Is This the Real Life?: The Untold Story of Queen - Hardcover

Blake, Mark

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0306819597 ISBN 13: 9780306819599

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 2011

Synopsis

Queen's success in the 1970s was accompanied by a taste for musical and non-musical excess. Is This the Real Life? draws on eyewitness testimonies--former producers and managers, ex-girlfriends and boyfriends--to create a complete picture of one of the world's most ambitiously driven rock bands at work and at play. Revealing Queen's complex dynamic, Blake also explores how Freddie Mercury's sexuality alienated some of the band's fan base, how they reinvented themselves by morphing from hard rock to pop, and how they saw out their final years as Mercury became one of the most successful rock stars in the world.

Is This the Real Life? looks beyond Queen's public persona to shed light on the legendary band's four wildly divergent personalities, particularly lead singer Freddie Mercury's.

About this title

About the Author:

Mark Blake is the author of Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd and a longtime contributor to Mojo. He lives in London with his wife and son.

Review:

Creative Loafing Blog, 2/24/11“Return to those thrilling days of rock ‘n’ roll yesteryear with Blake’s engrossing chronicle of talent and excess. It’s another one of those books that inhales you...Thought it’s over 400 pages, it’s the kind of book you’ll rip through in a day. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read.” Onion, AV Club, 4/7/11
“Mark Blake clearly knows the British-rock-supergroup terrain.”
 Examiner.com, 4/12/11
“If you're a Queen fan, don't hesitate to pick this one up...[and] if you have even a passing interest in the story you should give this a shot.  You really won't be disappointed.”
Houston Press, 4/15/11
“The most comprehensive bio to date about the over-the-top rockers...Blake's book effectively illuminates the band's story and music for both the casual fan and diehards.” Instinct, 5/1/11 “Is This The Real Life? uses interviews with the people who knew the band best to piece together a Behind the Music-style biography. It’s extensive and detailed...It’s a worthy read.” 

 

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0306819597
• ISBN 13: 9780306819599
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 432