Paul Rodgers, who toured with Queen for four years in the last decade, said he might not have taken the gig if it had been preceded by the media attention surrounding Adam Lambert’s similar feature spot in 2012.
Of course, both men are stepping into the enormous shoes left by the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury — one of rock’s most dynamic frontmen. Mercury died in November 1991 from complications related to AIDS. Since then, Queen has appeared with George Michael of Wham (1992), Rodgers (2005-09) and, at the Prince’s Trust Rock Gala in 2010, with Tom Chaplin of the band Keane. Queen released the 2008 studio effort The Cosmos Rocks with Rodgers, as well as three live albums.
The band has now announced a series of dates for Lambert, who has earlier appeared with remaining members Brian May and Roger Taylor in the American Idol finale and at the EVMAs. Queen will play a total of four summer 2012 shows, beginning June 30 in Moscow and continuing through a pair of dates at London’s Hammersmith Apollo in early July.
“If Brian May had called me and asked if I wanted to be their singer, I would have been reluctant,” Rodger told Spinner, laughing. “But, we had played together for a broadcast celebrating (Island Records founder and record producer) Chris Blackwell. Chris had asked me if I’d close the show with ‘All Right Now.’ Queen was appearing on the same show, and Brain said Queen would back me up if I’d sing ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘We are the Champions.’ Those songs are right up my street, so I agreed. A couple of days later, Brian called me up and asked if I’d fancy doing some dates in Europe, just for fun. All of a sudden, it just expanded into four years.”
Rodgers had previously been a co-founding member of both Free and Bad Company, which recently announced its own reunion tour featuring six European concerts in June. That prepared Rodgers for the intense glare surrounding the high-profile Queen gig, giving him a level of experience that Rodgers says Lambert perhaps lacks: “It’s probably a dream come true for Adam, but I wonder if he has the groundwork to see him through a big tour with those guys.”
As for his departure from Queen, Rodgers says he departed as friends with May and Taylor: “I wish them every success. We’ll do a couple of gigs in the future. That’s where we left it,” he says. “Being in a band is all-consuming and I like to have a life. After leaving Queen, I decided to stop doing those mega-four-month tours. I go out for a month and my dog recognizes me when I come home.”
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Does Paul Rodgers not know about Adam Lambert’s worldwide tour in 2010 when he performed 110-115 sellout concerts without missing one of them. Plus he doesn’t lipsync. Really don’t understand his statement about Mr. Lambert not having the background. Before auditioning for American Idol, Adam Lambert had performed in literally dozens of theater performances since a very young age and also had experience as a club performer. I think the legitimate question is whether Brian and Roger want to do that type of extensive and exhaustive tour. Maybe a more limited performance schedule of US might be in order with large venues allowing vast audiences to experience the type of electricity we saw in London.
You can’t compare Paul Rodgers to Adam Lambert. Paul Rodgers has been touring for 40 years! Adam Lambert did high school plays. Yes that’s the same thing. Just saw Bad Company a few weeks ago and Paul Rodgers is spot on. I wish Adam Lambert the best, but it’s a legitimate question.
All questions are legitimate, but Adam was 26 when he auditioned for American Idol. He had toured extensively in HAIR, WICKED, appeared in The Zodiac Show in LA, as well as numerous other venues. No, he hasn’t been around for 40 years, but you gotta start somewhere and I think between the mini-tour Adam did with Queen in 2012 and the recent IHeartRadio show in Las Vegas, he has proven he has what it takes to sing with Queen and have fun doing it. As Roger and Bri have said, he does his own take on the songs, always respecting their intent but giving them a little of his own touch. That’s what an artist does. So, question away, everyone, but give a listen and be fair. Brian said it all, Freddie would have been proud.
To be honest, I don’t really care what Mr Paul Rodgers thinks. I think Adam Lambert is in a league of his own, and is probably the best pop/rock vocalist in the world right now.
As you can see, this article is from April 2012, before the European series of 6 concerts. Our days, nobody wonders anymore, including Paul Rodgres. Meanwhile, Adam has proven his ability, talent, strength, charisma, etc… required to gloriously sing with Queen.