I was shocked by how deeply involved I became while watching a VH1 Legends special on Queen (I'm sure MMM has aired this a thousand times, but I'd never seen it). Also, it's not like I'm new to the story of Queen and I've heard the "Classic Queen" comps a countless number of times. Suddenly, I was a neophyte, it was like I'd never heard the band before and I was completely sucked in by the flash and sizzle. I marvelled at Freddie Mercury's incredible stage prescence and powerful operatic voice. I was intruiged and enthralled by the incredible diversity of a band whose name had been dropped in every writeup on the Darkness, which had caused me to forget that they were no one-trick glam-rock ponies. Live Aid made sense more than it ever had before -- yes, I could see why Queen's triumphant performance was so revered. And I was saddened by the pictures and video footage of the final years of an increasingly sickly-looking Freddie Mercury. Why was I affected in this way? Ten years ago, I had done my best to avoid the Queen revival and megahype. Even after Freddie's death, they were everywhere and I soon found myself trying to avoid their ubiquitous songs, all except for "Under Pressure", which is by far their finest moment and a song I cannot imagine ever tiring of. And now, many years after the furour had died down, I found myself remembering Freddie's memorial concert as though it was yesterday -- and wishing I could watch it again. I must be a softie when procrastinating at one AM.

And hey, if HENRY ROLLINS is man enough to narrate a Queen special, then we all should just shut our mouths and like it.