Fans of the iconic rock group Queen were recently delighted when it was revealed that the band's bassist, John Deacon, 73, had reunited with surviving members, guitarist Brian May, 78, and drummer Roger Taylor, 76, for the first time in 30 years. While it wasn't for a return to a public stage, it was simply an autograph session. The trio signed a copy of the album *A Night At The Opera*, which will be part of a silent auction at Freddie Mercury's annual birthday celebration in Montreux. However, it was enough to generate excitement when it was confirmed that it was a fresh, new autograph signed for a good cause. The event is a fundraiser for the charity established in Freddie's name after his death. The Mercury Phoenix Trust confirmed that John had recently agreed to sign the record despite having lived out of the public eye for decades.
Although he still has an interest in the band and has to approve business decisions, he stepped away from music shortly after the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury in November 1991 at the age of 45. His last public appearance with the band was almost 30 years ago, on January 17, 1997, at the opening of the Béjart Ballet in Paris, where they performed "The Show Must Go On" with Elton John. Roger Taylor recalled in an interview: "That was John's last performance, and I could see he wasn't happy because he was chain-smoking and very, very nervous, and he'd been seriously traumatized by the loss of Freddie."
Brian added: "Deacy, our dear friend John, I think he didn't reach the same places we did... John is really very uncomfortable with all of this. You can see how his whole body reacts against it. And in the end, he says, 'I can't do this again. I can't do it.' And it was true; that was the last time John played with us in public."
Brian and Roger have continued touring as Queen with former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert, but John has never joined them on stage.
So what has the elusive bassist—the youngest and always most reserved member of the band—been up to for the past three decades? The answer is, not much rock and roll, as the star has been living a quiet family life with his wife and six children—Luke, Laura, Cameron, Robert, Michael, and Joshua—in London.
Since he still retains a stake in Queen Productions Ltd., the music legend, who penned several of the group's best-known hits, such as "I Want To Break Free," continues to generate income from the band without the need for grueling world tours. In an interview with Mojo earlier this year, Brian confirmed John's ongoing contribution to the band. "John still has a say. We're told he's happy with what we're doing, but he doesn't want the stress of being creatively involved, and we respect that," he said.
He didn't even attend the premiere of the band's biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, in which Joe Mazzello played him, nor did he participate in any promotional activities for the Oscar-winning film. However, it was reported that his son, Luke, had instructed Joseph on his father's mannerisms.
Public sightings of John have been rare, although his address is common knowledge among fans who sometimes gather at his home. In September 2023, one of them knocked on his door and gave him a painting. While, according to social media posts, their interaction with him was positive, many other fans were outraged by this perceived invasion of his privacy.
When John is seen, he seems a world away from his rock star days and is most likely to be found in jeans and a sweater, often smoking a cigarette. His luxuriant curls are gone, and he looks about 73 years old. A fan on Reddit who claims to have met him wrote: “Upon seeing him, I knew it would be extremely awkward and strange to approach him. Not because he’s rude or anything, but because he just looks like any other elderly gentleman living in southwest London. He and his family are very down-to-earth and quite polite… I get the feeling that this whole Queen circus is rather irritating, considering he’s more focused on family life and retirement.”
While this latest contribution to the group is unlikely to lead to anything further, it has given some fans a glimmer of hope that he is finally coming to terms with his legacy.
#JohnDeacon #Queen
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