Twenty eight years after his death and the legend of Freddie lives on. Even before Bohemian Rhapsody reignited Queen mania, nobody had forgotten his electrifying presence or spine-tingling vocals. But Brian May also pays tribute to another of his band mate’s incredible talents. In fact, May thinks even Freddie didn’t realise how special it was. Roger Taylor, meanwhile, laughs with joy remembering another part of Freddie he loved, but admitted there were times Freddie was a little “selfish.”
May told the Mojo magazine July issue: “Freddie was a unique pianist and didn’t realise how good he was.
“His playing was very percussive and rhythmic – like a metronome… but with feeling. Amazing fingers.”
Taylor adds how much Freddie’s music tastes and unique style brought to the band: At the beginning, it was also accepted Freddie was the most prolific writer. Listen to something like Bring Back That Leroy Brown (from 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack). I don’t even know how you describe that music. Is it black music? Vaudeville? What is it?”
Taylor also happily embraced Freddie’s unique fashion style: “Freddie made me laugh. How could you not laugh at a man in plunging V-neck leotard and ballet slippers?
“I didn’t even mind his tiny sequinned shorts, Honestly.
“The only thing I didn’t care for was the video for It’s A Hard Life. Not our finest video and Freddie looked like a giant prawn.”
But Taylor was even less happy with another video.
Taylor told Mojo: “The single., Body Language, and video weren’t quite to my tastes. This was Freddie exploring the music of gay clubs, which was fine.
“But also one of the rare occasions when I think he was a little selfish with the video. The rest of us were pushed into the background.”
