Singer Adam Lambert has revealed how he found a way to get Queen bandmembers Brian May and Roger Taylor to discuss frontman Freddie Mercury’s sexuality on camera
Adam Lambert has performed with Queen for more than a decade, producing some flamboyant Freddie Mercury-style performances.
But the American Idol winner said it took an ITV documentary to get bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor to sit down on camera and discuss how the late singer’s sexuality influenced him as an artist. On the Adam’s Out Loud and Proud doc, the trio talk about how Freddie would have refused to identify as a “queer performer”, with Brian suggesting he would have dismissed the term, saying: “I’m a performer, darling.”
Adam said yesterday the chat was unique, despite the group being together since 2011. He added: “They’re not usually comfortable speaking about Freddie’s sexuality on camera – they respect his privacy. But we found a way to speak about it in a respectful manner. It wasn’t revealing secrets. It was how it informed him as a creative, an artist, a human and bandmate.
“I always try to honour Freddie. Everything I do on stage is a tribute to him. I’m honoured that they felt comfortable with me and open to talk about their experience with Freddie and his experience as a queer man in a time where it was taboo to talk about it publicly.” The iconic band were formed back in 1970 with original members Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor.
Queen’s Brian and Roger rarely discuss Freddie’s sexuality on camera
Original frontman Freddie died in 1991 at the age of 45 – losing his life due to health complications caused by the AIDs virus. The band have continued – with American singer Adam taking the mantle as lead singer in 2011. Brian, 76, previously signalled the group may have to hang up their touring boots soon.
He said: “There’s a strong possibility that we’ll be going out together again. We’re talking about that as you and I speak, making those decisions. Now, it does get to be more of a decision as you get older. I’m not 35 anymore, and leaving home for two months is not easy. But we feel as like if we’re all fit and well, that we’d like to go out there one more time.”
Last year, Brian revealed he still “misses the butterflies” he would feel while watching the flamboyant frontman strut his stuff on stage. “Freddie was a fantastic mate and a great brother,” he said. “I liked it when he broke the rules, what he said to the audience and the risk he took. I am sure if he was here today we would still be doing it and the mothership would still be steaming around the world, because he lived for music and lived for the band – it was his family.”
Drummer Roger added: “Freddie is still around, he is part of our make-up. If he was still around I don’t know if we would be still working but I would hope so. That was part of Freddie’s raison d’etre. I mean what else would we do?”
