time! My cousin had one though. Later on my big all-time heroes
became Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Bob Dylan. Archetypal
influences I suppose, but why not?’
Three years later, on 19 August 1951, John Deacon was born in
Leicestershire, completing the foursome that would become one of
the biggest British rock bands of all time. The seeds of Queen had
been sown. This is their story...
An early band featuring a young Roger Taylor would be the first
to make a name for themselves. Taking on the rather spurious
name Johnny Quale and the Reaction, the future Queen drummer
would travel the length and breadth of the country with the band,
competing in various talent contests and battle of the bands.
Eventually downsizing their name to Reaction, they would be a
constant on the music scene throughout the mid 1960s.
At the same time, Brian May had taken inspiration from author
George Orwell, playing in a band named after one of Orwell’s
most famed novels – 1984. Even more successful than Taylor’s
Reaction, 1984 played sold out gigs left, right and centre, and even
picked up a support slot with Jimi Hendrix in 1967. Conflicts
within the band meant they split soon after, however.
As for Queen’s soon-to-be bassist John Deacon, he was also in a
mildly successful band at the time. With Deacon’s group getting
booked most weekends in The New Opposition, it was clear that
all three were on the rise.
In 1966, Brian May was busy studying for a degree in astronomy
at Imperial College in London. As well as performing with 1984,
May was also playing in a band called Smile with singer and
bassist Tim Staffell. Answering an ad on the Imperial College
noticeboard for a drummer, Taylor soon joined the band. Freddie
Bulsara was Staffell’s roommate at the time, and followed Smile
closely – turning up to rehearsals as well as most of the band’s gigs.
Freddie, of course, was also big on the scene at the time, singing
with the likes of Ibex and Wreckage.
chris devlin
(Chris Devlin)
#1