Sutcliffe Phil - Queen: the ultimate illustrated history of the crown kings of rock

The concept of Queen is to be regal and majestic.
Glamour is part of us, and we want to be dandy.
FREDDIE MERCURY

QUEEN

T HE U LTIMATE I LLUSTRATED H ISTORY OF THE C ROWN K INGS OF ROCK

by
PHIL SUTCLIFFE

with

PETER HINCE

REINHOLD MACK

MICK ROCK

BILLY SQUIER

and

ROBERT ALFORD

MELISSA BLEASE

JON BREAM

JOHN BUCCIGROSS

GARTH CARTWRIGHT

STEPHANIE CHERNIKOWSKI

STEPHEN DALTON

JIM DEROGATIS

HARRY DOHERTY

DAVID DUNLAP JR.

ANDREW EARLES

CHUCK EDDY

GARY GRAFF

DAVE HUNTER

GREG KOT

ROBERT MATHEU

JAMES MCNAIR

JEFFREY MORGAN

DANIEL NESTER

SYLVIE SIMMONS

First published in 2009 by Voyageur Press, an imprint of MBI Publishing Company, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA

Copyright 2009, 2011 by Voyageur Press, an imprint of MBI Publishing Company. Hardcover edition published 2009. Softcover edition published 2011.

All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purposes of review, no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge.

All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or Publisher, who also disclaims any liability incurred in connection with the use of this data or specific details.

This publication has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by Queen, their management, any individual members, or any affiliated entities or corporations. We recognize, further, that some words, model names, and designations mentioned herein are the property of the trademark holder. We use them for identification purposes only. This is not an official publication.

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ISBN: 978-0-7603-4010-3

Digital edition: 978-1-61060-252-5
Soft cover edition: 978-0-7603-4010-3

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

Sutcliffe, Phil.
Queen : the ultimate illustrated history of the crown kings of rock /Phil Sutcliffe.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7603-3719-6 (hb w/jkt)
1. Queen (Musical group) 2. Rock musiciansEnglandBiography. I. Title.
ML421.Q44S87 2009
782.421660922dc22
[B]
2009007897

Pages 45: Band photos, January 1973. Michael Putland/Retna Ltd.; playing cards
Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Getty Images
Pages 67:News Of The World tour, Cobo Hall, Detroit, November 18, 1977.
Robert Alford
Page 11: Circa 1975. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Page 12:News Of The World tour, Ahoy Hall, Rotterdam, April 1978. Fin Costello/
Redferns Collection/Getty Images

Acquisitions and Project Editor: Dennis Pernu
Design Manager: Katie Sonmor
Designer: John Barnett/4 Eyes Design

Printed in China

CONTENTS

F REDDIE M ERCURY , EH ? Remember him, imagine him, picture him. From the black, skin-tight bodysuit slashed to the waist, the black nail varnish, and the posturing of the early 70sa Baryshnikov, a stallion, a satyr, a centaurto the cropped hair, the gay moustache, the ironic eyebrow raised, the ermine, and the crown of the mid-80s. Then bow down in unworthy awe, if thats your inclination. Or shake your head and roll your eyes if its all too much. Or, if what you see somehow hits the spot, just laugh and cry and sing along.

You could never ignore Freddie Mercury. Even when he was a nobody with nothing to declare, this fundamentally shy and secretive man could stride down the Kings Road, London, flaunting a red velvet suit with fox-fur trimmingsso like a star that everyone asked, Hey, whos that?

First reported flyer for a Queen gig, August 21, 1971, Tregye Country Club, Carnon Downs Festival, Truro, U.K. Courtesy Ferdinando Frega, Queenmuseum.com

Although a reconstructed Queen has gone back out on tour in recent years fronted by master singer Paul Rodgers, Mercurys magnetism is the sine qua non of Queens eccentric rock n roll immortality. The band comprised four remarkably diligent and ambitious musiciansgifted songwriters who each wrote smash hit singlesbut they would never have established a place in the cultural memory without the catalyst, the firestarter, the stadium bestrider that was Freddie Mercury.