Guitar legend Brian Could just lately said John Deacon continues to be ‘very a lot a part of Queen’ 26 years after he parted methods with the band.

Bassist John Deacon had departed the music trade and public life for good in 1997 shortly after recording the Queen single ‘No-One however You (Solely the Good Die Younger)’.

Deacon was a pivotal member of Queen from 1971 and contributed to all 15 of their studio albums from 1973’s ‘Queen’ by to 1995’s ‘Made in Heaven’, nevertheless he hasn’t been concerned within the two collaborative variations of the band, Queen + Paul Rodgers and Queen + Adam Lambert.

Brian Could just lately took half in a ‘reader interview’ with The Guardian the place he answered a collection of slicing questions put to him by followers.

One fan requested the double query – whether or not he had any “inkling” that Deacon would exit Queen for good, and why did he suppose Deacon walked away.

“All I can say is that, traditionally, John was fairly delicate to emphasize,” Sir Brian replied. “All of us discovered it onerous, shedding Freddie (Mercury), however I believe John notably struggled.

“We did do a few issues collectively, in 1996: the recording of ‘No One However You’ – the music I wrote about Freddie after we had been placing up the statue to commemorate him in Montreux (Switzerland) – and one present in Paris.

“It was to open the ballet season with a tremendous new work by Maurice Béjart, about Mozart and Queen. We performed with John on bass, and Elton John sang with us.

“At that second, John simply checked out us and mentioned, ‘I can’t do that any extra’. We knew that he not less than wanted a break, however because it turned out he by no means got here again.”

He defined how John Deacon continues to be concerned in Queen, Brian continued: “I don’t suppose that I can go into far more element – we now have to respect the truth that John wants his privateness now – however he’s nonetheless a part of the equipment of the band.

“If we now have any main choice, enterprise sensible, it’s all the time run previous John. It doesn’t imply he talks to us – usually he doesn’t – however he’ll talk not directly. He’s nonetheless very a lot a part of Queen.”