Producer Roy Thomas Baker did a remarkable job.Of all the pop songs that have made it to number one – it has all the keyelements of dynamics, rare in popular music, particular singles. Apparently, it was so over-dubbed, youcould see through the tape. Released on 31 October ’75, it was a ground breaking and recordbreaking single which remained in the charts for 17 weeks, nine at number 1. Recorded over three weeks, startingon Augat Rockfield Studios near Monmouth south Wales, the singleand centre piece – Bohemian Rhapsody – containing a pseudo-operaticmidsection written by Freddie Mercury, lasted a monumental 5 minutes 55seconds. Crucially, it signalled a new foundfreedom in terms of musical expression. It was their fourth chart album in less than twoyears, and their first number one. It opened up a new era for the highly educated quartet, as they progressedfrom a guitar-based hard rock band that famously pushed their musicalboundaries to the limit, by introducing opera and theatre into theirflourishing repertoire. Hours and hours werespent in the studio perfecting the songs – and as they proudly confessedthere were ‘no synths’ used at any stage. Takingthe title from a Marx Brothers film (as they did with A Day At The Races),at the time, it was the most expensive album ever made.

It made Queen the hottest commercial rock band of the year,and put them up at the top alongside Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. ‘Killer’ Queen release from 1975 gets a dust-down and some 21 century polishing in the studio.Ī fitting tribute, to an album that was ‘made’ inthe studio by producer and ‘fifth member’ Roy Thomas Baker.Ī Night At The Opera was the album that effectively made Queen the legendsthey are today. Format: CD (remastered) & DVD PAL (DTS 5.1 & 24 bit stereo).Extras: Booklet including colour pictures and song lyrics.Elly Roberts reviews Queen: A Night At The Opera (30th Anniversary Collectors Edition CD & DVD)Distributed by Parlophone (EMI)

Queen a night at the opera dvd