SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT

The movie "Across the Universe" - a story written around, and drawing in, many of the Beatles' songs spawned a similar movie, which actually originated on stage, and centers around the songs of Abba: "Mamma Mia". I recently read that there's another, initially stage-bound show in the same genre coming soon:

"American musical theater's latest collaborators – Twyla Tharp and Frank Sinatra.......Atlanta's Alliance Theatre says it will present "Come Fly With Me" – a new musical conceived, directed and choreographed by Tharp. The show, which concerns four couples who fall in and out of love, uses more than a dozen classic Sinatra vocals backed by an on-stage 17-piece band." (Here.)

How long, I wonder, before that one hits the silver screen? I'll be waiting! I wonder, too, if this type of movie/show is something we'll be seeing more of. I can imagine stories being written around the songs of Simon & Garfunkel, Beach Boys, Neil Diamond.....and several others.



The BBC published a list of 100 of the the nations best-loved novels. I'm not an avid novel reader these days, but was surprised to note that I'd read about one fifth of them.

I wonder how a list of the USA's favourite novels would match up? I suspect quite a few would appear in both lists, "Little Women" and "The Grapes of Wrath" for instance.


Brian May's website and blog often has interesting input - click on "Brian's Soapbox" for the blog proper. He had something to say about the asteroid impact on Jupiter recently. (PS: Don't forget that he's an astrophysicist as well as an ace guitarist.)
Brian's opinion of astrology might leave a lot to be desired, but his views on guns are spot on ! See his entry of 20 August about the song "Put Out the Fire".



Lastly, a website where handmade items of all kinds can be bought and sold:ETSY.
More about it at Wikipedia, here.

QUEEN & ADAM LAMBERT ?

Brian May, Roger Taylor and their band, Queen, were in entertainment news headlines following an appearance in the American Idol finale show, when they backed the two finalists, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert on "We Are The Champions".

Brian May, Wikipedia tells us, is a musician and astrophysicist - two words you don't often see in the same sentence! He's entitled to add Ph.D and CBE after his name. (CBE = Commander of the Order of the British Empire - for "services to the music industry" - an honor bestowed on him by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005.)

As an astrophysicist, I seriously doubt that May would have anything good to say about astrology. Never mind!



Adam Lambert has been likened to Freddie Mercury by viewers old enough to remember the lead singer and his soaring voice from Queen's heyday. The unexpected appearance of Brian May and Roger Taylor with Queen on American Idol triggered the rumor mill to start its grinding......"has Adam been offered a job with them?"

Rolling Stone carried an article, it now seems to be missing from their website, but from which several other sites still carry this extract, from an interview with Brian May:

After Adam Lambert's killer performance with QUEEN on Wednesday night's season finale of "American Idol", rumors flew that he had already been offered a job singing with the band. That's slightly premature, according to the band's guitarist, Brian May. “Amongst all that furor, there wasn't really a quiet moment to talk," May tells Rolling Stone in an e-mail interview. "But [drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point. It's not like we, as QUEEN, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn't that easy. But I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there."

Whether or not any collaboration of Adam and Queen comes to pass, it's an interesting exercise to look at the charts of Brian May, Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert, to see whether there are any helpful links indicating likelihood of compatibility on a professional level.

There is still some doubt about Adam's time of birth. He confirmed his place of birth in interview on a TV show this week. He was born in Indianapolis, not San Diego (where he grew up) or Los Angeles (where he lives now). So my earlier charts for Adam are a wee bit skewed, though not as far as they present planets in signs - those remain the same. There's also the matter of relocation to consider. He said that he grew up in San Diego, and has lived in California ever since. What's involved with time of birth and relocation are houses and angles only - not planets in signs.

Adam has said on his Face Book page that he has Libra rising. I'm going with that for the moment, and using an estimated degree. What we don't know is whether he had a reliable source for this information. He's a bright guy, said to be interested in astrology himself - I have confidence that he will have checked it out. This, then, is his natal chart, updated with the information so far available. I'm doubtful about him having Cancer at midheaven though. My relocation tool uses equal houses; I can't manipulate a time of birth with Gemini at midheaven as well as Libra rising - though that would seem to be an ideal combination. No doubt all will become clear in time. Any extra information from readers will be gratefully welcomed !




Brian May was born in Hampton. London, UK on 19 July 1947 (no time known, 12noon used below).



Roger Taylor was born 26 July 1949 in Dersingham, Norfolk, UK (no time known -12 noon used below).



Here are a few astrological connections:

Adam's Sun and Mercury in Aquarius are in scratchy quincunx aspect to Brian's Mercury/Venus in Cancer, and oppose his Moon/Saturn/Pluto in Leo. But Adam's Moon in Aries trines Brian's Leo planets - so I'd say that the two have a good chance of understanding one another on some levels while there are some differences of approach and attitude on others. If Adam's midheaven is, indeed, in Cancer, this would be another "plus", linking to Brian's natal Cancer planets.

Both Brian and Adam have Jupiter in Scorpio - both passionate and determined, often to excess.

Brian's Sun in Cancer opposes Adam's Venus in Capricorn - underlining, again, certain differences in their approach.

Roger Taylor's Jupiter in Capricorn is conjunct Adam's Venus at the same degree - a nice link there.

Adam's Aries Moon is in trine with Roger's Leo Sun - another good link.

Further than this I will not venture. From the remarks of both Adam and Brian May, it appears likely that at least one or two collaborations might figure in future plans. While I doubt that the guys would ever be bosom buddies, their natal Moons and/or Suns do lie in harmonious trine, so there'll be enough understanding to overcome any differences reflected by planetary oppositions - which, in any case could provide some useful dynamic energy.

Thinking about Brian May, one memory springs immediately to mind: his rendition of Britain's National amthem, "God Save the Queen" played on the ramparts of Buckingham Palace on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee (50 years reign) in 2002 - here it is: