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 fanbase 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 not least to the huge success of the musical We Will Rock You). And their musical history is one of constant reinvention - from heavy metal and prog rock to disco pop, stadium anthems and even jazz influences. Now, Mark Blake, the experienced Mojo journalist who wrote Aurum's bestselling book on Pink Floyd, has written the definitive history. Having already interviewed the surviving band members over the years, he has now tracked down dozens and dozens of new interviewees, from Queen's first long-forgotten bass players to Freddie Mercury's schoolmates in Isleworth, Middlesex, to trace Queen's long career from their very first gawky performances in St Helens through their sensational stage-stealing appearance on Live Aid to the band's collaboration with Paul Rodgers at the beginning of the century. Full of fascinating new revelations - especially about the improbable transformation of a shy Asian schoolboy called Bulsara into the outrageous-living hedonist that was Freddie Mercury - this is a book every Queen fan will want to have. Is This the Real Life? The Untold Story of QUEEN Mark BlakeDespite the death of their exuberant frontman Freddie Mercury in 1991, Queen remain one of the most popular bands on the planet. Yet, the full story of their extraordinary success has never been told, until now.Derided by critics, but adored by fans, the band's single-mindedness and sheer ambition paid off when in 1975, Queen's six-minute operatic single 'Bohemian Rhapsody' became a Number 1 hit, changing their lives forever. From then on, Queen's story was one of constant musical and stylistic re-invention, as the progressive rock of the early '70s mutated into stadium anthems, romantic ballads and pure pop, with a side order of jazz, gospel and heavy metal. Then, in 1985, Queen's incredible performance at Live Aid stole the show and reminded a global television audience of why they were one of the greatest live acts of all time.Mojo and Q journalist Mark Blake has conducted brand new interviews with record producers,... "Queen are unique among the great rock bands. Twenty years after the death of flamboyant frontman Freddie Mercury, their fanbase remains massive. Is This the Real Life? is the definitive history of the group behind such classic hits as 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'We Will Rock You' and 'Don't Stop Me Now'. Having already interviewed the surviving band members, Mark Blake has conducted over 50 new interviews, from long-forgotten bass players to Freddie Mercury's schoolmates in Isleworth. He traces Queen's career from their first gawky performances through their sensational stage-stealing appearance on Live Aid to the surviving members' collaboration with Paul Rodgers at the beginning of the century. Full of fascinating new revelations - especially about the improbable transformation of a shy Asian schoolboy named Farrokh Bulsara into the outrageous hedonist that was Freddie Mercury ..."--Publisher's description Is This the Real Life?The Untold Story of QUEENMark BlakeDespite the death of their exuberant frontman Freddie Mercury in 1991, Queen remain one of the most popular bands on the planet. Yet, the full story of their extraordinary success has never been told, until now. Derided by critics, but adored by fans, the band's single-mindedness and sheer ambition paid off when in 1975, Queen's six-minute operatic single 'Bohemian Rhapsody' became a Number 1 hit, changing their lives forever. From then on, Queen's story was one of constant musical and stylistic re-invention, as the progressive rock of th Mark Blake has written the definitive history of one of the greatest rock bands of all time.