Roger Taylor of Queen Rarites Fansite
"I am a musician by profession, that's my whole life, and I didn't want to waste it in easy retirement"
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Wersja polska
"I am a musician by profession, that's my whole life, and I didn't want to waste it in easy retirement"
Lyrics VideosTours Roger & Brian Gallery Links Guestbook Wersja polska
Roger played ukelele in this skiffle band, back in 1957.
Roger played drums there.
Roger on lead vocals and drums.
1968 & 1969, Roger plays drums along with Brian May on the guitar and Tim Staffel on vocals and bass. For more info see discography section.
The name was a pun on Gary Glitter. It is understood to be a try of how the new Trident studio works. And because of that musicians didn't use the name Queen, just Larry Lurex instead. It was only one single, remake of Beach Boys' "I Can Hear Music", B-side to which was "Goin'Back" - a Dusty Springfield cover. Roger played drums and sang bvc's along with Brian on guitar and Freddie on vocals. John didn't take part here.
Produced by Robin Geoffrey Cable.
This was a 1973 album "Past, Present & Future", where Roger Taylor played percussion. He is credited there, among lots of other musicians. It's probable he plays on "Roads To Moscow", and some other sources say also "Nostradamus". It's hard to tell as no-one of Queen archivists seem to remember and because percussion playing style is rather difficult to distinguish.
Produced by John Anthony
Album issues:
Tracklisting:
Roger Taylor met Eugene as they (Queen and Eugene) were ment to be the same package of musicians offered by Trident to EMI. Playing in the same studio Roger was asked to play the drums. The track on which Roger played is a track called "Dangerous" and it was issued on an album of the same title.
As irishrock.org site in an article about Wallace claims, Roger Taylor recorded his parts in 1972 during the sessions for the first Eugene Wallace album "Book Of Fool", but the part didn't make it onto the first album.
Issued on LP in the UK on Trident/ EMC 3067 in May 1975. Personnel: Eugene Wallace - vc/ acoustic gtr; Chris Spedding - gtr; Hughie Burns - gtr; Phil Chen - bs (played later on Freddie solo); Brian Odgers - bs; Phil Collins - dr; Barry de Souza - dr; Mike Morgan - kbr (played later with Freddie). Produced by Robin Geoffrey Cable and Del Newman.
The LP was preceded by a promo only single on Trident own label.
Tracklisting:
Roger sang bvc's on one song, "Survival" which was released as a single in 1975 and came from an album called "Tails Of Illusion" (GTO 2321 106). Personnel was: Noosha Fox - vc; Herbie Armstrong - gtr, vc; Kenny Young - gtr, vc; Jim Gannon - gtr; Jim Frank - dr, Peter Solley - kbr, Gary Taylor - bs.
The album was reissued on CD in UK in 2004 on Cherry Red label (CDM RED 263).
Roger sang the words "higher, higher..." and "ahhhh, ahhhh..." - one can hear that specific high voice between other voices. This is a very peaceful song, with well heard vocals and all the instruments just as a background.< /br>
Tracklist (LP):
The CD issue has a tracklisting as follows:
"You Nearly Did Me In" was a song in which Roger, Freddie and Brian did bvc's. The album was called "All American Alien Boy" and was released Feb 1976 on Sony Music.
Tracklist:
"How Come You're So Dumb" was a single where Rog almost everything: he wrote it, played guitar, drums and keyboards and produced. He also co-wrote music and words to this song with Hilary Vance. It was released back in 1979 on Modern Records. This song seems to sound a bit like from "Fun In Space" - I read somewhere. Or it is considered to be Rog solo but credited to Hilary Hilary as not being enough good. Though B-side doesn't credit Rog at all.
The single "Julie Andrews Greatest Hits" had Rog sing bvc's and produce it. Also he did the same with its B-side, "Richard & Joey". Released 1981. It was done in a comic way, with comic Mel Smith when Rog was at Montreux.
"Emotions In Motion" was an album name and also a track name, in which Rog sang bvc's (along with Freddie). Released 1982.
Roger did bvc's to three songs, two of which were singles. The names are: "Right Away", "Diamonds & Pearls" and "Play The Game Tonight". All that one can find on "Vinyl Confessions" album, released 1982.
Album "Dance" had three times Rog's drums and percussion: "Crash", "You Are You Are", "Moral". Released 1982.
In 1983 Brian decided he gathered some friends and had some jamming. He also recorded that. And out of this came a mini album, "Star Fleet Project". Queen fans call it wrong, but Brian asked Rog to sing backing vocals for a title track, which is "Star Fleet". There was a single issued, and it had song "Son Of Star Fleet" on it - which is an instrumental version of "Star Fleet". People tend to say why that Rog there, but it isn't that obvious he sings there. One have to take a good listen to hear. It's not that jittering in your ears he is there. Everyone knows he is there and that's where it all starts. Better not to complain, because in my opinion the album has nothing to do with what Queen did and that's the point. And Rog there didn't spoil anything. It has none of Queen sound to it. Isn't that right?
1985 Roger Daltrey recorded his solo album. This one's one of his best. Many melancholy or nice songs, good to listen when doing sth else, as a background. But the highlight is the last song, track number 11, "Under A Raging Moon". The mood in this song is really fantastic and about its end we have a solo combined from music played by different drummers. The third of them is Roger, so 4:09 minutes starts his drumming ;) Is one of the best there, also good are the late Cozy Powell's, Carl Palmer's and Zak Starkey's. Drummer who plays on the whole album is just middle good, sorry Mark Brzezicki. So take a listen to this one! And remember, look for a full album version, as the single version has shorter solos.
In the year of 1985 Rog also did some helping to Feargal Sharkey along with David Richards, Queen's and Taylor's producer, recently owner of Mountain Studio, Montreux, Switzerland (which actually is his home bureau now). Taylor co-produced a single for that artist and played additional drums and synth there. The single title's "Loving You". Unfortunatelly I haven't listened to this one.
A single "Bursting At the Seams" had been released in 1985, on which Roger played drums and which he co-produced with David Richards.
When Taylor had his break from Queen, he had enough time to do some guest appearances. That's probably why he did so many in 1985. He did for Elton too. This was the first time, along with John this time, he joined Elton on one song from the album "Ice On Fire". He played drums on "Too Young". It is a very peaceful song, sounds of the drums aren't too complicated. But we can hear it's Rog. He playes there very his way. Although not too much of cymbals we find there (unlike Rog). What a shame he didn't play on more song there. Released 1985.
I had to look for that record a long time, but finally found it somewhere. The song "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" was a single, issued 1985, an came from an album "Take It Or Leave It". Drums here are provided by Rog ;) and he co-produced the single with David Richards.
Co-produced with David Richards the debut album which was simply called "Virginia Wolf". Released on Atlantic Records (Wounded Bird Records) 1985.
The full track list is as follows:
After one year passed Rog played for Elton again. This time on an album called "Leather Jackets", in a song "Angeline". This time also John played there bass. Released 1986.
For Magnum Roger co-produced the album "Vigilante" and sang bvc's on two tracks, "When The World Comes Down" and "Sometime Love". Released on Polydor 1986. Nothing special I must sadly say... "Sometime Love" is terriblly easy but that ease doesn't make it great (as it is with The Beatles for example). Not that much of Rog's bvc's here and there, he seems to be someone from the crowd, not standing out. The song lasts 4:20, and "When The World Comes Down" - 5:20.
The full album trackslist:
"Bullet Proof Heart" album was never released but happily Rog only produced tracks for this, "1985" and two others, which names I don't know :( Recorded in 1986.
This was a great thing! Again, Queen's fans would say why Rog, let it be Freddie Alone. But if you listen to that one particular version of "The Great Pretender" you know there is no other version like that! And that those bvc's by Rog are great there and are necessary. The original version and other versions are completely unlike that Freddie's one. He sings there as a real 'queen' of voices, everybody believes he IS a great pretender while listening to that.
Besides the music, Rog appears in a clip to that song, along with Freddie and Peter Straker (for whom Freddie co-produced with Roy Thomas Baker the album "This One's On Me", released in 1978 on EMI). There is also an extended version of this song, both in audio and video. Video is nice, showing all three men preparing for the clip making and laughing and so on. Musically I prefer the original version, the voice sounds are better adjusted. I give a list of "The Great Pretender" singles below but I am not sure how much of Rog is in those later singles (1992 and 1993), as these were different mixes.
Roger produced a remix of the "Dancerama" single.
A completely different version of Queen's "Who Wants To Live Forever" song, sung by two kids. Differentely arranged and with a new drum track by Rog. The video to this version of the song can be now seen on Queen's GVH II DVD.
Originally recorded for British Bone Marrow Donour Appeal in 1989 (Brian supports BBMDA even now).
Rock Aid Armenia was bunch of musicians getting together to record a remake of Deep Purple's 1972 hit "Smoke On The Water". This version guest two of DP's musicians, Ian Gillan (vc) and Ritchie Blackmore (gtr). All the musicians played together, only Ritchie did his part separately. Other musicians include Brian (gtr), David Gilmour (gtr), Chris Squire (bass), Bryan Adams (gtr, vc) and others, maybe I'll list them all one day... but the best thing was Roger was the only drummer! I like that version very much although it is completely different from the original one, much like the times in which it came to life.
There is a video accompanying the charity single and also a video of how it was all recorded. In both Roger appears. Great vocals by Gillan there, and once again, different to the original ones, and to those he does these days. The song also appeared on "The Earthquake Album". Read about the video.
This was a time for charity singles, and "The Stonk" was one of them. It did well, being number one single. And it was done for the Comic Relief charity. Here we have many well-known musicians and Roger is one of them, playing drums. These are, like Rock Aid Armenia mostly, Dave Gilmour, Tony Iommi, Cozy Powell, Judie Tzuke and more. The video of that also exists. Not really my type of song. Read about the video.
1992 issued the album "The Epic Years", from which comes a single "Radio". Here Roger plays drums. I'd say typical Shaky, nothing new. Rough Roger's drums. The video to that song also exists and we have Rog there behind his kit.
Rog was one of the lead singers in the song called "That's The Way God Planned It" - he sings part of song (chorus mostly) and does bvc's. This one comes from the album called "SAS BAnd" ('blue', 1997). It also have The Cross' remake, "Dirty Mind" from "Blue Rock" album (written by Edney), but it hasn't got Rog in it.
Roger did some bvc's on "Carnivorous Girl" from the 1999 album "EP.one".
Roger took part in The Mick Ronson Memorial. The CD was issued, under the same title. It was released on Pilot in 2001 in the UK, as a 3 CD Special Edition. Initial pressing of 5,000 copies includes bonus enhanced disc. Captured here the essence of an extraordinary memorial show featuring Roger Daltrey of The Who, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Steve Harley, Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones, Ian Hunter, Roger Taylor of Queen, Mick Jones of The Clash, a reconstituted Spiders From Mars featuring Joe Elliott and Bill Nelson, & Glen Matlock of The Sex Pistols. The limited edition disc features two visual performances of 'It's A Kind Of Magic' (sung by Roger) & 'All The Young Dudes'. Roger also plays drums in one more song ("Summertime Blues" as I remember). Standard triple jewel case issue.
Tracklist:
Roger appears on Mick Ronson's "Heaven And Hull" album, which was issued 2001. It's the last album recorded before his death in 1993. Some guests assist here, the tracklist's as follows:
SAS Band is a band of Spike Edney, Queen's long time stage keyboardist. Roger did few times with the SAS Band, but two things were officially issued. One of those is "Radio Ga Ga" version, sung by Rog, from the SAS concert, where Rog was a guest. The album's called "The Show" (2000). Now some DVD's have been issued, also called "The Show". And Roger's "Radio Ga Ga" is there.
Rog did few appearances on the album "Sex, Age & Death" (2001). The album was recorded in Rog's home studio, Cosford Mill. He does some bvc's and drums as I can recall.
Procol Harum's 'come back' guest Roger in second song from the album "The Well's On Fire" (2003), which is "Shadow Boxed". We can clearly hear Roger appear somewhere about second chorus (if I remember it well). Not a big part, but easily heard. Also the album was recorded at Rog's, in his Cosford Mill and produced by Josh J Macrae (The cross and worked with Rog many times, even on latest 46664).
Roger agreeded to produce and maybe add some drums to the charity single of Outl4w, named "Rock'n'Roll Summer". The recording session took place on 29th June 2005.
Roger recorded a song with his son Felix. First, it was a Roger Taylor demo song but later he asked his son for vocals as he wasn't satisfied with his own. They recorded one song "Woman You're So Beautiful" but in 3 mixes.
Roger Taylor, and also Brian May, did appear on Taylor Hawkins' second solo album called "Red Light Fever". On the LP issue even their names are given on the sticker on the cover. Roger does backing vocals in a song called "Your Shoes" (he sings the line: "and you know").
Produced by Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders and Drew Hester; Engineered by John Lousteau
The album details below: