Next to The Beatles, there is no doubt that Queen could be considered the most loved band in UK music history, their Greatest Hits collection alone being the highest-selling UK album ever, and the outfit is rightly revered for their genre-straddling output and incredible live shows.
It was not always that way, though, and their birth was not one lauded by the critics. Their 1973 self-titled debut was not just dismissed but torn apart in the press at the time. Whilst doubtless this criticism stung, the band were made of tougher stuff and with a growing army of fans behind them, the band headed back into the studio to create their sophomore album, Queen II.
It was make-or-break time for the quartet, and they went in with a ferocious spirit, determined to do things their way and push envelopes that had only been hinted at before.
Fast forward fifty-two years, and a select group of competition winners, friends, family and various press representatives are gathered in the lower part of the West End’s highly upmarket Soho Hotel, ready to listen to the playback of the newly remastered version of Queen’s second album.
Following a welcome selection of drinks and canapés, the assembled throng is ushered into the small, cinema-like set up of the listening room, and the star of the evening, Sir Brian May, is introduced, already having wandered around the space, warmly greeting loved ones and colleagues.
Tall, dressed in a dark suit and eminently likeable, it is impossible not to be drawn into his charismatic orbit, his smile and care for all those in the room genuine.
“I feel like I know everyone in the room,” he states, and whilst he is surely one of the most recognisable musicians on the planet, this thoughtfulness brings smiles and appreciation all round.
Turning to a table at the front of the auditorium, he picks up one of the original magnetic tapes that the album was recorded on, explaining the process and how much work it was prior to the wonders of digital techniques.
Following an unboxing of the stunning new edition and the playing of two brief selections of what treasures the set holds, along with a number of anecdotes, the guitarist took his set amongst those there and suggested that rather than watch the visuals created for the playback, everyone wishing to should close their eyes to focus on the music itself.
Much-loved now, hearing the whole album once again from start to finish in its new form was a revelation. The clarity is truly stunning, and you feel you are actually in the studio when it was recorded. Everything sounds bigger, bolder and brighter than ever.
Whilst the instrumentation and arrangements glisten with a new weight and sharpness, it is the vocals that hit the hardest, especially those of Freddie Mercury, the loss of such an incredible talent heartbreaking afresh.
Certainly, as the last notes of Seven Seas Of Rhye fade, there is a hushed silence for a pause before the audience breaks into an utterly deserved wave of applause.
Visibly affected, a very moved May sits there still for a moment, eventually stating that he had not heard the album like that in a very long time. To see him so genuinely emotional just adds to the whole experience, and when he says that Freddie would have loved it, it is impossible not to get a little choked up.
Extending the evening further, the guitarist walks back out to the front to take questions about the album and the whole experience. Full of highs and lows, you can fully appreciate just how proud he is of the new mix and why it was such a pivotal album for Queen, the outfit truly starting to morph into the world-beating giants they became.
Touching on his complicated relationship with Roger Taylor and sadness at John Deacon’s distance from the band these days, there is a perpetual sense of care and appreciation of his fellow travellers and the magic that the four of them created together.
Reiterating something that he told Jon Bon Jovi as a key quality for bands, “stick together” seems something as vital and relevant for Queen and their fans to this very day. Given the strength of their material and such a world-beating legacy, that relationship is set to last for decades to come.
A rock icon, global superstar and one of the warmest and most professional people you could hope to meet, he hung around long into the evening, happily having photos and signing albums.
He may have played in front of millions, but for this one evening, this small gathering was treated to something very special indeed. A landmark album, an incredible band and a legacy that will never be forgotten.
Long live Queen.
The Queen II 2026 Remaster/Remix features a 2026 mix by Justin Shirley-Smith, Joshua J Macrae, and Kris Fredriksson, and is available as a 5CD+2LP box set, 2CD deluxe edition, vinyl, and picture disc. It includes White Side and Black Side sessions, plus rarities, and demos.
