Born on July 26: Roger Taylor (Queen), a drummer who also writes hits

He was born in 1949 in King's Lynn, Norfolk (England) and should not be confused with his namesake Duran Duran who, strangely, opted for the same instrument: the drums!

Roger Taylor was interested in music at a very young age. He sang in a choir and first learned the ukulele (a small four-stringed guitar) and then the real one with its six strings, before falling in love with the drums at the age of 10. It's not widely known that he first repurposed his mother's pots and pans before being given a real drum kit by his father. Once again, he proves that a passion for music begins in childhood...

Among his major inspirations, Roger repeatedly cites John Bonham, the lumberjack of Led Zeppelin. Otherwise, one of the best of this generation.

In 1968, he formed the band Smile with Brian May and Tim Staffell. Shortly after Staffell's departure and the arrival of Freddie Mercury, the band chose the name Queen, with John Deacon as bassist. The legend thus began to take shape, initially devoting himself to fairly classic heavy rock, notably with "Sheer Heart Attack."

As Queen's drummer, he stood out for his energetic playing and powerful voice. Along with Phil Collins (Genesis) and Marc Ysaye (Machiavelli), he was one of the few rock drummers to sing while playing. A true feat, both physical and technical. Over the course of the albums, he managed to include at least one of his own songs on each record and even penned some of the band's greatest hits, including "Radio Ga Ga," "A Kind of Magic," "These Are the Days of Our Lives," "Heaven for Everyone," "Under Pressure" (with David Bowie), and "Innuendo."

After Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, Queen continued in various guises. Taylor played a key role in composition and production, notably participating in the musical "We Will Rock You" and various charity and political concerts, such as the one demanding the release of Nelson Mandela (1988). He was also prominently featured at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Alongside Queen, Roger Taylor began a solo career in 1981 and released six albums in which he composed, sang, and played numerous instruments. The most recent, "Outsider," was released in 2021 and was even followed by a short series of concerts. In the 1980s, he also founded the band The Cross, where he performed as lead singer and rhythm guitarist. Together, they released three albums.

Roger Taylor is therefore far from just Queen's drummer!

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Roger Taylor with Queen on stage at Forest-National in Brussels (Belgium) on April 22, 1982