In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Roger Taylor of Queen talked about Freddie Mercury’s voice. He mentioned that before Mercury became famous, he sounded quite different, even comparing him to a “manic goat” due to his extraordinary vibrato. Taylor reminisced about how amazing it was to see Mercury grow into the powerful performer he became, capable of reaching audiences in large venues like stadiums, but the bassist for Queen gave a reason for retirement as well.
After Freddie’s passing, the band initially split, but Roger and Brian May continued to tour with Adam Lambert as their singer. They recently celebrated the remastered version of Queen’s debut album from 1973 at a special event in London. The evening included a Q&A session with Brian and Roger, as well as a playback of the revamped album, which has been reissued over 50 years after its original release.
“I don’t think you realise how dreadful he sounded before,” the drummer said while introducing the remastered version of their 1973 debut album. “I mean, he sounded like some manic goat. He sounded extraordinary, his vibrato. My mother’s face when she saw him…”
Taylor added, “He turned out to be our wonderful Freddie whom we will never forget. He became this colossal force who could reach to the back of any gig or a stadium in Argentina. He reached everyone.”
This new six-CD set features a different track list, alternative versions of songs, demos, and live recordings from their first concert in 1970. Brian May noted that the album sounds better now than it did at its initial release, explaining that while the original was not bad, it did not meet their dreams for the project. He added that every instrument was carefully re-evaluated and improved, particularly the guitars, which were originally recorded without much atmosphere.
Queen recorded most of their music at Trident Studios shortly after their first gig in 1970, often working late into the night. Roger Taylor mentioned that they would frequently start at three in the morning and continue working as long as they could.
The new version of Queen I includes a refreshed mix and mastering, and it features a song called “Mad The Swine” as its fourth track, which had been removed previously due to a disagreement with a producer.
