Queen was one of the first bands to get me excited about rock and roll. I was in the fifth grade when The Game became a big chart topper in the states and it was an exciting time for me. I was also seeing cool stuff like Playboy magazine for the first time.

I remember seeing Flash Gordon at the theatre and being riveted by the visuals and soundtrack.

Night at the Opera and Jazz are great albums. I've been known to listen to The Game and Hot Space as well.

It was a last minute cancellation by Queen on the Bill Grundy show that led to the Sex Pistols being booked and making their infamous appearance. The rest is history.

When I was about 12 I had the News of the World LP and listened to it all the time. One day I came home from school and it wasn't in my room. I looked all over, didn't find it, accused my brother of taking it (in front of his friends), and created quite a rift between us.

The next time I moved my furniture around I found the record behind my dresser. My apology to my brother somehow turned into a near-fistfight.

But NOT CRAP. I like most Queen, especially the vocals. I like May's tone, but not his leads so much. Good rhythm section, good songs.

not crap. (somewhat begrudgingly.)

I like Queen. Everytime I'd go to Australia as a kid to visit family, my Aunts and mom would always play their records. I still enjoy listening to them every once in a while even though I unfortunately don't own any of their albums.

Not Crap.

i don't love them, also don't hate them.

Not Crap for Brian May's tone alone.

A fine band if listened to in small doses as the bombast can wear thin very quickly.

Like a few others here seeing the Flash Gordon film is a fond childhood memory of mine (my first ever trip to the cinema) it blew me away and to my ears the soundtrack simply kicked ass!

Not crap.

Live version of Tie Your Mother Down, riff on "Now I'm Here" Brians tone, Roger Taylors almost Rod Stewart Voice, Production out the ass for the day, and even Metallicas cover of Stone Cold Crazy, Freddies voice and frontman skills............ NOT CRAP

Bombast vs shoegazing? bombast much more fun!!!!!!

Other than the obvious hits heard on the radio in the late 70's, my only other exposure to Queen as a kid was my Mom's copy of News Of The World. I spent a lot of time looking at the album cover while listening to Side 2. Sort of forgot about them until the Flash Gordon movie and was thrilled by the huge guitar sounds during the battle scenes.

I ended up buying all the Freddie-without-a-moustache era Queen (from Queen to The Game) on LP in the late 80's - early 90's and can't really stomach anything of theirs after this period.

For those who haven't really listened to the non-hits and judge the band exclusively on Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga-Ga or whatever, and question the band's ability to rock, I give you:

It's Late
Now I'm Here (sometimes played live by the Melvins)
Death On Two Legs
Get Down Make Love
Sweet Lady
Battle Theme (from Flash Gordon)

Then for purely mind boggling guitar tones, overdubs and overall arrangements:

Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
Good Company

Lot's of other great stuff to be discovered, I promise. NOT CRAP.

Queen, by their own admission, are an utterly ridiculous band, creating thundering, overblown pop music as pure entertainment.

NOT CRAP.