In Brian May’s new book Queen in 3-D, May elaborates how the band decided to call upon the former American Idol runner up Adam Lambert. The guitarist explains how Lambert came to fill the place of the legendary front man Freddie Mercury.
In the book, May reveals how he and drummer Roger Taylor weren’t even on the hunt for a singer at the time.
“After we’d finished touring with Paul Rodgers, once again Roger and I felt we were done, and probably that would be the end of Queen touring. We didn’t go out looking for a singer who sounded like Freddie and we didn’t embark on one of these TV searches for stars. We just quietly got on with our business. But fate was to intervene. A gift from God!?”
May continued, that after Lambert’s progress on the talent show with his rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody people started saying to him the he was, ‘the natural successor to Freddie; he is the guy you should be touring with.’ May then recounts how they finally made the decision to invite Lambert to perform with Queen.
Concerning what Freddie Mercury would have to say about his replacement May concludes, “I always think that Freddie, with a wicked smile, would say something like ‘I hate you, Madam Lambert.’ May believes even Freddie would have been in awe of his range and ability to reinterpret these songs which the four of us originally created together.”Mercury died in 1991 of bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS.
Lambert has collaborated with members May and drummer Roger Taylor since 2011. Queen and Adam Lambert are due to tour Europe in the coming year, including a New Year’s Eve gig at Central Hall Westminster in London.
May’s book Queen in 3-D is available now.
