Roger Taylor discussed his current relationship with former Queen bass player John Deacon in an interview with Metal Hammer. The Queen drummer revealed that he no longer speaks to Deacon directly.
Taylor explained that his contact with Deacon is limited to professional interactions through the band’s legal and financial representatives.
“John is a real recluse,” Taylor said. “I think he speaks to our lawyers and our accountant and that’s it.”
Taylor added that he has little knowledge of what Deacon does now. “I really don’t know what John is doing now. He’s probably sitting in a room somewhere, counting his money.”
Taylor made these remarks as he discussed his current relationship with the former bandmate.
Deacon’s withdrawal from public life began after Freddie Mercury died in 1991. While Taylor and guitarist Brian May continued performing, Deacon gradually stepped away from the music industry. His final appearance came in 1997, when he performed “The Show Must Go On” with Taylor, May and Elton John. Taylor has previously reflected on how the loss affected Deacon, saying the bassist “went to pieces” and “didn’t want to go on in the music industry after that.”
Over the decades, Deacon has largely remained out of the spotlight. He did not attend Queen’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and stayed away when the band’s story became the film Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018. Despite his isolation from the public eye, Deacon remains involved in the band’s financial decisions. He holds voting power on the band’s affairs and has communicated through messages that he approves of what Taylor and May are doing, though he prefers not to be involved in creative decisions.
Deacon’s songwriting legacy stands as a major part of Queen’s history. During the band’s 26-year classic lineup with Mercury, Taylor, May and Deacon, the bassist wrote several of their biggest hits, including “You’re My Best Friend,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and “I Want to Break Free.”
Taylor is currently promoting his seventh studio album, Violence Insane in a Beautiful World, released in September. Queen’s last live performance took place in 2024, and the band has not played together since then. Despite the gap, Taylor has expressed openness to returning to the live stage.
