Rock Royalty Uncovered: Top 10 Fun Facts About Queen That Will Blow Your Mind

1. Zodiac-Inspired Queen Crest

When the zodiac conspired to birth a legendary rock band, celestial creatures got in formation to show their support: Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, designed the band's logo, the "Queen crest," which incorporates the zodiac signs of all four members – two lions for Deacon and Taylor (Leos), a crab for May (Cancer), and two cheeky fairies representing Mercury's Virgo sign. The regal crest also features a Q crowned with a phoenix, alluding to the band's name and providing a flamboyant nod to the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.
Source => americansongwriter.com

2. Fireplace Guitar

Who needs a guitar store when you've got a fireplace and motorbike parts? Guitar creation level: Brian May himself: The iconic Queen guitarist, Brian May, built his legendary Red Special guitar with his father Harold, using an old fireplace mantel as the neck and motorbike valve springs for the tremolo system. Featuring three single-coil pickups and a custom-made aluminum bridge, the Red Special has since become a rock and roll icon, much like the legends who strummed its strings.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know Led Zeppelin's name was inspired by a cheeky prediction from The Who's Keith Moon that they'd "go down like a lead balloon"? Discover the playful twist and the real story behind their iconic name!

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3. Astrophysicist Rockstar

They may have been known for rocking people like hurricanes, but it turns out they could also unravel the mysteries of the cosmos: Queen guitarist Brian May completed his PhD in astrophysics in 2007, and the band dazzled a record-breaking crowd of over 120,000 people with their out-of-this-world performance at Wembley Stadium in 1986, which was broadcasted on television as "Queen at Wembley," solidifying their place in rock history.
Source => encyclopedia.com

4. Maestro of Music and Space

The man who literally made his own guitar and rocked monarchies worldwide like a one-man galactic force: Brian May, co-founder of Queen and virtuoso of the home-built Red Special guitar, penned iconic hits like "We Will Rock You," "I Want It All," and "The Show Must Go On," while rockin' a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) title for his services to music and charity. But wait, there's more planetary pandemonium; this musical maestro moonlights as an astrophysicist, with a PhD from Imperial College London and a stint as a "science team collaborator" with NASA's New Horizons Pluto mission, even co-founding Asteroid Day for some out-of-this-world awareness!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Operatic Duet

Who said "Another One Bites the Dust" when it comes to mixing opera with rock? Certainly not Freddie Mercury, as he hit a high note with the legendary operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé: Their powerful duet on the album "Barcelona" not only became a chart-topping sensation but also remains one of Mercury's most iconic solo works. And no, despite the rumors, Caballé was not a backup singer for Queen but a true partner in this musical crescendo.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Rooftop Guitar Solo

When Brian May decided to take "God Save the Queen" to new heights, nobody expected him to go as literal as the rooftop of Buckingham Palace: In 2002, the Queen guitarist fearlessly played the national anthem on his electric guitar atop the royal residence to launch the Golden Jubilee celebrations, conquering his fears and leaving a lasting impression on fans and himself.
Source => express.co.uk

7. Lady Gaga's Queen Connection

Before Gaga went goo-goo for radio, Queen was already gaga over it: Lady Gaga's stage name was inspired by Queen's hit song "Radio Ga Ga," with the band's love for Freddie Mercury and the power of radio being a tribute to iconic moments in radio history, like Orson Welles' "The War of the Worlds" and Winston Churchill's speech.
Source => americansongwriter.com

8. Bohemian Lager

Who wants to live forever when you can have a pint with Freddie? With a flamboyant splash, the iconic rock band Queen dives right into the frothy world of brewing: Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Bohemian Rhapsody, the legendary band released their own Czech Republic-brewed Bohemian Lager with a 4.7% ABV, after launching Killer Queen vodka. Queen's golden, hoppy beer pays homage to the band's timeless music and the Bohemian history of lager, rooted in the town of Plzeň, famed for developing pale lagers known as pilsners.
Source => theguardian.com

9. "Under Pressure" Collaboration

In a play fit for a king, or in this case, a Queen: this royal rock band didn't give Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, or Roger Taylor any pressure to share the spoils for their hit single "Under Pressure," as it was rightfully credited to its co-writers – the quartet themselves, plus the legendary David Bowie! The serious reveal: John Deacon was the mastermind behind that head-bopping bassline, while Bowie and Mercury tag-teamed the lyrics, ultimately creating a chart-topping sensation that reached number one in the UK and had the world singing along.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Hammersmith Apollo Performances

Before Freddie Mercury and the gang could find somebody to love, they had to find the perfect place to perform their eclectic rock symphonies: Queen held several shows at the iconic Hammersmith Apollo, including their A Night at the Opera Tour in 1975, though the exact number of royal rendezvous remains a mysteriously unspecific number.
Source => en.wikipedia.org