John Deacon - a few questions

Fair enough John has retired and keeps out of public view these days, don't blame him, but does anyone know about his actions regarding the following...

1. Roger and Brian both mentioned that they visited Freddie at Garden Lodge in the weeks before he died. Did John?

2. Did John attend Freddie's funeral?

3. Has he completely cut off all contact with Roger and Brian? Do they still see him occasionally in private or have they fallen out never to speak again?

4. Why did he suddenly leave the band in 1997? Most people's views a that John did not want to continue with Queen without Freddie but if that was the case, why did he wait six years to leave?

5. Are there any interviews at all from John since 1991 out there?

Cheers guys.

There is footage on the Champions Of The World/Queen Phenomenon of John getting out of a car at Freddie's funeral. I can't answer the rest I'm afraid.

[QUOTE] [b]David Jones wrote:[/b]

There is footage on the Champions Of The World/Queen Phenomenon of John getting out of a car at Freddie's funeral. I can't answer the rest I'm afraid. [/QUOTE]

^

A few of these i doubt anyone here could answer.

I have sometimes wondered about Deacy's motivations. Someone wrote in a paper a few years ago that getting his interview would be the Crown Jewels of music journalism. I would like to think his reasons for retiring were that Queen were no longer QUEEN without Freddie although as you say it took him a while to decide.

Did John go to the funeral? I kept a scrapbook when Freddie died and filled it with newspaper pages and clippings for weeks afterwards. It is the saddest book I own and since then I've only had the courage to revisited it two or three times. The look on Brian's devastated face is very hard viewing. Perhaps I shall pluck up the courage to get it down from the loft.

Interestingly, if you play Greatest Video Hits 1 with Brian and Roger's commentary on, and I can't remember the track concerned or what they're referring to, but one of them says something like 'you'll have to ask John - but that wouldn't be a good idea at the moment'. Anyway, it's that kind of gist. The DVD was released in 2002.

I think the remaining Queen band are not Queen without Brian, Roger or John as well - I still remember he got the loudest cheer when he was introduced at the Tribute Concert.

Regards

He was planning to go to the Queen exhibition in London last year but decided at the last moment not to go. That info was posted on here and it apparently came from his son.

There is only 1 person on the planet who can answer these questions.

1. Roger and Brian both mentioned that they visited Freddie at Garden Lodge in the weeks before he died. Did John?
As far as I know John never visited Freddie's house during those last months. Their relationship was based exclusively on work, they were never close, intimate friends. For sure they met during TATDOOL video shot (30th May 1991), but after this I don't know. In studio (Montreux were Freddie recorded his last vocal tracks) maybe but there is no evidence. In my opinion John completed those tracks only after Freddie's death during Made In Heaven sessions (late 1993-early 1995).
4. Why did he suddenly leave the band in 1997? Most people's views a that John did not want to continue with Queen without Freddie but if that was the case, why did he wait six years to leave?
John last live exhibition with the band was on 17.01.1997 during France Bejart Ballet premiere at Theatre National de Chaillot, Paris. Then he recorded No-One But You on August, 1997 (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-One_but_You_Only_the_Good_Die_Young) and the video for the single was its last appereance with the band. On 2001 Bri & Rog (together with Robbie Williams) decided to record a version of We Are The Champions for the movie A Knight's Tale and maybe then John decided to leave the band. He declared during an interview: 'I don't want to be nasty, but Robbie Williams is no Freddie Mercury. Freddie can never be replaced and certainly not by him.' (source: http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=John_Deacon_-_01-30-2005_-_The_Mail_on_Sunday_-_Queen%27s_Boring_Bassist), so I think that he left the band for this reason. According to him (and lot of us agree with his view) there's no Queen without Freddie.

3. Has he completely cut off all contact with Roger and Brian? Do they still see him occasionally in private or have they fallen out never to speak again?
They still see each other but for working reason. They discuss about new project and releases under the name Queen but nothing more,

5. Are there any interviews at all from John since 1991 out there?
http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=John_Deacon_-_04-XX-1996_-_Bassist_%26_Bass_Techniques
http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_04-21-2001_-_The_Sun_-_Blobby_ruined_our_song
An article about John: http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=John_Deacon_-_11-01-2005_-_Bass_Player

2. Did John attend Freddie's funeral?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3C-y8oVAnA As other replied previously, here is the video proof at minute 5:52

Crappy

forum software

[QUOTE] [b]Raffy wrote:[/b]

3. Has he completely cut off all contact with Roger and Brian? Do they still see him occasionally in private or have they fallen out never to speak again?
They still see each other but for working reason. They discuss about new project and releases under the name Queen but nothing more,[/QUOTE]

Unless something has evolved, Brian has said there is no contact of any sort except through lawyers or other representatives. He has left the impression that there is no avenue to John for either him or Roger. Perhaps Jim Beach speaks to him directly.

With regard to John's son's comments about the 'Stormtroopers' exhibition, IIRC the nuance of that was the son imploring him to go, almost having him agree, or having him agree, and John ultimately declining at the 11th hour. It would be interesting to know if he was avoiding the attention or the present association or nothing at all.

Crappy crappy

[QUOTE] [b]GratefulFan wrote:[/b]

Unless something has evolved, Brian has said there is no contact of any sort except through lawyers or other representatives. He has left the impression that there is no avenue to John for either him or Roger. Perhaps Jim Beach speaks to him directly.

[/QUOTE]

There was an entry on Brian Soapbox from some months ago (I can't find it unfortunately) about John where he gave me that impression, maybe I'm wrong...