04-24-1976 – Daily (Freeman, NY) – A Night at The Opera

While “A Night at the Opera,” Queen’s latest album, threatens the number one slot on record charts, one hears more frequently that the British rockers with the regal name are very likely to replace Led Zeppelin when its 10 year reign over heavy metal ends.

To anyone experiencing Queen in person, singer and pianist Freddie Mercury and lead guitarist Brian May dominate the show. “I’m a front man,” Mercury says, “just a singer. Brian’s the musician. I didn t really start out to be a pianist, you know. It’s just something I’ve discovered I can do well.”

Queen fanatics barken back a few years to recall fondly the magical kingdoms created in previous albums. Has Queen since then abandoned the fairy world?

“You know, I missed the fairies too,” Mercury confesses “But it seemed to be getting a bit out of hand.” Some critics have pointed out Queen’s more recent material, particularly “A Night at the Opera,” only hints at being a grandiose concept album Is there any message behind all the Mama Mia stuff.

“Night at the Opera is whatever you think it is,” Mercury explains. “Critics are always trying to pinpoint our albums Night at the Opera was never intended to be a concept. We tried to put together a variety of musical forms with the hope each song would stand on its own.” Mercury did concede that some critics estimates of the album are correct if they believe the Lp’s theme to be that stressed in “Bohemian Rhapsody” nothing really does matter.

“What I’m saying is nothing is really worth getting upset about,” Mercury said.