Interviews

Freddie the musical has closed

On March 19, 2019 the musical performance of Radek Brzobohatý Theater, Freddie, was played for the last time in the completely full theater in Jablonec nad Nisou.

Under Karel Janák direction, a rather sharp script turned into a remarkable work of art, mainly thanks to the superb interpretation of the legendary band‘s songs, which were played live by Queenie, one of the world's most renowned Queen tribute bands. Their frontman, Michael Kluch, starred as Freddie Mercury, and together with the band, Jiří Korn (band manager’s repre­sentative), and other protagonists they presented a fascinating, breathtaking performance full of emotions. The artists on the packed stage were rewarded with a thunderous final applause including a standing ovation. This last performance of the musical, organized outside of Prague, was a somewhat secret but very pompous farewell to the audience.

We have asked Michael Kluch, who plays the lead role as Freddie Mercury: What was behind such an unexpected end?

“I'm very sad about it, both for myself and the band and for the other artists who spent a lot of time and energy preparing this performance and expected the result of their effort to last. It is obvious that none of the performers can influence the copyright factors. That is purely a matter of production.”

Am I to understand that the theater‘s copyright ended with this performance?

“We don't even know exactly how it was done with the copyright. We know only that there was some conflict regarding an infringement of the copyright in this performance, which is why today it was probably the last time we played it. A new version is being prepared. The new script’s concept would not need the approval of the Queen group copyright holders, but for now it does not seem promising.

Is the script not good?

“I don't want to evaluate the script as such, but Queen without Queen?! That's nonsense to me. Culture is supposed to entertain and enrich people, not to look for ways to bypass some rules – that's not how we want to be. With the band, we perform all over the world and we do care how people abroad see us and what they say about us. If we want to be a proud nation, we can't just constantly work around things in some cunning ways.”

So will you and Queenie not take part in the next version?

“I don’t think so at the moment. We are proud of our previous work on the musical, we enjoyed doing it and we would be glad to continue with the original version. However, if it‘s true that the authors‘ consent has never been issued at all, our efforts to carry on with this project would most likely be pointless. As I have already mentioned, we cannot, and indeed do not want to, participate in something that infringes copyright.”

What’s the situation with the copyright and Queenie?

“For organizing concerts, the consent of the authors is not necessary – only the organizer of each event where we play pays the authors royalties according to the rules. We do not need to handle that part.”

What are you preparing in the near future?

“We are planning a lot of concerts both in our country and around the world, even though, unfortunately, we cannot be everywhere. In April we will play in Sweden and Costa Rica, but Prague fans can enjoy our show on April 16, from 19:00, at Retro Music Hall. In May, besides Denmark and Prague, we will bring our Queen Relived show to Olomouc, Pilsen and České Budějovice, where the concert tickets are already sold out. I can't remember all the concerts we've arranged, but we will also play in other cities, so hopefully there will be something for every fan. We are also preparing one special pearl, but that one is still a secret.”

Which concert are you looking forward to most?

“We look forward to all our concerts, and we enjoy them to the fullest. If I should name just one though, I am thinking of our most recent addition – we have been invited to the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, with Sir Elton John as its main star this year.

Michael Kluch as a guest on Všechnopárty

Lately you could read or watch several dozen interviews with Michael in media of various kinds, and this week he‘s appeared on the Czech Television already twice. After the TV show 168 hodin, he accepted Karel Šíp‘s invitation to the cult talk show Všechnopárty!

This was a slightly different kind of interview – see for yourself in the link below :-)

https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/…video/669735

Queenie in the Czech Radio - the talk show "Tobogan"

On Saturday 25.11. from 11:00 we accepted the invitation of Czech Radio (Český rozhlas) to the live talk show by Aleš Cibulka „Tobogan“. In the show entitled „About the tribute bands – the best ones!“ you will be able to meet our singer Michael Kluch.

The program can be visited live in the studio, but the tickets are sold out. We hope you do not forget to tune us on a Saturday noon ;-)

http://www.rozhlas.cz/dvojka/tobogan/

Michael Kluch on Noční proud (Night Stream) in the Czech Radio

Yesterday's in­terview with our frontman can be heard here.

Queenie in Snídaně s Novou (Breakfast with Nova)

On May 27, 2015 Queenie got up early to participate in the program Snídaně s Novou. Apart from being guests ourselves, we invited the soprano Markéta Mátlová, with whom we played the aria of Barcelona. You can check it out below. For more videos from Snídaně s Novou, please visit our youtube channel.

Michael Kluch for the biggest Czech musical server Musical.cz

Our singer Michael Kluch talked about himself and more with Musical.cz.

„First of all, I would like to say that we do not even call our project a tribute band. What we do is a musical theater. We have authentic instruments, we play the songs in their original tones, we wear period costumes and on the stage every member has his role. It is not an imitation, we just play Queen. I dare to say that thanks to such a philosophy we are successful and I can thus also state exactly the opposite – thanks to my band I am free, not only because the band is my primary source of income, but also because I do what I really enjoy and I can choose what I'm going to enjoy next. As I have already hinted, money has never been the main priority to us. If you are going into something with pure energy, the rest just accumulates on top of it. We are absolutely independent, no one has made us, we ourselves are our masters and that's what I enjoy so much.“ 

You can read the entire interview here: http://www.musical.cz/…vna-v-kapse/

Interview with Michael for ČT24

On March 15, 2014 our singer Michael Kluch was interviewed live in ČT24's Studio 6.

You can watch a 10-minute interview here on our YouTube channel or in the Czech Television archive here.

TV Prima's VIP News

On February 20, 2013 a Queenie report was broadcast on the TV Prima 's VIP News show. The team surprised us at our concert at Vagon club in Prague. You can see it here: 

The whole program can be found here: http://play.iprima.cz/…a/318253/all

INTERVIEW

A little something (not only) about ourSunday performance in Ještěd: Queenie have donated the proceeds from their album launch to AIDS patients

Tribute band? It's not supposed to be about tracksuits and songs two tones below

Do you readi the newspapers? In the cultural insert of the Saturday edition of Pražský Deník daily you could find a two-page interview with Queen's frontman Michael Kluch talking not only of the big Wednesday concert at Hard Rock Cafe, where Queenie will launch their first DVD…

Photo Dimír Šťastný

Interview here: prazsky.denik.cz