Happiness? (Roger Taylor album)
| Happiness? | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 5 September 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1993-94 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 48:15 | |||
| Label | Parlophone, EMI | |||
| Producer | Roger Taylor Josh Macrae (co-producer) | |||
| Roger Taylor chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Happiness? is the third solo album by the English musician Roger Taylor, best known as the drummer for the band Queen. It was his first album since Queen's 1991 album Innuendo, and his first album outside of Queen since 1990's Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know
Recording
Writing of Roger Taylor's material spanned way before initial recording in 1993. Taylor, like his other band mates, were mourning the death of lead singer, Freddie Mercury. Recording mostly took place in his home studio over the final months of 1993 to the beginning of 1994. Halfway through recording, Taylor had collaborated with Japanese musician, Yoshiki. The result of the collaboration was the track "Foreign Sand".
Controversy
Although released as a single, the lyrics of the track "Nazis 1994", attacking neo-Nazism, were deemed so controversial that it was banned by UK commercial radio stations. Additionally, it was banned from being advertised and many record stores refused to stock the single. Ironically, the publicity aided in the album's success.[2]
Track listing
All songs written by Roger Taylor, except "Foreign Sand" written by Taylor and Yoshiki.
- "Nazis 1994" – 2:35
- "Happiness" – 3:17
- "Revelations" – 3:44
- "Touch the Sky" – 5:04
- "Foreign Sand" – 6:53
- "Freedom Train" – 6:12
- "‘You Had to Be There’" – 2:55
- "The Key" – 4:25
- "Everybody Hurts Sometime" – 2:52
- "Loneliness..." – 2:25
- "Dear Mr Murdoch" – 4:19
- "Old Friends" – 3:33
Personnel
All tracks except Foreign Sand:
- Roger Taylor: Drums, Vocals and Guitars
- Jason Falloon: Guitars
- Phil Spalding: Bass
- Mike Crossley: Piano and keyboards
- Catherine Porter: Backing Vocals
- Josh Macrae: Programming
Foreign Sand:
- Yoshiki: Arrangement, Drums, Piano and Synthesizer.
- Roger Taylor: Vocals
- Jim Cregan: Guitars
- Phil Chen: Bass
- Dick Marx: Strings Arrangement
- Brad Buxer and Geoff Grace: Programming
- Mastered by Chris Blair at Abbey Road
- Album Design by Roger Taylor and Richard Gray
Singles
"Nazis 1994" - (UK No. 22)
"Foreign Sand"- (UK No. 26)
"Happiness?" - (UK No. 32)
References
Happiness Liner Notes@ http://www.queenpicturehall.com/albums/r03h.shtml