Hi Folks newbie here, sorry if this has been discussed before

What actually happened when Lloyd webber rejected Steve for the role of the Phantom of the opera at supposingly the last minute. Did Steve go and sing on the record for that reason? Opinions please cheers!

I've often wondered if Steve was allocated the part. Having seen "Phantom", I thought the title role seemed to require an awful lot of running around the stage and up and down stairs on the set. I doubt if Steve would have been physically able to do it.........However, I've always thought Steve had a much better voice than Michael Crawford and from that aspect would have made the best "Phantom" ever!!!

I TAPED STEVE BEING INTERVIEWED ON THE WIRELESS (RADIO TO YOU YOUNGSTERS) BY MIKE REID JUST AFTER HE'D RECORDED THE SINGLE WITH SARAH BRIGHTMAN, IN FACT IT HAD BEEN RELEASED, AND STEVE SAYS HE WAS ASKED BY DIRECTOR HAROLD PRINCE "WILL THE GAMMY LEG BE A PROBLEM"? REFERRING BLUNTLY TO STEVE'S POLIO.
MICHAEL CRAWFORD ACTIVELY SOUGHT OUT THE ROLE OF THE PHANTOM AFTER PLAYING BARNUM FOR EONS! BEING A TRAINED OPERA SINGER HE WAS GIVEN THE JOB THANK GOD! LETTING STEVE GO ON ONE OF MY FAVOURITE TOURS AND RECORD NEW MATERIAL FOR US STARVED FANS. STEVE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT PHANTOM AND THE ROLE WAS HIS, BUT I'M GLAD HE DID'NT DO IT AND WENT BACK ON THE ROAD INSTEAD.

I am a general 'Phantom of the Opera' fan (that is to say the musical is not my favorite version, the book and some of the other versions are) and to even have just *one* Phantom related thing sung by Steve is such a cool gift! It's like chocolate and peanut butter. How many people get to have their favorite singer sing the part of their favorite character? TOO AWESOME!

I'd really like to here Music of the Night, but I don't need it, I have all HIS way more awesome songs.