Star Fleet (song)
Encyclopedia
"Star Fleet" was the first single that Brian May
released independently of Queen
.
It was taken from the mini-album Star Fleet Project, which started out as a jam session involving May, Eddie Van Halen
, drummer Alan Gratzer, bassist Phil Chen
and keyboardist Fred Mandel
over the days 21 and 22 April 1983.
Aside from the main participants, the title track also included backing vocals by Roger Meddows Taylor from Queen
.
The main track, "Star Fleet", was edited down from the mini-album's length of eight minutes to a more radio-friendly 4:12. Shorter edits were also done for Argentinian and American promo releases. The British B-side, "Son Of Star Fleet" is an instrumental version of "Star Fleet".
US 7" Single
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
released independently of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
.
It was taken from the mini-album Star Fleet Project, which started out as a jam session involving May, Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
, drummer Alan Gratzer, bassist Phil Chen
Phil Chen
Phil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
and keyboardist Fred Mandel
Fred Mandel
Fred Mandel is a keyboard player and guitarist.Mandel became involved in music from an early age. He started playing the piano and age 4 and picked up the guitar aged 8...
over the days 21 and 22 April 1983.
Aside from the main participants, the title track also included backing vocals by Roger Meddows Taylor from Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
.
The main track, "Star Fleet", was edited down from the mini-album's length of eight minutes to a more radio-friendly 4:12. Shorter edits were also done for Argentinian and American promo releases. The British B-side, "Son Of Star Fleet" is an instrumental version of "Star Fleet".
Track listing
UK 7" Single- "Star Fleet" (Single Version) (Bliss/Arr. May) 4:12
- "Son Of Star Fleet" (Bliss/Arr. May) 4:23 (the instrumental version "Star Fleet")
US 7" Single
- "Star Fleet" (Single Version) (Bliss/Arr. May) 4:12
- "Star Fleet" (US Promo Edit) (Bliss/Arr. May) 3:07
Personnel
- Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, production - Eddie Van HalenEddie Van HalenEdward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Alan Gratzer – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Phil ChenPhil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Fred MandelFred MandelFred Mandel is a keyboard player and guitarist.Mandel became involved in music from an early age. He started playing the piano and age 4 and picked up the guitar aged 8...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Roger Meddows Taylor – backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on "Star Fleet" - MackReinhold MackReinhold Mack is a German record producer and sound engineer, mostly known for his collaborations with rock bands Electric Light Orchestra and Queen. Most of this work took place at Giorgio Moroder's Musicland Studios in Munich...
– mixing - Mike Beiriger – engineering
- Nick Froome – additional engineering