For the first Queen project in almost thrity years Deacon, May and Roger have all signed Queen’s seminal 1975 record ‘A Night At The Opera’. May and Taylor frequently donate items to charity, this is the first time that Deacon has signed a piece of Queen memorabilia in almost three decades.
Mercury Phoenix Trust confirmed that the signed memorabilia is "100% authentic" and were signed within the past two weeks, despite Deacon living anonymously sicne he left the band in 1997.
The album will be up for silent auction at the annual Freddie Mercury Birthday Part in Montreux. The charity was set up in Mercurys name and the fundraiser will take place in Casino Barrière Montreux on September 6, where Queen's Mountain Studios was formerly located.
The proceeds made from the fundraiser will go to HIV/AIDS Awarness as Mercury passed due to complications with the condition.
Although Deacon is technically involved with the band, he has not been an active member of the band since the death of Mercury. May told 'Mojo' in an interview last year that Deacon is happy with what May and Taylor are doing but he "doesn’t want the stress of being involved creatively, and we respect that,” he said.
May also told the Guardian in 2023 that if they have any major business decisions to make, it will always been run past John, "It doesn’t mean he talks to us – generally he doesn’t – but he will communicate in some way. He’s still very much part of Queen,” he said.
Earlier this year, May also suggested that the door was not fully closed on new Queen music, saying that he think it could happen, "both Roger and I are constantly writing and coming up with ideas and doing things in our studios. I could have the beginnings of a Queen song right there in front of me now. It’s just whether the idea reaches maturity or not. It’s whether that seed can grow,” he said.
