Roger Taylor

Although best known for his powerhouse role in Queen, Roger Taylor is anything but a drummer confined to his kit.

He has always been a highly active, vocal member of Queen. He famously wrote the group’s landmark hits Radio Ga Ga and A Kind of Magic, and was the first to make a solo album, 1981’s Fun in Space. To date he has released four solo albums.

Taylor’s active approach has not been confined to his music: when media mogul Rupert Murdoch made attempts to buy Manchester United football club, Taylor funded the club supporters in their attempts to block the sale, and historically helped them succeed.

His history in one of rock’s most famous bands begins in the late 1960s, when he first teamed up with Brian May, and later John Deacon and Freddie Mercury, to form Queen.

After the tragic death of Freddie Mercury, Taylor returned to his solo career with 1994’s Happiness?. Then came Electric Fire, full of songs tackling thought-provoking issues, such as domestic violence and poverty.

At the same time as developing the Queen musical We Will Rock You, Taylor and May played a central part in the formation of 46664, performing at the first two South African concerts and providing several new songs for the 46664 album. Taylor penned Say It’s Not True, a song about finding out you’re HIV-positive, and Invincible Hope, based on the writings of Nelson Mandela and featuring the voice of Mr Mandela reading phrases from his autobiography.

In 2005, after an accidental encounter with former Free singer Paul Rodgers, Taylor and May felt the time was right to put Queen back on the road as Queen + Paul Rodgers.

Website: http://www.queenonline.com/