Queen guitarist Brian May has spoken about the idea of recording a new Queen album with singer Adam Lambert.
Lambert, who shot to fame on American Idol, has performed with Queen on tours since 2012. The original band members (May and drummer Roger Taylor) have previously said that replacing a singer like Freddie Mercury, who died of HIV-related illness in 1991 had proved almost impossible until Lambert came along.
However, despite this, they have not recorded any new material together.
In an interview with NME this week, May was asked: Would you release a new Queen album with Adam?
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“We’ve talked about it a lot but it hasn’t happened yet,” May replied.
“We went into a studio halfway through the last American tour to try things out but we didn’t feel anything was quite right. Unless it jumps out and is extraordinary, then we’re not going to do it, but it’s a possibility, definitely.
“If I’m honest, I have an underlying feeling that people want to hear Freddie’s voice on a record when it’s got the name Queen on it and it’s hard for them to see it any other way. Live, it’s wonderful and people feel fulfilled seeing Adam working with us.
“Whenever we’ve included Adam’s solo songs into the Queen live set, it comes out pretty good, so maybe that’s a sign that we should be trying harder to see where recording goes.”
In other words, don’t rule it out.
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Elsewhere in the piece, May was full of praise for Lambert’s abilities. The band and gay singer first came together in 2011 when Queen performed with the finalists on American Idol (which included Lambert).
“I call Adam The GFG – Gift From God,” said May of discovering Lambert. “He ticked every box and a lot of boxes we didn’t even know existed. His voice is phenomenal and one in a billion, and Freddie would agree with me on that. He has great rapport with the audience and is very camp – which seems to be a requirement for a lead singer in our band!” May said, laughing.
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Following Mercury’s death, Queen released a posthumous album (entitled Made In Heaven) featuring Mercury’s final recordings in 1995. Since that time, they have only released one new album of new material: 2008’s The Cosmos Rocks with singer Paul Rodgers. However, it was met with mixed reviews and lackluster sales compared to their work with Mercury.
Queen and Adam Lambert have a 35-date arena tour of Europe planned for 2022, including ten nights at London’s O2 Arena.
white-queer-african
I do like Adam Lambert, BUT no please not. There is and always will be only one frontman for Queen.
FREDDIE MERCURY.
LumpyPillows
Good music is good music. If it’s good, I’d like to hear it. I believe, if I understand the quotes correctly, that the new songs they have come up with are not good enough.
They can, of course, use a different band name.
ShiningSex
Queen NEVER should have been revived. Only a money maker. Adam is an awful singer.
End this please!!!
Andy
You VERY CLEARLY have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what you’re talking about!
montegutdude
Adam Lambert is one of the most gifted vocalists of our time. And he has a nice ass.
Andy
I’ve seen them live and it’s INCREDIBLE! Adam is as close to Freddie Mercury as we’ll ever get, and clearly the members of Queen think so as well!
Mack
They could always call the album “Queen, featuring Adam Lambert”
ScottOnEarth
Or, “Queen, featuring a queen.”
Jim
Lambert is not the talent he thinks he is.