From Queen Archives: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Interviews, Articles, Reviews
Articles > Queen + Paul Rodgers Articles > 10-XX-2008 - The Word - Paul Rodgers interview
by Kate Mossman
QUEEN & PAUL RODGERS: the ghost of Lord Fred is being summoned once again by the "blues-rock" collision that's calling itself "QPR"
RECENTLY, PUB LANDLORD Al Murray interrupted his TV show for an unusual instrumental break. This break featured a band that looked a bit like Queen, playin g a song that sounded a bit like Queen, only they were fronted by Free's Paul Rodgers. There was a time when Brian May and Roger Taylor swore they would nveer tour without Fred: it would be as ridiculous as putting on a Queen musical or something. Now, unfazed to be standing in Mercury's giant, toothy shadow, Rodgers will join Queen at a string of major UK arena gigs in the autumn. They're also releasing a new studio album, The Cosmos Rocks. And there's still no sign of John Deacon.
KATE MOSSMAN: You're all the same age. Did you ever share the same bill at festivals when you were young?
PAUL RODGERS: Free played at the Albert Hall in 1969 and Brian and Roger were the promoters for the gig - they were college students with a band called Smile at the time. I never did properly meet them - but I saw them on the stairs! I remember the Bonzos were there too.
How did you get involved in this then?
We met in 2004 at the Hackney Empire, at the ceremony for the UK Music Hall of Fame. We did a deal where they'd be my backing band for All Right Now and I'd be their singer for We Are The Champions. I know "Chemistry" is an overused word but we fitted together seamlessly.
Why are you right for the job?
I'm not trying to be Freddie Mercury. It's more than I form a balance between Roger and Brian.
It has been suggested that the band shoul have a different name - have you thought about it?
Initially I had thought that we would record something entirely new and be called May, Taylor & Rodgers, like Emerson, Lake & Palmer or something. We've recently started calling it "QPR".
What are they able to do with you that they couldn't do with Freddie?
They wren't known for playing blues rock - though individually they all liked that stuff, and Freddie used to do Aretha Franklin warm-ups with the audience. That rootsy feel has come out on the new album. Some of it is so simple and easy to play, it's refreshing for them.
How much of ths how is going to be old Queen stuff and how much if it new?
The shows hav been Queen-heavy so far, about 30 per cent of mine, the rest theirs. Now wwe're entering a new phase because everything's communally writen. I've noticed a lot of Queen fans turning up at my solo shows, which is nice - I can tell they're Queen fans because they've got Queen T-shirts on.
How do you perform Bohemian Rhapsody live?
We do a variation on the same trick Queen didd. You can't get the opera section live so they used to play the recorded break in the middle and then come charging on at the end. I've started coming on in the middle and doing a duet with Freddie's recorded voice instead. We'll work out something different for the autumn.
It is true that John Deason has disappeared without trace?
I have yet to meet John. I would like to. I understand his point, though, wanting to step back from life - I was very ready to do that before I met Queen, but here I am. I'm always saying, "Will he come along tonight? Tomorrow?" It's like Waiting For Godot!