Customer Reviews

Radio Ga Ga 2

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

While nothing can hope to surpass Queen's original, Electric Six's cover is respectable though admittedly not wholly inspired, and I actually consider the video to be not disrespectful but (gasp!) an affectionate and appropriately cheeky homage to Frederick (Farokkh) Bulsara, aka Freddie Mercury. I think Freddie -- in his own absurdist, over-the-top style -- would have approved. To go off making accusations of homophobia smacks of self-righteous PC and is seriously missing the point (if the previous review is a reference to their song "Gay Bar", which is actually quite fun and tongue-in-cheek ... even one of my gay friends is a big fan). Electric Six are still one of the few bands making it safe for rockers and dancers, gays and straights alike to unite and start nuclear war on the dance floor!

Sure, E6's cover of Queens "Radio Ga Ga" isn't the greatest. Rarely ever does a cover song live up to the original. But if anyone who reviewed this CD would have done their homework they would have known that recording it wasn't their idea. The following, taken directly from the Electric Six site at www.electricsix.com, should give more info:

"In Feb. 2005, our second record Senor Smoke was released in the UK and Australia. We felt this record was stronger than its predecessor and demonstrated our growth as musicians and men. Warner Music UK had a different take. They believed our strength lay in covering Queen and they also believed the wisest marketing strategy was to bypass the wealthiest country in the world. They showed us surveillance pictures of our relatives and told us that if we wanted to increase the odds of them eating solid food for the rest of their lives, then we better get into that studio and cough up some Queen. "

Please ignore the other reviews of this disc and find another Electric Six recording to judge them by.

I must admit to having a soft spot for Electric Six. Their style of comedy rock has more edge and genuine wit than the crop of gurning "hey, we're dorks, duuude" idiots that usually are associated with the genre, and their "Fire" album was full of infectious gems. And they gave us two of the best singles in the last decade, "Danger: High Voltage" and "Gay Bar". I've seen them live too, and they were a blast.

But this is the sound of a joke that isn't funny anymore, and a band who really have ran out of ideas and hits. I never cared for Radio Ga Ga the first time around, I still think it's one of Queen's weakest songs, and this banal cover does nothing to further the cause.

The video is often misinterpreted by knee-jerk reactionary idiots who think Dick Valentine is dancing on Freddie's grave, when he clearly isn't. That isn't my concern here. It just shows a band that have resorted to covering a famous song and hoping wearing a pair of comedy teeth will let them get away with it.

No chance. The single still stiffed in Britain, and they haven't been seen since. I really hope it's NOT the last we see of E6, because they do have their moments. But they need a total overhaul before they would ever be considered a genuine band.

The last batch of reviews I've done have been fun, poking fun at rubbish things. This is different; it's awful, don't get me wrong, but it's no fun telling you about it. But hey, The Curmudgeon tells it like it is. Sigh.

[...]

If you're going to cover a song by the most influencial British rock band in the history of music, you need to make sure you have the talent to back it up. Electric Six have not only covered the Queen song Radio Ga Ga, but have made a music video that depicts Freddie Mercury dancing on his own grave, which is the most disgusting and disrespectful thing I have ever known in music. What's worse, Electric Six are perhaps one of the very worst bands ever formed. A group of people (there are five of them, by the way) who have no interest in the business, who are only making alledged 'music' to poke fun at homosexuals, and generally p!ss off anyone who takes anything seriously.

Even just one star seems to understate just how pathetic this single is. The best phrase for it is 'audible diarrhoea'. At least diarrhoea is passing.

So there you have it. Electric Six - not so much 'legends' as 'bell-ends'.

Do yourself a favour and ignore this cringe-inducing bilge.

Or do someone else a favour - buy it, then set fire to it so that nobody else need suffer listening to it.