Last week me and Anders started a new series of post praising some of the records that has been important to us and to the sound of Southside Café. I started with an album by Electric Light Orchestra. Anders responded with a list of favourite records, including “Jazz” by Queen. His choice made me think.
Without doubt, it was a good thing to add Queen to the list of important rock groups. We are both great admirers of them, and especially the records they made in the 1970s. But why did he list “Jazz” (1978) and not other masterpieces such as “News of the World” (1977) or “A Night at the Opera” (1975)?
Well, the reason could be that Jazz was among his first albums. We all know that the first encounter with a specific artist or a music genre can make an everlasting expression – and even more so if you are young and buying your very first record.
Or maybe he listed “Jazz” because it contains some fantastic songs, not least Queen-classics such as “Don’t Stop me Now”, “Bicycle Race”, “Jealously” and the weird but great opening song “Mustapha”? Well, that could be the reason – but I don’t think so.
My guess is that he mentioned Jazz because of the art-work. The cover of Jazz is not exciting at all. The inner-sleeve is a bit better, showing a large studio room and plenty of guitars (we all love guitars, right?). And then there was the poster that came with the album, shoving 65 totally nude top-models riding on bicycles (a photo taken at Wembley arena as Queen was shooting a video for the song “Bicycle Race”). For a young boy that poster was…in lack of better words, intriguing. But without the poster, I am sure that Anders would have chosen “A Night at the Opera” instead. An obvious choice.
By the way, another album on Anders list was “Country Life” by Roxy Music. Do I have to say more?
