Queen redefined rock music with their operatic sound and theatrical live shows. They blended heavy metal with glam rock to create anthems that stadiums still sing today. Furthermore, each member contributed massive hits to their catalog. Consequently, they remain one of the few bands where every musician was a star. Explore these fascinating details about the royalty of rock.
Queen
Freddie Mercury designed the famous Queen crest himself. He used his degree in art and graphic design to combine the zodiac signs of all four members into one logo.
Brian May built his iconic “Red Special” guitar from scratch with his father. Remarkably, they used wood from an 18th-century fireplace mantelpiece to construct the neck.
All four band members wrote at least one number-one single. This equal creative power set them apart from most other groups where only the lead singer wrote the hits.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” almost never made it to the radio because of its length. Record executives argued that a song lasting nearly six minutes was too long for the average listener.
Brian May holds a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College London. He actually finished his doctoral thesis in 2007, decades after he started it.
Freddie Mercury accidentally invented his signature “bottomless” microphone stand. The base snapped off during an early show, so he just kept performing with the top half.
Michael Jackson personally convinced the band to release “Another One Bites the Dust” as a single. He heard the track backstage and told Freddie it would be a smash hit.
They were one of the first major Western rock bands to tour behind the Iron Curtain. specifically, their 1986 concert in Budapest, Hungary, had 80,000 fans in attendance.
The music video for “I Want to Break Free” ruined their reputation in America for years. US audiences did not understand that the cross-dressing video was a parody of a British soap opera.
John Deacon, the bass player of Queen, retired completely from the music industry in 1997. He chooses to live a quiet life and avoids all public appearances with the remaining members.
Roger Taylor wrote the hit “Radio Ga Ga” after hearing his son mumble. The toddler said “radio ca ca,” which inspired the drummer to write a song about the golden age of radio.
Freddie Mercury absolutely adored cats and owned many throughout his life. In fact, he dedicated his solo album Mr. Bad Guy to his cat, Jerry.
David Bowie and Queen wrote “Under Pressure” during a random jam session in Switzerland. The legends recorded the final track in a frantic 24-hour marathon fueled by wine.
Scientists studied Freddie Mercury’s voice and found his vibrato was faster than an opera singer’s. His vocal cords moved faster than average, creating that unique, unstable growl.
Finally, the band filmed the video for “We Will Rock You” in Roger Taylor’s backyard. It was freezing cold, which explains why the band members look so shivering and bundled up.
