Roger Taylor
Bio
Musician, singer, songwriter, rock star, bon vivant, solo artist, the legendary Queen drummer Roger Taylor is all of these and more.
For more than 50 years, Roger has been a driving force behind one of the most successful bands in history. With Queen, he has sold more than 300 million albums, leaving his indelible musical and vocal stamp on such iconic songs as Bohemian Rhapsody, Under Pressure and Another One Bites The Dust, as well as writing the worldwide hits Radio Ga Ga, A Kind Of Magic, These Are The Days Of Our Lives and co-writing countless more. Queen's story was immortalised in the Oscar-winning 2018 movie Bohemian Rhapsody, on which Roger was co-Executive Music Producer. The film would go on to gross almost $1Bn worldwide, making it the most successful music biopic in history. In 2020, Roger was awarded an OBE for his services to music.
Violence Insane In A Beautiful World is Roger's seventh album in a solo career stretching back to 1977 and is his first since 2021's critically and fan-acclaimed Outsider. While not a concept record, Violence Insane In A Beautiful World does have an overarching theme, as Roger explains:
"There is a theme, you know, it's in the title really, what a beautiful world we live in, don't fuck it up. There seems to be all this insanity at the moment. The violence in the world seems to be as bad as it ever was, at any point, and certainly in my lifetime. It's just horrific, a lot of insane violence. And we do seem to be fucking up the world, plastics in the sea, you know, and all these awful wars everywhere and hatred born of different religions."
However, the tone of the album is hopeful as Roger says: "It's a beautiful world, you know. And kindness is very important, I think, it seems to be forgotten quite a lot. So, I mean, that is basically the sort of underlying theme, but it's not a concept album."
Roger wrote, with the exception of an exquisite cover of Jealous Guy, which he describes as "one of the greatest ballads ever written", produced, sang and performed all the songs on Violence Insane In A Beautiful World himself, with help from long-time collaborator Joshua J. Macrae, members of his live band and on three extraordinary tracks, The Ndlovu Youth Choir from Limpopo, South Africa, who feature on the first single from the album, Come On Summer (It's Party Time). Speaking about their contributions, Roger says:
"I was really happy when I became aware of this amazing South African choir, who sing in Zulu. They're just wonderful. They did the most incredible cover version of Bohemian Rhapsody, and it's fabulous. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. So, we suddenly had the bright idea of asking them to sing on some of the tracks, which they did, and I think it's transformed those songs. It gives them a whole new dimension. I'm really thrilled with their work on that."
While Roger was finishing the artwork for the album, there was a cosmic coincidence: Artemis II, on its mission to the dark side of the Moon, also photographed Earth from a distance. The report from the Queen fans at NASA in Houston about the sleeve is that "everyone liked it and thought it was definitely kismet." Of the cover, Roger comments:
"Well, the cover is really the story of the lead song, which is A Beautiful World, and it's really an old idea, but in a way, it's just written from the view of an alien in a spacecraft literally orbiting the world and thinking how beautiful it is. On close observation, he sees there's problems, there's infection, all the violence and horrors that occur, and then there's a list of all the great things about the earth. It's really rather strange because it was done before we got those wonderful pictures from Artemis II. NASA approves! They're very nice people. We've been there. Obviously. Brian knows them very well. We went whilst we were on tour in Houston. We had a fantastic tour of the whole NASA site. It's quite something just to be sitting in the control room with all these guys and screens, and they're actually talking to the space station, controlling it. Yeah, hell of a thing."
Roger's solo work never shied away from political statements and tracks on the album, such as Chump, speak for themselves. Does he feel optimistic about the state of the world? "To be honest, no, with Nigel Farage looming, no. My wife says she's leaving the country if he gets in, and I don't blame her. It's like Trump, really. You can't believe how popular he was. I'm not sure he's quite as popular now, people are finally coming to their senses, but I can't believe how popular Farage, who is intrinsically a horrible man, is, but he's a populist, demagogue, politician appealing to the lowest sort of ideals."
As throughout his solo career, Violence Insane In A Beautiful World embraces a multitude of styles and sounds: "I like the idea of eclecticism. I like the idea of different things, you know? I mean, the great example being the Beatles. I always thought that their albums were very eclectic, especially the later albums from Revolver onwards. You never knew what the next track was going to be, and it was totally different to the track before it. The White Album is a myriad of wonderful, different tracks. No two are the same or similar even. So, I always think that's interesting. We always tried to do that in Queen. We tried to make a lot of different things. And so, we did things in different styles, you know, and fearlessly tread where no sane man would. Yeah. I think this is it. I think people are really going to like the surreal stuff. I never know what anyone's going to think. So you can only really venture to say, oh, that's a nice little idea. And then you try to elaborate on the idea, and you just hope that somebody might enjoy it or get something out of the lyric or the melody."
Having not released a solo record in five years, Roger was buoyed by the success of Outsider: "I was pleased with Outsider. It went down well. Which was great. That was very gratifying. I mean, you do wonder. It's the curse of being in a very successful band. Stepping outside is difficult, as you know, even somebody like Jagger would tell you that. Everybody associates you with something. And to step outside and try and do something separate is a challenge, and I think it's even harder to actually prove yourself, you know?"
With the album now finished and ready to go out into the world, is Taylor the kind of artist who will listen to his work over and over? "Probably only once. I've got a little bit of distance from it now, as I haven't been listening over and over." What was it like the first time he heard it as an album? "I was really pleased with it, like, the newer stuff that we've done, especially with the choir. I was very excited about that." In an age where individual tracks are the focus, Roger still believes in the idea of the album: "Yeah, I do. It's quite funny if you go somewhere now and ask a group of people, what's number one this week? Nobody will have the faintest idea! I think the strength of some of the Queen songs gave us longevity. And I also think that because when we started, we didn't think of ourselves as a singles band, we were an albums band from the 70s. Greatest Hits 1 has a lot of bangers on that one. And I think that did help our longevity. I think, in some ways, I guess, because people are still buying that album."
Looking back over his songwriting career, stretching back to the very first Queen album in 1973, Taylor says: "There's a lot to be proud of. I mean, songwriting is so hit and miss. I like a song called Laugh or Cry from the first album (1981's Fun In Space) — it was a very quirky album, it was Taylor Hawkins' favourite! He and I were mates, you know, we were very close, and he used to describe the album as the record that never stops giving. I quite like Strange Frontier, the title track on the second, and with Queen I quite like Tenement Funster. I was a bit more prolific in the 80s, I think, Radio Ga Ga. That was a breakthrough for me and A Kind of Magic and Days of Our Lives, I suppose, which is annoying because it sounds like a soap, but it wasn't!"
Even though he has released seven solo albums over four decades, when working solo, Roger does still have moments when he misses the band environment: "I'd love Fred to be around because he was so good at arrangements. Doing stuff on your own is very, very different. We were very tight. John, Freddie, and I were very tight with Fred on piano, and Brian would often add bits afterwards. Yeah, we were a good unit, but when you're doing your solo stuff, you don't have much of that because you have to do it all yourself. It's a very different technique involved. With the band thing, you sometimes get that friction. It was great when it worked. It was fantastic, you know, although in the old days we used to do so many takes. I remember Killer Queen. I don't know how many takes we did, but it had to be just right. Of course, in those days, you couldn't go back and fix stuff, like you can now. You had to get the perfect take, and it was tricky. Yeah. A lot of patience is involved."
While music has always been Roger's prime passion, it's been far from his only interest. Queen's beloved 1975 song I'm In Love With My Car was the drummer's hymn to petrolheads everywhere, an interest he has pursued over the years via an impressive collection of cars. It's not just four-wheeled vehicles that have captured his imagination over the years. Since the 1980s, he has been an avid sailor, owning a string of luxury yachts and sailing as far as the Caribbean and, subsequently, around the world. Most recently, his hands-on involvement with Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé wine is an extension of his love for the finer things life has to offer.
Does Roger still think of himself as a musician rather than a drummer? "Well, I guess so. Yeah. I mean, I've always been singing with Queen, you know? So, I mean, Fred used to push his voice hard, he'd often dip down very expertly, and I'd take the higher line. When we were on the road, people didn't know that. I remember seeing Genesis many years ago, when Peter Gabriel was the singer and a lot of people didn't realise that Phil used to sing along with Peter a lot. It was quite a revelation, and it gave it a certain sound. It's almost like double tracking, you know?"
However, that doesn't mean he's lost his love for being behind the drumkit: "Oh, yeah, I love it. I love playing the drums. Well, I'm obviously a bit older now, and I couldn't thrash them like my son Rufus Tiger. He is one hell of a drummer."
Speaking about his legacy and the ever-growing love for Queen, and the waves of affection that follow the announcement of a new record or the new Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé wine, he says: "Yeah. That's lovely to think that certain age groups hold our band in affection, which is great. It's lovely to think that you might have affected people's lives in a good way. You know, brought them a little bit of satisfaction or a little bit of joy or something like that. I mean, that really is a lovely feeling. I hope we did and do give a lot of people a lot of pleasure."
A new album often leads to talk of a new tour: "I mean, do people want to see me live? I would hope some would. I thought I'd put a toe in the water, and so we're going to do about 6 or 7 dates in the UK. You know, I don't want to play clubs. I certainly won't be playing arenas." So, what about the band? "Well, it's the band I'd put together for the Outsider Tour, they are fabulous."
The Violence Insane In A Beautiful World tour opens in Newcastle on 21st September, and fans who pre-order the album will receive exclusive first access to tickets. Roger's extraordinary band will feature keyboardist Spike Edney, supporting drummer Tyler Warren, multi-instrumentalist Tina Keys, Neil Fairclough on bass, and Christian Mendoza on guitar. The tour will then visit Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Swansea, and the legendary Roundhouse in London, where Roger has performed before, as a guest of Foo Fighters, back in 2011.
Roger Taylor
Violence Insane In A Beautiful World
Track by Track
Roger Taylor
Violence Insane In A Beautiful World
Credits
A Beautiful World feat. The Ndlovu Youth Choir
Lead Vocals: Roger Taylor
Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor & The Ndlovu Youth Choir
Percussion, Bass, Acoustic and Lap Steel Guitars, Keyboards: Roger Taylor
Violence Insane
Lead Vocals: Roger Taylor
Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, Keyboards: Roger Taylor
Percussion, Additional Keyboards: Joshua J. Macrae
What Really Matters
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor
Drums, Percussion, Electric Guitar, Keyboards: Roger Taylor
Bass: Neil Fairclough
Additional Keyboards: Joshua J. Macrae
Don't Photograph Food
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor
Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar: Roger Taylor
Piano: Roger Taylor
Additional Keyboards: Joshua J. Macrae
I See You Now
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor
Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, Piano, Keyboards: Roger Taylor
Additional Keyboards: Joshua J. Macrae
Chump
Lead Vocals: Roger Taylor
Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor
Bass: Roger Taylor
Piano: Roger Taylor
Keyboards: Roger Taylor
Spit In His Eye
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor
Drums, Percussion, Bass, Piano: Roger Taylor
Electric Guitar: Roger Taylor & Jason Falloon
Additional Guitars: Jason Falloon
Jealous Guy*
Lead Vocals: Roger Taylor
Piano: Marie-Christina Angela Hizon (Tina Keys)
Keyboards & Strings: Roger Taylor
Percussion: Joshua J. Macrae
Come On Summer (It's Party Time) feat. The Ndlovu Youth Choir
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals: Roger Taylor & The Ndlovu Youth Choir
Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, Piano, Keyboards: Roger Taylor
Percussion: Roger Taylor & Joshua J. Macrae
Additional Keyboards: Joshua J. Macrae
A Great Big Beautiful World (Reprise) feat. The Ndlovu Youth Choir
Lead Vocals: Roger Taylor
Backing Vocals: The Ndlovu Youth Choir
Drums, Percussion, Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Piano: Roger Taylor
Additional Keyboards: Joshua J. Macrae
Produced by Roger Taylor & Joshua J. Macrae
All songs written by Roger Taylor except *John Lennon
Roger Taylor — Violence Insane In A Beautiful World — Released 18th September on Columbia