Brian May looks back on the hesitant beginnings of Queen with Freddie Mercury as frontman.
“Disconcerting” debut with Freddie Mercury
During a recent Q&A session for the podcast The Red Special Guitar PodcastQueen guitarist Brian May shared some memories of the band’s early days and his early days with Freddie Mercury. Although today Mercury is considered one of the greatest singers in rock history, May admits that the beginnings with him were, to say the least, disconcerting. “He was running around screaming at the top of his lungs. We were wondering: ‘Is this going to work?’” he confides.
Mercury’s flamboyant style was not universally appreciated, with some finding it a bit abrasive, although all agreed it was interesting and entertaining. Brian May recognizes that at that time, Freddie Mercury was not yet the singer he would later become, a perfectionist and visionary.
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Mercury’s relentless quest for perfection
May also remembers how extremely demanding Mercury was of himself in the studio, especially when it came to his vocals. “As soon as he heard her voice back, he would say, ‘I don’t like it, I’ll do it again’”says May, evoking Mercury’s determination to always give the best of himself. This perfectionism quickly led him to become the singer he wanted to be, exploring new textures and pushing his vocal abilities ever further.
With each new album, Freddie Mercury sought to surpass himself, demanding more passion and depth in his performances, a constant effort to achieve “perfection”.
Teamwork to achieve excellence
Brian May also discusses the importance of mutual support within Queen in the studio. Each member of the group was in the control room when one of them recorded, sharing their thoughts and offering suggestions. “We really helped each other. When Freddie was doing a take, we were there to tell him: ‘We like this part, but not this one.’ And conversely, Freddie would often give me his opinion when I did a guitar solo.”
The group worked in a spirit of collaboration and respect, each seeking to get the best out of the other. This dynamic of mutual support helped forge Queen’s unique sonic identity.
In October, Queen released a remastered and expanded reissue of their 1973 self-titled debut album, providing fans with a dose of nostalgia.
