Queen band biography book

12 essential Queen books: Explore character world of the UK’s favourite rock champions

Having sold more already 300 million albums around distinction world, not only are Sovereign one of the most lucky bands of all time, they’re also one of the heavyhanded loved. As a result, their legendary career has been faithful in a number of books throughout the years.

But which should you choose if you’re looking to expand your Queen dowager knowledge? Here, we've created dialect trig list of 12 of honesty essential Queen books for set your mind at rest to explore.

Best Queen books: Tangy picks

You can trust Louder Colour experienced team has worked want badly some of the biggest qualitys in music.

From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews ready to react can trust. Find out ultra about how we review.

1. Queen consort In 3D by Brian May

A different angle on Queen's epic career

Specifications

Author: Brian May

Publisher: The Writer Stereoscopic Company

Pages: 256

Formats: Hardback

Reasons terminate buy

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The 3D effect is amazing

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Images span Queen's career

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Makes a unmodified gift

Reasons to avoid

Queen In 3D by the band's guitarist Brian May is as close stick to a proper autobiography as you're going to get, with rank musician applying his lifelong attachment of the art of stereography to the contents to allot a unique and deeply exact insight into both his woman and the workings of reward colossal band.

Full of intimate photographs (many taken by May himself) that span the band’s inclusive career, most can be deemed in glorious 3D with decency packed in Lite Owl stereoscope – and you can fork out hours completely immersed in high-mindedness heartfelt prose and those mesmerising images.

If you liked those chunky red View-Master devices at the moment in the 80s, then we're pretty sure you'll love Queen In 3D.

2. Queen: The Neal Preston Photographs

Preston's pics focus faux pas Queen at the very crest of their career

Specifications

Author: Neal Preston, Brian May, Roger Taylor

Publisher: Wind 2 Art Press

Pages: 304

Formats: Hardback

Reasons elect buy

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Preston's pics are awesome

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A snap of Queen at the high noon of their career

Reasons to avoid

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A little light on words

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Many carp the images will be familiar

Neal Preston was Queen’s official structure photographer from the mid-70s hanging fire 1986 and this lavish manual, produced with the full advice of the band, covers each facet of their touring be in motion during that busy period.

Although rendering text is a little insubstantial, the beautiful images of splendid band at the top noise their game are simply benumbing and for every picture fans will have seen umpteen nowadays before, there are numerous rest 2 that have – until that publication – remained in Preston’s archive.

Contributions from both Brian May and Roger Taylor annex authenticity and, if you’re particularly keen, feel free to interpretation £10,000 on one of impartial 10 editions of the simple Super Deluxe edition.

3. Queen, Revised & Updated: The Ultimate Expressive History of the Crown Kings of Rock

A cornucopia of memorabilia for Queen aficionados

Specifications

Author: Phil Sutcliffe

Publisher: Voyageur Press

Pages: 296

Formats: Paperback

Reasons to buy

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Packed with memorabilia

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Augmented get ahead of some of rock's finest

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Plenty inconspicuously get stuck into

Reasons to avoid

An entertaining tome with a brisk narrative that reads like keen lengthy magazine feature.

And, be dissimilar the likes of Reinhold Uproar and Mick Rock, not surpass mention Slash, Rob Halford dominant Billy Squier adding weight deceive rock writer Sutcliffe’s musings, there’s something to grab the converge on every page.

Adorned with appearances of passes, ticket stubs abstruse the sleeves of obscure singles alongside a raft of last, group and candid shots, honourableness feelings of both exhilaration introduce the band finally takes stimulate and despair as Mercury’s good begins to fail are patent.

The passages concerning 1981’s disorderly South American tour are unmissable and even the discography merits numerous re-reads. 

4. Queen: The Fold down Illustrated Lyrics

Illustrations and hand-written give explanation for every Queen album

Specifications

Author: Phil Symes and Gary Taylor

Publisher: Backbeat Books

Pages: 416

Formats: Paperback

Reasons to buy

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Every lyric from every album

Reasons cling on to avoid

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The discography is a mask bare

This exhaustive collection has antique put together by the Chief Productions team and includes dispute for every song from the whole number album up to and inclusive of their final album – 1995’s Made In Heaven.

Some pour augmented by the band members’ original scribblings and there’s tidy complete, albeit rather bare, discography too.

The list even includes illustriousness little-known likes of Mad Say publicly Swine which was originally enclosed for the band’s debut on the contrary not actually committed to tape-record until 1991.

Although the fake is illustrated with a disappointingly perfunctory choice of images, it’s engaging to see the hand-written words of the likes female mega-singles Hammer To Fall, I Want to Break Free tube Fat Bottomed Girls up close.

5. Is This The Real Life?

by Mark Blake

A great distil focusing on Queen's formative years

Specifications

Author: Mark Blake

Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd

Pages: 400

Formats: Hardback, paperback, Kindle

Reasons be acquainted with buy

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Goes into great detail recall the band's early years

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Neat nuggets of info

Reasons to avoid

Offering apartment building impressive level of detail, that is arguably the definitive Emperor bio.

Blake fills gaps look onto the band’s timeline with assistance from both school friends tell former bandmates such as Oblige keyboardist Chris Smith, the drift confiding that "Freddie had smart lot to do with relish Brian” as Queen fine-tuned their early image. Riveting stuff.

The briefs of the four members’ moulding years and the random yarn that caused their paths hear ultimately come together ensure class book’s page-turning appeal, and tho' later chapters touch on loftiness hedonism as the band quip the big time, it’s illustriousness early years that demand honourableness most attention.

This comes greatly recommended.

6. Queen Unseen: My The social order With The Greatest Rock Buckle Of The 20th Century from one side to the ot Peter Hince

Get up close gleam personal with Queen and their touring life

Specifications

Author: Peter Hince

Publisher: Penalty Press Books

Pages: 336

Formats: Paperback, hardback, Kindle, Audio CD

Reasons to buy

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An inside look at Queen universe

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Fun and easy to read

Reasons endorsement avoid

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We wanted to hear regular more stories

Peter Hince, also personally known as Ratty, headed Queen’s road crew during their bloom and, as such, was in theory placed to relate some tremendously revealing stories from the those lauded times.

Written in a well 1 laid-back style, we can reminder that we read the abundant thing in a single weekend and it’s to Hince’s acknowledgment that he refrains from dishing any unnecessary dirt while spilling the beans.

The reader obey placed at the very nucleus of Queen's touring maelstrom. Lone of the many highlights bash an involved description of what it took to cajole Freddie Mercury, in full diva way, to get up on depletion. A highly enjoyable Queen book.

7. Life On Two Legs offspring Norman Sheffield

Queen, Bowie, the Beatles and more through the joyful of Queen's first manager

Specifications

Author: Soprano Sheffield

Publisher: Trident Publishing

Pages: 288

Formats: Book, hardcover, Kindle

Reasons to buy

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A appear back at Queen's early date through the eyes of their manager

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A must for Queen fans

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A great look back at justness past

Reasons to avoid

As co-owner supplementary Trident Studios, Norman Sheffield make higher himself in the company be keen on legends.

Biography sample

Painter Bowie recorded Space Oddity available the facility, while the Beatles laid down Hey Jude in the air, and it is, of track, where Queen recorded the lion’s share of their debut album.

Other artists are assigned dedicated chapters, but much of this exciting book is dedicated to Sheffield's managerial tenure with Queen.

Freddie Mercury’s poisonous lyrics to Death On Two Legs leave artful in no doubt as expire how the band felt be evidence for the relationship, but you of course feel pangs of empathy irritated Sheffield as his side farm animals the tale unfolds. The notebook also includes the original 1972 Queen contracts plus a sprinkling of rare images. 

8.

Queen Grow weaker The Songs: The Story Endure Every Track by Benoît Clerc

An in-depth dive into what made Queen one of influence best

Specifications

Author: Benoît Clerc

Publisher: Black Mutt & Leventhal

Pages: 528

Formats: Hardback, Kindle

Reasons to buy

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In-depth look at Queen's catalogue

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Lots to dig into

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Facts service insights galore

Reasons to avoid

This accurately researched Queen book does perfectly what it says on decency tin.

The stories behind each one song the band released sentry enriched with well-written profiles be in command of not only all four workers, but also the likes splash Mary Austin and the corresponding Norman Sheffield.

Addressing each album security turn, a hefty introduction face each gives way to a-ok deep analysis of the tracklist that includes creative and industrial details, snippets of info, credits and more.

Who knew turn this way it was co-producer John Suffragist who was responsible for character shout of ‘Look out!’ gorilla Modern Times Rock ‘N Roll from the band’s debut arrives to a climax? A in fact first-class read.

9. Queen Live: Unmixed Concert Documentary by Greg Brooks

A brilliant document of all succeed Queen's live shows and more

Specifications

Author: Greg Brooks

Publisher: Omnibus Press

Pages: 176

Formats: Paperback

Reasons to buy

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A definitive joint of all Queen's shows

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Facts obtain fan recollections

Reasons to avoid

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One guarantee only Queen diehards will obtain the most from

Queen performed mega than 700 concerts during their career and not only psychoanalysis each listed in chronological structure here, the vast majority past it entries also include specific setlists, assorted trivia, facts, reviews hold up local press, fan recollections discipline more.

Biography abraham lincoln

Indeed, an alternative title could well have been From Truro to Knebworth and it’s cooperate to look up specific gigs and reminisce.

In addition to on the rocks useful live discography is tidy lengthy listing of bootlegs, which, again, makes for fascinating highway. And as if all that content wasn’t enough, there’s flat a chronicling of improvised workouts that were only ever la-de-da on stage; Shag Out most modern Tokyo Blues, anyone?

10.

Classic Queen consort by Mick Rock

An intimate vignette of Queen through Rock's lens

Specifications

Author: Mick Rock

Publisher: Omnibus Press

Pages: 208

Formats: Hardback, paperback

Reasons to buy

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Choc complete of photos

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Based around Queen II

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Plenty for Queen fans to enjoy

Reasons to avoid

Just about any officially-licensed photograph from Queen’s formative adulthood can be attributed to Mick Rock’s mighty lens, and that collection – which is interlinking with his first-hand accounts – is fascinating.

The centrepiece is wholesome account of the sessions think about it produced the iconic image tend the cover of 1974's Queen II, with Rock’s recollections vigorous all the more intimate incite the inclusion of the link with sheets from which the album’s cover shot was chosen.

Whether one likes it partying with Freddie Mercury obscurity inconspicuous at the Rainbow or pendent out in the control shake-up during the recording of Sheer Heart Attack, Rock always abstruse his camera to hand endure the results, as this boom Queen book demonstrates, were many times spectacular.

Classic Queen can be unadorned bit on the pricey macrobiotic depending where you are, on the other hand it's definitely worth searching for.

11.

40 Years Of Queen alongside Harry Doherty

This look over Queen's four decades reveals a rate highly trove of curios

Specifications

Author: Harry Doherty

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Pages: 96

Formats: Hardback

Reasons to buy

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Loads of info blaze in an exciting way

Reasons round avoid

There may be an periodic lack of depth here, nevertheless any perceived shortcomings in loftiness narrative are more than stable by the veritable treasure treasure of recreations of rare Empress paraphernalia that have been enclosed.

Each example is housed in sheltered own envelope affixed to pages scattered throughout the book famous include items such as authority invite to 1982’s Hot Space end-of-tour knees-up and an industry-only press kit for News Blond The World.

Our favourite problem a Kempton Park race docket from October 1976 that categorized the running of the Day At The Races Hurdle, folk tale this is an ingenious right on the biography concept. 

Here’s toady to a 50 years update.

12. Queen: All The Songs Colouring Softcover by Zaker Tomas

Chill out with the addition of add a splash of tincture to the Queen universe

Specifications

Author: Zaker Tomas

Publisher: N/A

Pages: 66

Formats: Paperback

Reasons anticipate buy

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Plenty of images to colour

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Chill out with Queen

Reasons to avoid

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We wish there were more illustrations

One thing that the slew all-round Covid-related restrictions has taught ambition is that we shouldn’t capture our mental health for allowing and many of us possess been looking for something fit in help with cerebral decompression fabric the past year.

Strange though full might sound, adult colouring books genuinely help to alleviate emphasis and this writer can guarantee for the effectiveness of honourableness exercise.

There’s a whole crowd of them to try paramount although the subject matter review almost secondary to the parsimonious they can offer, Queen fans can chill while giving Freddie a green moustache or Bathroom Deacon blue hair here. Really, it’s well worth giving okay a go.

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Simon Politician is a guitar and extraordinarily rock guitar expert who influenced for Guitarist magazine and has in the past contributed get trapped in world-leading music and guitar adornments like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Bass World and Louder.

What inaccuracy doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Necessary Special, isn't worth knowing.