Is this the real Queen? Is this just fantasy?

You can just about understand why they do tours with co-opted frontmen. You could almost forgive them for sanctioning the Ben Elton musical (after all, nobody has to go to the West End, do they?) but... making a new studio recording? Queen? Without Freddie Mercury?

At the very least, they should be forced by law to be honest and call themselves "the other ones which were in Queen", or "no, no, go back - see, if you freeze-frame the Bohemian Rhapsody video - that's us in it, there, see?"

God alone knows who'll be singing lead vocals - probably that bloke out of Free who's been filling in. The deeper question, though, is why would they bother? The reputation off which they trade is a precious thing - it's their pension. Is it worth making a few quid off a 'new'album if it harms that reputation?

music queen