Maps of Music

Live Magic (1986)

Where the lyrics of Live Magic take you, and where it was really made.

Live Magic was not released in the United States until August 1996, about nine years and eight months after its 1 December 1986 release.

Key places

Recording location at Knebworth House (1986)

Recording site Knebworth House — Listed as a recording location for this album. The article says most performances were recorded at Knebworth Park, so this point marks the house rather than the main concert site. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Knebworth Park, 9 August 1986 (1986)

Live show Knebworth Park — Most performances on the album were recorded here on 9 August 1986. The concert marks Queen's final show with its classic line-up. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location in Budapest (1986)

Recording site Ferenc Puskás Stadium — Listed as a recording location for this album. The Magic Tour played this stadium, then known as Népstadion, during its run of shows. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Magic Tour show in Budapest (1986)

Live show Ferenc Puskás Stadium — The Magic Tour played this stadium, then known as Népstadion, on 27 July 1986. It is one of the tour's concert locations. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location at Wembley (1986)

Recording site Wembley Stadium (1923, demolished) — Listed as a recording location for this album. The Magic Tour played Wembley Stadium on 11 and 12 July 1986. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: Jubilee or Metropolitan line to Wembley Park station, then a short walk to the new stadium on the old site.

Album story

Overview

• Live Magic: second live album by British rock band Queen
• Released 1 December 1986
• Not released in the United States until August 1996
• Recorded at various live shows during The Magic Tour
• Most performances recorded at Knebworth Park on 9 August 1986
• Many songs heavily edited on the album
• Built from several concerts rather than a single night

Background

• The Magic Tour was Queen's 1986 tour
• Tour shows included Wembley Stadium, London, on 11–12 July 1986
• Another tour show was held at Népstadion, Budapest, on 27 July 1986
• The Knebworth Park concert on 9 August 1986 was the band's final ever concert with its classic line-up
• Classic line-up: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon
• Spike Edney joined as an additional musician on keyboards, guitar and backing vocals

Recording

• Drawn from various live shows, with most performances taken from Knebworth Park
• Editing reduced several songs to a shorter form
• The opera section was removed from "Bohemian Rhapsody"
• The second verse and chorus were removed from "Tie Your Mother Down"

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970 by Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals).
• John Deacon (bass) joined in February 1971, completing the classic line-up.
• Mercury suggested the name "Queen".
• Early works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal, later expanding into arena rock and pop rock.

Members

• Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano, 1970–1991, died 1991).
• Brian May (guitar, vocals, 1970–present).
• Roger Taylor (drums, vocals, 1970–present).
• John Deacon (bass, 1971–1997, retired).
• Paul Rodgers (vocals, 2004–2009) and Adam Lambert (vocals, 2011–present) toured as "Queen +".

Career

• First UK chart hit with Queen II (1974); international success with A Night at the Opera (1975) and "Bohemian Rhapsody", which topped the UK chart for nine weeks.
• News of the World (1977) contained "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions", now sports anthems.
• Greatest Hits (1981) is the best-selling album in UK chart history.
• Live Aid performance (1985) is ranked among the greatest in rock history.
• Estimated record sales of 250–300 million, one of the world's best-selling music artists.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001; received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and the Polar Music Prize in 2025.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released 1 December 1986
• Built from live recordings made at various shows during The Magic Tour
• Many songs were heavily edited for the album
• The opera section was cut from "Bohemian Rhapsody"
• The second verse and chorus were cut from "Tie Your Mother Down"
• "Is This the World We Created...?", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" were each reduced to one verse and chorus

Reappraisal

• Fans gave strong criticism of the album because of the heavy editing
• The criticism is tied directly to the cut sections listed above
• The Knebworth Park performances on 9 August 1986 mark the band's final concert with its classic line-up

Records

• Not released in the United States until August 1996
• The US release came about nine years and eight months after the 1986 release

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Spike Edney is credited as an additional musician on keyboards, guitar and backing vocals
• Wembley Stadium, the Népstadion in Budapest and Knebworth Park are all linked to the album's live performances
• The Budapest show took place on 27 July 1986
• The opera section, second verse and chorus, and other sections were cut from several songs

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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