by Mark Blake
The Reaction, winners of the Cornwall Rock and Rhythm Championship, 1966. From left: Jim Craven, Geoff ‘Ben’ Daniel, Roger Brokenshire, Roger Taylor, Mike Dudley and John ‘Acker’ Snell. Courtesy of Geoff Daniel
The Opposition: (from left) Nigel Bullen, Richard Young, Ron Chester, Dave Williams, and a 16-year-old John Deacon, photographed for the Leicester Mercury, 1967.
The one that got away: bass player Tim Staffell, recording with Smile, Trident Studios, London, June 1969. Courtesy of Mark Haywood
‘I felt a bit sorry for myself’: Douglas Bogie, Queen bassist, fired after just two shows in 1971. Courtesy of Douglas Bogie
‘They wanted the world, and they wanted it no later than teatime on Friday’: Queen, Imperial College, London, 2 November 1973. Mick Rock/Retna Pictures
Rock Opera: London’s famous Hammersmith Odeon, during Queen’s sold-out five-night run, November to December, 1975. Peter Hince
‘I yell much less than the others’: John Deacon, Wessex Studios, London, Autumn 1976. Peter Hince
Queen go gospel: recording the video for ‘Somebody to Love’, Wessex Studios, London, Autumn 1976. Peter Hince
Peter ‘Ratty’ Hince, future head of the Queen road crew, inspecting John Deacon’s bass, 1977. Peter Hince
Court jester: Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, A Day at the Races tour 1977. Rex Features
Queen, at Mountain Studios, Montreux, recording the Jazz album, 1978. The band would buy the studio in 1979. Peter Hince
Love of my life: Freddie Mercury with former girlfriend Mary Austin, Hotel Eden Palace au Lac, Montreux, 1978. Peter Hince
Queen’s state-of-the-art lighting rig, ‘The Pizza Oven’, being fired up before its first use at Dallas Convention Centre, 28 October 1978. Peter Hince
Freddie Mercury hiding behind his own image, Musicland Studios, Munich, Spring 1979. Peter Hince
‘I wasn’t quite Baryshnikov’: Freddie Mercury rehearsing with the Royal Ballet Company, London, October 1979. Rex Features
Brian May breaks Queen’s ‘no synthesisers’ rule, Mountain Studios, Montreux, Autumn 1981. Peter Hince
Freddie Mercury and producer Reinhold Mack (‘His job was to make it fresh and new and exciting’), Musicland Studios, Munich, 1981. Peter Hince
Roger Taylor relaxing during the recording sessions for Queen’s David Bowie collaboration, ‘Under Pressure’ (‘A clash of the titans’), Mountain Studios, Montreux, 1981. Peter Hince
Queen celebrating the last night of the Hot Space tour at Seibu Lyons Stadium, Tokorozawa, Japan, 3 November 1982. Peter Hince
On the set of Radio Ga Ga, Shepperton Studios, January 1984. Peter Hince
Freddie Mercury lights up (‘He smoked like a schoolgirl’) on the set of the ‘Radio Ga Ga’ video shoot, Shepperton Studios, January 1984. Peter Hince
Huge plastic falsies: Freddie Mercury and a make-up assistant, on the set of the video for ‘I Want To Break Free’, Limehouse Studios, London, March 1984. Peter Hince
Freddie Mercury on the set of ‘our worst video ever’ for ‘It’s A Hard Life’, Munich, 1984. Mirrorpix
‘I have to win people over’: Freddie Mercury grapples with the BBC cameraman, Live Aid, Wembley Stadium. Rex Features
Freddie Mercury and Brian May performing ‘Is This The World We Created?’, Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, 13 July 1985. Getty Images
Freddie Mercury with musical collaborator Billy Squier, Sarm East studios, London, 1986. Peter Hince
Queen get airborne: Freddie Mercury and inflatable friend, Knebworth Park, Stevenage, 9 August 1986. Getty Images
One last fling: Freddie Mercury and Brian May, Knebworth Park. Getty Images
By royal appointment: Freddie Mercury in crown and ermine, London, 1987. Peter Hince
A night at the opera: Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé performing Barcelona, 1987. Rex Features
Freddie Mercury with Brian May and Roger Taylor, BPI Awards, February 1990. Getty Images
Fans’ tributes on the door of Mercury’s former property, Garden Lodge, 1 Logan Place, Kensington, London. PA Photos
George Michael, Lisa Stansfield and Brian May, A Concert For AIDS Awareness as a tribute to Freddie Mercury, Wembley Stadium, 20 April 1992. Rex Features
The show must go on: Liza Minnelli with Roger Taylor and Brian May, The Freddie Mercury Tribute: A Concert For AIDS Awareness, Wembley Stadium, 20 April 1992. Rex Features
Freddie Mercury’s statue outside London’s Dominion Theatre, home of the record-breaking We Will Rock You stage musical. Rex Features
Brian May performing ‘God Save The Queen’ on the roof of Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Jubilee Concert, 3 June 2002. Rex Features
Paul Rodgers and Brian May, the Q + PR tour, Budapest, Hungary, 23 April 2005. Rex Features
‘Goodnight and sweet dreams’: Freddie Mercury, the Magic tour, 1986. Rex Features
