Brian May details late Freddie Mercury’s inspirational songwriting ways
Brian May just recalled how it felt like working in Queen.
Without a doubt, Queen, that was one of the best rock bands of its time had one rare quality and that was all four members, that is May, drummer Roger Taylor, bassist John Deacon and late singer Freddie Mercury, were all songwriters.
The band has written many hit singles during the span of their 22-year-long career that include, We Will Rock You, Radio Gaga, Another One Bites The Dust and Bohemian Rhapsody.
“There was huge songwriting competition in Queen, no doubt about it,” May told Classic Rock adding, “It was a major factor in pushing us onwards. We were very conscious that we had to reach inside ourselves to keep up.”
Recalling Mercury’s prowess in songwriting, he mentioned, “Occasionally Freddie would write fast, but a lot of the time he’d go home and scheme and scheme, and come back with stuff written all over a pad of his dad’s notepaper.”
The iconic guitarist continued, “He’d spend time developing ideas. But there are exceptions, where he’d get the song in one bite. And often they’re the ones that connect.”
He continued, “Freddie mainly used the piano for songwriting, but there were times when he’d get inspiration when he wasn’t around his instrument. It could be any experience; a skate on the pond. One of the last songs he wrote, A Winter’s Tale, was written purely sat looking out on the mountains from the other side of Lake Geneva.”
Reflecting on how the late vocalist might have felt, Brian May detailed, “He could obviously hear it all in his head, although he didn’t have any musical instruments with him. I remember him coming into the studio and saying: ‘I’ve got this idea… just give me a few minutes.’ Then he brought it to life. That’s a beautiful track, actually.”
