rock artists you'll have heard of (if not actually have heard) on the TVTropes page about Christian Rock.
posted by hippybear at 7:34 AM on September 23, 2011

I suspect, at this point in 2011, we're both completely out of the loop when it comes to what is actually going on today.

I wish that were true, but it isn't. I'm a lot closer to this stuff than I'd ideally prefer. I keep my hand in partly out of osmosis, as a lot of my friends still move in these circles, and partly by choice, as large "E" Evangelicalism is something I'm personally invested in changing.

The reason there are more of these bands achieving mainstream success is less because of the erasure of the cultural ghetto on evangelicals part than simply because there are so damn many of them now. The ongoing disintegration of the studio model is helping too, as the internet enables more people to have better access to more music than they did before.

But seriously, spend any time in a megachurch today (which I have quite recently) and it's like walking into a mirror universe. Most of these people have never heard of Queen, and you'll hear tons of bands with zero exposure in mainstream culture.
posted by valkyryn at 7:41 AM on September 23, 2011

Many mainstream Christians also don't believe in sex before marriage, but that doesn't mean they won't cover a song by someone who isn't a Christian and who is unmarried and not a virgin. So I'm not sure what's so horribly surprising about this particular instance, other than that while this guy *sounds* a lot like Freddie but is really barely a reasonable facsimile. But then again, this is Freddie Mercury we're talking about. That is one man with a voice and presence not easily replaced.
posted by takoukla at 7:45 AM on September 23, 2011

I was impressed, I think with a bit of work he could put on a pretty good show. (not that he could ever replace Mercury, that's just not a thing that will ever happen, but he could probably do a fair imitation of the man's work.)

Seriously, The Game was the first album a pre-teen Sphinx ever bought.

First one I ever got as well. It really is a great album (and I maintain that Rock It (Prime Jive) and Dragon Attack are two of the best Queen songs that no one else seems to care about.)

But put him in a shiny outfit and give him a couple shots of Tequila and I bet he opens right up.

This sounds like a good plan. I'm going to use it the next time I interview someone for a job in my department.
posted by quin at 8:53 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

Nthing Foxy Shazam. Eric Sean Nally is the clear and obvious choice.

I wonder if he auditioned, or if he's just focused on his own band's success.

I get to see them next month. Fuck yes.
posted by cereselle at 9:01 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

And is Roger Taylor going to be the only actual member of Queen in the band for this tour? If so, that's pretty bad.

Auditions are open for drummers too, so you might not even get Roger.

Roger Taylor touring a Queenish act without Brian May is ... ugh.

Freddy was the straw that stirred the cocktail, but Brian May was the guy pouring it.
posted by Sauce Trough at 10:56 AM on September 23, 2011 [2 favorites]

Queen was what started my love affair with music. I remember being 5 or so and having huge can headphones on listening to Queen non stop.
Freddy Mercury was a fucking musical genius, and its a shame he succumbed to such a horrible disease of HIV. I feel like I missed out on something special of having the chance to see him live. I have a copy of Live at Wimbilton (sp?)I and I am just amazed by him.
this guy is close, but there will never be another Freddy.
posted by handbanana at 11:20 AM on September 23, 2011

Oh man, whoever mentioned Mika upthread, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I was hanging out with someone a few years ago and there was a song playing and I asked who it was and the person I was with didn't know and I mentioned that whoever it was was way influenced by Queen. The person I was with said 'Who's that?'. Oh god and I never found out who I was listening to until now and I am so happy. Mika is great.
posted by asockpuppet at 2:47 PM on September 23, 2011

Whoa whoa whoa, back off on the Amy Grant/David Bazan comparison...Bazan has never done a CCM-friendly album, even back in the early days. That doesn't mean there isn't a a bunch of churchgoers listening to him, but as the 2009 article The Passion of David Bazan says, they seem to still be listening. He's always been conflicted, and still is, although the base he's working from has been shifting.
posted by redsparkler at 3:38 PM on September 23, 2011

Was I the only one who was more impressed by this guy? Yes, he does have a Severus Snape thing going on, but I thought he had the passion that Marc lacked. A little breathy, but he's got power in those belts. And ignore the last two seconds. But I agree, trying to find another Freddie is like watching a farce play out excruciatingly slowly--it can't be done.

If all else fails, at least we have Arnel Pineda and this Chilean dude who sounds exactly like Eddie Vedder.
posted by therewolf at 10:14 PM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

Was I the only one who was more impressed by this guy?

No, you were not the only one. I think he's a lot better. He's got a lot more power in his vocals. Good find!

Although I think he looks more like Trent Reznor, circa 1996 or so.
posted by MexicanYenta at 6:29 AM on September 24, 2011