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Roger Taylor facts: Queen drummer's age, wife, children and songs revealed

4 June 2022, 15:40

It's relatively rare for a drummer to become something of a household name, but Roger Taylor managed it.

Not to be confused with Duran Duran 's drummer of the same name, the Queen musician is still rocking with longtime bandmate Brian May to this day.

Here are all the important facts about Roger Taylor every fan should know:

How old is Roger Taylor?

Roger Taylor was born on July 26, 1949. He celebrated his 72nd birthday in 2021.

He was born in King's Lynn in Norfolk.

Who is Roger Taylor's wife?

In 1977, Roger Taylor began dating Dominique Beyrand. Despite their relationship breaking down in 1988, they decided to marry in order to protect their children's interests in the future.

Roger Taylor remarried in 2010, to his partner of six years Sarina Potgieter (above).

How many children does Roger Taylor have?

Roger Taylor with his family in 2008 (left to right: Lily, Lola, Sarina and Rufus)

With his first wife, Taylor has two children: Felix Luther and Rory Eleanor.

While married, he began seeing Debbie Leng (who can be seen in Queen's 'Breakthru' video), and they had three children: Rufus Tiger (a drummer for The Darkness and a touring musician for Queen + Adam Lambert), Tiger Lily and Lola Daisy May.

What Queen songs did Roger Taylor write?

Queen - Radio Ga Ga (Official Video)

Roger Taylor wrote many of Queen's hits, including:

- Radio Ga Ga - A Kind of Magic - Heaven for Everyone - The Invisible Man - Breakthru - Innuendo - These Are the Days of Our Lives

How many solo albums has Roger Taylor released?

Roger Taylor - Journey’s End (Full Length Version)

Roger Taylor has released five solo albums from 1981 to 2013. His most recent was 2013's Fun on Earth .

His biggest solo hit was 1994's 'Nazis', which reached number 22 in the UK.

He has also been a member of The Cross, who released three albums from 1988 to 1991.

What is Roger Taylor's net worth?

According to The Sunday Times Rich List , Roger Taylor was worth £80 million ($127 million) as of 2011.

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Although best known for his powerhouse role in Queen, Roger Taylor is anything but a drummer confined to his kit. With rock n’roll in his veins all through his schooldays, he has always been a highly active, vocal member of Queen. He famously wrote Queen’s landmark hits Radio Ga Ga and A Kind Of Magic , and was also the first to make a solo album, 1981’s Fun In Space. To date he has released 5 solo albums, which, aside from his work with Queen, further highlighted Taylor as an musician and writer with a strong sense of identity, a wide musical perspective, and - not least of all - a man not without a sense of irony. Just consider, for instance, the lyrics to I’m In Love With My Car , his B side to Bohemian Rhapsody , and a firm audience favourite in the Queen live set.

Taylor’s active approach has not been confined to his music: when media mogul Rupert Murdoch made attempts to buy Manchester United football club, Taylor funded the club supporters in their attempts to block the sale, and historically helped them succeed.

His history in one of rock’s most famous bands begins in the late 60’s, the time when he first teamed up with Brian May, and later John Deacon and Freddie Mercury, to form Queen. But before that...

Roger Taylor was born in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, on July 26th 1949, Roger became fascinated with music in the early 50s, when his family moved to Cornwall. He learned his first instrument, the ukulele, at a tender age, and enjoyed a brief taste of things to come in a pre-teen skiffle band whose collective talent survived just two public performances, both apparently excruciating!

His music took on a different direction in 1960, when he became a rather reluctant member of the Truro Cathedral Choir -- a prerequisite of his scholarship. He taught himself the guitar around this time, but by the following year had moved over to drums.

By 1966 Roger had not only progressed to drumming in Cornwall's most popular band, the Reaction, but had also become their lead singer, with his drum kit placed -- where else? -- in the principal position, at the front of the stage. That year, the Reaction won a hotly- contested local talent contest and, according to newspaper reports, were duly "mobbed by young girls".

While maintaining his keen interest in music, Roger decided to study dentistry, and in 1967 moved to London to enrol at the London Hospital Medical College. He later studied biology, obtaining a BSc in the subject.

In 1968 Roger formed another group, Smile, with Middlesex guitar ace Brian May. Smile played sporadically over the next few years and even issued a single in the United States. By 1971, Roger had long abandoned any desire to become a dentist or a biologist, and with new additions to the line-up John Deacon and Freddie Mercury, Smile became known as Queen.

The Queen legend often refers to how Taylor and Mercury were particularly close, and spent many hours on the town together seeing bands who at that time were their heroes: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Who, all of whom influenced them and helped shape the musical destiny of Queen.

Roger began writing songs for Queen from day one, and each of the band's fifteen studio albums included at least one of his compositions. History notes that all four members of Queen wrote No.1 singles: Taylor dutifully provided his with Radio Ga Ga , A Kind Of Magic and These Are The Days Of Our Lives amongst his.

1977 was the landmark year in which Queen released We Are The Champions and We Will Rock You . Roger bought a Ferrari, and became the first member of Queen to launch a solo career with the release of the single I Wanna Testify .

His solo album Fun In Space followed in 1981, and was succeeded by 1984's rock-based Strange Frontier . Both LPs reached the Top 30. In 1987 Roger formed his own band The Cross, in which after more than 20 years he finally resumed the role of lead singer. The Cross released three distinctive albums and toured extensively in the UK and Europe.

After the tragic death of Freddie Mercury, Roger returned to his solo career with 1994's Happiness? , an album on which he explored the theme of "dealing with life and looking for happiness" . The success of the album prompted further tours of the UK and Italy. Then came perhaps his most potent album, Electric Fire , which clearly showed Taylor as an acute observational songwriter. Rich in contemporary reflections on life, the album was full of attention-grabbing songs tackling thought-provoking and sometimes challenging issues — national obsolescence, domestic violence, and poverty, among them. One track, People On Streets , was inspired by visits Roger made to India and the inequalities he witnessed in the fortunes of that country's vast population. Never shy to express himself, several super- rich and powerful world figures get name checked in the song.

That the Queen musical We Will Rock You came into being could be seen as something of a surprise taking into account Roger’s openly expressed view that “musicals are completely foreign to me. It’s a genre I don’t particularly like.” But after working closely with Brian and writer Ben Elton on shaping the musical, Taylor found himself deeply entrenched in developing the show, breaking the rules of musical theatre and taking on the role – along with Brian - as musical supervisor, not only for the first production in London, but for each of the subsequent productions throughout the world. To date, local productions of the show have reached 8 further countries.

In 2005, after an accidental encounter with former Free singer Paul Rodgers, Roger and Brian felt the time was right to put Queen back on the road. Billed as Queen + Paul Rodgers, Roger and Brian tested the water with a handpicked set of European dates. Such was the momentum built up over the six week European tour, a US tour was booked to follow, which saw Roger and Brian return to the USA to play for the first time in more than 20 years. The impact of the return to the road was summed up in a review of is closing night in Vancouver: “the night that arena rock officially made its comeback” .

Roger returned to his solo career in late 2009 with the release of the single The Unblinking Eye . A new solo album emerged in 2013, the critically acclaimed Fun On Earth , plus a comprehensive box set called The Lot which covered all his solo material and work with The Cross.

Roger also oversees and produces The Queen Extravaganza, the official Queen Tribute act. The Queen Extravaganza is a spectacular touring concert show designed to take the music and live experience of Queen and bring it to generations of fans.

With Queen + Adam Lambert’s planned blockbuster 2020 Rhapsody European tour postponed until 2022 by the Covid-19 pandemic, Roger made good use of his lengthy lay-off. Fired up with creative inspiration, he spent much of lockdown writing and recording new material. Before long he found himself with his first solo album in eight years, Outsider,

In a tradition dating back to his very first solo album, Fun in Space from 1981, he wrote, produced, sang and performed all the songs on Outsider himself, with just a little help from long-time friends and collaborators. Building on more than half a century in music, Roger conceived Outsider as a kind of mature late-career statement, its prevailing mood autumnal and bittersweet. “Autumnal is a very good word for it,” he says. “It's slightly nostalgic and wistful, and quite adult, a bit more grown-up than my last couple of albums.”

Launching Outsider in grand style, Roger - with a hastily assembled band of his regular musician partners – Queen + Adam Lambert’s keyboard player Spike Edney, supporting drummer Tyler Warren, and bassist Neil Fairclough - and a couple of new recruits – guitarist Christian Mendoza and keyboard player Tina Keys - took to the road to play a 14-date tour of the UK promising a set list of solo career tracks old and new, plus some crowd-pleasing Queen classics, news that was music to the ears for the rock starved masses as they finally emerged from lockdown hibernation.

Opening in Newcastle October 2 with a final show at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on October 22 the tour played to packed houses and universally ecstatic reviews: "Quite simply brilliant". "Do yourself a favour. See this tour". "A phenomenal show", “a hugely enjoyable rock romp”.

Meanwhile, his Outsider album, release October 1, rounded off 2021 on a triumphant note for Roger. His sixth solo album, it debuted at No.3 in the UK chart, his highest-ever placing outside Queen

The summer of 2022 finally saw the twice-delayed Queen + Adam Lambert Rhapsody Tour reinstated, with Roger, Brian May and Adam Lambert playing 36 sold out shows across Europe between May and end of July, not forgetting one additional triumphant by-special-invitation appearance on June 4, 2022 – performing for the opening of the historic Platinum Party Buckingham Palace concert celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s seventy-year reign.

www.rogertaylorofficial.com

Roger Taylor

Born July 26 , 1949 · Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England, UK
Birth name Roger Meddows Taylor
Height 5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)
Roger Meddows Taylor (born 26 July 1949) is an English musician who performs as a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band Queen , but has also served as songwriter and occasional lead vocalist. As a songwriter, Taylor contributed songs to Queen's albums from the very beginning, composing at least one track on every album, and often singing lead vocals on his own compositions. He wrote or co-wrote three UK number 1s ("These Are the Days of Our Lives", "Innuendo" and "Under Pressure") and contributed a further major hits ("Radio Ga Ga", "A Kind of Magic","One Vision", "Heaven for Everyone", "Breakthru", and "The Invisible Man"). In addition to his drum work, Taylor routinely played keyboards, guitars and bass on his own songs. During the 1980s, in addition to his work with Queen, he formed a parallel band known as The Cross, in which he was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist. Taylor is also well-known for his falsetto vocal range. By the time Queen's album 'News of the World' was released in 1977, Taylor had met his future girlfriend, Dominique Beyrand , who was working for Richard Branson at the time, who was at the helm of Queen's free concert at Hyde Park. They lived together from 1980 to 1987, raising their two children: actor Felix Taylor and doctor Rory Eleanor Taylor . They decided to get married for reasons relating to his estate, to protect his children's interests in the future. At the time, Taylor was seeing another girl, model/actress Deborah Leng , the Cadbury's Flake girl also seen in Queen's "Breakthru" video; he moved in with her a month after his marriage of convenience to Beyrand. Before Freddie Mercury 's death, Taylor and Leng had their first child, drummer Rufus Taylor , who was born in March 1991. He ended up having two more children with Leng: models Tigerlily Taylor (1994) and Lola Leng-Taylor (2000). In late 2002, they decided to break up. Taylor remarried on 26 August 2010, to Sarina Taylor . He resides in Guildford, Surrey, but also has a home in Helford, Cornwall. Her younger half-sister is fashion model Genevieve Potgieter . - IMDb Mini Biography By: Marie Christine Taylor
Spouses Sarina Taylor (October 3, 2010 - present) Dominique Beyrand (January 3, 1988 - ?) (divorced, 2 children)
Children Felix Taylor Rory Eleanor Taylor Rufus Taylor Tigerlily Taylor Lola Leng-Taylor
He sang lead vocals with Brian May on Queen 's tribute song to Freddie Mercury "No-One but you (Only the Good Die Young)This Was written By Brian May".
Appeared in drag in two music videos : Queen 's "I Want To Break Free" and Freddie Mercury 's "The Great Pretender".
He started studying dentistry but got his degree in biology
Drummer for the rock group Queen .
Owns an extensive collection of classic automobiles. One of these cars, an Alfa Romeo, and the Triumph TR4 owned by a friend are the co-inspirations for the Queen song "I'm In Love With My Car".
We (pop stars) are people, not androids. We've got views. I've got opinions and I don't see why I shouldn't use a bit of my art to put them over. I think music is one of the most powerful media forces in the world today.
[on performing without the late Freddie Mercury ] We're not going out there with somebody pretending to be Freddie Mercury . We are what we are now; we're not what we were then, we're just going out, playing our songs.
There are stereotypes and it is quite amazing how often members of bands seem to follow those stereotypes. Singers are all vain. Guitarists are all vain but won't admit it. Bass players are quiet people, and drummers are very exciting people to be with.
[on drumming] There's something rather nice about spending the evening hitting things.
[on drum machines] Fantastic to write with. They have their place, they're terribly useful to the musician, but they're just another tool. They never will replace a good drummer. A lot of the bands that use them, I call them typewriter bands because basically they program the sample sounds with no real dynamics, and that dynamics is very important. And the records come out sounding very flat and very 2-dimensional whereas something with real dynamics and a good drummer can add another dimension, depth, to the band and that's why bands that play together when they're actually making the record will always sound better.

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Roger Taylor Talks About Solo Work, Queen in the ’70s: ‘We Were Just a Heavy Rock Band’ – Exclusive Interview

For more than 40 years Roger Taylor has been the drummer behind the kit for Queen . And in that seat, he’s traveled the world many times over and been a part of nearly every magical musical experience a musician could hope to have. In that time, he also found time to dabble extensively in solo work, releasing albums under his own name and also with a separate band, the Cross.

Omnivore Recordings has collected material from all of his solo journeys in two new collections. ‘ Best ,' which comes out on Oct. 27, collects 18 tracks -- from Taylor's 1977 solo debut single through ‘Fun on Earth,’ his 2013 solo album. The set will be available on both CD and vinyl with many of the tracks making their vinyl debut for the first time. ‘ The Lot ,’ meanwhile, offers a deeper dive and will be in stores on Nov. 10. It presents the entirety of Taylor’s solo output, spread across 12 CDs -- including four discs of singles and remixes, plus a DVD of additional video content and a 64-page book.

Taylor spoke with Ultimate Classic Rock about the new releases, as well as his activities with Queen, both past and present.

Eight albums’ worth of work gives you a lot to choose from. How did you arrive at the final batch of material that we’re hearing on 'Best'? What made each one of these songs really stick out in your mind?

Well, I wanted people’s opinions, really. So it’s been put together with what people seem to think was the best, given the fact that I sort of vaguely agreed. So, I listened the other day in the car, as you do, and I thought it hung together pretty well. I don’t spend a lot of time listening to my stuff. You know, I find that you get so close to it when you’re making it. Then when you do this a few years later, it’s sometimes a nice surprise. So really, I think it’s a good bunch of tracks. They’re probably the more accessible tracks.

Then there’s the box set, which brings together all of your solo albums. From your end of things, what was involved in pulling it all together?

Well, it was just a great idea, and the record company was keen to do it -- and I just thought, "well, how nice to get all of that stuff, bring it all out and get it all in one box." For me, it’s great. You know, I’ve got several boxes of half of my life, and it’s amazing to just have it all there in one thing. It’s like tying up a bundle and making a neat [collection] of it. It’s great, so I feel I can move on now. [Laughs.]

Collections like this are nice, because often there’s stuff that’s been out of print.

That’s right! I think that some of it has been, and then it’s been back in and then it’s been out of print again. But you’re right, yeah, and there it is if you want it and it’s great. It’s really nice to have it all in a box. I’m very pleased with that. I have to tell you a funny story, we’ve been putting this box together for months, and I eventually get a finished box from the factory and in my huge excitement, I tear off the cellophane and open it up and there’s no CDs inside! [Laughs.] So there was a little manufacturing problem. I can imagine that you’ve paid this money for the box. and there’s nothing in it. But the book was in there! Anyway, we fixed it!

Watch Roger Taylor Perform 'I Wanna Testify'

Queen was often a band that pushed recording technology to the max. Similarly, some of your solo work on these collections features a lot of layers. You probably get used to working a certain way in a band like Queen. I’d be interested to hear how you approached that from a solo perspective, when you had full control, and what your thoughts were as far as what you wanted to do musically with your work outside of Queen.

I wanted to do different things at different times. I wanted to do something slightly psychedelic on the first album, ‘Fun In Space.’ But I knew as I was the only instrumentation and voice on it, which I was very keen to be, I realized that I had to use the studio to its full [capabilities] and use all of the layering and overdubbing and double-tracking, etc. It’s not so easy [when it’s] just you, so you use all of the tricks that you know. But I mean, even with some of the Queen tracks, I would play the entire drum track without anybody else even being there and we didn’t have clicks or drum machines, you’d literally be playing a song in your head and playing along to it. There are about three or four examples of that in the Queen stuff, which is quite interesting. It’s quite a technique.

I think what your solo work kind of exposes is that for people who aren’t aware, you are somebody who can play a lot of different instruments. That probably allowed you to indulge in some different elements of creativity that you didn’t otherwise have a chance to engage in.

That’s absolutely right. I was able to express myself in a sort of selfish way, maybe. I don’t know, but it was great, because it was only me to blame. But it was I guess, as such, a kind of extension of your personality at your time.

At the same time, the percussive side of these records doesn’t suffer. It almost seems like in some of these songs, the percussive element of the music is magnified. Did you feel like you had a little bit of extra license to go a little bit further in that area than perhaps you did in your normal area of working with Queen.

I guess so. I mean, if you listen to any guitar player’s records, you’ll hear a lot of guitar in it. It’s always a fight, usually everyone thinks they should be louder in the mix, certainly in the early days, you know. Obviously, when you have a chance, you can make your main instrument the loudest thing on the record. I wouldn’t think it necessarily is on all of this stuff though. There is a lot of percussive elements, probably in the earlier stuff more. Obviously, I like the drums to be heard. I think they’re important. [Laughs.]

When you’re in a successful band like Queen and you start having these thoughts about doing some recordings on your own, how difficult is it to find the confidence to step outside of that normal world?

I guess the lead singing is the hardest thing to be confident about. It’s so subjective, and it’s also so innately you. We also had a hell of a lead singer, so that was tricky. But everybody in the band was always supportive of everybody else’s solo work. You know, we understood, if John [Deacon] wanted to go off, or Brian [May], or even Freddie [Mercury], and do something on their own? "Yeah, fine. Hey, good luck," you know? And we used to play on each other’s solo stuff occasionally, as well. Freddie even sang on one of my tracks. So it was good; it was all friendly.

Listen to Roger Taylor Perform 'Sunny Day'

‘Fun On Earth’ was your first solo album in 15 years. Without a doubt, you’ve kept busy over those 15 years. What finally brought you back around to doing another solo record?

I’m lucky enough to have a studio here where I live, and it was an accumulation of work. It wasn’t fast; it was quite slow building up. It just sort of came together in the end, and I thought I’d collect it all into one album. Then, you try and make a coherent record. But it really was an accumulation over quite a long period.

What has your writing process been like these days? Do you still write on a regular basis?

No, it’s very irregular. [Laughs.] If I have an idea -- and the good ideas normally develop super-fast, it’s the ones that you labor over, I think, that tend to be less successful as a piece of work. You know, if it takes that long to make it fit and make it work, it’s probably not the best idea in the the first place. I might start on piano or I might just start with some words. It can start either way, really. It’s a pretty haphazard process. I wouldn’t sit down and work at writing a song like a novelist or something.

Queen has been out touring this year with Adam Lambert and folks have been really happy to get a chance to see the band in arenas again here in the U.S. What was it like for you, going back out on an extended tour?

It was about four months, because we went to Asia and Australia as well. I have to say, it was just great. You know, we got on so well with Adam. He fitted in so well with us and he brought so much to the show. [He’s a] great frontman and he looked great and he sings beautifully, and his style is very suited to our music. You know, it’s pretty theatrical music, some of our stuff. He’s the greatest. So, we really had a ball and I think it came over in the shows. They were very well attended and the reception that we got in every city was great. So, it was a really great experience and I’m thrilled. We’re going to go on and do Europe in January and February. It’s all good.

Listen to Queen's 2014 Version of 'Love Kills'

After the European run that you mentioned, what sort of thoughts have you all had? Do you want to record with Adam?

I think it would be great to do something, yeah. Not an album, probably. He’s got his own stuff to do, and that’s very much a priority for him. I think it would be very interesting, because his voice is so extraordinary and I think we could really do something great with it. I see no end to the possibility and the potential of Adam Lambert. He’s a fabulous performer, and I think it would be very interesting to do something with him.

There is a new Queen compilation coming out on November 10th called ' Queen Forever .' There are some interesting things on this set, including several unreleased tracks. Can you tell us a little bit about the process of getting those tracks ready for release?

Well, in a nutshell, Brian and I worked on the three tracks to get them ready. The track featuring Michael Jackson ['There Must Be More To Life Than This'], which is an old Freddie song that he recorded with Michael, we had our version -- which was a very stripped down version with alternating lines. Then we got our friend William Orbit to do, I guess, a more radio-friendly mix. He has some alternating verses, so it’s very different. They’re two very different versions. The version you’re going to hear on the album is William’s version. Another track, ‘ Love Kills ,’ was an old dance record, really, with Giorgio Moroder, which Freddie did as a solo [track]. But we all actually played on it at the time without telling anyone. That one, Brian had the idea of doing that one half-time and just completely replacing the instrumentation and really bringing a new sort of gravitas to the song, I think vastly improving it. It’s a beautiful vocal performance from Freddie.

The third track is an old Queen track ['Let Me In Your Heart Again'] which we never really quite finished when we were recording ‘The Works’ in L.A. Brian and I just did a little more work on it, [added] a little bit of backing vocals and that track comes out great and you can hear the old Queen rhythm section in full swing on it and it sounds good to me!

I know that there was some other stuff that Freddie worked on with Michael. Did you guys look at those tracks too?

We did, yeah. But we had to really go along with what Michael’s record company and his estate would release. So, we had talks with them and that’s what they would agree to.

Watch Queen perform 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

We’re at the 40th anniversary of ‘Queen II’ and ‘Sheer Heart Attack.’ Starting with ‘Queen II,’ what comes to mind when you think about those records? With that record in particular, did the idea of a “Black Side” and a “White Side” for the album, did that develop pretty early in the composition process for the record?

It did. I think that all along, we had this sort of black-and-white theme thing. We used to take it through to our stage shows, you know. Everything was either black or white. It was effective -- because in those days, there was very little production onstage. So, we thought we’d take it through to the album and so we just sort of named it. The slightly darker side was the “Black Side,” and the slightly more airy fairy side was the “White Side.” It just gave it a nice sort of feeling of its own, I think -- a little signature for the record to hopefully make it stand out a little bit. But we were very much very experimental at the time of ‘Queen II.’

The band was learning a lot about recording during the time that those first two albums were made. What was the scene when work began on ‘Sheer Heart Attack’? There’s no question that there was a continued evolution with the sound of the band. What do you recall about where you were at going into that third record, compared to where you had been with what you had done on those first two?

Well, I think that the third record, it sounds simpler, but I think it’s a better record in many ways. I think that we’d really gotten the grip of the studio by then and I think the sounds are better. The drum sound is better and I think we really got our vocal harmony techniques honed by then. I think ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ is a very good package. It’s not trying to be -- it’s not overblown. It’s just a good strong record, I think.

Looking ahead to the next album, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ seems like a song that the recording process alone could drive a band crazy.

Yeah, it was long and involved and very wearying. Because the tape machines would break and we had a lot of breakdowns. There were, I don’t know how many voices, 150-odd voices, which is basically three voices -- Freddie, myself and Brian. It was a lot of work, but Freddie had it all in his head and we believed in it, so we carried it through. I’ve got to say, I remember that we finished the track and we thought, “That’s pretty good!” We were very pleased with it.

The band would ultimately release seven albums in six years, starting with the debut in 1973. That’s an incredible period of activity. Creatively, how hard was it to maintain that pacing of writing, recording and releasing albums -- and then touring to support those albums?

Is that right? I didn’t know that! It was really album, tour, album, tour. It really was nonstop, pretty much. I guess it was hard. We got used to it. You know, in the very beginning, we would always assemble what material we had and then we would rehearse it. Then when we really got rolling, we would just turn up in the studio and try and write, see what came out then and we would come up with stuff. I’m sure some quality suffered at times; it must have -- it’s inevitable. But we sort of got used to doing it in a different way and there wasn’t time to really write and then rehearse and then record, so we’d try and shove it all into the same time period.

Watch Queen Perform 'Stone Cold Crazy'

From your point of view, how important was Roy Thomas Baker to Queen’s process of making records? What did he bring to the table?

I think he brought a certain amount of discipline and a lot of cynicism [laughs], and a passion for fattening desserts. He liked his food, Roy. But no, he was very disciplined and very strict in the beginning. In the end, we didn’t take any notice of him. [Laughs.] But he would always get it right. The take had to be right. We would do a lot of takes sometimes before it was right. Because things were very different then, you know, you had to get it all right, all at once.

The recent Queen release of the Rainbow material from ‘74 made a lot of folks really happy. One comment that I heard was that it reminds you of how heavy of a band Queen was in the ‘70s.

Yeah, I mean, it surprised me when I heard it again. I hadn’t heard it for years. I played it in the car and I thought, “Wow, this is really heavy!” In fact, I was on the way to rehearsal with Adam and Brian and the band for the American tour and I said, “Look, why don’t we start with a couple of these older songs that we used to play -- wow, they are heavy!” Before we had hits, we were just a heavy rock band. So, I think people got to think of us differently, after you’ve heard the hits -- but that was what we were. I was very pleased with the way that whole Rainbow thing turned out. I think it looks great and it sounds good.

There have been quite a few live releases of Queen material from the ‘80s, so I think folks were pretty happy to get something from the ‘70s era of the band. What else is there in the vaults from those years that exists?

Very little. I believe that there is film of our free concert in Hyde Park, but I think it’s not complete and I don’t think it’s particularly good quality. I can’t think of anything else.

What else is there that you want folks to know about?

I’d like to say thank you to everybody who came and saw us on the tour. That was great and we’re still here, we’re still alive and enjoying it. It’s been a good ride. Queen is the train that never stops, I think.

Queen Drummer Roger Taylor on Lockdown Life, Slim Odds of a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Sequel

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Roger Taylor ‘s original plans for 2020 called for him to spend the evening of June 29th drumming with Queen and Adam Lambert at the 15,000-seat Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany, as part of their ongoing Rhapsody world tour. Instead, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he spent that night watching the Netflix documentaries Trump: An American Dream and Magnetic . During much of the lockdown, he’s divided his time between his two homes in England, but right now he’s in Croatia with other members of his family.

“I have a boat and I managed to get on it and I’m in the middle of the Mediterranean,” he says, “which has managed to have almost no COVID. We’re very lucky to be there. We managed to escape. It’s a beautiful, underrated country.”

Taylor phoned up Rolling Stone to chat about his life during the lockdown, his new solo song “Isolation,” Brian May’s condition post heart-attack, the slim possibility of a Bohemian Rhapsody sequel, Bob Dylan’s new album, and when he can envision himself retiring.

How has your quarantine been? I’m one of the lucky ones. We have a beach house down in Cornwall, which is the Southwest corner of the U.K. We have a lot of space there and so it wasn’t so bad. But like for everybody, it was a strange, worrying, anxiety-filled experience. We just didn’t know what was going to happen next, and we’re still kind of in that position.

Your life changed so rapidly. You had just gone all over Australia when this hit. We were very lucky. We had gone through there just before the pandemic hit. We had the most incredible tour. As we got home, it all happened. We were very fortunate there, but sadly we had to cancel our European tour for this year. We postponed and we’ll do it next year. So many things have gone on hold now. It’s going to be a while before we’re back to normal.

Are you able to unwind at home and enjoy this slower pace of life, or are you going stir-crazy? I didn’t go stir crazy. But I can understand people that are living in apartments or in an urban environment in a city doing that. I’d find that very difficult. I was able to get outside and get by the sea without getting near anybody. We were lucky. But I really did sympathize with anybody that was stuck in apartments and high-rises without being able to go out and socialize. I think the hardest part was not knowing how this was going to turn out. That was the worrying thing.

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Tell me the backstory to your new song “Isolation.” I have a little drum kit down in my basement down in our holiday house here. I just started giving Instagram lessons for beginners, telling them the little tricks and stuff that you never get told if you take formal lessons, really simple things. Formal lessons with instruments seem to go about it in the wrong way. I was doing that and I was sitting in my garden shed and I was thinking, “Here we are in isolation. I should write a song about it and see if people connect with it, since an awful lot of people are going through the same thing.”

You play all the instruments? Oh, yeah. I like to play everything because then it’s just you. It’s all your fault.

How did you record it? When I got back to my house in Surrey, which is right near London, I have a studio there. I just went in and put it down. That was after those nine weeks when we were allowed to travel. People seem to quite like it, which is nice. It was very much a spur-of-the moment thing, just a total reaction to the circumstances.

I was thinking about how it affected everybody. Not the same extent, but it did affect everybody. An awful lot of people seem to be ignoring it now and an awful lot of people are going to suffer, I think, because of that.

Are you thinking about writing more songs and possibly doing another solo record? I’ve had a couple of things out just on the net in the past five or so years. I have a little collection of songs I’d like to put out at some point. When I have enough, it would be nice.

One of the things in the lockdown I’ve really enjoyed is Bob Dylan’s output. It was just so fantastic to hear him back in the room. I absolutely love his new album. The tracks he put out one-by-one, “I Contain Multitudes” and “Murder Most Foul,” are fantastic. It really, really gave me real pleasure during those weeks.

Do you miss being onstage? Do you miss the rush of a live audience? We’ve already done a pretty big tour in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea just this year. I don’t miss it yet, but we have a pretty big tour of Europe booked for next year. It’s going to happen on exactly the same dates assuming that everybody is going to shows and gigs. We’ve all got our fingers crossed for a vaccine. We shall see.

Would you be comfortable playing onstage if there’s no vaccine by that point? If there’s no vaccine, I’m not sure it’s going to happen. I will be comfortable if I feel the risk for people in the audience is non-existent or very low. I wouldn’t be surprised if people are wearing masks in a year. We’ll see. Like everyone else, I don’t know.

I saw the show at Madison Square Garden last year. There was so much energy and love in that room. The movie seemed to really give you guys a tremendous boost. I’m not sure you’ve ever had a bigger American audience. I think that’s right, judging by the last tour. It was totally sold out. It was really gratifying for us. I think we have a new infusion of younger fans that saw the movie and enjoyed it. They probably had heard some of our music at sporting events, or whatever, but weren’t entirely sure who we were. We feel very grateful to be able to jump generations.

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Watch queen + adam lambert perform an emotional 'is this the world we created...' in new york.

Adam seems to grow more and more confident with each tour. I’m sure you feel that on the stage. Absolutely. He’s a complete joy to work with. Incredible voice. Incredible professional. And a great sense of humor, which always makes it more fun for us onstage. I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else now. He’s just great. He’s been a joy.

It’s like you scoured the planet and found the single best person to do that job. We didn’t even scour, really. It just happened. He has this gift. He has this fantastic charisma onstage, sort of this Elvis thing. It’s like Camp Elvis as opposed to Camp David. He’s just great. I can’t say enough great things. He’s also a great friend and a neighbor in Los Angeles.

How is Brian doing? I know he had some scary medical issues. That’s right. We cancelled the tour and then Brian got really sick. We may have had to cancel it anyway, which is the irony. He’s very much on the mend. We’re in daily contact. It was quite a scare. He had a real scare. It’s been strange. We were struck doubly. Our manager had a pretty major heart attack too. It’s been a very weird year for us in all kinds of ways.

I spoke to Brian shortly before he became sick. He told me there was some talk of a Bohemian Rhapsody sequel, but you guys decided against it. Were there any ideas you were throwing around for it? I have to say no. I really do think that we need to sit back for a year or two and look at things and see if that is a believable or credible thing to do. The movie was a great hit. We were delighted, obviously. But I think I wouldn’t want to be seen as cashing in again. I’d have to have a very, very good script and scenario to make that work. Right now, I can’t think of a way of doing a sequel.

The last tour with Freddie in 1986 and the final years of his life were very dramatic and eventful, though. That is true. That is post–Live Aid. If somebody comes up with a genius plan, maybe we’ll think about it. [ Laughs ] Right now, we’re just very happy with what the movie did. There are so many sequels that don’t match up to the original one. There are obvious ones that did, but on the whole, I think it’s a dangerous territory.

You must have been shocked that the first one brought you guys to the Oscars. Not a lot of people saw that coming. It was extraordinary. There was the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs and then the Oscars! We thought, “Hey, we’ll take it!” It was a great ride, but it wasn’t our world. Our world is the rock & roll world. It was fascinating and very interesting to be involved. When the movie got four Oscars, it took a while for that to sink in. Mind you, they didn’t give Brian and me any. That’s OK, though.

How many more years do you hope to keep touring? I think about Charlie Watts. He’s nearly a decade older than you and still behind the kit. He’s amazing. Good for Charlie! Brian and I talk a lot about this. We say, “Hey, look, we sort of enjoy it more now than we did before.” We realize that’s what we did and that’s what we’re good at. The tacit agreement between the two of us is, we’ll do this as long as we can do it properly and really love doing it. When either of those things stop happening, we’ll stop.

These are songs that really demand to be played live. I can’t think of any other band whose music translates onto a stage quite like that. That’s very true. We really rely on love and audience involvement. We want them to join in and feel like part of the whole show. That’s something we’ve developed over the years and it became part of our DNA, audience involvement.

I’m really hoping the 2021 tour is able to happen. As soon as I can safely enter an arena or stadium again and safely see Queen, I’ll really feel like the pandemic is over. It would will, when live venues open again properly and people can be together en masse. That will be a great mental step forward. I really hope it’s going to happen next year. It’s in the lap of the gods, if you believe in them.

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Freddie Mercury Was Part of Brian May and Roger Taylor's Entourage Before Forming Queen

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Raised in the Feltham, Middlesex, section of London, a teenage May was smart and dedicated enough to build his own guitar, the legendary Red Special, with his father in 1963. The following year, he joined classmate Dave Dilloway to form a band called 1984, adding harmonica player and vocalist Tim Staffell before their first public gig in October.

As detailed in Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury , 1984 was a cover band that played hits by groups like The Shadows, The Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones, displaying enough craftsmanship to land a gig on the same bill as supernova guitarist Jimi Hendrix in May 1967.

May, who was studying astronomy at London's Imperial College, soon quit the band to ostensibly focus on his schoolwork. But he also yearned for more creative musical expression, and he joined forces with his old bandmate Staffell, now attending the nearby Ealing College of Art, and fellow Ealing student and organist Chris Smith to launch a new group that became known as Smile.

The trio became a quartet when London Hospital Medical College dentistry student Roger Taylor responded to the group's advertisement for a drummer. Formerly the centerpiece of a popular Cornwall band called The Reaction, Taylor impressed the others with his chops and energy, and by the fall of 1968, Smile was professionally up and running.

Mercury sang in other bands before Queen

Meanwhile, Staffell and Smith had become friends with a unique character named Freddie Bulsara. Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, Mercury had emigrated with his conservative Parsee family to Feltham, Middlesex, in 1964, before enrolling at Ealing in 1966.

Largely remembered by classmates as shy and quiet, Mercury nonetheless stood out for his exotic looks and budding taste for outlandish fashions. He also possessed a sharp sense of humor and an endearingly campy side, traits that made an immediate impression on May and Taylor upon their first meeting in early 1969.

Before long, Mercury was an established member of the Smile entourage, instructing its members on how to perform and lobbying to become the lead singer while following them around on gigs. He grew especially close to Taylor and moved in with the band after graduating from Ealing in 1969.

That summer, Mercury became the lead singer of a cover band called Ibex. Eventually changing its name to Wreckage, the group struggled to find its footing and disbanded by the end of the year, though not before its frontman stumbled upon what would become his signature move of parading around with the top half of a mic stand.

READ MORE: Meet Mary Austin, the Woman Who Stole Freddie Mercury's Heart

Mercury, May and Taylor launched Queen in 1970

As Wreckage flailed, the fortunes of Smile also waxed and waned. They cut a single for Mercury Records, "Earth/Step on Me," which quickly vanished after its August 1969 U.S. release and a gig at London's Marquee Club that December fell flat.

By early 1970, Smile had been dumped by its label and lead singer Staffell. Mercury was then involved with another group called Sour Milk Sea, but this venture soon petered out as well.

Thus created the opportunity that had been staring everyone in the face for some time, and in April 1970, Mercury, May and Taylor agreed to move forward with their musical aspirations together.

First up was the band's name. It was Mercury, favoring the simplicity of a one-word name, who came up with Queen, which referenced his androgynous nature and regal aspirations for success. He also set about completing his own transformation from shy London immigrant to rock star, with a nod to the Roman mythological messenger of the gods, henceforth becoming known as Freddie Mercury.

READ MORE: The Complicated Nature of Freddie Mercury's Sexuality

The band found its missing piece in bassist John Deacon

Queen played its first formal gig at a Cornwall Red Cross benefit on June 27, 1970, with Mercury singing and strutting, May on guitar, Taylor on drums and Mike Grose on bass.

This arrangement didn't work, and after a few shows, Barry Mitchell took over on bass. In early 1971, the job was briefly entrusted to Doug Bogie.

The missing link was uncovered after a chance meeting with bassist John Deacon at a London disco in February. An electronics student at Chelsea College, Deacon was a few years younger but a seasoned performer with a Leicestershire band called The Opposition. Quiet and a quick learner, he fit right in with a headstrong group that was stubbornly plowing ahead with its musical dreams.

Indeed, it would take quite a bit of stubbornness for Queen to ride out the two-and-a-half years until their self-titled debut album hit stores, but the pieces were in place, setting the stage for the emergence of one of the most innovative and popular rock bands of the decade and beyond.

Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991) of British rock band Queen with his friend Mary Austin, during Mercury's 38th birthday party at the Xenon nightclub, London, UK

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“Queen Behind The Hits – Roger Taylor”

As well as being recognised for their individual skills as incredible musicians and performers, perhaps less often documented is the considerable writing talents of all four members of Queen: Mercury, May , Taylor , and Deacon each individually contributing a significant portion of the extensive Queen song catalogue which continues to resonate on playlists and music charts to this very day.

This week’s Queen The Greatest episode highlights five band classic hits that all came from Queen drummer Roger Taylor.

As well as writing, among others, fan favorites such as “I’m In Love With My Car,” famously the B-Side to “Bohemian Rhapsody” (and the source of much parody in the band’s blockbuster Bohemian Rhapsody film), and the live tour de force “Sheer Heart Attack,” Queen’s first major chart success with a Taylor composition came in 1984 with “Radio Ga Ga.” The single was a worldwide success for the band, reaching number one in 19 countries.

More chart success for Taylor followed on the band’s next album with the title track, “A Kind of Magic,” accompanied by another classic video in which Freddie gets to weave his ‘magic’ over his less than glamorous looking band mates.

By the time The Miracle album came along in 1989, songs were being credited as being composed by Queen, rather than individually – but it is acknowledged that Roger was the originator of two of the album’s chart hits – “Invisible Man” and “Breakthru.”

Further along the series will take a look at the hits originated by Freddie, Brian and John.

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The Lot – the complete collection of his rich back catalogue of work, spanning his solo career and material from The Cross – is released on the same date in stunning limited collectors editions and digital formats. The Lot comprises of Roger’s solo albums Fun In Space (1981), Strange Frontier (1984), Happiness? (1994), Electric Fire (1998) and Fun On Earth , as well as the three albums by his band The Cross – Shove It (1988), Mad, Bad And Dangerous To Know (1990) and Blue Rock (1991). Alongside these studio albums are four spectacular Single albums, they feature edits and versions that have never been released on any of the albums (excluding the Freddie vocal track of ‘Heaven For Everyone’), and never heard before, previously unreleased rarities. The Lot BOXSET with 12 CDs and 1 DVD CONTENTS:8 original albums and 4 singles CDs and a DVD with videos and bonus content.

Fun In Space

Strange frontier, electric fire.

Shove It (The Cross)
Mad Bad & Dangerous to Know (The Cross)
Blue Rock (The Cross)
Fun on Earth (new album + 2 new tracks for physical box only)
Roger Taylor Solo Singles 1
Roger Taylor Solo Singles 2
The Cross Singles 1
DVD with music videos and bonus content.

fun on earth

Roger’s fifth studio album ‘Fun on Earth’ is released on 11th November 2013.

Fun on Earth is one of Taylor’s most exciting, eclectic and accomplished pieces of work to date. Recorded at Priory Studios, Surrey, the 13 track album is a triumphant display of superior musicianship showcasing Taylor at his vocal best. Opening track ‘One Night Stand‘ and ‘I Am The Drummer (In A Rock n’ Roll Band)’ captures Roger’s reckless, exhilarating side. The smooth refrains of ‘Sunny Day’ and ‘Be With You‘ display Roger’s talent as a lyricist and heartfelt vocalist. ‘Say It’s Not True’ sees Taylor team up with Jeff Beck for the contemporary Queen favourite.

Radio 2‘s Chris Evans was so enamoured with gorgeous lead single ‘Sunny Day’ that he played it twice in a row when he premiered it on the station in September 2013. Fun On Earth is a tour de force of rock music from a master multi-instrumentalist and singer on top of his game.

1. One Night Stand!
2. Fight Club
3. Be With You
4. Quality Street
5. I Don't Care
6. Sunny Day
7. Be My Gal (My Brightest Spark)
8. I Am The Drummer (In A Rock 'n' Roll Band)
10. Say It's Not True
11. The Unblinking Eye - Abridged

Roger’s fifth studio album ‘Fun on Earth’ is released on 11th November 2013. Fun on Earth is one of Taylor’s most exciting, eclectic and accomplished pieces of work to date. Recorded at Priory Studios, Surrey, the 13 track album is a triumphant display of superior musicianship showcasing Taylor at his vocal best. Opening track ‘One Night Stand‘ and ‘I Am The Drummer (In A Rock n’ Roll Band)’ captures Roger’s reckless, exhilarating side. The smooth refrains of ‘Sunny Day’ and ‘Be With You‘ display Roger’s talent as a lyricist and heartfelt vocalist. ‘Say It’s Not True’ sees Taylor team up with Jeff Beck…

Sleeve Notes
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In the summer of 1980, during a break in Queen’s mammoth tour of the USA, Roger began work on a solo project. It would become the first solo album from a Queen band member.

“I’d had these ideas for years, and I just thought the time was right to start putting them into some sort of order. I’d had a go with the Testify single, but I had an album full of songs that I knew couldn’t be done by Queen. I don’t really know why they were not suitable for us as a band, they just weren’t”.

The album was recorded at Mountain Studios in Switzerland, which was then owned by Queen, and featured ten tracks all written, arranged, produced and played by Roger. Additional keyboard parts were played by engineer David Richards.

The album cover was conceived by Roger and designed by Storm Thorgerson at Hipgnosis, the company that also designed artwork for artists such as Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Bad Company.

Roger’s liner notes on the album include the line “ P.P.S. 157 synthesizers “, a light-hearted reference to the early Queen albums which proudly announced, “No synthesisers”.

‘Fun In Space’ was released in the UK in April 1981, and reached number 18 in the charts, with the ‘Future Management’ single released a week earlier. Although no video was made for the single, Roger did appear on ‘Top Of The Pops’ and other TV shows in Europe. An edited version of ‘My Country’ followed in the UK, while in the USA and Japan ‘Let’s Get Crazy’ was the chosen single.

1. No Violins
2. Laugh or Cry
3. Future Management
4. Let's Get Crazy
5. My Country I & II
6. Good Times Are Now
7. Magic Is Loose
8. Interlude in Constantinople
9. Airheads
10. Fun in Space

In the summer of 1980, during a break in Queen’s mammoth tour of the USA, Roger began work on a solo project. It would become the first solo album from a Queen band member. “I’d had these ideas for years, and I just thought the time was right to start putting them into some sort of order. I’d had a go with the Testify single, but I had an album full of songs that I knew couldn’t be done by Queen. I don’t really know why they were not suitable for us as a band, they just weren’t”. The album was…

‘Strange Frontier’ was recorded during 1983 and into 1984, also at Mountain Studios, Switzerland, and at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, with co-producers David Richards and Mack.

Roger went into the sessions with a good selection of tracks to record, so many in fact that certain songs would never see the light of day – until now. Once again, Roger took on the duties of playing various instruments for this album, with the majority of tracks written, arranged and played on by him. Again, some of the keyboard parts were played by David Richards, who also co-wrote two of the ten songs, namely ‘Abandonfire’ and ‘I Cry For You’.

This project included guest musicians on two of the tracks. Roger’s friend and fellow musician, Rick Parfitt from Status Quo, co-wrote ‘It’s An Illusion’ with Roger, as well as playing guitar, and John Deacon played bass. And a certain Mr Mercury contributed backing vocals on ‘Killing Time’.

Roger also took the opportunity to record a couple of songs by two of his musical influences Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, covering both ‘Racing In The Streets’ and ‘Masters Of War’ respectively.

‘Strange Frontier’ was released in the UK in June 1984, with ‘Man On Fire’ single released three weeks earlier. Roger made a promotional video, with director Tim Pope.

Roger conceived the album cover, with photographs taken by George Hurrell and the Totem Pole illustration by Ian Wright.

The album reached number 30 in the UK charts and was followed by another UK single with the title track, ‘Strange Frontier’. A promotional video based on the James Dean movie ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ accompanied this single too, this time with director George Bloom, and was shot in Malibu, California. A 7″ remix edit of ‘I Cry For You’ by John Deacon and Mack, was included on the ‘B’ side. The 12″ vinyl single contained the non-album track ‘Two Sharp Pencils (Get Bad)’ with Roger taking on the unlikely role of a black rap singer. Also on the 12″ was an extended version of ‘I Cry For You’ also remixed by John Deacon and Mack. In Portugal only, ‘Beautiful Dreams’ was released as a single.

“The nuclear threat seemed real and looming at that time, and as the father of young children I felt it as a terrible threat to the future. Maybe not so much now but real at the time. It seemed as if we were at some kind of awful crossroads. Now I kind of like sort of gardening!”

1. Strange Frontier
2. Beautiful Dreams
3. Man On Fire
4. Racing in the Street
5. Masters of War
6. Killing Time
7. Abandon Fire
8. Young Love
9. It's An Illusion
10. I Cry For You (Love, Hope and Confusion)

‘Strange Frontier’ was recorded during 1983 and into 1984, also at Mountain Studios, Switzerland, and at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, with co-producers David Richards and Mack. Roger went into the sessions with a good selection of tracks to record, so many in fact that certain songs would never see the light of day – until now. Once again, Roger took on the duties of playing various instruments for this album, with the majority of tracks written, arranged and played on by him. Again, some of the keyboard parts were played by David Richards, who also co-wrote two of the ten…

Work began on new material for Roger’s third solo album, in May 1987, at Mountain Studios in Switzerland. Now, though, it was to be a project as part of a band and while many of the tracks were nearing completion, Roger wanted the new members to play on the album. The songs were re-recorded in Montreux Switzerland and four different studios in England, and co-produced by David Richards, between August and December 1987.

Roger had already secured a recording deal with Virgin Records and the new album, the unambiguously titled ‘Shove It’, was scheduled for release in January 1988. Ahead of the album, the first single ‘Cowboys And Indians’ was released in September 1987, accompanied by a promotional video made by Ralph Zimon. Also in September, the band made their debut TV appearance, in Germany, and the following month came their first UK television show, ‘The Roxy’, performed before a live audience.

A second single, ‘Shove It’, was released in January 1988, with an extended version of the track available on the 12” and CD single formats. It too had an accompanying video and was filmed the previous November at Crazy Larry’s club in Chelsea.

On 25 January 1987 the ‘Shove It’ album was released in the UK and reached number 58 in the charts. All 8 tracks were written by Roger, and so too was an additional track (for the CD version only) ‘The 2nd Shelf Mix’. The album cover design was conceived by Roger and Gary Wathen and features a photograph of the band taken by Sheila Rock.

The ‘Shove It’ title came from a phrase often used at the time by Roger’s personal assistant, but was also Roger’s standard retort to the press during this period, when prying into his personal life.

Two musical guests were featured on the album; fellow Queen band-mate Brian May contributed guitar to ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, and Freddie Mercury sang lead vocals on the track ‘Heaven For Everyone’. This would later be re-recorded by Queen for their final album ‘Made In Heaven’, released in 1995. Freddie’s vocals on that version were taken from this project.

An abbreviated version of the ‘Shove It’ single was released in the USA in January ’88, coupled with the non-album track ‘Feel The Force’ (also written by Roger). Back home in the UK, The Cross began a 16 date tour, kicking off at a Student Union ball in Leeds, and concluding in London at the Town and Country Club on March 10th, where friends and family were in attendance, including Brian May and Robert Plant.

This UK tour was followed in April by 12 concerts in Germany and a one-off appearance in May at the ‘Golden Rose Rock Festival’ in Montreux, Switzerland. Rather than mime, as most artists usually do at this event, The Cross instead performed live versions of ‘Heaven For Everyone’ and a newly written song called ‘Manipulator’ – written by Roger with Spike Edney and Steve Strange.

The third single from the album, the aforementioned ‘Heaven For Everyone’, with lead vocals by Roger (as opposed to the Freddie vocal version) was released on March 28 th in the UK, accompanied by a promotional video filmed on a cold night in East Greenwich gas works – now the site of the London 02 arena.

The non-album song ‘Manipulator’ was released as the final single in July, including an extended version, but with no promo video or radio play to help it, did not enter the chart.

1988 ended with a special live performance by The Cross at a Queen Fan Club Christmas party at the Hammersmith Le Palais in London. The band were joined on stage by John Deacon and Brian May for a few songs, including ‘Dust My Broom’ and ‘Early Morning Blues’ with Brian on vocals, ‘Whole Lotta Shaking Going On’ with guest Chris Thompson on vocals, and Roger singing his Queen classic ‘I’m In Love With My Car’.

With Roger working full time with Queen in 1989, the rest of The Cross took time off during this period, though they did also work on new material in readiness for the next album.

1. Shove It
2. Cowboys and Indians
4. Heaven for Everyone
5. Stand Up for Love
6. Love on a Tightrope (Like an Animal)
7. Love Lies Bleeding (She Was a Wicked, Wily Waitress)
8. Rough Justice
9. The 2nd Shelf Mix

Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know

‘Mad Bad’ (as it’s often referred to) was recorded live at Mountain Studios in Switzerland between September and December 1989, and was produced by The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith.

The title came from a quote made about Lord Byron, who had been imprisoned nearby at the Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva.

The album features 11 songs written individually and collectively by all members of the band, with two songs penned by Roger alone – ‘Old Men (Lay Down)’ and ‘Final Destination’. Lead vocals throughout are sung by Roger, except on the acoustic track ‘Better Things’, where guitarist Clayton Moss sings his own composition.

‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’ was released on March 26 th 1990 in the UK on vinyl LP and cassette, with the CD containing an extra track; a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Foxy Lady’.

An outrageous promotional video for the forthcoming first single, ‘Power To Love’, was filmed in Vienna in December 1989, but then the band parted company with Virgin Records and signed a new deal with Electrola in Germany, holding up the release of the single which eventually came on January 29 th 1990, in that country. The same song was issued in the UK in April, and was a shortened edit. Despite a wickedly unlikely video, ‘Power To Love’ received minimal airplay and reached only No 85.

On April 1 st the band played a one-off concert at the ‘Festival For Life’ event in Geneva, Switzerland and this was followed in May/June by a full tour of Germany, where The Cross had sold most records and had acquired a significant following. The tour comprised 14 shows, including two dates in Amsterdam, Holland, two at the Ku Klub in Ibiza, and an outdoor gig in Vienna, Austria.

As well as performing all tracks from the new album, some older songs were also added to the set – ‘I’m In Love With My Car’, ‘Shove It’, ‘Strange Frontier’, Heaven For Everyone’, ‘Cowboys And Indians’, ‘Man On Fire’ and the rarely heard ‘It’s An Illusion’.

A second single, ‘Liar’, followed in August and was released in Germany only, and featured a new song, ‘In Charge Of My Heart’, as the B-side. An accompanying promotional video was put together from footage shot at two concerts during the German leg of the tour, in Nuremburg in June.

A third single, ‘Final Destination’, was issued, again only in Germany, in November 1990, with a live version of ‘Man On Fire’ also included.

A special appearance at a Queen Fan Club event held at the Astoria Theatre in London in December was The Cross’ only concert date in the UK in 1990. After playing a full set, the band were joined on stage by Brian May, who played and sang on his own song ‘Let Me Out’ and a familiar Queen ditty entitled ‘Tie Your Mother Down’. Other songs that night, included ‘I’m In Love With My Car’ and a special rendition of ‘Lucille’. This concert was audio recorded and released through the fan club on cassette tape, entitled simply ‘Bootleg’.

1. Top of the World, Ma
3. Closer to You
4. Breakdown
5. Penetration Guru
6. Power to Love
7. Sister Blue
8. Foxy Lady
9. Better Things
10. Passion for Trash
11. Old Men (Lay Down)
12. Final Destination

‘Mad Bad’ (as it’s often referred to) was recorded live at Mountain Studios in Switzerland between September and December 1989, and was produced by The Cross and Justin Shirley-Smith. The title came from a quote made about Lord Byron, who had been imprisoned nearby at the Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva. The album features 11 songs written individually and collectively by all members of the band, with two songs penned by Roger alone – ‘Old Men (Lay Down)’ and ‘Final Destination’. Lead vocals throughout are sung by Roger, except on the acoustic track ‘Better Things’, where guitarist Clayton Moss…

‘Blue Rock’ was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Box, England, between February and August 1991, and was produced by Mark Wallis.

The album contains ten tracks written by the individual band members, rather than the collaborative efforts of the previous album, and features additional musicians – included Geoffrey Richardson (violin / viola) and Helen Liebman (cello) on the tracks ‘Baby It’s Alright’ and ‘Life Changes’, and Andy and Clare Yates (backing vocals) on ‘Baby It’s Alright’ and ‘The Also Rans’.

The third and final Cross album was released in Germany only on September 9 th 1991. It was preceded in August by the only single to be lifted from the album, in Roger’s ‘New Dark Ages’ – this too was a single exclusive to Germany. A promotional video directed by Paul Voss and shows Roger playing guitar.

A second single (again for Germany only) was proposed for October 1991, but this was withdrawn due to Freddie Mercury’s illness. The release was to have been an edit of ‘Life Changes’ (on CD only), the album version of ‘Life Changes’, and an unreleased song called ‘Heartland’.

A new tour began in October 1991 and took the band to Finland, Sweden and Switzerland and 16 dates in Germany. Although playing a shorter set on this tour, much of the ‘Blue Rock’ material featured, as well as more familiar songs like ‘Man On Fire’, ‘Power To Love’ and ‘Top Of The World Ma’.

Following the precedent set the previous December, with the Astoria show in December, the concert at Düsseldorf on October 22 nd was audio recorded and released on cassette tape as the second official ‘Bootleg’ release via the Queen Fan Club. Both cassettes are now rarity items and much sought after by collectors.

In July 1992 The Cross played a one-off show in England at the Gosport Festival, playing a set comprised of eight cover versions, and featuring guest vocalist Bob Geldof on ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ .

To end the year, the band played two special concerts for the Queen Fan Club in December at London’s Marquee Club, with guests including Roger Daltrey, Tim Staffell and Brian May. Again. The shows featured similar material to the show in Gosport in July, but also included a seasonal rendition of John Lennon’s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’.

In July 1993, The Cross returned to the Gosport Festival in July to play a one-off gig. It was to be their final concert as The Cross with Roger and the show was titled Final Destination, after the song – which also ended the show. New additions to the set included Queen classics ‘A Kind Of Magic’ and ‘We Will Rock You’, and covers of ‘Kansas City’ and Mott The Hoople’s ‘All The Young Dudes’.

A one-off Cross reunion set, featuring all original band members, was announced in July 2013, and is scheduled to take place in December at the annual SAS Band show in Guildford, Surrey, England. The event will celebrate 20 years since the five musicians met.

1. Bad Attitude
2. New Dark Ages
3. Dirty Mind
4. Baby It's Alright
5. Ain't Put Nothin' Down
6. The Also Rans
7. Millionaire
8. Put it All Down to Love
9. Hand of Fools
10. Life Changes

‘Blue Rock’ was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Box, England, between February and August 1991, and was produced by Mark Wallis. The album contains ten tracks written by the individual band members, rather than the collaborative efforts of the previous album, and features additional musicians – included Geoffrey Richardson (violin / viola) and Helen Liebman (cello) on the tracks ‘Baby It’s Alright’ and ‘Life Changes’, and Andy and Clare Yates (backing vocals) on ‘Baby It’s Alright’ and ‘The Also Rans’. The third and final Cross album was released in Germany only on September 9th 1991. It was…

“Happiness… what we all want, what we all need. So simple, so obvious, but so utterly true”

Roger’s third solo album was issued a full ten years after the preceding one. It was recorded and produced at Roger’s home studio in Surrey, England during 1993 going into 1994, and was co-produced with friend and colleague (and former Cross band-mate) Joshua J. Macrae.

Once again, Roger played most of the music himself, particularly drums, percussion and guitar, as well as singing lead and backing vocals. Jason Falloon played guitars on all tracks too. Other friends and former band members also contributed, including Phil Spalding on bass, Mike Crossley on piano and keyboards, and Catherine Porter on backing vocals on two songs. Roger wrote all tracks except the ballad ‘Foreign Sand’ which was a co-write production with Japanese musician Yoshiki. This was recorded at One On One studios in L.A., where Roger wrote and sang the words, and Yoshiki wrote and performed most of the music. Roger played drums and keyboards. Other musicians were also brought in, Phil Chen played bass, and Jim Cregan (both from the Rod Stewart band) provided guitars. Dick Marx took care of the strings arrangement.

For reasons best known to Roger, the Happiness? album was dedicated to ‘ the tasmanian tiger – thylacinus cynocephalus, but most especially… for Freddie .’ Initial copies were released on limited edition numbered vinyl LP and CD and regular copies on LP, CD and cassette. The cover design was by Roger and Queen art director Richard Gray, who also took some of the photographs.

Roger: “I liked the primitive little alien statue, which I found on my travels”

‘Happiness?’ was released in the UK in September 1994, preceded by the first single, in Roger’s hard hitting protest song ‘Nazis 1994’ – issued on 7″ red vinyl and 12″ clear vinyl as well as on cassette single and CD, containing various mixes of the track. The ‘Nazis’ single reached number 22 in the UK charts despite being banned by the BBC for its subject matter, and having had its original lyrics changed at the request of the record company. The promotional video, featuring scenes of war and holocaust atrocities, was also banned on some TV music stations.

The second single, an edited version of ‘Foreign Sand’, accompanied by a promotional video released in the UK in September on 7″ blue vinyl, 12″ picture disc, cassette and CD, and reached number 26 in the charts. One of the extra tracks on some formats was a new recording of The Cross’ ‘Final Destination’, performed by Roger and Yoshiki.

Roger: “Yoshiki and I met and got on very well. We decided that we would do an east – west collaboration. This guy’s an amazing concert pianist and also an incredibly able rock drummer. So he sent me the music and I thought it was great and we talked about that a little bit and we changed it a little, and then I sent him some lyrics and the top line and it ended up as a song called Foreign Sand.”

A further single was released in the UK in November ’94, in the title track ‘Happiness’ released on 7″ green vinyl, 12″ picture disc, cassette and CD. Additional live tracks recorded at the Shepherds Bush Empire, on 15 th September, were added to various formats. They included the Queen songs ‘Ride The Wild Wind’ and ‘I Want To Break Free’ and songs from the new album ‘Dear Mr Murdoch’, ‘Everybody Hurts Sometime’ and ‘Old Friends’ (a poignant ballad written by Roger for Freddie). The ‘Happiness’ promo video was made with directors Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher (DoRo).

Roger: “Old Friends is probably the most personal song on the album, it’s just a very quiet laid back song, really a little tribute to Freddie.

On 15th September 1994, Roger and his band played a live concert at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. This was followed by three live dates in Japan and shows in Germany and Italy. A full UK tour commenced on 19th November, including a further show at the Shepherds Bush Empire, followed by eight more concerts across the country, concluding in Bristol in late November. The live set included songs from the ‘Happiness?’ album and Queen favourites ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘Ride The Wild Wind’, ‘Tenement Funster’, ‘I Want To Break Free’, ‘I’m In Love With My Car’, ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Radio Ga Ga’ and ‘The Show Must Go On’. Roger also played some cover versions; Bob Dylan’s ‘A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall’, The Beatles’ ‘Twist And Shout’ and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Chile’. The band comprised Guitarist Jason Falloon, who also sang vocals on his own composition ‘Soul’, Josh Macrae on drums, Mike Crossley on keyboards and Stuart Bradley on bass.

In December the band performed live on an Italian radio station, and then returned home for three more dates in the UK including a concert at Roger’s hometown of Truro in Cornwall. Two further shows in France, at the Europe 1 Studios, were broadcast on radio there and were also filmed. Later, in January 1995, but also in support of this album, Roger and the band played nine dates in Italy and a one-off show in Malta.

1. Nazis 1994
2. Happiness
3. Revelations
4. Touch the Sky
5. Foreign Sand
6. Freedom Train
7. You Had to Be Here
9. Everybody Hurts Sometime
10. Loneliness...
11. Dear Mr. Murdoch
12. Old Friends

“Happiness… what we all want, what we all need. So simple, so obvious, but so utterly true” Roger’s third solo album was issued a full ten years after the preceding one. It was recorded and produced at Roger’s home studio in Surrey, England during 1993 going into 1994, and was co-produced with friend and colleague (and former Cross band-mate) Joshua J. Macrae. Once again, Roger played most of the music himself, particularly drums, percussion and guitar, as well as singing lead and backing vocals. Jason Falloon played guitars on all tracks too. Other friends and former band members also contributed,…

Roger: “The most underrated of my efforts”

“I think it’s more accessible and it’s probably wider ranging. There’s a lot of different things; some hard rock and roll, some softer more introspective stuff. It’s a good wide ranging album I think.”

“It was an idea I had; a simple word play really. On the one hand the electric fire is a very ordinary domestic appliance, a rather unglamorous one, and on the other hand I suppose it sounds a bit like it’s electric and its on fire. I just liked the concept of the two meanings, and then I came across a painting done by Tim Mara from the Royal College of Art, and it’s just a hyper real electric fire, that’s what it is, a two bar electric fire, and I liked the painting a lot and just thought that fits very well – for me that was the sleeve. Then the record company told me to put my face on there as well, so, sorry about that folks.”

Like ‘Happiness?’ before it, Roger recorded his fourth solo album at his home studio in Surrey. The sessions spanned nearly 18 months; from early in 1997 to the summer of 1998.

Roger sang most of the vocals and played much of the music himself and co-produced the songs with Joshua J Macrae. The rest of the vocals were provided by Wire Daisies singer Treana Morris, who co-sang with Roger on ‘Surrender’, ‘Pressure On’ and ‘London Town – C’mon Down’. Roger wrote most of the songs himself, and recorded a cover by one of his greatest influences John Lennon, in ‘Working Class Hero’. One of the songs, ‘The Whisperers’, is part credited to Nicholas Evans. Evans was the author of the book ‘The Horse Whisperers’, and tells of the ancient art of training wild horses with softly spoken commands as opposed to force, and many quotes from the book were used in Roger’s song lyrics. The book was eventually made into a motion picture film.

As with the previous album ‘Happiness’, Jason Falloon played some guitar here, and Mike Crossley played keyboards on most tracks. Keith Prior was brought in on drums and Steve Barnacle on bass, and Matthew Exelby and Keith Airey also played guitar on some tracks. Jonathan Perkins from the band Miss World also added vocals and keyboards to ‘Surrender’, ‘People On Streets’ and ‘The Whisperers’.

A mysterious character called Arty makes himself known on the track ‘People On Streets’, which turned out to be Roger, using an acronym of his initials RT. Arty would appear again much later, in 2006, on a single credited to Felix and Arty on a download release of ‘Woman You’re So Beautiful (But Still A Pain In The Ass…)’. This was a collaboration between Roger and his oldest son Felix, who sings the song, while Roger plays drums, keyboards, guitar, backing vocals, and also produced the track.

The album cover concept was designed by Roger and Richard Gray. The depiction is that of an electric fire taken from a silkscreen and oil on canvas painting by Tim Hara, called ‘Two Bar Electric Fire No.1’, the original of which still resides inside Roger’s Surrey home. The back cover features a photograph of Roger’s son Rufus Tiger taken by friend Bob Geldof.

On 24th September 1998, a private concert, staged within a large barn in the grounds of Roger’s Surrey garden, was streamed live on the internet for fans worldwide to see and hear Roger perform a short live set. Called simply ‘Cyberbarn’, an invited audience watched Roger perform nine songs, then be interviewed by Virgin DJ Russ Williams, and finally take questions from people all over the world via the internet link up. Roger was also presented with a certificate by the ‘Guinness Book Of Records’, as the unique event drew the largest audience ever for an internet gig – 595,000 hits from around the world.

‘Electric Fire’ was released in the UK in September 1998 – the same day as the first single ‘Pressure On’ – and reached number 53 in the UK album chart. It was released on orange vinyl LP, cassette and CD formats. A single edit was released on limited 7″ orange vinyl and the CD and B-side included ‘People On Streets’ (Mashed) and ‘Tonight’ (dub Sangria), and on ‘The Independent Man UTD Supporters Association’ CD edition (released to stop the media mogul Rupert Murdoch taking over the Manchester United football club) were the tracks ‘Dear Mr Murdoch’ and ‘Keep A Knockin”, a cover version of the song made famous by Little Richard.

A second single, a radio re-mix of ‘Surrender’ (and produced by Chris Thomas) was released in the UK in March 1999 and reached number 38 in the charts. A limited numbered 7″ vinyl picture disc was issued with a single mix of ‘London Town – C’mon Down’ as the B-side and on Part 1 of the numbered limited edition CD was a club cut of ‘A Nation Of Haircuts’. Part 2 of the CD was a ‘live and enhanced’ edition featuring live versions of ‘Surrender’, ‘No More Fun’, ‘Tonight’ and ‘Surrender’. All tracks were recorded at the Cyberbarn internet event in September, which was released as a long form home video on VHS in October 1998. Clips of the DoRo directed concert were also included in the promo video. The single was used by the Devon and Cornwall Police to help tackle domestic violence and to raise awareness of the support available to victims of this crime.

In March 1995, Roger and his band took to the road for a 16 date UK tour, starting in Gloucester on the 15th and ending in London on 3rd April. Dubbed the ‘Surrender Tour’, Roger included songs from ‘Electric Fire’ as well as old Queen favourites like ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives’, ‘Under Pressure’, ‘I’m In Love With My Car’, ‘I Want To Break Free’, ‘Tenement Funster’ and ‘Radio Ga Ga’, as well as other material from his previous solo albums.

1. Pressure On
2. A Nation of Haircuts
3. Believe in Yourself
4. Surrender
5. People on Streets
6. The Whisperers
7. Is It Me?
8. No More Fun
10. Where Are You Now?
11. Working Class Hero
12. London Town - C'Mon Down

Roger: “The most underrated of my efforts” “I think it’s more accessible and it’s probably wider ranging. There’s a lot of different things; some hard rock and roll, some softer more introspective stuff. It’s a good wide ranging album I think.” “It was an idea I had; a simple word play really. On the one hand the electric fire is a very ordinary domestic appliance, a rather unglamorous one, and on the other hand I suppose it sounds a bit like it’s electric and its on fire. I just liked the concept of the two meanings, and then I came…

roger taylor solo singles 1

I Wanna Testify. Roger Taylor’s first solo single was a reworking of ‘(I Wanna) Testify’, originally recorded by The Parliaments in 1967. Released: 26/8/1977. This single never featured on an album.
Turn On The TV. Non-album B-side of ‘I Wanna Testify’.
My Country. This edited version was released as a single on 29/6/1981. The original version appears on the album ‘Fun In Space’.
Man On Fire. This extended version featured on the 12″ vinyl single. Released 4/6/1984. The original version appears on the album ‘Strange Frontier’.
I Cry For You. B-side of ‘Strange Frontier’. This version, different to the album cut, was remixed by John Deacon and Mack, as was the extended mix featured on the 12″ vinyl single. Released 30/7/1984. The original version appears on the album ‘Strange Frontier’.
Strange Frontier. This extended mix featured on the 12″ vinyl single. Released 30/7/1984. The original version appears on the album ‘Strange Frontier’.
Two Sharp Pencils (Get Bad). Additional track on the 12″ vinyl ‘Strange Frontier’ single of 30/7/1984. This song never featured on an album. Roger regarded this as an indulgent amusement.
Nazis 1994. The original recording – which predates the ‘Happiness?’ album – contained the ‘F’ word within the lyrics, which the record label stipulated could not be present on a single version. Thus, Roger replaced the offending word with ‘Stinking’ for the single and album release. Various remixes of ‘Nazis 1994’ featured on various vinyl and CD single formats (including a red vinyl 7”). Released: 3/5/1994.
Foreign Sand. Roger collaborated with Japanese musician Yoshiki for this project. This edited single version was issued on 7″ blue vinyl, 12″ vinyl picture disc and CD single. Released: 19/9/1994. The original version appears on the album ‘Happiness?’
Final Destination. This was also a collaboration with Yoshiki. It was an additional track on the UK 12″ vinyl and CD single formats of ‘Foreign Sand’, and included on the Japanese CD version of the ‘Happiness?’ album, as well as a Japanese ‘Foreign Sand’ 3” CD single.
Everybody Hurts Sometime. This live version, recorded at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, on Sept 15th 1994, featured on the 12″ picture disc vinyl version of the ‘Happiness?’ single, and a green vinyl 7”. Released: 21/11/1994. The original version appears on the album ‘Happiness?’
Old Friends. This live version, recorded at the Shepherds Bush Empire on Sept 15th 1994, was also included on the 12″ picture disc of the ‘Happiness?’ single. The original version appears on the album ‘Happiness?’

1. I Wanna Testify
2. Turn On The TV
3. My Country (Single Version)
4. Man On Fire (Extended Version)
5. I Cry For You (Single Remix)
6. Strange Frontier (Extended Remix)
7. I Cry For You (Extended Remix)
8. Two Sharp Pencils (Get Bad)
9. Nazis 1994 (Radio MIx)
10. Nazis 1994 (Kick Mix)
11. Nazis 1994 (Schindlers Mix)
12. Nazis 1994 (Makita Mix Extended)
13. Nazis 1994 (Big Science Mix)
14. Foreign Sand (With Yoshiki) (Single Version)
15. Final Destination (With Yoshiki)
16. Everybody Hurts Sometimes (Live at Shepherds Bush Empire 1994)
17. Old Friends (Live at Shepherds Bush Empire 1994)

I Wanna Testify. Roger Taylor’s first solo single was a reworking of ‘(I Wanna) Testify’, originally recorded by The Parliaments in 1967. Released: 26/8/1977. This single never featured on an album. Turn On The TV. Non-album B-side of ‘I Wanna Testify’. My Country. This edited version was released as a single on 29/6/1981. The original version appears on the album ‘Fun In Space’. Man On Fire. This extended version featured on the 12″ vinyl single. Released 4/6/1984. The original version appears on the album ‘Strange Frontier’. I Cry For You. B-side of ‘Strange Frontier’. This version, different to the album cut, was remixed…

roger taylor solo singles 2

Pressure On. This edited version was released as a single (including limited edition numbered orange vinyl 7”) on 28/9/1998. The original version appears on the album ‘Happiness?’
People On Streets. This Mashed version, remixed by Joshua J Macrae, was the B-side of the 7″ and CD formats of the ‘Pressure On’ single, and was also included as a bonus track on the Japanese CD version of the ‘Electric Fire’ album. The original version appears on the album ’Electric Fire’.
Tonight. This Dub Sangria version, remixed by Joshua J Macrae, also featured on the B-side of the ‘Pressure On’ 7″ and CD singles. The original version appears on the album ’Electric Fire’.
Keep A Knockin’. This cover version was included on the Independent Man Utd Supporters Association edition CD of the ‘Pressure On’ single. This song never featured on an album.
Surrender. This radio mix version, produced by Chris Thomas and mixed by him and Joshua J Macrae, was released as a numbered limited edition 7″ vinyl picture disc and CD single, on 29/3/1999. The original version appears on the album ’Electric Fire’.
A Nation Of Haircuts. This Club Cut, remixed by Joshua J Macrae, was included on the ‘Surrender’ CD single (Part 1), and was also a bonus track on the Japanese CD version of the ‘Electric Fire’ album. The original version appears on the album ’Electric Fire’.
London Town – C’mon Down. This single mix was included on the B-side of the ‘Surrender’ 7″ vinyl picture disc and CD single (Part 1). The original version appears on the album ’Electric Fire’.
Surrender / No More Fun / Tonight. These live versions were recorded at the Cyberbarn concert on Sept 24th 1998 and were included on the ‘Surrender’ Live and Enhanced version of the CD single (Part 2). The original versions appear on the album ’Electric Fire’.
One Night Stand. A brief (vocal) sample of this track first appeared at the close of the ‘Electric Fire’ CD album in 1998, and was also an internet only download available on Roger’s official website, for the purposes of a competition. It never appeared on any album or single release. Roger has since reworked the track and this is the first time it has seen the light of day.
Woman You’re So Beautiful. These mixes were all released as digital downloads and on a 12″ promotional single on 10/8/2006. Credited to Felix and Arty (Arty, as in R.T.) the song features all instruments played by Roger, and vocals supplied by Felix Taylor. This song never featured on an album.
The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is Broken). These two mixes were also released as digital downloads, on 23/11/2009, and as a CD single on 4/1/2010. This song never featured on an album.
Dear Mr Murdoch. Originally contained on the ‘Electric Fire’ album of 1994, this song was reworked in 2011 with the idea that the sentiments were still just as valid seventeen years later. It features the original vocals and lyrics, though the words are clearer here with most of the instruments having been removed. This new version was released as a digital download on 20/7/2011. The original version appears on the album ‘Happiness?’

1. Pressure On (Single Version)
2. People On Streets (Mashed)
3. Tonight (Dub Sangria)
4. Keep A Knockin' (Man Utd CD Single)
5. Surrender (Radio Mix)
6. A Nation Of Haircuts (Club Cut)
7. London Town C'mon Down (Single Mix)
8. Surrender (Live At Cyber Barn)
9. No More Fun (Live At Cyberbarn)
10. Tonight (Live At Cyberbarn)
11. One Night Stand
12. Woman You're So Beautiful Felix & Arty (Main Mix)
13. Woman You're So Beautiful Felix & Arty (Mad Mix)
14. Woman You're So Beautiful Felix & Arty (Dance Hall Mix)
15. The Unblinking Eye - Everything Is Broken (Single Version)
16. The Unblinking Eye - Everything Is Broken (Almost Completely Nude Mix)
17. Dear Mr Murdoch (2011 Version)

Pressure On. This edited version was released as a single (including limited edition numbered orange vinyl 7”) on 28/9/1998. The original version appears on the album ‘Happiness?’ People On Streets. This Mashed version, remixed by Joshua J Macrae, was the B-side of the 7″ and CD formats of the ‘Pressure On’ single, and was also included as a bonus track on the Japanese CD version of the ‘Electric Fire’ album. The original version appears on the album ’Electric Fire’. Tonight. This Dub Sangria version, remixed by Joshua J Macrae, also featured on the B-side of the ‘Pressure On’ 7″ and CD singles. The original version…

the cross singles 1

Cowboys And Indians. This edited version was released on 7” vinyl and CD single formats on 21/9/1987. The 12” vinyl single contains this song billed as Full Length Version. The original version appears on the album ‘Shove It’
Love Lies Bleeding (She’s A Wicked, Wily Waitress). This single mix was the B-side of the ‘Cowboys And Indians’ 7″ and 12″ singles, and includes Brian May on guitar. The ‘Shove It’ album version (with its subtly different subtitle of ‘She Was A Wicked, Wily Waitress’) also features Brian.
Feel The Force. B-side of the USA ‘Shove It’ single released on 26/1/1988, and also a bonus track on the USA ‘Shove It’ album.
Shove It. The extended mix was included on both 12″ and CD single formats, while the *Metropolix featured only on the 12″ vinyl single, released on 4/1/1988. The Dag Volle (aka ‘Denniz Pop’ remix) is released here on CD for the first time, having emerged originally in June 1988. *The Dag Volle was a Swedish based remix crew that were all the rage at that time. Denniz Pop was a DJ, remixer, music producer and songwriter who released his work on Remixed Records. The original version appears on the album ‘Shove It’.
Shove It (US Single Version). This edited version was only issued on the 7” single (including 7” promo), released January 1988. It is a late edition to this box, hence its position at the end of the CD.
Heaven For Everyone. The first version of this song, featuring Freddie Mercury’s vocal, emerged on the ‘Shove It’ album in January 1988. The alternative Roger Taylor vocal version was released as a UK 7″ and 12″ single in March 1988, and was also included on the USA ‘Shove It’ album and on a Japanese only ‘Heaven For Everyone’ CD single. Both versions feature here purely so that they may be heard back to back on CD for the first time, having first appeared together on a 7” single in Germany.
Manipulator. This non-album track (co-written with Steve Strange) was released as a 7″ single version, with an extended mix featuring on 12” vinyl, on 4/7/1988.
Power To Love. This edited single version was released on 7” vinyl and CD single formats, while the extended version featured on the 12″ vinyl and CD single, on 23/4/1990. The original version appears on the album ‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’.
In Charge Of My Heart. This non-album song featured as the B-side to the ‘Liar’ 7” single released in Germany only on 6/8/1990. The extended version was included on the B-side of the ‘Liar’ 12″ and CD singles released in Germany only.
Liar. This 12” mix was released as a 12″ vinyl and CD single in Germany only, while the 7” version was issued on the 7″, 12″ and CD single formats, also in Germany only, on 6/8/1990. The original version appears on the album ‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’.

1. Cowboys & Indians (7" Single Edit)
2. Love Lies Bleeding (She's a Wicked Wily Waitress) (Single Remix)
3. Feel The Force
4. Shove It (Extended Mix)
5. Shove It (Metropolix)
6. Shove It (Denniz Pop Remix)
7. Heaven For Everyone (Roger Taylor Vocal) (7" Version)
8. Heaven For Everyone (Freddie Mercury Vocal) (7" Version)
9. Manipulator (Extended Version)
10. Manipulator (Single Version)
11. Power To Love (Extended Version)
12. Power To Love (Single Version)
13. In Charge Of My Heart (Single Version)
14. Liar (12" Mix)
15. In Charge Of My Heart (Extended Version)
16. Liar (7" Version)

Cowboys And Indians. This edited version was released on 7” vinyl and CD single formats on 21/9/1987. The 12” vinyl single contains this song billed as Full Length Version. The original version appears on the album ‘Shove It’ Love Lies Bleeding (She’s A Wicked, Wily Waitress). This single mix was the B-side of the ‘Cowboys And Indians’ 7″ and 12″ singles, and includes Brian May on guitar. The ‘Shove It’ album version (with its subtly different subtitle of ‘She Was A Wicked, Wily Waitress’) also features Brian. Feel The Force. B-side of the USA ‘Shove It’ single released on 26/1/1988, and also a bonus…

the cross singles 2

New Dark Ages. This edited single version featured on the 7″ and CD single released in Germany only on 9/8/1991. The original version appears on the album ‘Blue Rock’.

Ain’t Put Nothin’ Down. This Long Version was included on the B-side of the ‘New Dark Ages’ 7″, 12″ and CD singles released in Germany only on 9/8/1991. The original version appears on the album ‘Blue Rock’.

Man On Fire. This live version was included as a bonus track on the ‘New Dark Ages’ 12″ and CD singles released in Germany only on 9/8/1991. It was also included on the ‘Final Destination’ German CD single, and on the French 12″ vinyl. The original version appears on the album ‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’.

Life Changes. This edited single version was issued on a CD single for Germany only on 21/10/1991, and no other formats, but was immediately withdrawn when the band parted company with the record label. The original version appears on the album ‘Blue Rock’.

Heartland. This non-album track featured on the withdrawn ‘Life Changes’ CD single. Lead vocals by Clayton Moss.

Celebration / I Can Take You Higher / I Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. These three tracks were recorded during sessions at Jam Studios some time after the release of the ‘Shove It’ album, and prior to beginning of the ‘Mad Bad’ album. All three are previously unreleased and are heard here officially for the first time.

Passion For Trash. This track was also recorded during sessions at Jam Studios, but this would eventually make it onto the ‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’ album, in different form. While the familiar album version features Roger singing, this alternative is instead sung by Josh Macrae.

Top Of The World Ma (Extended Remix). This previously unreleased version was originally intended to be included on a 12” vinyl single, but ultimately the song was never a single and this rarity has remained in the archive ever since. The original version appears on the album ‘Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know’.

1. New Dark Ages (Single Version)
2. Ain't Put Nothin' Down (Long Version
3. Man On Fire (Live)
4. Life Changes (Single Version)
5. Heartland
6. Celebration (Jam Studios Session)
7. I Can Take You Higher (Jam Studios Session)
8. I Can't Get You Out Of My Head (Jam Studios Session)
9. Passion For Trash (Jam Studios Session)
10. Top Of The World, Ma (Extended Remix)
11. Shove It (US Single Version)

New Dark Ages. This edited single version featured on the 7″ and CD single released in Germany only on 9/8/1991. The original version appears on the album ‘Blue Rock’. Ain’t Put Nothin’ Down. This Long Version was included on the B-side of the ‘New Dark Ages’ 7″, 12″ and CD singles released in Germany only on 9/8/1991. The original version appears on the album ‘Blue Rock’. Man On Fire. This live version was included as a bonus track on the ‘New Dark Ages’ 12″ and CD singles released in Germany only on 9/8/1991. It was also included on the ‘Final Destination’ German CD single, and…

Taylor Unleashed

About thirteen years ago I was in a pub and I overheard a pack of lads playing the ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ quiz game. Quite a crowd had gathered around as they were one question away from the jackpot prize of a whopping twenty five pounds, but were out of lifelines. The million pound question (well, twenty five pound question) was: ‘Who was the first member of Queen to release a solo album? A) Freddie Mercury, B) John Deacon, C) Brian May or D) Roger Taylor.’ The man appointed to press the screen was about to select A) Freddie Mercury when I called across the saloon, ‘STOP!’ It was like something from ‘An American Werewolf In London.’ The place froze. They turned and looked at me, ‘It’s Roger Taylor.’

‘Bollocks!’ Came the reply. ‘It’s Freddie Mercury. He done the one with the big bird about Spain.’

‘Trust me’, I said, ‘it’s Roger Taylor. I’ve got a GCSE in Queen.’ That was my joke, he didn’t get it and guess what? He pressed ‘A’, Freddie Mercury.

‘Is that your final answer’ asked a pre-recorded Chris Tarrant on the screen. Yes it was.

Oh dear. As Chris Tarrant offered his commiserations, the man furiously bottled the screen and a fight broke out. This was a pub in Essex on a Friday night. Any excuse for a punch up. This time it was Roger Taylor’s fault and he wasn’t even there.

At first I was glad that he lost the money, serves him right for not listening to me, but then I started to feel pity on him and his friends. Pity for these pour souls who had clearly been deprived of a wealth of Roger Taylor solo material. They didn’t know what they were missing! “Man on Fire”, “Strange Frontier”, “Old Friends” and “Let’s Get Crazy.” I mean, come on.

Roger Taylor’s contribution to Queen was far more than just the drummer. He wrote massive hit singles; ‘Radio Ga Ga,’ ‘A Kind Of Magic,’ ‘Breakthru’, ‘Invisible Man’, ‘Heaven for Everyone’ and ‘These Are Days of Our Lives.’ Plus fan favourites like ‘I’m In Love With My Car’ and ‘Tenement Funster.’ He had an incredible voice, played all sorts of instruments and remains the sexiest man in drag the world has ever seen (come on, admit it, we were all tempted when we saw that skirt wiggle).

Although RMT is well known for enjoying the rock n’ roll lifestyle and he sure knew how to have fun, he also knew how to work. And work hard. In the forty years since Queen’s debut album hit the charts, he has released sixteen Queen albums, five solo albums and three albums with his group The Cross.

Roger’s compositions on Queen records were always surprising and never repetitive. Songs like ‘Modern Times Rock and Roll’ and ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ crash out of the record and into the room like riot police battering down your door. Where as ‘Drowse’, ‘Heaven For Everyone and ‘Days of Our Lives’ have more of a reflective, nostalgic tone which one wouldn’t necessarily expect from the drummer of the world’s greatest rock band. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that his solo records are just as unpredictable and experimental with a range of styles and sounds.

By the time ‘Fun in Space’ was released in 1981, Queen had released nine albums and Roger had only been allocated one, perhaps two songs per album so he clearly had a lot to get off his chest. ‘Fun in Space’ has many treats on there. ‘No Violins’, ‘Let’s Get Crazy, ‘Airheads’ are the high octane tracks you’d expect from him, where as ‘Future Management’ is a sparse, effective slab of new wave meets reggae, ‘My Country’ a two part anti-war song with catchy hook and ‘Fun In Space’ itself is a truly atmospheric piece that haunts as it closes the record.

‘Strange Frontier’ released the same year as Queen’s ‘The Works’ in 1984 contains two epic tracks (and equally epic promos to accompany them), ‘Man On Fire’ and ‘Strange Frontier.’ Had they both been released under the Queen banner, they would have been even bigger hits I am sure. This was the beginning of Taylor’s golden period where he and John Deacon almost took over as the writers of Queen’s biggest hits. “Masters of War” is an excellent, almost post-apocalyptic reimagining of Bob Dylan’s classic and as for ‘Racing In The Streets,’ this is different from Springsteen’s original, with lots of energy and an entirely different beat.

‘Happiness,’ released in between “Innuendo” and Queen’s final album, “Made In Heaven” is Roger’s most personal work to date. A mature record with some very touching material, unleashing emotions which address loss, anger and hope throughout. One almost feels as if this were an expression of his emotions surrounding Freddie’s death and the ultimate end of Queen as we knew it.

‘Happiness,’ ‘Loneliness,’ ‘Everybody Hurts Sometimes,’ ‘Freedom Train’ and ‘You Had To Be There’ are somber but uplifting pieces. ‘The Key,’ ‘Foreign Sand’ and the Breakthru-esque ‘Touch The Sky,’ are lighter romantic moments.

At the same time, Taylor uses his music as vehicle to protest about various political issues. ‘Revelations,’ ‘Dear Mr. Murdoch’ (the scathing attack on Rupert Murdoch dressed up as a nursery rhyme – Murdoch’s papers had hounded Freddie in his final years) and the controversial, hard hitting ‘Nazis 1994’, attacking the uprising of Neo-Nazi holocoust denying groups of the early Nineties.

However, the showstopper is ‘Old Friends.’ Roger’s ode to Freddie, which draws the album to a lump in throat, tear jerking conclusion.

In 1998, Roger returned with ‘Electric Fire.’ An eclectic mix everything Taylor does best; rock with acerbic observations (‘No More Fun,’ ‘Nation of Haircuts,’ ‘Pressure On’), ballads (‘Tonight,’ ‘ Where are You Now’) and powerful protest songs (his attack on domestic violence in ‘Surrender’ and the stunning, version ‘Working Class Hero’).

And now we have ‘Fun On Earth,’ Roger Taylor’s first solo album in fifteen years. What can we expect? Well, going from his past efforts, we can only expect one thing - the unexpected.

There comes a time when a devout fan of a band as big as Queen completes their collection but still has a desperate need for more. I was in that position myself in 1992 when I’d finally purchased every Queen album, B-side, bootleg and concert available. Like any addict, I needed my fix and with no new material out there, the next best option was dipping my toe into the solo work of the individual members. I started with ‘Fun In Space’ because my cousin had a copy.

I hope people buying this collection are not just fans who are upgrading what they already have. I hope they are Queen fans who, like me twenty years ago, went on a journey into solo land after completing their colle and never looked back because when they buy ‘The Lot, ’ they are in for a real treat.

Rhys Thomas 2013.

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Bio, full discography, guest appearances, tours and more

Clayton Moss
Josh Macrae
Peter Noone
Spike Edney
The 1994/1995 Roger Taylor Band
The 1998/1999 Roger Taylor Band
On “Fun on Earth”
The Reaction
Fun on Earth
Electric Fire
Happiness…?
Strange Frontier
Fun in Space
Album singles
Gangsters Are Running This World
Two Sharp Pencils (Get Bad)
Journey’s End
Dear Mr. Murdoch 2011 single
The Unblinking Eye single
Felix & Arty
I Wanna Testify single
Solo remixes
Original scores
Mad: Bad: and Dangerous to Know
Manipulator
Non-album tracks
The Cross remixes
The Cross demos
50s and 60s
Counterfeit releases
Roger Taylor
TV Performances
The Guinness Book of Records
The Drummer Sculpture
ACM’s Roger Taylor Zildjian Studio
Honorary doctor of Plymouth University
Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante
Aston Martin V8 Volante Series I
Mercedes-Benz 600SEL Saloon
Range Rover 2 door Convertible
Vectrix Electric Scooter
Porsche Panamera
Heavy Metal Truants
Cornwall Pride
Spitfire Audio’s The Grange
Autographed by Roger Taylor
Magazine covers
The Reaction tours
The Cross tours
Miscellaneous appearances
First years
1973-1974 (Queen and Queen II Tour)
1975-1976 (Sheer Heart Attack and A Night at the Opera Tour)
1976-1977 (A Day at the Races)
1977-1978 (News of the World)
1978-1979 (Jazz)
1980-1981 (The Game)
1982 (Hot Space Tour)
1984-1985 (Works Tour)
1986 (Magic Tour)
1988-1989 (“The Miracle”)
1991 – 1992 (“Innuendo” – FM Tribute)
1993-2001 (“Made in Heaven” – Hall of Fame)
2001 Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame
2005-2006 (Queen+Paul Rodgers Tour)
2008 (Queen+Paul Rodgers Tour)
Case Equipment
The Roger Taylor Zildjian Studio
DW Snare Drum
Bass Drumhead
Memorabilia

Today fights against AIDS, the disease which took away his great pal and georgeous musician, Freddie Mercury. Together with his ex-band mate Brian May represents band’s called Queen music in the music industry. Everywhere the two go they are followed by fans from around the world. One could then say Queen is still alive and as Freddie asked – the show goes on, only in a different way that it did before.

Roger Meddows Taylor was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England on 26th July 1949. In 1957 he, his younger sister and their parents moved to Truro, Cornwall. There he joined local choir, at the Truro Cathedral School. After he watched other people play he wanted to play too. He started with ukelele but seemed not to like it that much, so he turned to guitar. And this later allowed him to play guitar in his own band, The Cross. But coming back to roots… At that time he attended Truro Public School. In 1961 again he turned his interests onto another instrument, this time drums. As time showed, this was the instrument he was to play most of his life.

Roger played small local bands, just boys playing for fun, the Bubblingover Boys. He said one day, they couldn’t play after all, but that was fun. After that he joined Johnny Quale and The Reaction and played drums there. But as Johnny left there was no-one to sing and Roger was the only one in the band who could. So the band changed into The Reaction and Roger went on lead vocals.

He was good at school, and probably both, teachers and parents, wanted him to learn sth ‘good’. He then went to London Hospital Medical College and wanted (?) to become a dentist. He stated one day it all was done just to get to London. But he got borred with it soon and after a year changed into biology at North London Polytechnic. Finally, he left with BSc in that subject. Still playing with the band he was looking for sth else. One day a colleague came and told him he saw an advertisment saying someone’s searching for a Mitch Mitchell/ Ginger Baker kind of drummer. Roger didn’t hesitate and contacted Brian May. In 1968, with Arts student Tim Staffell, they formed Smile. They had one single, Earth , and their EP was issued on Mercury Rec in Japan only, years later. This band had Tim on lead vocals so we only hear Roger singing a fragment of April Lady .

The band stopped existing when Tim Staffell introduced Freddie Mercury to Brian May and Roger Taylor. Not exactly at that time, but it was an after-effect of their meeting. Freddie was charismatic enough to say, as legend says, that he knew exactly what the band needed to gain popularity and that was have him on vocals. Funny enough, after all those years we cannot tell he was mistaken.

1970 the band spent time playing local clubs, for friends in London (usually at Imperial College) or in Roger’s hometown Truro. There is another legend there saying when they played in Truro late in the 1970’s the band was called there “Roger Taylor’s…” as he was so well-known there. Even posters showed Roger Taylor was to play in their hometown.

Back in 1970 the band with three members was searching for a fourth one, a bassist. The band was also searching for a new name. Roger wanted it to be Rich Kids, but happily (sorry Rog), Freddie said they were Queen, no doubt. The name seemed strange at the time having sth in common with gay collocations or other strange things but Freddie didn’t care. I do agree, the name was, and still is, majestic.

They played some well-known numbers but also Smile’s numbers and their own compositions. There is a song called Silver Salmon coming from that time I guess, but nobody remembers the bass player’s name. Or at least they do not like to tell. Another Queen legend says John Deacon was Queen’s seventh bassist and that lucky number brought the band luckily the best bassist in the world (just have a listen to “The Game”) but in fact there were only four. He joined in 1971, was calm and because of that seemed strange to the others. They used to call him Deacon John for fun, but they saw his claws when he told them he did not wish to be called that way and also told them to stop at once.

Queen’s first album, called simply Queen and issued on EMI in the UK on 13 July 1973, was the only one to hold Roger Taylor’s name in its entirety – Roger Meddows Taylor. Then he opted out of that family name and became Roger Taylor. That was better in some way and also worse, because we have now a musician, Roger Taylor, drummer of Duran Duran. We also have a writer Roger Taylor. And other Roger Taylors.

On the first album we find only one song written by Roger, and what’s more it is sung by him, Modern Times Rock’n’Roll . Easy in Roger’s way song kept in that style of rock’n’roll which amused Rog at the time (maybe it still does, I don’t know). Roger is supported there by John Anthony (on vocals), Queen’s producer.

Queen’s second album, Queen II (8 March 1974, UK), has Loser In The End credited to Roger. He sings lead vocals and tells listeners story of young boys problems, when he is watched by his mother, when she wants to care about him, when she still takes him for a child – and he desperately wants to be alone, in fact his ma stays alone and has to be the loser in the end. He also co-wrote Stone Cold Crazy .

8 November 1974 (UK) brings another Queen album, Sheer Heart Attack . This is a huge success for Queen, as the song Killer Queen (by Freddie) goes to 2 nd position on the UK’s chart. The album also has Roger’s song, as in the 70’s it became a custom for every Queen album to have at least one Rog and Bri song. Tenement Funster tells (literally) story of a young boy living with neighbours in an tenement funster and what he does there and that he’s not liked there.

“You can say that my hair’s a disgrace Or just buy me an open car I’ll make the speed of light outta this place”

A Night At The Opera (21 November 1975, UK) shows I’m In Love With My Car , a song which probably became Rog’s most known song. It was put on their big hit Bohemian Rhapsody ‘s B-side. Many times the band performed it live (especially in 1978, 1979, 1980 & 1981). In 1997 it got a video. The lyrics say exactly what its title suggests – about what one loves in his/ her car.

“And my hand on your grease gun, mhmmm, it’s like a disease, son!”

Album A Day At The Races (10 December 1976, UK) provides listners with Roger’s Drowse . Again, easy as Roger likes it. Or maybe I’d rather say ‘rough’ – easy is not a good word. Yes, Rog has a rather rough type of composing songs, but of course it’s not a custom of any kind. All can happen there in what he writes.

For the first time Roger decides he will do solo. His single I Wanna Testify / Turn On The TV comes to day light on 26 August 1977, before Queen’s new album is released. It doesn’t make it onto the charts but is very expensive these days.

And now’s a time for a change. News Of The World (28 October 1977, UK) and we see Roger credited twice. Song Sheer Heart Attack has Freddie on vocals (anyway, there is a lot of Roger’s voice too, but it’s not lead). It had to be thought to be a bit The Beatleslike song as it ends very odd, just cut (reminding of The Beatles’ song from Abbey Road album). The second Taylor song Fight From The Inside has Roger on lead vocals. Again rough song but full of Taylor’s drums and from what I know, also his bass play. This album for a first and last time has fully Roger’s cover concept.

Jazz is Queen’s seventh album, and comes out in the UK on 10 November 1978. Roger’s Fun It and More Of That Jazz are for Roger’s fans as they have him on vocals and are fully his style. The second song from the two is a separate song but has fragments of all other Jazz songs inside of it. Just a bit like Jazz menu. A great concept. And really husky screaming voice!

Year 1979 brings Taylor’s most disliked album, Live Killers (22 June 1979, UK). Strange, as it seems to have a lot of drum sound. But from what I’ve heard he doesn’t like the way his drums sound there. It is not one particular concert recording, instead songs come from different concerts taking place between January and March 1979 meaning during their European tour. We have a recording of Taylor singing I’m In Love With My Car , but to my sadness the song was always sung without its last part, what a shame! But happily enough the band played this song live! There we find lots of Roger’s backing vocals on Don’t Stop Me Now and his Sheer Heart Attack is also played but sung by Freddie (although Rog does bcv’s). And Brighton Rock , which is Brian’s song, has a Roger drum solo.

New decade starts with new Queen sound. The band uses synths for the first time. Just first sounds of the album The Game (30 June 1980, UK) let listeners know band used synths. We can hear the changes also in Taylor’s compositions, Rock It (Prime Jive) and Coming Soon . The first song is very light and a bit dancy (some call it candy-dandy but I wouldn’t) and the other is screamed by both Freddie and Roger, separately. Generally text is sung by Roger and chorus – by Freddie.

Weren’t it enough changes, Queen decided to make another change. Or maybe it wasn’t a change, it was an attempt at trying sth new, meaning film soundtrack. And that was Flash Gordon , issued on 8 December 1980 in the UK. I should tell you it wasn’t easily Queen’s idea, they were offered to by Mike Hodges. And May was keen on trying this, so all agreeded on that new idea. The film itself is very funny, it has easy effects and looks dandy but I like to watch it. We have here Sam J.Jones as Flash, Ornella Muti as Aura, Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin and Max von Sydov as Ming The Merciless. I must tell you the soundtrack is really good, I like the fact it has fragments from film used in songs. Taylor wrote three numbers on this occasion ( In The Space Capsule (The Love Theme) , In The Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise) and the best of them – Escape From The Swamp – great timpani!!!) and another one was co-written ( Marriage Of Dale And Ming (And Flash Approaching) with May). The whole music to the film was arranged by Howard Blake.

In 1981 Queen had their Greatest Hits album released. It was a huge success and gave them at least eleven times platinum status! Though we have to remember they had a big tour at that time, round South America for instance. And in September they started recording another album.

But I must tell you, sth more interesting happened that year. Roger Taylor prepared his first solo album, called Fun In Space (6 April 1981, UK; 9 April 1981, USA). It is said to have some ideas which Rog had at that time in his mind and which he couldn’t make true with Queen. It means the album’s sort of continuation to Flash Gordon as it is kept in that style somehow (they say). But if you take a deeper look you can find differences, big differences. First of those is that Rog sings there lead vocals. He also plays instruments (although music isn’t much complicated on that album). He uses only few people to help him (according to credits on the album, maybe truth was diifferent, who knows?). So that’s why I like it – completely Roger himself.

There is some truth in what ‘they’ say, but I like it though. A bit nostalgic Future Management (You Don’t Need Nobody Else) I liked at the beginning, but then turned to Let’s Get Crazy , No Violins and started listening to an odd one – Interlude In Constantinople . The last one listed has Rog’s voice put through some kind of voice-modifing machine, which I usually don’t like at all. But it came to my notice Roger likes that kind of machine and likes to use it on his solo songs. Beside that machine voice, we have drums there, which I really like. Let no-one tell you Roger cannot play drums! And after that song comes another which starts with bunch of drum sound, Airheads .

Previously mentioned Future Management was the single from the album (30 March 1981, UK) but made it onto charts with 49. position and even made Roger take part in a popular programme, Top Of The Pops (in Sep 1981). B-side to the single was Laugh Or Cry . He did a few more singles but they made no better on the charts. (See discography for full details). TOTP is a very ‘static’ show, Rog stands in front of public with his guitar singing the song. It doesn’t go live, he just pretends to be singing. Maybe a little shame? But still, good that he had been offered to play.

But leaving all that behind it’s not my favourite Rog. He could do better 🙂 But that will be later on…

The next Queen album, Hot Space (21 May 1982, UK) contained two Roger’s compositions but Action This Day was the last one to have him on lead vocals. 80’s came and there had been a change, no Roger- or Brian-sung songs on Queen albums. Verse in the song is sung by Rog while chorus – by Freddie. Little like it was with Coming Soon from The Game . The second Rog song, Calling All Girls , has Freddie on lead vocals.

Year 1983 and Queen have a half year break from each other. They do rest and May records his solo mini-album, Star Fleet Project , to which he invites Rog and ask him to sing bvc’s in title song, Star Fleet . I’ve heard many Queen fans, or I should say – Brian’s fans – would prefer it not to have anyone from Queen. They think it should be totally solo. But I ask them, is there really that much Roger’s voice that everyone hears it? What would happened if no-one knew he had sung there? No-one would take a notice…(for a full Taylor guest appearances visit guest section).

After some rest the band gained strength to meet again and start working on a new album. From August 1983 to January 1984 they worked on sth they called The Works , which was Roger’s title and released on 27 February 1984 in the UK. Opener for this album is song Radio Ga Ga , Taylor’s composition. Till today it probably stays his best Queen hit. The song is so well-known that it would be hard finding someone who doesn’t know the song. Played by every radiostation, even these days. Played at every concert since then I guess, is still used by Roger today. Everywhere he plays, he sings this song. There were few concerts where he didn’t but that’s almost not to be mentioned. Originally the song has Freddie on vocals. The legend of how this song came true is that his son Felix heard sth on the radio and started singing. What Roger heard from his son was like ‘radio pupu’ which he changed to ” ‘radio ga ga’ and made a hit out of it. Even Roger himself tells that story but who knows how much truth it does in it. Anyway, that’s a nice story… people do not get bored while watching interviews. I know usually Rog is asked either obvious or silly questions so why not making it all up a bit? Just to make it more interesting. How much can one tell about writing Radio Ga Ga ?

The album has also a co-written, with May, song Machines (Or Back To Humans) . I think fans don’t like that one but I’m not one of them. For me always the question was why Queen used to play Get Down, Make Love – as this is the only Queen song I really… hmmm… hate. It makes me nervous, make my brain confused but in a wrong way. And Machines is full of ‘machines’ music (as it seems) but still Freddie sings there beautifully. There is also one song on The Works , written by John, which Roger sang during his tours – I Want To Break Free . I guess he likes the song, so do I. Catchy one, but very nice.

Also that year, 1984, brought fans another Roger album. Strange Frontier was released on 25 June 1984 in the UK and on 3 July 1984 in the USA. The first single from the album was Man On Fire (4 June 1984, UK) with Killing Time as B-side. Roger’s fans usually prefer Strange Frontier itself which was third single from the album. My opinion is different, Man On Fire is the best from the album. Great that Roger played it live with The Cross and solo. It also has a great video. We see Roger going out of his mind, burning down this crazy town and so on. Really fantastic. To learn more visit my videos and discography section.

In 1985 Queen toured Japan and Europe. At that time they were part of the big Live Aid Concert, played without any rehearsal for 20 minutes and did their best. Audience was thrilled. It is said to be one of their best performances ever.

After preparing in 1985 a song One Vision (written by Queen) for the film Iron Eagle they were offered soundtrack to another film, this time Russel Mulcahy’s Highlander with stars such as Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart. Queen agreeded and Roger composed two songs which made it onto the forthcoming album. A Kind Of Magic was released on 2 June 1986 and had title track written by Roger and his Don’t Lose Your Head . The idea was to name songs after citates from the film. Although both those songs are included in the film’s soundtrack they are in completely different form there. Arrangation of A Kind Of Magic is smoother in the film and on the album it’s more catchy and hit-like. This song is used while showing end credits to the film. The second song, Don’t Lose Your Head is also used, but in the middle of the film, in a part where bad Kurgan drives frightened Brenda a car and plays a game driving against all other cars in the street. But also here we have different version of the song – it is instrumental in the film (and is called A Dozen red Roses for My Darling instead), while on the album it is co-sung by a guest, Joan Armatrading. The European version of the CD of this album was issued in two ways, original and with three more tracks. One of them was longer version of A Kind Of Magic . This song in its original version also became a hit.

Also 1986 Queen issue Live Magic , a one piece live album from their Magic Tour. It contains Roger’s A Kind Of Magic and Radio Ga Ga . After that Freddie says he’s not going to run on stage in his leotard anymore.

There comes a time in everyone’s life when one searches for a change. One wants to try him- or herself at sth. 1987 Roger tried forming a new band. He took his old-time friend, Spike Edney, who played keyboards at Queen’s concerts, and put some notes in newspapers to look for other musicians. Finally he found Clayton Moss (guitar), Peter Noone (bass) and Joshua J. Macrae (drums). The latter stayed, working with him for years, even these days – although as a programmer.

The new band was called The Cross and they signed to Virgin and recorded their first album Shove It (25 January 1988, UK & 13 April 1988, USA). All tracks on this album are written by Roger, but for the last time. We have a guest there – Freddie on vocals of Heaven For Everyone and Brian on guitar on Love Lies Bleeding (She Was A Wicked Wily Waitress) . This is probably, or rather I am sure of that, my less liked album of Rog. The best number, Feel The Force , was available only on the American version of the album. There were a few singles from that album and a few videos accompanying the album. But about that read in my discography & videos section.

This album also had one additional track, which was avalible only on European CD edition of the album. This was a mix of Shove It and was called The 2nd Shelf Mix . It isn’t credited, as I remember, but Freddie surely did bvc’s to Shove It , in both versions. We can clearly hear him singing there “yeah”.

During that time The Cross did a tv show for series called Meltdown (on 6 Nov 1987). This was a bunch of The Cross’ songs with Queen’s I’m In Love With My Car , which was being faded out. But despite that, a rare and of course interesting thing to watch.

The Cross started their first tour on Feb 19, 1988 in Leeds. They toured UK, switching to Germany in April, then did one appearance at Montreux Jazz Festival on May 12, 1988 in Switzerland which was their last concert from that tour. But the same year they appeared on Queen’s Fan Club Party in Hammersmith Palais in London on Dec 4.

Next year was Queen’s year, I mean it was time for Queen’s material. At the end of this, Sep to Dec, year he did record sth with The Cross for their forthcoming album.

Queen’s The Miracle was released on 22 May 1989, UK. The recording sessions took part from Jan 1988 to Jan 1989. None of the songs from the album are credited to Rog as the band decided to credit all together (most of songs were made in studios). But we can guess “Breakthru” has most of Rog’s influences 😉 Roger also shouts “Freddie Mercury” in original version of The Invisible Man .

The Cross’ album was called Mad: Bad: And Dangerous To Know and was released in the UK Mar 26, 1990. The album hadn’t been issued in the USA.

The album is most rockiest of all three The Cross’ albums. Three singles had been issued, which were Power To Love , Liar (with B-side In Charge Of My Heart unavalible elsewhere) and Final Destination . For more info on singles go to discography section and videos section.

The album had one cover song, but only on its CD edition. That was Jimi Hendrix’s Foxy Lady . I guess Roger tried to sing this one in a bit Hendrix style but cannot tell if he succedded (maybe I cannot ‘judge’ his singing as I always love it). The Cross played that song live many times. It is fun to listen to such covers, because there isn’t too much change to the original and still it is sth new and interesting. This time not all is written by Roger. There is a Moss song to which he sings lead vocals, and that’s Better Things .

Tour started May 21, 1990 in Germany. Then the band went to Holland, back to Germany, then Spain, Germany and Austria (last date took place June 15, 1990). The band also gave The Fan Club Party show on Dec 7, 1990 in London at the Astoria Theatre.

After ending the tournee The Cross started recording for a new, third album. This was done after some break of course, so recording sessions took place from February 1991 to August 1991. That year also Queen recorded, as much as they could bring Freddie and as he managed to sing. This time The Cross took someone from outside to produce the album.

Blue Rock seems to be the most thought over album. That can be misleading, but anyway, maybe that’s true? The album was released September 9, 1991. It has ten songs on it, two of them became singles, New Dark Ages and Life Changes . I unfortunately don’t know the exact New Dark Ages release date, but from the tv special I saw I understand it was issued before October. And Life Changes was issued October. I promise to put that tv special interviews there on my site one day. As for now see discography section for more info on the album.

1991 Queen issued their last album, last when Freddie was alive. Innuendo was released on February 4, 1991 (UK). The material for this album was recorded during the period of March 1989 to November 1990. All that have been recorded later appeared on an posthumous album. This is a beautiful album of Queen, nostalgic and also trying to tell to ‘be happy’. It went 1st position in the UK, and got platinum status. And after all that time I can say it was worth it.

After Freddie’s death on 24th November 1991 there had been speculations about what would happen to Queen next. What would the remaining three do? Now, after more than ten years from that time we can tell what they all did, but as they are still around, we cannot tell what happens next. So just after that Roger announced they are going to prepare a Tribute concert, which was to take place on 20th April 1992. And it did. There were many guests, friends and relatives invited, some of them performed, some of them just appeared somewhere without performing anything. There is no record of full concert issued, and that’s a pity. We have VHS edition, we have DVD, and we still lack some performances. But that’s musicians right to cut what they don’t like about their performances. There was no audio release accompanying the concert. Only the Five Live George Michael EP has been issued afterwards, in 1993. And George Michael did best there, unsung hero of the night 😉

Then came all those riots and rumours about Queen’s new album. It was first announced by Roger at MTV News back in 1994, but finally it turned out it was his solo album to come first. And it was his first solo album in ten years! But it was, and still is, damned great!!! There are a lot of memories there I guess, a collaboration (with Japanese rock star, the late Yoshiki – keyboard player and drummer), an anty-nazi song, anty-Murdoch song and a pro-Freddie song. The album is very one style and I like it that way. Surely at least worth a listen! More info on released on September 9, 1994 (UK) Happiness? album.

The year 1995 brought long expected Queen album, Made In Heaven . It was a huge success, and there were some nice surprises, as Roger singing second part of Let Me Live and his Heaven For Everyone completely differently arranged (to The Cross’ version) – which also became a single and got two different videos. The version with Freddie singing was used, so the Freddie line is the same as in The Cross’ version. It also lacks that introduction made by Roger (as is in The Cross’ version).

A big thing happend to Poles back in 1996 (on February 19th, being accurate). On that day Roger Taylor and Brian May did their first visit to Poland (as Queen got a Gold Status for Made In Heaven and a ‘Fryderyk’ Award for the whole Queen’s work!!!

Then in 1997 was that No-One But You song, with John Deacon this time. This was a Brian song but with some changes made – due to Roger 😉 Roger sings the second part of the song and plays percussion.

The next year brought long awaited Roger solo album Electric Fire (28 September 1998, UK). That year he laso gave a Cyberbarn concert (24th Sept) and Shepherds Bush Empire (14th October).

Roger did some interviews and tv appearances, I hope I know it all one day 😉 In 1999 he decided he did tour (one month) the UK. The next year he started his work with Brian May in different areas, doing this till today. Lately, the new formation of QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS happened and they did a tour ’round the world. They did record The Cosmos Rocks together and after the lack of promotion for the issue, the collaboration ceased to exist.

After the Queen + Paul Rodgers era form 2009 Queen + Adam Lambert concerts followed. Q+AL came first time to Poland in 2012, and second time in 2015.

Roger recorded his fifth studio album Fun on Earth , which was issued 11 Nov 2013. The same day a compilation of Roger works had been issued: The Lot . The Lot was issued in the US in 2014 and a best of compilation named Best was issued in the US. US market had also Fun in Space and Strange Frontier reissued in 2015.

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On This Day In Roger History

Roger quotes.

What do you mostly dislike about your appearance? My hair. I’d like more of it, please.

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Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)

Roger Meddows Taylor OBE (born 26 July 1949) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He achieved international fame as the drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Queen . [1] As a drummer, Taylor was recognised early in his career for his unique sound [2] and was voted the eighth-greatest drummer in classic rock music history in a listener poll conducted by Planet Rock in 2005. [3] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 as a member of Queen.

1968–1970: Smile

1970s–present: queen, 1977–present: solo career, 21st century, influences and favourite drummers, discography, solo albums, solo live albums, albums made with the cross, portrayal in film, external links.

As a songwriter, Taylor composed at least one track on every Queen album, and often sang lead vocals on his own compositions. He wrote or co-wrote three UK number ones (" These Are the Days of Our Lives ", [4] " Innuendo " and " Under Pressure ") and wrote a further five major hits (" Radio Ga Ga ", " A Kind of Magic ", " Heaven for Everyone ", " Breakthru " and " The Invisible Man "). [5] He has collaborated with such artists as Eric Clapton , Roger Waters , Roger Daltrey , Robert Plant , Phil Collins , Genesis , Jimmy Nail , Kansas , Elton John , Gary Numan , Shakin' Stevens , Foo Fighters , Al Stewart , Steve Vai , Yoshiki , Cyndi Almouzni and Bon Jovi . As a producer, he has produced albums by Virginia Wolf , Jimmy Nail and Magnum .

As a singer, Taylor employs a falsetto vocal range. During the 1980s, in addition to his work with Queen, he formed a parallel band known as the Cross , in which he was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist. During the early 1980s, Taylor was also a panellist on the UK quiz show Pop Quiz , hosted by Mike Read . In 2014, he appeared in The Life of Rock with Brian Pern as himself.

Roger Meddows Taylor was born on 26 July 1949 at West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital in King's Lynn , Norfolk. The new maternity ward was opened by Princess Elizabeth (the future queen, Elizabeth II ), where she was introduced to 16 new mothers including Winifred Taylor, his mother. Taylor first lived at 87 High Street in King's Lynn and later moved to Beulah Street in the town. Taylor's first school was Rosebury Avenue school. [6] Taylor moved to Truro , Cornwall, in south west England, with his mother Winifred, father Michael and younger sister Clare. When he was seven years old, he and some friends formed his first band, the Bubblingover Boys, in which he played the ukulele . He briefly attended Truro Cathedral School ; at the age of 13, he joined Truro School as a day boy. [7]

At the age of 15, Taylor became a member of the Reaction, a semi-professional rock band formed mainly of boys from Truro School. Taylor had originally learned guitar, but became a drummer when he realised he had a more natural aptitude for it. Taylor taught himself to tune his drums, inspired by Keith Moon of the Who because of the "great drum sounds" on the early Who records. [8] Another key influence on Taylor was Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience , who Taylor stated was his early role model. [9]

In 1967, Taylor went to London to study dentistry at the London Hospital Medical College , [10] but he became bored with it and changed to biology obtaining a BSc at East London Polytechnic . [11]

Taylor met Brian May and Tim Staffell in 1968 after a friend saw an advert for a drummer on a noticeboard at Imperial College . Smile included May on lead guitar, Staffell on lead vocals and bass, and later Taylor on drums. The band lasted for two years before Staffell departed to join Humpy Bong , leaving the band with a catalogue of nine songs.

Smile reunited for several songs on 22 December 1992. Taylor's band the Cross were headliners and he brought May and Staffell on to play "Earth" and "If I Were a Carpenter". [12]

In 1969, Taylor was working with Freddie Mercury at Kensington Market in London (they were sharing a flat at around the same time). [13] Mercury, then known as Farrokh “Freddie” Bulsara, was a fan of Smile. The band split up in 1970. In the same year, Taylor turned down the chance to become drummer for Genesis , which led to Phil Collins joining instead. [14] Bulsara convinced the remaining two members of Smile to continue and he eventually joined the band, which he renamed Queen. In 1971, they recruited bassist John Deacon , before going on to release their self-titled debut album in 1973. Taylor is the third most credited songwriter for the band, usually contributing one or two tracks per album.

Taylor has had a productive solo career, releasing six albums. His first single was "I Wanna Testify" in 1977, recorded during Queen's sessions for the News of the World album. The A-side, although a cover of the Parliaments song of the same name, was completely different from the original. The B-side was a self-penned song "Turn on the TV".

Taylor's first solo album, released in 1981, was Fun in Space , on which he performed all vocals and played all instruments aside from about half of the keyboards, which were contributed by engineer David Richards . With Queen still touring heavily and recording at the time of release, Taylor was unable to promote the album to its fullest extent, only appearing on some European TV shows to promote the single, "Future Management", including Top of the Pops . A second single from the album was titled "My Country". The only US single released from the album was "Let's Get Crazy".

Taylor's next solo venture, Strange Frontier , came in June 1984. The three singles from the album were the title track, "Beautiful Dreams" (in Portugal only) and "Man on Fire", the latter becoming a live favourite for him in later years. No attempts to promote the singles were made since Queen was touring to promote The Works , with Taylor not even performing on any TV shows. Strange Frontier included guest appearances by bandmates Freddie Mercury, Brian May and John Deacon. Mercury sang backing vocals on "Killing Time", Deacon remixed the B-side "I Cry For You" and Rick Parfitt co-wrote and played on "It's An Illusion". David Richards, Queen's engineer and producer at the time, also co-wrote two of the tracks. The album includes covers of Bruce Springsteen 's " Racing in the Street " and Bob Dylan 's " Masters of War ".

In 1986, Taylor co-produced Vigilante , the sixth studio album by rock band Magnum . [15] After Queen finished their 1986 Magic Tour , Taylor started a new band, the Cross , which released three albums over their six years of existence. In 1993, the band split up, after performing one final gig at the Gosport Festival . [16]

In 1994, Taylor worked with Yoshiki , drummer and pianist of X Japan and released the song "Foreign Sand" and a reworking of the Cross's "Final Destination". The album Happiness? was "Dedicated to the tasmanian tiger – thylacinus cynocephalus, but most especially... for Freddie". "Nazis 1994" from this album became Taylor's first hit single in England and was followed by two other top 40 UK hits, "Happiness" and "Foreign Sand".

In 1998, Taylor released his fourth solo album Electric Fire . [17] Taylor also performed one of the first Internet-gigs – for which he got a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records . [18] On 11 November 2013, Taylor released the album Fun on Earth , [19] On the same day, Taylor released his compilation album The Lot , which includes all of his work outside of Queen. [20]

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor released a new single "Isolation" on 21 June 2020. [21] The song debuted on the top of the UK iTunes Rock chart. [22] On 7 May 2021, Taylor announced his new solo album, Outsider , which was released on 1 October 2021, and debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart . [23] [24]

The Cross were a side project of Taylor's that existed from 1987 to 1993 and released three albums. While still the drummer for Queen, Taylor fronted the Cross as rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. On its debut release, The Cross incorporated dance influences which they dropped on their remaining two albums.

Taylor has appeared along with May for various other events and promotions, including Queen's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 [25] and the " Party at the Palace " in 2002, celebrating the golden jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II . [26] In 2004, Taylor, May, and Mike Dixon received the Helpmann Award in Australia for Best Music Direction for the musical We Will Rock You . [27] At the Live Earth concert held at Wembley Stadium in 2007, Taylor opened the show with Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers .

Taylor and May, performing as Queen, also appeared three times on the American singing contest television show American Idol . The first appearance was on 11 April 2006, during which that week's contestants were required to sing a Queen song. Songs performed included " Bohemian Rhapsody ", " Fat Bottomed Girls ", " The Show Must Go On ", " Who Wants to Live Forever ", and " Innuendo ". The second time Queen appeared was on the show's season 8 finale in May 2009, performing "We Are the Champions" with finalists Adam Lambert and Kris Allen . The third appearance was during the eleventh season on 25 and 26 April 2012, performing a Queen medley with the six finalists on the first show. The following day, they performed " Somebody to Love " with the Queen Extravaganza band. [28]

Taylor on drums with vocalist Adam Lambert in 2012 AdamLambertQueen1.jpg

In November 2009, Taylor appeared on the reality TV show The X Factor with May as Queen mentoring the contestants and performing " Bohemian Rhapsody ". That month Taylor confirmed he was planning to tour with Taylor Hawkins, which Taylor described as a "quick tour". [29] At the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards on 6 November, Queen received the Global Icon Award , and Taylor and May closed the awards ceremony, with Adam Lambert on vocals, performing "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You", and "We Are the Champions". [30] In 2011, Taylor, along with Steven Tyler and Roger Daltrey , joined the advisory board of Edge Music Network. Taylor performed in the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London on 12 August.

In 2013 and 2014, Taylor served as an executive producer of the film Solitary , directed by Sasha Krane. In addition to those duties, he provided original music, including the song "When We Were Young" and three instrumental songs which serve as incidental/background music in the film and during the closing credits. Taylor also appeared as a special guest for Welsh Rock artist Jayce Lewis [31] providing drums for the track "Wrath" which were recorded at Taylor's personal studio in Surrey , the song was released as a single from the Welshmans album Nemesis . [32] [33] [34] [35] On 15 November 2014, Taylor joined the charity group Band Aid 30 , playing drums alongside current British and Irish pop acts on the latest version of the track " Do They Know It's Christmas? " at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill , London, to raise money for the 2014 Ebola crisis in Western Africa. [36]

On 5 and 6 September 2015, Taylor, along with Led Zeppelin 's John Paul Jones , joined Foo Fighters on stage in Milton Keynes to perform a cover of the Queen and David Bowie song " Under Pressure ". Taylor released a new single called "Gangsters Are Running This World" on 1 April 2019, and on 8 April released a more rocking version of this song called "Gangsters Are Running This World-Purple Version". Both versions became available for streaming on 8 April 2019. [37] On 10 May 2019 he and Czech Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Čech released a song called "That's Football" which Čech wrote for his retiring football career. [38]

In October 2021, Taylor embarked on a 14-date solo tour (Outsider Tour) in the UK, from 2 to 22 October. [39]

In November 2023, Taylor's bar The Wild, a collaboration with his wife Sarina Taylor, Adam Lambert , Bryan Patrick Franklin, and Michael Solis, opened in West Hollywood, California. [40] [41]

Taylor has stated that his early role model as a drummer was Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience . He said: "I still think listening to Mitch Mitchell, especially the early stuff with Hendrix, is just fantastic. This fusion of jazz technique and wonderful riffs but with this rolling ferocious attack on the whole kit, it had lots of jazz influences I think. In fact for me he played the kit like a song, it was just wonderful. Total integration into the song. Not just marking time". [9]

Taylor has also expressed great admiration for John Bonham of Led Zeppelin . Speaking of Bonham, Taylor said, "The greatest rock and roll drummer of all time was John Bonham, who did things that nobody had ever even thought possible before with the drum kit. And also the greatest sound out of his drums – they sounded enormous, and just one bass drum. So fast on it that he did more with one bass drum than most people could do with three, if they could manage them. And he had technique to burn and fantastic power and tremendous feel for rock and roll". [9] For sheer technique, Taylor described the jazz and big band drummer Buddy Rich as "the best I've ever seen". [9]

Speaking to Modern Drummer in 1984, Taylor described Keith Moon , the drummer of the Who , as "absolutely brilliant...he had a total unique style; he didn't owe anyone anything." [8]

In 2013, a newly discovered species of the genus Heteragrion (Odonata: Zygoptera) from Brazil was named Heteragrion rogertaylori after Taylor, in honour of his "powerful sound, wonderful lyrics and raspy voice "; one of four Heteragrion flatwing damselflies named after the bandmates, paying tribute to the 40th anniversary of Queen's founding. [42]

In 1999, Taylor became the second living person, other than members of the British Royal Family and Sir Francis Chichester in 1967, to appear on a Royal Mail stamp , being seen behind Freddie Mercury as part of a "Great Britons" issue. This caused controversy as it was an understood rule that the only living people allowed to appear on British stamps could be members of the Royal Family. [43] [44]

In 2002, Taylor appeared on the "Twelve Drummers Drumming" Christmas card in the " Twelve Days of Christmas " set sold at Woolworths to raise money for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children , alongside Duran Duran 's drummer of the same name . [45]

Taylor was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to music. [46] At his investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in March 2022, Taylor dedicated his OBE to the recently deceased Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins , adding that Hawkins had been a mentor to his own son Rufus . [47]