On a Friday afternoon, more decades ago than I care to admit to, I stood behind the Seattle Arena waiting for some rock musicians. A major concert was taking place that night and bands always have a live sound check prior to their performance. The premier act that night was Queen. The opening act for them was Thin Lizzy. Both were major artists at the time, and I was there to try to get an interview or two for a syndicated radio show I had.
As I stood waiting patiently, I saw a black stretch limo pull up near the stage door. I was sure this was Queen. Nope. As five musicians piled out, I saw it was the band Thin Lizzy. They briefly chatted with each other then went inside to do their sound check. After they were done and had left, another stretch limo pulled up. Then another. And another and another – four in all. One at a time, from those limos stepped Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor, the members of Queen....
Four limos for Queen and just one for Thin Lizzy highlights the difference between an opening act and a headliner. Both bands had hits. Thin Lizzy had scored with “The Boys Are Back In Town” and “Jailbreak.” Queen had so many they wouldn’t all fit in this column. Years later, Queen would be the subject of a popular movie based on their career. Even in the ‘70s, it was clear they were a super group.
Their status was confirmed this past week when their home country of Great Britain announced Queen would have a series of postage stamps released in their honor. The stamp images range from some of their original album cover art to performance photos. As with all Royal Mail releases – but most appropriately for this issue – a silhouette of a young Queen Elizabeth is in the upper left corner.
The choice of what appears on stamps from any country has always been an interesting conundrum. In years long past, the subject matter often reflected historic aspects, persons or elements applicable to a given country’s past. Insofar as rock, the US has had its share of musicians on stamps including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Otis Redding, Bill Haley, Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles and others.
Today, it may not be so much who is being honored but why. What I mean is all businesses and entire countries are trying to cater to a younger demographic. From a postal perspective, I’d wager the hope is more than selling stamps to use on mail; postal patrons may also be enticed to buy and save the stamps because of their subject matter. An added bonus would be if some of those who buy the stamps became stamp collectors as well.
I have to imagine that might be the case with four new US stamps now being issued. Unlike the British Queen stamps which commemorate a legendary band, the four new US postage stamps are a tribute to the music/lifestyle genre of “Hip-Hop.”
The stamps feature what are said to be four elements of hip-hop. One includes: MCing which is also rapping. The next features B-boying – a term for break dancing. A third focuses on the craft of being a DJ. The final stamp showcases graffiti art. No, graffiti doesn’t fit the category of music but has become aligned with the Hip-Hop movement.
Unlike the realism of the stamps commemorating Queen, the four US Hip-Hop stamps have digital images in layers giving a stylized appearance of motion. Each of the “Forever” stamps include the words, “HipHop” with a yellow, green, red and black color scheme.
It’s hard to say whether either of the stamp releases is bound to lure more stamp collectors. They are however a clear signal that stamp issuers around the globe are focusing on a younger demographic. Now, if they could just embed a sound chip into stamps from which music could be played through a smart phone. I guarantee that would foster an entire generation of new collectors. Apple…are you listening?
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