Forty years ago, one of the most beloved and influential rock bands formed. Queen has since sold millions of albums, created innumerable imitators, and forever set a new bar for the number of octaves lead singers were expected to be able to reach. But twenty years after they first formed, lead singer Freddie Mercury died of AIDS at age 45. What legacy has he left behind? And can we ever hope for “another” Freddie Mercury? Joseph Russo, lead singer of Queen tribute band Almost Queen, joins The Takeaway to talk about what Freddie Mercury did for pop music, his personal connection to Queen, and what it’s like being in a Queen tribute band.
Queen – “We Are the Champions”
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.