Friday , March 29 2024
Will Adam Lambert become Freddie Mercury's successor in Queen?

Has Queen Found Its New Idol?

Following his surprising loss to Kris Allen on last week's American Idol finale, rumors are flying fast and furious that Adam Lambert has been offered a job as the new frontman for veteran British rock band Queen.

The Idol runner-up performed with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor during the show's star-studded season finale (he also performed with fellow glam-rock vets Kiss), and many view his flamboyant glam-rock persona as being a natural successor to seventies glam-rock stars like Queen's original vocalist Freddie Mercury.

Queen have been largely inactive since Mercury's death from AIDS, and recently ended a four-year partnership with former Bad Company and Free vocalist Paul Rodgers. While Rodgers is a great vocalist in his own right, many never saw his bluesy, and frankly more masculine style as being a proper fit for Queen's operatic style of glam-rock. Lambert (who some fans refer to as "Glambert") would seem a more logical choice to fill the shoes (not to mention the black eyeliner) of the more overtly theatrical style of original Queen vocalist Mercury.

While neither camp has confirmed or denied the rumors, Queen's Brian May certainly seems open to the idea of a working relationship with Lambert.

“Amongst all that furor, there wasn’t really a quiet moment to talk,” May recently told Rolling Stone. “But [drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point. It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there.”

Adam Lambert has yet to make a public comment on the Queen rumors.

Queen were one of the most successful rock bands in the world during their original run in the seventies and eighties, scoring such huge hits as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are The Champions," and "We Will Rock You" — the latter two of which have become staples in sports stadiums to this day. Adam Lambert was widely perceived as the odds-on favorite to win this year's American Idol competition before his surprising loss to Kris Allen in the season finale.

About Glen Boyd

Glen Boyd is the author of Neil Young FAQ, released in May 2012 by Backbeat Books/Hal Leonard Publishing. He is a former BC Music Editor and current contributor, whose work has also appeared in SPIN, Ultimate Classic Rock, The Rocket, The Source and other publications. You can read more of Glen's work at the official Neil Young FAQ site. Follow Glen on Twitter and on Facebook.

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