Names Of Queen Band Members

The four original member lineups of Queen remain a legendary quartet in music's history. Here is a table of their roles in the group:

Freddie Mercury

Mercury was the one who renamed Smile to Queen. He sang, played piano and introduced the idea of making music around elaborate stage and recording techniques.

Today, he is considered to be few of the best rock music vocalists who lived in the history of music.

His iconic extrovert and flamboyant on-stage appearance made him a global icon. The memories of his style at the Queen's Live Aid concert at Wembley in 1985 still remains fresh among everyone.

Music critics and audiences praise Mercury for his four-octave vocal range. Meanwhile, his exceptional quality in delivering the best vocals during live shows is still considered to be unmatchable.

Brian May

May is the lead guitarist of Queen and remains in the same position. He is a regular songwriter for the band but has ceased to compose new music.

As a guitarist, he is considered to be one of the best in the world. Besides making music, Brian is a certified astrophysicist and an animal rights activist.

King Charles III knighted him in the 2023 New Year Honours for his services to music and charity, per The Economic Times.

Roger Taylor

Taylor and May are the founding members of the Smile-turned Queen band. They had been making music for two years before Freddie joined the band.

He is also considered to be one of the world's greatest drummers, as his skills exceed that of a normal drummer.

Roger also contributed to Queen's songs on each album, just like other members. He and May are the only active members of this rock band.

John Deacon

Deacon contributed to bass for Queen and was known as the quiet member. The reason is that he mainly avoided speaking, let alone discussing and arguing.

Despite his shy and quiet demeanor, he worked as a skilled bassist for the Queen and became just the right bassist.

John retired in 1997 and remains away from the limelight even as of 2023.

Queen hit rock bottom when they lost Freddie Mercury to AIDS complications on November 24, 1991. The band did not remain the same since then.

Mercury was diagnosed with the disease in 1987 but continued to record with Queen. His final statement on his health was released only a day before his demise.

His bandmates came together for The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness in April 1991, remembering him.

But after this tribute, the remaining trio parted ways, with May and Roger becoming active members. The duo continues to raise Queen's legacy with concerts and featured artists.

Queen Band Members Still Alive

Brian May travels far and wide for live shows. He experienced a small heart attack in May 2020 but has continued his career.

Drummer Roger Taylor made headlines in October 2021 when he went on a solo music tour. The 14 shows tour was around the UK, which he managed alongside his ongoing tour.

Queen's former bassist, John Deacon, was so heartbroken about Freddie's passing away that he quit the band. He cut off his career and contact with the media.

The duo of May and Taylor continued maintaining contact with him, which was severed over time. Besides financial matters regarding the band, John lives away from the turmoil of facing the world.

He lives in Putney in southwest London with his wife.

As Mercury bid farewell to the world, his three bandmates are still well. The following table includes everyone's birth dates and ages:

Given Freddie's never-ending popularity among the audience, his birthday is celebrated with various tributes and events each year.

On his 60th birthday (if he had been alive) in 2006, a compilation album of his solo work was released in the UK, honoring him. For his 65th birthday in 2011, Google dedicated its Google Doodle to him.

Then on his 71st birthday in 2017, Norwegian, an airline company painted the tail fin of its two aircraft with his portrait.

Thus, Mercury's popularity is still rising even after his demise, making him one of only a few musical artists to be so.

Queen band is still performing as of 2023 though the only members are May and Taylor. However, their work is limited to stage and live shows.

The band's last album release was in 1995, with Made in Heaven being their last creation. The album also features Freddie posthumously.

After his demise and Deacon's retirement, the remaining two continued the legacy of Queen through concert tours. They initiated their first tour in 2005 in collaboration with Paul Rodgers.

The list below includes all of the Queen's tours after their last album:

• Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour (2005–2006)
• Rock the Cosmos Tour (2008)
• Queen + Adam Lambert Tour (2012)
• Queen + Adam Lambert Tour (2014–2015)
• Queen + Adam Lambert 2016 Summer Festival Tour (2016)
• Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2017–2018)
• The Rhapsody Tou (2019–2023)

May and Taylor's professional bond with The Firm's Rodgers ended in 2009, and they joined hands with Adam Lambert in 2011. As both play instruments, their two partners are vocalists.

This talented trio is supported by equally experienced and gifted musicians. The list below shows the instrumentalist's names and their roles during the concerts:

• Spike Edney – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Neil Fairclough – bass, backing vocals
• Tyler Warren – percussion, drums, backing vocals

Edney has been touring with the remaining Queen members since 1984. Fairclough joined the team in 2011, followed by Warren in 2017.

Queen does not have a lead singer as of 2023. May and Taylor have confirmed that no one would replace the late Freddie as a lead vocalist.

For their tours, vocalist Adam Lambert sings on stage due to his partnership with the remaining Queen duo. Their team is called Queen + Adam Lambert.

The trio is also written as Q+AL or QAL. Here, Lambert is rather a featured artist than a replacement for Freddie.

Q+AL got together in May 2011 and has gone on five tours since then. Their ongoing tour is named The Rhapsody Tour, which started on July 10, 2019.

It will end on November 12, 2023, with the last concert set in BMO Stadium, Los Angeles. It contains four legs around North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.

May, Taylor, and Lambert will finish a total of 109 shows where the latter is the singer.