It might come as a surprise to see Queen in this list of hard rock and heavy metal, however, they performed so many different types of music, and heavy rock was definitely one of them. Just think about “Stone Cold Crazy” or “Fat Bottomed Girls” as two examples. I was introduced to Queen by my mum, who is a huge fan, and it was my first live concert, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in June 2022.
According to Wikipedia, “Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970. The band comprised Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals) and John Deacon (bass). Their earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles, such as arena rock and pop rock.”
Current members
1 Adam Lambert, is the lead singer for Queen, although he is also a performer in his own right. An American Idol contestant, Adam Lambert blew the judges away when he sang Bohemian Rhapsody in his audition. He is extremely talented, with a massive vocal range, and while he will never replace Freddy Mercury, he has definitely earned the respect of fans since he took on this role in 2011.
2 Brian May, lead guitar. He is a terrific song-writer and one of the world’s best guitar players. Famous for his homemade guitar, the Red Special, it was designed and built with his father in the 1960s. Brian is also an astrophysicist, and I find him very intelligent in how he engages on social media. Born in 1947, my guitar practice is inspired by Brian May.
3 Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen, and another founding member, he is a world-class drummer, and also a singer/songwriter, as were all members of the original band. Roger was voted the eighth-greatest drummer in classic rock music history in a listener poll conducted by Planet Rock in 2005. Born in 1949 in the UK, I am a big fan of Roger Taylor. Roger studied at University to be a dentist.
Previous members
Freddy Mercury, who died in 1991 from the AIDS virus, was the charismatic and extraordinary lead singer of Queen, who left a musical legacy that very few people can compete with. Born in 1946 in Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, his family moved to the UK in 1964. He worked as a baggage handler at London’s Heathrow Airport, but soon he was on the road to global fame and fortune.
John Deacon, bass player, retired from Queen in 1997 and to this day, I hope he will reunite with Queen. I would love to see him perform. He played many funky rifts in his songs (Another One Bites the Dust, which he wrote), and he was born in the UK in 1951, making him the youngest member of the band. He joined Queen in 1971, and the band was attracted to his superior guitar playing skills, as well as his electronic skills. He studied electronics at University.
Personal reflection
Their musical influences were wide, from heavy metal and hard rock, all the way through to hip hop and even opera. Queen (and Adam Lambert) were my first live concert and it was amazing.
Links
Spotify
