MUSIC
Roger Taylor reveals why George Michael didn’t replace Freddie Mercury in Queen
The drummer confessed that it would not have been good for them given Michael's way of working.
Roger Taylor, famous for being the drummer of the legendary band Queen, wanted to break his silence to stop various rumours, such as those that suggested that George Michael had been invited to join the British band to replace Freddie Mercury.
It is worth noting that Michael himself joined the band on stage at ‘The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert’ on April 20, 1992, where he performed ‘Somebody To Love’, surprising everyone present, who already thought of George Michael as a substitute.
George Michael and Queen’s tribute to Freddie Mercury
“I have to say, it was a thrill to work with George Michael. Without any pretense, he was one of the big surprises of the night for most people, I know. It wasn’t a surprise to me because I knew he could do it. In addition to the great finesse that he has, the great control, the great dynamics, he has enormous power. And from the moment he walked into the rehearsal room and was doing ‘Somebody to Love,’ we were like, ‘Wow. ’ I think, in most people’s opinion, he came closer to the range of Freddie himself,” the drummer explained.
Also speaking to Classic Rock magazine, Roger didn’t hesitate to answer the question of whether George Michael was going to be a full-time member of Queen, Mercury’s replacement: “No, not really. I remember hearing rumors. But it wouldn’t have been good for us. George wasn’t used to working with a live band. When he heard the power behind him in rehearsals he couldn’t believe it. He thought he was on the Concorde or something.”
The Wham! frontman only took part in the Mercury tribute concert at Wembley on April 20 1992, which was spectacular for the drummer: “I remember reading some very normal reviews in some newspaper. I don’t know, I was in a whirlwind of activity, it seemed like I was in some kind of dream.”