Queen confirm that John Deacon can still veto their projects ahead of stunning debut album reissue

22 October 2024, 12:27

Queen I is being released as a massive 6CD box set packed with rarities.

Fronted by Freddie Mercury, Queen were one of of the best singles bands in rock history.

They released three all-time classic compilations – Greatest Hits I, II and III – which has meant that sometimes their proper studio albums get unfairly overlooked.

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Queen are doing their bit to put that right with a stunning new reissue of their self-titled debut album

Retitled from Queen to Queen I, the record will be available as a 6CD+1LP collector's edition box set packed with rarities, which is released this Friday (October 25).

As well as B-sides, offcuts, live recordings and instrumentals, the new Queen I presents a fully remastered version of the original album.

Queen - Queen I Collector's Edition Trailer

"This is not just a remaster, this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have retitled QUEEN I," wrote Brian in the liner notes for the new box set.

"All the performances are exactly as they originally appeared in 1973, but every instrument has been revisited to produce the 'live' ambient sounds we would have liked to use originally.

"The result is Queen as it would have sounded with today’s knowledge and technology – a first. Queen I is the debut album we always dreamed of bringing to you."

In an interview with Mojo, May confirmed that the band's former bass player John Deacon supported this ambitious new project.

"John still has a 'yes' or 'no' say," Brian said.

"We get messages that he’s happy with what we’re doing, but he doesn’t want the stress of being involved creatively, and we respect that.

Queen - Queen I Collector's Edition: Brian May Unboxing

"Freddie we can’t talk to, sadly. But the four of us worked as a team for so long that Roger and I have a pretty good idea what our fellow Queen members would be saying. This thing is longer than anybody’s marriage."

Deacon walked away from the group and retired from music in 1997 after recording 'No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)'.

Together with drummer Roger Taylor, Brian May has continued to record and perform using the Queen name, first as Queen + Paul Rodgers, and later as Queen + Adam Lambert.