Is This The Real Life - The Untold Story Of Queen

Queen are unique among the great rock bands. It is nearly twenty years since frontman Freddie Mercury’s death brought the band to an end, yet their fan base remains massive. They appeal equally to men and women. Their fans are just as likely to be teenagers too young to have been born when the band were still touring and making records, thanks in no small part to the huge success of the musical We Will Rock You. Their musical history is also one of constant reinvention – from heavy metal and progressive rock to disco pop, stadium anthems and even jazz influences.

Mark Blake, the experienced Mojo journalist who wrote Aurum’s bestselling book on Pink Floyd, has now written the definitive history. Having already interviewed the surviving band members over the years, he tracked down dozens of new interviewees, from Queen’s first long-forgotten bass players to Freddie Mercury’s schoolmates in Isleworth, Middlesex. He traces Queen’s long career from their very first gawky performances in St Helens, through their sensational, stage-stealing appearance at Live Aid, to the band’s collaboration with Paul Rodgers at the beginning of the century.