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Roger Taylor admitted his Queen bandmate Freddie Mercury sang like a “manic goat” as he revealed how “terrible” the frontman sounded when they first got together.
The drummer, 75, explained how the late singer’s famous operatic singing voice left his mother horrified when the band first started.
Roger said Freddie – who died of pneumonia due to AIDS in 1992 – “turned out to be beautiful” but that the signature vibrato he is known for still needed some refinement.
Speaking at the launch of the band’s remastered debut album of the same name – originally released in 1973 – he said: ‘I don’t think you realize how awful he sounded before.
“I mean, he sounded like a manic goat. He sounded extraordinary, his vibrato. My mother’s face when she saw him…
Roger Taylor admitted his Queen bandmate Freddie Mercury sang like a ‘manic goat’ as he revealed how ‘terrible’ the frontman sounded (pictured left with Brain May in 2023)
The drummer, 75, explained how the late singer (pictured in 1985) left his mother in horror when the band was just starting out
Roger added: “He turned out to be our wonderful Freddie, who we will never forget. He became a colossal force that could reach any gig or stadium in Argentina. He reached everyone.’
Although Queen split after Freddie’s death in 1991, Roger and Brian May have continued to tour under the band’s name, with singer Adam Lambert.
The special launch event at London’s Ham Yard Hotel celebrated the newly mixed, mastered, expanded edition of Queen’s iconic self-titled debut album.
Matt Everitt hosted the evening which included a question and answer session with Brian and Roger, followed by an album playback.
When he hit the road next, Roger did the Can-Can in Soho with his daughters Tigerlily, Rory and Lola.
The family enjoyed a night out in London, with Tigerlily, 30, sharing on Instagram on Friday the moment they decided to break out and dance down the street.
The model showed off her long legs as she threw them in the air, while Roger also gave it his all.
Rory, 38, struggled to keep up while Lola, 24, giggled in the short clip.
Fortunately, Roger said that Freddie ‘turned out to be great’, but the signature vibrato he is known for required some refinement (L-R Brian May, Freddie Mercury, Roger, John Deacon)
“I mean, he sounded like a manic goat. He sounded extraordinary, his vibrato. My mother’s face when she saw him…’ he explained (pictured in 2019)
After the special launch event at London’s Ham Yard Hotel Tigerlily, Roger did the Can-Can in Soho with his daughters Tigerlily (centre), Rory (right) and Lola (left)
Tigerlily captioned the post: ‘Da da da da da da da daa BDE, big dork energy. Wandered around Soho with these freaks last night.
About her sister Rory, she added: “I can’t do that. The lack of coordination and the look of confusion’.
Tigerlily is the daughter of Roger and his ex-wife Debbie, who were together for fifteen years before splitting in 2004.
The exes also share daughter Lola and son Rufus, 33 – who is a touring drummer for Queen + Adam Lambert shows.
Roger is also father to son Felix, 44, and daughter Rory, a GP, whom he shares with Dominique Beyrand.