Freddie Mercury was undoubtedly a world brand when it came to stealing the stage. Being in the same band as him might have been a problem for some. However, the remaining Queen members just became part of the magic with great pleasure. Participating in an interview with Total Guitar, Brian May shared his feelings about ‘Face It Alone’ and Freddie’s light.
“The crowning glory is, of course, Freddie’s voice,” the guitarist said, praising his late friend’s natural talent in ‘Face It Alone.’ “It’s just magnificent. You hear that quality in his voice. You hear the passion in his voice. And he’s fearless. The way he bends some of those notes is so beautiful.”
He continued, “It’s rare to find any fragments which encapsulate the four of us actually working together. But John’s on there, absolutely live with Freddie. And Roger’s on there with his strange percussive atmospheres.” All four members of the band—Freddie, Brian, Roger Taylor on drums, and John Deacon on bass—worked on the song together.
Freddie was a born star, and it didn’t bother his bandmates that he took the lead so easily, as this was just who he was. May added, “There was always one of us who was leading the party. He was coming up with the lyrics and leading us with this lovely stuff. And as we working on it, we were very enthused about it.”
Queen’s previously unheard song ‘Face It Alone’ was finally made public this year, after almost 30 years after it was recorded. All four band members—drummer Roger Taylor, bassist John Deacon, and Freddie and Brian—contributed to this ensemble composition in the studio together. So, this song is an exceptional work. Besides, the remarkable track has a moving backstory.
It was recorded between January 1988 and January 1989, over a whole year during which Queen’s thirteenth studio album, ‘The Miracle,’ was being recorded. At the time, Freddie Mercury had just received his HIV diagnosis. So, this song holds an exceptional place for all of them, and its release was quite an emotional step for the band members.
