

2 Dec Opening of Queen Studio Experience - Montreux (open to public from 3 Dec)

3 Dec - WWRY NAm Tour, Progress Energy Center, Raleigh -

4 & 5 Dec - SAS Band, The Brook -

7 Dec - SAS Band + The Cross, G LIVE, Guildford, Surrey, UK -



REMINDERS2 Dec Opening of Queen Studio Experience - Montreux (open to public from 3 Dec)3 Dec - WWRY NAm Tour, Progress Energy Center, Raleigh - tickets 4 & 5 Dec - SAS Band, The Brook - tickets 7 Dec - SAS Band + The Cross, G LIVE, Guildford, Surrey, UK - SOLD OUT

10 Dec - WWRY NAm Tour, Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami to 15 Dec - tickets

17 Dec - WWRY NAm Tour, Barbara Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers - 10 Dec - WWRY NAm Tour, Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami to 15 Dec - tickets17 Dec - WWRY NAm Tour, Barbara Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers - tickets

**Tue Dec 13**

CLASSIC ROCK: QUEEN EXHIBITION LAUNCHES IN MONTREUX CLASSIC ROCK

5 December 2013 by G BARTON

Making an exhibition of themselves (from left): Queen drummer Roger Taylor, Dominique Desseigne

(chief executive, Groupe Lucien Barrière), David Simpson (curator and designer of the exhibition), Queen guitarist Brian May Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor were in Montreux on Monday evening (December 2) for the opening of a new exhibition dedicated to the band’s long relationship with the Swiss city. During their visit, May also spoke about the forthcoming feature film based on the life and times of Freddie Mercury. The event coincided with the renewal of Queen’s partnership with Universal Music Group, with the promise of rare and unreleased material to be released. The deal was first struck in 2010, when a major catalogue reissue programme was launched that saw Queen material released on the Island label for the first time. Queen: The Studio Experience focuses on their long history in Montreux, where they worked at Mountain Studios and created six albums between 1979 and 1995. The exhibition includes a wealth of Queen memorabilia, costumes, instruments, original handwritten lyrics to songs such as One Vision and Tie Your Mother Down, and other artefacts. It also contains a small cinema and, as the centrepiece, the original control room of the studio, in which fans can sit at the desk and work the faders to create their own mixes from the master tapes of Made In Heaven and Mother Love, the last vocal take recorded by Mercury before his death from AIDS in 1991. The exhibition, sponsored by the Fondation Barrier, is free to enter but encourages donations in support of the Mercury Phoenix Trust that was subsequently set up by Queen and manager Jim Beach. “Montreux holds many memories for us, mostly good, some gastronomic, some musical, some alcoholic,” said Taylor. “We’ve just seen the exhibition, and we feel very honoured. We hope it will be part of the many attractions of this beautiful part of Switzerland.” Brian May spoke about seeing the exhibition for the first time. “It’s very strange for Roger and I to walk in here and see the place somehow tantalisingly real, like it used to be,” he said. “The biggest shock for me was seeing the casino downstairs, which really is a casino now. That’s where we set up all our gear. It’s full of slot machines now. “Everybody’s saying to me, why Montreux? It’s a very beautiful place and it was very inspiring to us, I think particularly to Freddie in his last days. It’s also been a very private place for us, a place where we could be very intimate with each other. The people of Montreux have always been very welcoming and yet very discreet. They’ve never been invasive, so we do feel like we belong here, it’s like a family thing. “We came here kind of on spec, not knowing what it would be like,” continued May. “The first thing we did was meet [engineer and co-producer] Dave Richards, and I have to say a huge thanks to Dave because somehow he became a part of our family. He’s the biggest reason we stayed. Secondly, the whole team, [engineer] Justin Shirley-Smith was here. I was able to poach him later and take him back to England. But the whole team was fantastic for us. “I notice we give lots of completely contradictory advice, which is typical. You have to understand, we’re like brothers, but we fight like dogs and cats. Freddie would be the first to say that. So you can get this whole atmosphere, sit there, twiddle the buttons, and join our family. We hope this exhibition brings us closer to Montreux.” May also gave an update on the progress of the Mercury film. “It’s taken us a long time, partly because we need to get the right people together, and the right script. The script of course tells the story of Freddie’s time, some of if here, some of it earlier on, and our time. We had a problem knowing what the film was actually about, but a few weeks ago we sat down with who we think is our great new director, and it dawned on us all that what it’s really about is a family. A group in these situations becomes a very close-knit thing. We spent more time with each other than we did with our kids, our mums and our dads and our partners. The story of the film is the story of a family, how it evolves and what happens when it gets disrupted, what happens in the end.” Queen performed with frontman Adam Lambert on a star-packed bill at the 2013 IHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas on September 20 and 21. Close to the exhibition and the city’s famous waterfront, a statue of Mercury looks out, arm raised, on to Lake Geneva. The statue further reinforces the band’s relationship with Montreux, said May. “When Freddie died, there was a huge movement to get his statue in Hyde Park in London, but it was turned down. This city said yes, we would like the statue.” As they enter the exhibition, visitors are soon greeted by a typically effusive quote from their former frontman. “Let’s face it darlings,” says Mercury, “we’re the most preposterous band that ever lived.” From left: Max Hole (chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group International), Brian May, Dominique Desseigne

(chief executive, Groupe Lucien Barrière), Roger Taylor, Andrew Daw (SVP, Strategic Marketing,

Universal Music Group International), Justin Shirley-Smith (sound engineer), Jim Beach (Queen manager) Photo captions:

Queen: The Studio Experience celebrates Queen’s 40 year career and their relationship with the Swiss town of Montreux

Roger Taylor’s Ludwig chrome drum kit, John Deacon’s Music Man Stingray bass guitar, a replica of Brian May’s Red Special, a Yamaha DX-7 synthesiser and the Shure SM85 vocal microphone used during Freddie Mercury’s last studio recordings

The entrance to the exhibition shows a timeline of Queen’s activities at Mountain Studios

The exhibition tells the story of Queen’s recordings at Mountain Studios and features rare memorabilia and footage

The original entrance to Mountain Studios where any fans have written tributes to Freddie Mercury

The Mixing Room includes the original Mountain Studio Swiss-made Studer A80 analogue 24-track recorder loaned by producer David Richards and an original scaled model of the Freddie Mercury statue by Irena Sedleck� © brianmay.com

**11 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link In 1966 - The Reaction played the Tell-a-Tale Folk Club, Chapel Street, Penzance, Cornwall, UK.

In 1975 - Queen played the City Hall, Newcastle, UK.

In 1977 - Queen played the Summit, Houston, Texas, USA.

In 1979 - Queen played The Centre, Brighton, UK.

In 1993 - The Brian May Band played the Plymouth Pavilion, Plymouth, UK.

In 2004 - Brian May & Roger Taylor made a guess appearance at Wetten, dass…? at CCN CongressCenter, Nuremberg, Germany.

In 2008 - Brian May made a guest appearance for Royal Variety 80th anniversary, at the London Palladium, London, UK. © brianmay.com

**Tue 10 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link

Queen Somebody To Love : Queen Somebody To Love : http://youtu.be/2pMM4iwC-ag In 1974 - Queen played the Theatre 140, Brussels, Belgium.

In 1975 - Queen played the Odeon, Birmingham, UK.

In 1976 - Somebody To Love / White Man released (USA).

In 1976 - A Day At The Races released (UK).

In 1977 - Queen played he Convention Centre, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

In 1979 - Queen played the Centre, Brighton, UK.

In 1980 - Queen played Wembley Arena, London, UK..

In 1993 - The Brian May Band played the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, UK . © brianmay.com

**Mon 09 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link Melanie C & Brian May - One Vision [Live in London] - http://youtu.be/fGAg6IfnLiY Alternative video at - http://youtu.be/01kg491z5uM In 1971 - Queen played the Swimming Baths, Epsom, UK.

In 1975 - Queen played the Odeon, Birmingham, UK.

In 1979 - Queen played the Hippodrome, Bristol, UK.

In 1980 - Queen played Wembley Arena, London, UK - played Imagine as tribute day after John Lennon had died.

In 2011 - Brian May made a guest appearance at Mel C's show at the Scala, London, UK - accompanied on One Vision Queen - Imagine (Live in 1980) - http://youtu.be/71UCu-6Z5bw

Brian and Mel C, La Scala London 9 Dec 2011 © brianmay.com

**Sun 08 Dec 13**

REVIEW: QUEEN - DVD BOX SET

Direct link DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES

5 December 2013 (updated 7 December) by Michael Christopher QUEEN DVD BOX SET

Available from:

- Amazon UK [NTS & Canada format]

- Amazon USA It’s been a big week for Queen fans as guitarist Brian May said in an interview that there was much more recordings of late frontman Freddie Mercury in the vaults than previously thought. If not for a complete album, there is enough material for, according to May, “at least a few tracks.” This is in addition to a handful of duets with Michael Jackson that Mercury performed yet have been unheard by the public but are due to be released soon. In the meantime, there is a six DVD set of Queen’s highlight performances which include “Live at Wembley Stadium: 25th Anniversary Edition,” “Queen Rock Montreal,” “On Fire: Live at the Bowl” and “Live In Rio.” Exclusive to this package, “Live In Rio” features the band performing at the “Rock In Rio” festival in January 1985. Dazzling 250,000 fans, the setlist includes such favorites as “Seven Seas of Rhye” and “Liar,” while spotlighting five songs from “The Works,” which they were supporting at the time. “Live at Wembley Stadium: 25th Anniversary Edition” was originally released as a separate earlier this year and features two sell-out shows at London’s famed Wembley Arena in 1986. This DVD includes the bonus film “The Magic Tour,” which features interviews with Brian May and Roger Taylor filmed in 2011, where the members reflect on these historic shows. “Queen Rock Montreal,” filmed in 1981, was the group’s only concert to be shot on 35mm full cinema format film, an innovative feat as they were the first band to do so. Originally titled, “We Will Rock You,” it was first launched at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1983. North America followed suit in September 1984, making ‘Queen Rock Montreal’ the first commercially available film of Queen in concert. “On Fire: Live At The Bowl,” which was re-issued on DVD this past May, features Queen in the midst of their 1982 “Hot Space” Tour. Plucked from more than 60 sell-out concerts in the world’s biggest arenas, this show includes a second disc with bonus interviews, a photo gallery, and additional performances from Tokyo and Vienna. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “Somebody to Love,” “Under Pressure,” “Another One Bites The Dust,” “Who Wants To Live Forever,” “Radio Ga Ga” and many more Queen classics are all performed across the six DVDs. © brianmay.com

**Sun 08 Dec 13**

SAS AND THE CROSS AT G-LIVE

Direct link "Man On Fire" Roger Taylor, G Live, Guildford 7 December 2013

- http://youtu.be/FxtUdO9SrRo "Merry Christmas (War Is Over)" Roger Taylor, The SAS Band & The Cross, G Live, Guildford 7 December 2013

- http://youtu.be/l1xFRDdc9uI Here is The Cross set list from last night's SAS Band Christmas Bash...

Acknowledgement to Daniel Simpson (Thanks Dan) 1. In Charge of My Heart

2. Top of the World Ma

3. New Dark Ages

4. Man On Fire

5. Power To Love

6. Ain't Put Nothin Down

7. Liar

8. Dirty Mind

9. Cowboys and Indians

10. Heaven For Everyone

11. Sister Blue

12. Final Destination

Roger Taylor and The Cross © brianmay.com

**Sun 08 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link Queen - 'Flash' - http://youtu.be/LfmrHTdXgK4 Queen - 'Flash' - http://youtu.be/LfmrHTdXgK4 In 1973 - Queen played Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK.

In 1974 - Queen played the Congres Gebouw, Hague, Holland.

In 1975 - Queen played the Guildhall, Preston, UK.

In 1977 - Queen played the Omni, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

In 1978 - Queen played Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

In 1980 - Queen played Wembley Arena, London, UK.

In 1980 - John Lennon killed.

In 1980 - 'Flash Gordon' album released (UK), reached no 10, on chart 15 weeks, Gold status.

In 1981 - 'The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra' performed a concert of Queen tracks, proceeds to Leukaemia research.

In 1993 - The Brian May Band played The Point Theatre, Dublin, Eire.

In 1994 - Roger Taylor played Europe 1 Studios, Paris, France (2 shows)

In 2006 - Roger Taylor and son, Felix, made a guest appearance with the SAS Band - Jeff Scott Soto, Felix Taylor, Tony Vincent, Kimi Dee and others, Bisley Pavilion, Woking, UK. © brianmay.com

**Sat 07 Dec 13**

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY NO1 IN NETHERLANDS

Direct link Thanks to the wonderful Dutch fans who have once again voted Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody as No 1 in the Top 2000 in the Netherlands. The Eagles Hotel California is No 2. The complete list will be revealed over a number of days 23 - 31 December, counting down to the No 1 spot. See www.radio2.nl © brianmay.com

**Sat 07 Dec 13**

BWW REVIEWS: WE WILL ROCK YOU IS AN IRRESISTIBLE DELIGHT IN RALEIGH

Direct link



WWRY Webisode RockTheatrical FINAL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT5XLmgLzcQ WWRY Webisode RockTheatrical FINAL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT5XLmgLzcQ BROADWAY WORLD

6 December 2013 by Larisa Mount We Will Rock You, a musical featuring the songs of Queen, has been one of the most successful shows in London's West End for quite some time. Now, it is touring America, bringing familiar songs and a fun story around the country. It's spending the week in Raleigh, in the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, brought to you by North Carolina Theatre and Broadway Series South. The show is a true rock musical, complete with loud music, lasers, and sweet guitar riffs. We Will Rock You takes place in the future, after digital mega-corporation Globalsoft has taken over the planet once called Earth, and turned everything digital - even things like friendship and music. There is no original music anymore, though legend tells of something that once existed, something called Rock and Roll. A few brave citizens have broken free from the oppressive technological powers that be, and have set up camp in the ruins of Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas, banding together to try and salvage whatever they can of Rock and Roll. They've even adopted famous rockers' names as their own, resulting in some great comic moments. Galileo Figaro hears Rock and Roll lyrics in his dreams, and sets out with the girl he names Scaramouche to find the last remaining musical instrument on the planet, all in the hopes of unleashing the elusive rock music which haunts his dreams. This show has a whole lot going for it. In true rock fashion this show is loud, the strobe lights are bright, and there's plenty of flashy lasers and video screens. It gives the feel of a rock concert while still being a stage production. The costumes, in their futuristic retro Rock and Roll style, are charming and help bring the characters to life. The actors have great rock vocals and smart comic timing, and the band is beyond amazing. While the plot sometimes caters to the songs, rather than the other way around, the music is good enough that it really doesn't matter. Some of the jokes are "groaners," but amusingly enjoyable ones, and the overall effect is to create characters who are charming and lovable. It almost goes without saying that the music is great - it is Queen music, after all. Even those who didn't grow up as die-hard Queen fans will enjoy the music. All of the leading actors are stellar, as is the ensemble cast. Brian Justin Crum, who leads the show as Galileo, has a voice that slides right into these rock songs, like he was born to sing exactly this music. He's vocally powerful, expressive, and a joy to listen to. Accompanying him as Scaramouche, Ruby Lewis matches his talent and from the moment she starts belting "Somebody to Love," you'll be a fan. I could easily list the cast's merits, one talented performer at a time, and go on for days - long story short, they totally rock. The show is full of references to Rock and Roll music dating from the fifties to the current day, and it's clear that the creative team keeps the show fresh by updating moments of the show to reflect current events. Most importantly, it's abundantly clear that the actors and musicians love their job - they are having fun on stage, and the audience is reciprocating. There were plenty of fists in the air, arms swaying, and cheers from the audience during the show. We Will Rock You is not a prim and proper musical, but one at which you just can't help but clap along and enjoy with your whole body. We Will Rock You runs through December 8. For tickets and more information, visit www.nctheatre.com - Tickets © brianmay.com

**Sat 07 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link In 1973 - Queen played Shaftesbury Hall, Cheltenham, UK.

In 1975 - Queen played the Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, UK.

In 1978 - Queen played the Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

In 1979 - Queen played the Empire Theatre, Liverpool, UK.

In 1990 - Brian May and The Cross made a guest appearance for the Queen Fan Club Christmas Party at the Astoria Theatre, London, UK. Brian May joined The Crross (on guitar) for the final 4 songs of their set:

I'm In Love With My Car (Brian guitar)

Let Me Out (Brian guitar + vocals)

Tie Your Mother Down (Brian guitar + vocals)

Lucille (Brian guitar) In 1993 - The Brian May Band played Ulster Hall, Belfast, UK. © brianmay.com

**Fri 06 Dec 13**

QUEEN + NELSON MANDELA AND 46664

Direct link Spearheaded by Brian May, Roger Taylor and Dave Stewart, 46664 was a global initiative that brought together leading music icons to spread the message of Nelson Mandela: "AIDS is no longer a disease, it is a human rights issue.” The 46664 campaign was set up to benefit the Nelson Mandela Foundation and its work in the South Africa. In addition to raising funds, its aim was to raise awareness of the epidemic sweeping across the continent and to call governments into action. The launch of the campaign was the 46664 The Concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town on 29th November 2003. The concert took place in front of an audience of 40,000 and was broadcast to millions around the world via TV, webcast and radio. Those who joined leading South African artists included Anastacia, Baaba Maal, Beyonce, Bono, Johnny Clegg, The Corrs, The Edge, Annie Lennox, Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Dave Stewart and Zucchero. At this concert Queen performed three news songs inspired by Mandela's appeal; 'Say It's Not True', 'The Call' and 'Invincible Hope', the last track featuring a sample of one of Mandela's famous speeches. Queen's involvement with the campaign did not stop there. Brian and Roger performed with Paul Rodgers at a 46664 Fancourt, in South Africa in 2005 and then closed the 46664 concert in Hyde Park in 2008 that celebrated Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday. Brian also performed as a solo artist in Tromso, Norway at 46664 Arctic in June 2006. Queen manager Jim Beach produced all the 46664 concerts, including the last 46664 Concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York in 1991 featuring many American artists including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Will.I.Am. Queen did not perform at this concert Queen continue to be inspired by Nelson Mandela and continue the fight against HIV/AIDS through the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the charity set up following the death of Freddie Mercury. www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com © brianmay.com

**Fri 06 Dec 13**

MUSIC MOURNS NELSON MANDELA

Direct link ROGER TAYLOR TRIBUTE "Mandela, how sad. Leaves a great big hole in the world. "

Roger Taylor MOJO TRIBUTES TO THE late Nelson Mandela have been flooding in from the musicians who counted the anti-apartheid revolutionary as a friend and inspiration, among them Peter Gabriel, Bono, Yoko Ono, Queen's Brian May, Jay-Z and Paul Simon. You can read what they said and wrote here . gg.gg/stm2/1 © brianmay.com

**Fri 06 Dec 13**T

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link In 1969 - Smile played Imperial College, London, UK.

In 1973 - Queen played the College, Cheltenham, UK.

In 1974 - Queen played the Sartory Saal, Cologne, Germany.

In 1978 - Queen played Dane County Coliseum, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

In 1979 - Queen played the Empire Theatre, Liverpool, UK.

In 1980 - Queen played the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK.

In 2004 - Roger Taylor made a guest appearance with he SAS for the Rainbow Trust charity, Clapham Grand, London, UK. In absence of a video with today's date .... - here's an interview we POSTED here in our Brian News TODAY IN 2006 - TRANSCRIPT HERE - Brian's interview on Sky Lunchtime News 23 October 2006, Bang!, New Music - Rock Star Or Astronomer? Brian May with Kate Burley Sky News 23 October 2006

- http://youtu.be/EHhq8oq2UtY © brianmay.com

**Thu 05 Dec 13**

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - THE STAR WARS EDITION

Direct link This is great.... Bohemian Rhapsody: Star Wars Edition - http://youtu.be/oi7KPDi_yQI ABOUT:

Press "CC" in the player for the lyrics! Based on "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen and STAR WARS created by George Lucas Produced by the Students and Faculty of the Digital Video Program at University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona (http://goo.gl/bPjbc) "Star Wars Edition" Lyrics by Stephen Panagiotis, Jamall Richards and Paul DeNigris "Star Wars Edition" Vocals Produced by Joey Sawhill & Adam Newton

All vocals by Adam Newton

Engineered & Mixed by Joey Sawhill © brianmay.com

**Thu 05 Dec 13**

FREDDIE'S AMAZING VOICE - AS HEARD IN MONTREUX STUDIO

Direct link Queen Studio Experience - The Amazing Voice of a Dying Man Queen Studio Experience - The Amazing Voice of a Dying Man Pandy Legend says:

I visited the Queen Studio Experience in Montreux today, where you can have a go at "mixing" the song "Mother Love". I filmed myself doing so and for a time muted all tracks except Freddie's vocals. Amazing to hear, especially when you consider this was recorded the month he died, *November 1991 [*Correction: Mother Love was recorded April/May 1991 according to Justin Shirley-Smith interview] Check out Pandy's Blog on the occasion HERE © brianmay.com

**Thu 05 Dec 13**

RECORD COLLECTOR - CHRISTMAS 2013

Direct link Here is the cover of the Christmas 2013 Ediiton of Record Collector magazine, which proudly announces "Queen - Roger Taylor: The Most Honest Man In Rock". © brianmay.com

**Thu 05 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link Queen - Too Much Love Will Kill You - http://youtu.be/JwUR6c8lTE0 Queen - Too Much Love Will Kill You - http://youtu.be/JwUR6c8lTE0 In 1970 - Queen played Shoreditch College, Egham, UK.

In 1974 - Queen played the Musikhalle, Hamburg, Germany.

In 1977 - Queen played the Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

In 1980 - Queen played the NEC, Birmingham, UK.

In 1992 - Brian May in Telethon TV show - France.

In 1993 - The Brian May Band live played Aston Villa Centre, Birmingham, UK.

In 1994 - Brian May guest appearance with Meatloaf at Wembley Arena, London, UK.

In 1995 - Too Much Love Will Kill You / Rock In Rio Blues released (USA). Queen | Rock In Rio Blues (Live in Rio Second Concert 19-1-1985) - http://youtu.be/j--af9kt3RM Queen | Rock In Rio Blues (Live in Rio Second Concert 19-1-1985) - http://youtu.be/j--af9kt3RM © brianmay.com

**Wed 04 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link Brian at The Royal Centre, Nottingham

4 December 1993 (Ed. I was there)

Here Brian is admonishing a member of hte audience for trying to monopolise his attention and

engage in conversation!!)





Brian at The Royal Centre, Nottingham4 December 1993 (Ed. I was there)Here Brian is admonishing a member of hte audience for trying to monopolise his attention andengage in conversation!!) Brian May in Telethon (Milan, Italy) - Too Much Love Will Kill You (04.12.1992) - http://youtu.be/WqmoAOuSSUI In 1965 - The Opposition played the Co-operative Hall, Enderby, Leicestershire, UK.

In 1974 - Queen played Palmengarten, Frankfurt, Germany.

In 1977 - Queen played University Arena, Dayton, Ohio, USA.

In 1978 - Queen played Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada.

In 1979 - Queen played City Hall, Newcastle, UK.

In 1988 - The Cross, Brian May and John Deacon made a guest appearance for The Queen Fan Club Christmas Party live at Le Palais, London, UK.

In 1989 - At The Beeb released (UK).

In 1992 - TV show: Brian May appeared on the Telethon TV show in Italy.

In 1993 - Brian May played the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, UK.

In 1994 - Roger Taylor played the Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, UK.

In 2009 - Brian May played for the WWRY musical premiere at the the Allianz Teatro, Milan, Italy. © brianmay.com

**Tue 03 Dec 13**

JUSTIN SHIRLEY-SMITH INTERVIEW AND TRANSCRIPT

Direct link Excellent interview with Queen's sound engineer:- SRF.

JUSTIN SHIRLEY-SMITH: "FREDDIE SAID TO ME, 'YOU'LL HAVE TO RECORD ME.'" Justin Shirley-Smith worked from 1984 to 1991 with the rock band Queen. Lasting memories were the recordings he made of Freddie Mercury shortly before his death. What was it like to work with Queen? And how to work with a singer who you know might die soon? TRANSCRIPT BY JEN TUNNEY: JUSTIN SHIRLEY-SMITH: "Working with Queen was always a great experience because they were just so talented, all four of them were talented, so whenever they came into the studio, not always together, but there would be someone working here on a new song, writing songs, and then when they were all together, then they would play in the big hall as a band and that was fantastic, you know. Hearing the band was like your own private concert. Amazing. "The most obvious memory for me is the day I spent with Freddie by myself, well, just himself and me in here, when it wasn't the last vocal that he recorded - that was Mother Love - it was A Winter's Tale, which is the one before, only a few days before in April or May, I think it was, 1991. Everybody was away and Dave Richards the Engineer was ill, so Freddie said, 'Well, you'll have to record me". So it was just him standing there, singing in the control room, and me recording him, and that was a very special day because it was one of the last vocals he ever recorded. "Freddie and I knew each other from years before because he'd been here many times from, well, in the late '80s, so at least 3 or 4 years him coming here, so it was fine. He knew me, I knew him, so it was very easy communication, and he was always very nice to me. "He sang amazingly even though he was struggling physically. He'd be conserving his energy to try and get the most power out of his voice, which is there on the records. You can hear it on Winter's Tale and Mother Love. "But it wasn't a sad time. People think it may have been sad, but I mean although we knew he was ill, everybody in the Queen organisation, the band and everyone else around and mostly Freddie, just said, "Look, forget all that. I'm just going to focus on the music and do everything I can." And everyone else was supporting the man and doing the same. Just forgetting about het bad stuff and focussing on the good stuff." INTERVIEWER: How was it for you to record, knowing you had to record as much as possible because that person's probably going todie soon? "Well I'm not sure we ever, I don't think I ever thought that. I never had that thought in my head, really. As I said, we just put it out of our heads. "And he'd been ill for some years, so we'd had sessions from '88, '89, where he was coming in, the whole band was coming in every few months to record, so there's a kind of continuation. We never, we didn't know, exactly when it would happen, or when it would stop or the last recording would be, so I can't really answer that." [Sighs and smiles] Queen sound engineer: Justin Shirley-Smth Queen sound engineer: Justin Shirley-Smth © brianmay.com

**Tue 03 Dec 13**

PRESS RELEASE: QUEEN SIGN NEW DEAL WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

Direct link BRIAN MAY AND ROGER TAYLOR OPEN NEW QUEEN EXHIBITION



Switzerland, December 2, 2013 -- Queen and Universal Music Group have renewed their partnership with a new, long term deal that will herald a range of exciting projects from the band including a raft of rare and unreleased material and a film.



The agreement was announced at today’s launch of Queen: The Studio Experience, a major new Queen exhibition in Montreux, Switzerland. Brian May and Roger Taylor were in Montreux to officiate the opening.



The exhibition provides a unique behind the scenes glimpse into the band’s recording life during the years spent working at the Swiss town’s Mountain Studios where, between 1979 and 1995, Queen created six albums, including Jazz and the seminal Made In Heaven. The exhibition will raise awareness and funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the AIDS charity set up by Queen and their manager Jim Beach immediately after front man Freddie Mercury’s tragic death from AIDS in 1991.



The new Universal deal, which covers the world outside North America, comes three years after Queen first signed with Universal Music. That move saw the band release music through Island Records for the first time in its history and signalled the start of a major re-mastering and repackaging programme, providing live tracks, alternative takes and other additional content for Queen’s 15 studio albums. In 2011 the band and label also celebrated Queen’s 40th anniversary with a major marketing campaign and a series of high profile events, including the Stormtroopers in Stilettos exhibition staged in London in February 2011 and a major BBC TV documentary on the band.



Max Hole, Chairman and Chief Executive of Universal Music Group International said: “We have loved working with Queen over last three years. Queen remains one of the biggest, boldest and most influential bands in the world. The band and Universal Music have lots of ambitious plans for the future”.



Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor said: ‘’We have also enjoyed working with Universal. In spite of being the biggest music company in the world they succeed in retaining a very hands-on personal relationship with their artists, something we much appreciate’’. Supporting the Mercury Phoenix Trust, fighting AIDS worldwide, and sponsored by the Fondation Barrière, Queen: The Studio Experience features memorabilia from the recording studio and the band’s personal archives, including original handwritten song lyrics, costumes and instruments, together with a small cinema. The centre-piece of the exhibition is the studio control room, still in its original state, where visitors will be able to create their own mixes of selected Queen tracks including Freddie Mercury’s last recorded vocal, Mother Love.



For more information on the Queen Studio Experience and the Mercury Phoenix Trust:

www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com © brianmay.com

**Tue 03 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link

Brian May Brazil 3/12/1992 Too Much Love Will Kill You - http://youtu.be/wERyAqT-T1A Brian May Brazil 3/12/1992 Too Much Love Will Kill You - http://youtu.be/wERyAqT-T1A In 1975 - Queen played Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK.

In 1978 - Queen played Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada.

In 1979 - Queen played the City Hall, Newcastle, UK.

In 1992 - Brian May appeared on Brazilian TV.

In 1993 - The Brian May Band played the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK.

In 1994 - Roger Taylor appeared at Manchester University Debating Hall, Manchester, UK.

In 2011 - Roger Taylor made a guest appearance with the SAS Band at G Live, Guildford, UK.

Brian May singing on Brazilian TV, 1992 © brianmay.com

**Mon 02 Dec 13**

QUEEN SIGN NEW DEAL WITH UNIVERSAL

Direct link MUSIC WEEK

2 December 2013 Queen and Universal Music Group have renewed their partnership with a long-term deal covering a range of new projects from the band including rare and unreleased material and a film. The new Universal deal, which covers the world outside North America, comes three years after Queen first signed with UMG - when they left their long-term deal with Parlophone/EMI. That move saw the band release music through Island Records for the first time in their history and signalled the start of a major re-mastering and repackaging programme, providing live tracks, alternative takes and other additional content for Queen’s 15 studio albums. The new agreement was announced at today’s launch of Queen: The Studio Experience, a major new Queen exhibition in Montreux, Switzerland. Brian May and Roger Taylor were in Montreux to officiate the opening. The exhibition provides a unique behind the scenes glimpse into the band’s recording life during the years spent working at the Swiss town’s Mountain Studios where, between 1979 and 1995, Queen created six albums, including Jazz and Made In Heaven. The exhibition aims to raise awareness and funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the AIDS charity set up by Queen and their manager Jim Beach immediately after frontman Freddie Mercury’s tragic death from AIDS in 1991. In 2011 the band and Universal celebrated Queen’s 40th anniversary with a major marketing campaign and a series of high profile events, including the Stormtroopers in Stilettos exhibition staged in London in February 2011 and a major BBC TV documentary on the band. Max Hole, Chairman and Chief Executive of Universal Music Group International said: “We have loved working with Queen over last three years. Queen remains one of the biggest, boldest and most influential bands in the world. The band and Universal Music have lots of ambitious plans for the future”. Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor said: ‘’We have also enjoyed working with Universal. In spite of being the biggest music company in the world they succeed in retaining a very hands-on personal relationship with their artists, something we much appreciate’’. Supporting the Mercury Phoenix Trust, fighting AIDS worldwide, and sponsored by the Fondation Barrière, Queen: The Studio Experience features memorabilia from the recording studio and the band’s personal archives, including original handwritten song lyrics, costumes and instruments, together with a small cinema. The centre-piece of the exhibition is the studio control room, still in its original state, where visitors will be able to create their own mixes of selected Queen tracks including Freddie Mercury’s last recorded vocal, Mother Love. © brianmay.com

**Mon 02 Dec 13**

QUEEN STUDIO EXPERIENCE, MONTREUX - OPENING

Direct link First OFFICIAL APPROVED photos.... PHOTO GALLERY - more soon

Brian May at the studio opening - Roger Taylor looks on The exhibition is open to the public from tomorrow, 3 December.. Admission is FREE with donations to the Mercury Phoenix Trust encouraged and received with thanks. © brianmay.com

**Mon 02 Dec 13**

ADAM LAMBERT'S FAVOURITE QUEEN SONG

Direct link In an interview with Huffington Post, Adam revealed his favourite Queen song... HUFFINGTON POST

1 November 2013 by Tara Solomon

"Adam Lambert Talks Miami, Rock Gods, Juicing and Being in Need of a Good Book" TS: Will you be performing any of your songs from collaborations with Queen or Avicii or from Glee? AL: You'll have to come and find out! TS: What is your favorite song from your Queen collaboration? AL: It's hard to name a favorite, there's so many great songs. I think my favorite out of the more obscure ones was "Dragon Attack." It's one that I fell in love with. I don't know if I could name a favorite. I mean, I think "We Are the Champions" is genius, "Who Wants to Live Forever" is amazing. I love singing "Another One Bites the Dust." That's probably my favorite up-tempo. And "We Will Rock You." I mean, I can't name a favorite -- they all have their own character! © brianmay.com

**Mon 02 Dec 13**

INSIDE THE STUDIO WHERE FREDDIE MERCURY SANG HIS LAST SONG

Direct link CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO GALLERY SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

01 December 2013 by Cole Moreton, Montreux



Cole Moreton is electrified by a visit to the late Queen frontman's old haunt, now open to the public for the first time. The studio in Montreux, Switzerland, where Freddie Mercury made his final recording is being opened to the public for the first time, with a launch tomorrow to coincide with World Aids Day. Take a look inside the studios where Queen recorded many of their best known songs... The music drops out and the voice of Freddie Mercury is left alone to soar in the speakers. This is the last recording the Queen singer made and is the sound of a man railing against the sickness that would soon kill him. I’m listening to his raw, untreated vocal while standing on the spot where he sang, in a studio on the shores of Lake Geneva. It is electrifying. “We all knew there wasn’t much time left,” says Brian May, the Queen guitarist who was at that session in May 1991. "Freddie wanted his life to be as normal as possible. He obviously was in a lot of pain and discomfort. For him the studio was an oasis, a place where life was just the same as it always had been. He loved making music, he lived for it.” Now the studio in Montreux, Switzerland, where that final recording was made is being opened to the public for the first time, with a launch tomorrow to coincide with World Aids Day. Entrance to the Queen Studio Experience is free but fans will be asked for a donation to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the charity set up in the singer’s name after he died of bronchial pneumonia brought on by Aids in November 1991. They will be able to see his extravagant stage outfits, read the lyrics he wrote in a scrawling hand on scraps of paper and use a replica of the old control desk to remix his last song as they choose – including the ability to strip back everything else so it sounds as if Freddie is in the room. “I was surprised at how moving it was to come back in here and listen to him again as he was,” says Justin Shirley-Smith, the assistant engineer for those last sessions. “This is hard to explain to people, but it wasn’t sad, it was very happy. He was one of the funniest people I ever encountered. I was laughing most of the time, with him. Freddie was saying [of his illness] '---- that. I’m not going to think about it, I’m going to do this.’ We all were.” For years, fans have argued about which was Freddie’s last song, with members of the band and studio engineers contradicting each other. Now, The Telegraph can disclose, the mystery has been solved. The dates were not always written down, but after searching through the labels on old boxes of reel to reel tape, Mr Shirley-Smith says it was definitely Mother Love, recorded between May 13 and 16 1991. The song expresses a longing to be cared for and protected. “I can’t take it if you see me cry,” sings Mercury. “I long for peace before I die.” Brian May says that is why the ailing singer bought a flat by the lake in Montreux. “Particularly towards the end of his life he was pursued by the press and curious people. He just wanted peace and quiet, to be able to get on with what he did. It was very convenient in Montreux because people got used to the sight of us and nobody made a fuss.”

Studio now (Photo Richard Gray) The studio is surprisingly small, tucked away around the back of the Casino de Montreux. Queen owned it from 1979 until the early Nineties, but May and the drummer Roger Taylor have now collaborated to restore the old control room, with the same stone-clad walls and intimate atmosphere. This was where the band recorded Under Pressure with David Bowie, as well as many other songs including A Kind of Magic, Who Wants To Live Forever? and One Vision. The four members of Queen sold more than 300 million albums and had 18 number one singles – but in the spring of 1991, they knew their frontman was facing the end. The rest of the band put themselves on standby in the Swiss town, ready to record when the singer felt able to come in, for an hour or two at a time. May says: “He just kept saying. 'Write me more. Write me stuff. I want to just sing this and do it and when I am gone you can finish it off.’ He had no fear, really.”

Queen in 1976 (Rex Features) Mercury was walking with a cane by then and could not stand for long. He chose to sing in the control room, with his closest friends. That afternoon he sang a verse at a time, with three attempts at each. His vocal is surprisingly strong at times. “I don’t know where he found the energy,” says May. “Probably from vodka. He would get in the mood, do a little warm up then say, 'Give me my shot.’ He’d swig it down ice cold. Stolichnaya, usually. Then he would say, 'Roll the tape’. He still had astonishing power in his lungs at that point, I really don’t know where it came from. The song starts low and gentle, but Mercury chose to push himself and go higher. We looked at each other and knew there was a mountain to climb. That’s when the vodka really went down. He said, 'I will hit these notes.’ And he did. It was a wonderful performance.” When the lead vocal is isolated in the studio you can hear his vulnerability “I don’t want pity,” he sings, “Just a safe place to hide.” Mercury was exhausted by the effort, adds May. “We got as far as the penultimate verse and he said, 'I’m not feeling that great, I think I should call it a day now. I’ll finish it when I come back, next time.’ But, of course, he didn’t ever come back to the studio after that.” The other members of the band worked on while Mercury rested in his apartment. “We always ate together. That was lovely. Then the day came when he said, 'Look, I’m going back to London for a while.’ It was always 'a while’. Nothing was ever 'the end’.” He went back to London for the last time in early November 1991 and died at his home in Kensington on the 24th. May was in London when he heard the news, along with the rest of Queen. “We were all wondering if it was an illusion, and he was going to be cured. You can’t really take these things in properly. Then we got the phone call. It was surreal. Even though we had been preparing for such a long time, it still didn’t feel possible,” says May “We all got together and talked and had a drink and then saw it announced on the TV. Strangely enough, that was when it seemed real for the first time. You thought, 'Oh my God, he really has gone and everybody knows now. It can’t be taken back’.” Later, the recordings Mercury had left were pieced together for the posthumous album Made In Heaven, one of Queen’s biggest sellers. “A lot of the time it feels as if Freddie is still with us, even though physically he is not,” says May, who is working with Roger Taylor on a new film about the band. "Sacha Baron Cohen was due to play Mercury, but that association ended over the summer. We had a great meeting the other day. We seem to have our director and I think an announcement will be made any day. We think we have our Freddie, and he’s great. We’ve seen the screen tests. I’m not going to tell you who he is, but I think everybody is guessing.” Reports suggest it may be Ben Whishaw, who will have big boots (but tiny Lycra trousers) to fill. There’s a bronze statue of the singer by the lake in Montreux, where fans leave gifts and candles. A few steps away, back in the studio, the voice of Freddie Mercury disappears and is replaced by that of Brian May, finishing the song on behalf of his friend. “My body’s aching but I can’t sleep, I’m coming home to my sweet mother love.” (With thanks to Telegraph) © brianmay.com

**Mon 02 Dec 13**

ON THIS DAY IN QUEEN HISTORY

Direct link

Queen: These Are The Days Of Our Lives- http://youtu.be/sDUmT3wm-0A In 1973 - Queen played he Central, Chatham, UK.

In 1974 - Queen played the Brienner Theater, Munich, Germany.

In 1975 - Queen played the Hammersmith Odeon, London.

In 1975 - A Night At The Opera released (USA)

In 1977 - Queen played Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA.

In 1991 - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives released (UK)

In 1994 - Roger Taylor played the City Hall, Truro, UK. © brianmay.com

**Sun 01 Dec 13**

WORLD AIDS DAY

Direct link This World AIDS Day remember, not just Freddie, but all those living with HIV and AIDS today in 2013. For more information go to www.worldaidsday.org The Mercury Phoenix Trust - Fighting AIDS Worldwide You can donate to the Mercury Phoenix Trust at www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com/donate © brianmay.com

**Sun 01 Dec 13**

PAUL RODGERS CHARITY RAFFLE - INCLUDES QUEEN+PR PHOTOBOOK

Direct link Check out this Charity auction in aid of the Willows Animal Sanctuary, Aberdeenshire. Paul Rodgers has generousy donated the following items: 1st prize a rare Bad Company autographed live cd from their North American 40th Anniversary Tour!

2nd a beautiful unique acrylic painting by Cynthia Kereluk Rodgers! Plus: - Queen & Paul Rodgers Rockmos book







- Limited edition signed Paul Rodgers print

- Signed limited edition Paul Rodgers booklet

- Signed Paul Rodgers Muddy Water Blues CD,

- Signed Paul Rodgers and Friends DVD

- T shirts, guitar plectrums and more! You can buy Raffle Tickets HERE£1 each - minimum purchase 2 tickets) The draw takes place on 14 DECEMBER 2013. PLEASE SUPPORT. © brianmay.com

**Sun 01 Dec 13**

SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY - BO RHAP TRAILER

Direct link New trailer for the movie "The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty", starring Ben Stiller - Now running on ITV in the UK. The trailer kicks of with Bohemian Rhapsody. YAY !! Here it is: © brianmay.com