John Deacon in 2014/2015

Before anyone else makes anymore accusations or guesses lets go through some things. What has John been going through for the last 40 years. He just wanted to play bass in a band. So he met Brian Roger and Freddie. From then he dedicated every moment of his time to Queen. But the band was failing but was then catapulted to stardom by a 6 minute song. Then he went with the guys on multiple tours made a few gold and platinum albums and went to South America and Japan. And his little side project became the biggest band in the world. Add in trying to balance this with starting a family any issues may have root there. Then the band entering a slump losing America and angering many fans after Sun City. But then triumphantly returning at Live Aid and embarking on a massive European tour. And as evidenced at Knebworth with throwing his bass and other things he may have been having personal problems. Then have your friends go through issues with the press and find your friend and the bands face is dying of a horrible disease. Then seeing him fade away and pass must have effected him. Then going to do a massive tribute event and playing live for the 1st time since 1986. And just as he thought it was over he had to work on Made In Heaven and endured listening to his late friends final recordings may have been the last straw. He then may have wanted it over so he recorded No One But You and retired in hopes of finally living a "normal life"

[QUOTE] [b]cmsdrums wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE] [b]goose44 wrote:[/b]

It's obvious Deacy has some social issues. You can bow out of the music business and do your own thing but not to even talk to your old bandmates when you spent 20 years together and being practically a family is really odd. I can see that he and Brian were not friends and had totally different views on music but Roger gets along with everybody. I would call Deacy out and say stop being a sad whining grumpy old man and give one to your fans. A smile, a wave, a hello how are you to his fans but nothing. That is why I believe he has some social and or mental issues. [/QUOTE]

I'll second that. I recall reading that he was going to go to the Stormtroopers In Stilletos exhibition opening, and one or more of his kids had persuaded him to go. Then literally at the last minute he had a panic attack/change of mind and pulled out of going.

[/QUOTE]

I heard that too! It was sad that it happened this way.

There´s only Love and Appreciation here for my man John!

I love this speculation about a major fall out between Brian/Roger and John.
I'm also going to speculate...John Deacon retired as he saw little point in continuing Queen without Freddie as they could never hit the same heights that they all enjoyed in the 70s and 80s ever again...so why continue.

No major fall out, he probably just saw Brian and Roger as "work colleagues" and so does not socialise with them now he has left.

[QUOTE] [b]Chrisallstar wrote:[/b]

I love this speculation about a major fall out between Brian/Roger and John.
I'm also going to speculate...John Deacon retired as he saw little point in continuing Queen without Freddie as they could never hit the same heights that they all enjoyed in the 70s and 80s ever again...so why continue.

No major fall out, he probably just saw Brian and Roger as "work colleagues" and so does not socialise with them now he has left.[/QUOTE]

Sounds quite plausible to me......possibly a combination of that, and that he just wanted to live a private life.....going by Brian and Roger's comments, I'd think if John had wanted to participate in the Queen+ tours or anything like that, they would have welcomed him...

Just incase anyone is still daft enough to think they didn't fall out, let's recall John Deacon's comments at a Popbitch fundraising event (if Roger and Brian's catty remarks aren't enough for ya!)

"Roger and Brian got together to do the song with Robbie Williams but I told them I had retired.

"I didn't want to be involved with it and I'm glad. I've heard what they did and it's rubbish.

"It is one of the greatest songs ever written but I think they've ruined it. I don't want to be nasty but let's just say Robbie Williams is no Freddie Mercury. Freddie can never be replaced - and certainly not by him."

He also put the kibosh on a Queen reunion with Williams fronting it. Sometime later he gives up his veto, presumably to avoid further arguments and effectively letting them just get on with it.

Them falling out and John wanting a quiet life aren't mutually exclusive. It's fairly fucking obvious he wants a private life and doesn't want to tour in some Queen+ nightmare - hence them falling out. If he didn't agree with the Williams collaboration, it seems unlikely he agrees with anything else they've done under the name since...!

^ I doubt he's particularly impressed by Lambert either.

[QUOTE] [b]Negative Creep wrote:[/b]
He also put the kibosh on a Queen reunion with Williams fronting it. Sometime later he gives up his veto, presumably to avoid further arguments and effectively letting them just get on with it.
[/QUOTE]

I've never heard that before.....they didnt do a reunion with Williams cus John vetoed it? Where di you get that from? Interesting if true.....

[QUOTE]
Them falling out and John wanting a quiet life aren't mutually exclusive. It's fairly fucking obvious he wants a private life and doesn't want to tour in some Queen+ nightmare - hence them falling out. If he didn't agree with the Williams collaboration, it seems unlikely he agrees with anything else they've done under the name since...![/QUOTE]

It seems like a bit of a leap to me, to say that since John didnt like Williams, he doesnt like anything Brian and Roger are doing.......if he did have a falling out back in the late 90s, as you say he did, and for the reasons you say.......then he wouldnt have anything to do with Brian and Roger in any case, would he?

"Freddie can never be replaced - and certainly not by him" sounds to me like he didn't much like Robbie Williams, or rather, his stage act/singing ability anyway. It also sounds by the first part of what I quoted that he wouldn't think highly of anyone fronting the group.

He's become Queen's version of Syd Barrett. Still better than Adam Lambert though..

[QUOTE] [b]Negative Creep wrote:[/b]

Just incase anyone is still daft enough to think they didn't fall out, let's recall John Deacon's comments at a Popbitch fundraising event (if Roger and Brian's catty remarks aren't enough for ya!)

"Roger and Brian got together to do the song with Robbie Williams but I told them I had retired.

"I didn't want to be involved with it and I'm glad. I've heard what they did and it's rubbish.

"It is one of the greatest songs ever written but I think they've ruined it. I don't want to be nasty but let's just say Robbie Williams is no Freddie Mercury. Freddie can never be replaced - and certainly not by him."

He also put the kibosh on a Queen reunion with Williams fronting it. Sometime later he gives up his veto, presumably to avoid further arguments and effectively letting them just get on with it.

Them falling out and John wanting a quiet life aren't mutually exclusive. It's fairly fucking obvious he wants a private life and doesn't want to tour in some Queen+ nightmare - hence them falling out. If he didn't agree with the Williams collaboration, it seems unlikely he agrees with anything else they've done under the name since...![/QUOTE]

Well, that is not what i asked!
You are constantly put words in Brian´s and Roger´s mouths, and changing the meaning to everything they say, to fit your agenda.
You say that they show resentment towards John, and that isn´t true. And you say that they´ve implied that he only cares about the money and that isn´t true either. What Brian says is that John is still making decisions about the financial aspects of the business and is still the one who reads contracts to make sure they are not being ripped off.

The story you present here is full of innuendoes about what YOU think John did back at the time. I´m well aware of John´s words about Robbie Williams, but i never did took that seriously or even believed 100% that it was him. You said that he told this at a Popbitch fundraising, but at the time i read this words (on the internet) it was claimed to have been made through a telephone interview.
Those words are exactely my opinion about what they did with Robbie Williams, but i still don´t believe John said it to the British press.
And even if he did, it doesn´t prove anything that they did afterwards, because after that John signed Brian´s soapboax in 2003(?) with a little humor and Brian later confirmed it was John indeed.

He went the the WWRY afterparty, and he didn´t perform with Queen. I don´t know if he turned out to be at the WWRY concert in Hyde Park, but it was said at the time that maybe he would be backstage - i don´t know if this ever happened.

So, after Robbie Williams there were other things that happened where Brian and Roger spoke with him. What you say doesn´t make sense, because according to Roger and Brian, John wrote them a "beautiful" letter giving them the blessings for them to tour with Paul Rodgers, but chosing not to be a part of it. If he was that pissed, he could just ignore them.

I don´t know what happened to John, but after i heard the story about the Stormtroopers exibition, it´s clear that he must have some kind of anxiety. And it´s not like he´s being seen everywhere but Queen, is it?

[QUOTE] [b]Negative Creep wrote:[/b]
And even if he did, it doesn´t prove anything that they did afterwards, because after that John signed Brian´s soapboax in 2003(?) with a little humor and Brian later confirmed it was John indeed.
[/QUOTE]
Where can we see this? Could you find it? Thanks

Also one question to everyone. Did anyone really tried to interview since 2001 onwards? If he refused, what was an excuse? That he's not in music business industry anymore? Come one, you can give one final interview if you appreciate your loyal fan base. It's not that i'm attacking John (i love him really), but one of interview now these days/years would be really nice appreciation for what your fans did for you :)

I'm sure someone can convince him for a hour long oneoff interview!

It makes sense to have anxiety. Public space, fanatics etc.

That said, I could imagine him giving a hello to a fan club convention under some sort of time allotment.

People just have comfort zones. Considering John's absence from the public, an announced event would probably be about as appealing as being pantsed in a public ballpark. It's one of those things you're either used to or offput by.


He just doesn't strike me as the kind of person to be signing autographs at comic book conventions. He's a retired entertainer and businessman.

A bad ass bass player as well.

If he snubbed the rock and roll hall of fame then I imagine he'll keep this policy up until they drop one by one. (Hopefully a LONG TIME from now)

It's great to see him though. Sorry if it's invasive. It's better than finding out he's like Howard Hughes and gone crazy.

All that's left is for a fan to edit that third photo into a new version of PTG (the freeze frame part).


He'd look good in a BOND movie

[QUOTE]

[b]goose44 wrote: [/b] harassed? You have barely seen this guy in 15 years. If he was harassed we would see stories of him doing whatever or see tons of photos or videos but we don't see nothing. there are legends of acting and music who stop and do nothing or something else b ut don't remain 100 percent reclusive and almost basically disappear from the earth. If someone has millions of fans still to this day I would at least sill be in acknowledgement in some state. I'm not saying he has to be making appearances or anything of that kind. I can understand to that account. I'm just saying Deacy, relax we love ya and we want you to know that.[/QUOTE]
 "I would call Deacy out and say stop being a sad whining grumpy old man and give one to your fans."  

^ Perhaps harass is a strong word, but it'd certainly be disrespectful and rude. But while it may be an ill thought out comment you've written on here, I'd like to think something like that wouldn't be said to him.
Wanting to keep himself to himself doesn't equate to being whiney or grumpy. And he doesn't owe you or me or the next Queen fan a single thing; he's retired from public life. And he has every right to live life in the way he wants. If you love him like you say, then try to understand and respect that.

It is a little odd that he hasn't even sent a video message to a Queen Fan Club convention since 1994 or something, and hasn't written a letter to the fan club magazine in about the same length of time. It's impossible for any of us to know how he is actually feeling. It seems strange in a way that he doesn't put his head above the parapet at all during these years of Queen activity (whether we agree that this is really Queen or not, Queen as a brand and band with both Freddie and John have been in the public eye).

That said, it's not like we can force him to acknowledge us, and nor should we. Again we should be thankful that he gave us what he gave us during Queen's peak, but if I'm being honest I personally feel it would be nice of him to at least send a message to the fans. I'm even surprised in some ways that he hasn't remained active as a producer for other people's works, or as a song writer (perhaps he has but under a different name, or his own), and find his complete and abrupt stop quite shocking. But that's the way it is!

[QUOTE] [b]goose44 wrote:[/b]

harassed? You have barely seen this guy in 15 years. If he was harassed we would see stories of him doing whatever or see tons of photos or videos but we don't see nothing. there are legends of acting and music who stop and do nothing or something else b ut don't remain 100 percent reclusive and almost basically disappear from the earth. If someone has millions of fans still to this day I would at least sill be in acknowledgement in some state. I'm not saying he has to be making appearances or anything of that kind. I can understand to that account. I'm just saying Deacy, relax we love ya and we want you to know that.[/QUOTE]


100% reclusive? Has he somehow walled himself inside his house, never going outside?

Some of you perhaps don't understand that JD was the least known member of Queen, and basically only Freddie was interesting to the general public: John could spend all days walking through crowds of London and 99,9% of the people wouldn't recognize him. Only the most hardcore Queen fans would know who he is if he stood next to them.

As far as interviews and such, Queen's story is over since years ago and there isn't a long line of journalists waiting to get a scoop from him. He gave few interviews even during Queen's heyday and never enjoyed it, so why would he do it now?

[QUOTE] [b]miraclesteinway wrote:[/b]
It is a little odd that he hasn't even sent a video message to a Queen Fan Club convention since 1994 or something, and hasn't written a letter to the fan club magazine in about the same length of time.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but since he isn't involved in the music business anymore, what is there for him to say, year after year? "Dear Queen fans, yesterday I took out the trash and then cleaned the house a little bit. I watched the telly but there wasn't really anything interesting. Today I ate eggs for breakfast and read the newspaper. Well, I hope you're all feeling fine." Kinda ridiculous.

[QUOTE] [b]miraclesteinway wrote:[/b]
It's impossible for any of us to know how he is actually feeling. It seems strange in a way that he doesn't put his head above the parapet at all during these years of Queen activity (whether we agree that this is really Queen or not, Queen as a brand and band with both Freddie and John have been in the public eye).[/QUOTE]

I would take a wild guess that he isn't extremely proud and happy of what Brian and Roger have done, but if he was making public comments to the effect of "Bri & Rog suckz!!" - THEN he would be seen as a grumpy, whiny old man...

[QUOTE] [b]miraclesteinway wrote:[/b]
I'm even surprised in some ways that he hasn't remained active as a producer for other people's works, or as a song writer (perhaps he has but under a different name, or his own), and find his complete and abrupt stop quite shocking.[/QUOTE]

He didn't so abruptly stop, though. He was always the least prolific songwriter of the band and by the time they stopped touring, he wasn't really doing that anymore, although there was plenty of time. If I'm not mistaken, after 1986 he only wrote My Life Has Been Saved and two songs together with Freddie - there's nothing by him on Innuendo, and he wrote nothing afterwards. So he stopped writing a long time ago.

Personally I think that he took part in the only worthwhile Queen projects after Freddie's death: the tribute concert, Made In Heaven, the Show Must Go On performance with Elton John in 1997 and No One But You; there was nothing that needed to be done afterwards. He has retained more dignity that Brian and Roger.