When I think of the 1980s, when I think of the skinny ties, and the big hair, teal drawstring pants, and Ronald Reagan, I think of Queen, of course, and how, shifting to their big synthesizer singles, they would graft a medley of past songs on the end of extended versions. Or how their videos for these songs had montage footage of concerts all over the world, all of which I found lame. I've come up with three possible reasons: 1. A retrospective impulse, not provided by the rock literary establishment. 2. New digital tinkering, combined with a desire to make connections within their own work, combined with the finest cocaine and vodka human beings can afford, a few way overdue divorces, and a general lack of interest in the current song at hand, pressure from EMI and Capitol to pad out singles with no non-album B-sides. 3. Because they can. They're Queen, the greatest fucking rock band there ever was or ever will be, and they can do whatever the hell they want. |