If you feel jaded about the amount of remasters and anniversary reissues trying to tempt you to buy albums again that you already own with minimal incentive, we sympathise. We feel it too. But Queen has something that is not that – it's a complete overhaul of the band's 1973 debut album, out 25 October.
“This is not just a remaster, this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have re-titled Queen I," says Brian May. "It is the debut album we always dreamed of bringing to you.”
This is indeed the very first time any Queen album has received a new stereo mix, and the 6CD+1LP and book Queen I box set will feature no less than a whopping 63 tracks and 43 new mixes. But away from the impressive numbers, the core album itself is having its original running order restored as the band intended.
Originally, My Fairy King followed Great King Rat, but now the song Mad The Swine has been included on the record as the band originally wanted. The song was reportedly the source of disagreement between Queen and producer Roy Thomas Baker over its drum sound. It would eventually surface in 1991 as the b-side to Headlong after a remix by David Reynolds, But until now has never featured on Queen's debut, which will now has the following tracklisting:
1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing All Right
3. Great King Rat
4. Mad The Swine
5. My Fairy King
6. Liar
7. The Night Comes Down
8. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll
9. Son And Daughter
10. Jesus
11. Seven Seas Of Rhye...
For a taster of what's to come, you will be able to hear the remixed version of The Night Comes Down on Friday 13 September at 6am PDT / 9am EDT / 2pm BST.
The boxset casts new light on the original De Lane Lea Studios demo, the album sessions' alternate takes and unused masters, backing tracks and a collection of 1973 BBC sessions. In addition, the sixth disc is devoted to a 1974 set at the Rainbow that features the Free-inspired song Hangman, which wasn't featured on the debut album, or ever tracked in the studio.
Every instrument has been revisited to produce the ‘live’ ambient sounds we would have liked to use originally
Brian May
At the end of this disc is a fascinating piece of Queen history from the band's archives; recordings of Jesus and the Spencer David Group's I'm A Man recorded at the band's live performance at Imperial College's lecture theatre A. This August 1970 performance predates even bassist John Deacon's arrival in 1971 and represents the earliest known recordings of Queen in existence.
The Queen I album is sure to be the main focus here though. “All the performances are exactly as they originally appeared in 1973, but every instrument has been revisited to produce the ‘live’ ambient sounds we would have liked to use originally," explains Brian May. "The result is 'Queen' as it would have sounded with today’s knowledge and technology – a first.”
The formats available on 25 October include 6CD+1LP box set Queen I Collector’s Edition, Vinyl LP Queen I - 2024 Mix, 1 CD, 2CD Deluxe Edition, 1LP Picture Disc and Cassette formats. Preorder here.
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