Paul Rodgers sat down for a chat with Classic Rock and shared his experience of declining a surprising proposition from Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen. He subtly alluded to the possibility that Brian May might have posed certain complexities in Freddie Mercury’s life.
Looking back at his five-year association with Queen, Rodgers revealed:
“At the outset, Brian [May] and Roger [Taylor] were keen on including more songs from Free and Bad Company as they were huge fans. But I countered, ‘The world is eager to listen to you and your tracks. Let’s stay predominantly Queen.'”
Beyond this, Paul expressed deeper appreciation for Freddie Mercury post his tenure with Queen. He hinted at Freddie’s challenges with his erstwhile band members:
“Joining Queen deepened my respect for Freddie. Exiting, it intensified further, giving me a glimpse into the tribulations he faced.”
During a recent conversation on TalkShopLive’s The Rock N Roll Channel, Rodgers delved deeper into understanding Mercury’s role:
“After touring with the team, I got a sense of Freddie’s world. Filling his shoes wasn’t simple. They have a wealth of amazing tracks. The entire journey was truly revealing.”
Following his stint as the lead singer for Queen + Paul Rodgers from 2004-2009, he amicably separated from the group. Discussing the parting in a 2009 interview with Billboard, he mentioned:
“My collaboration with [Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor] was on similar terms as with Jimmy [Page] in The Firm. It was always intended to be temporary.”
Roger Taylor, in the documentary ‘The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story,’ clarified that Rodgers’ musical inclination towards blues and soul wasn’t entirely in sync with Queen’s diverse musical range.
