John Deacon's quotes...
English Version
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John Deacon's quotes... English Version |
[1974] [Bohemian Rhapsody] [Another One Bites the Dust] [Live Aid] [Sun City] [Freddie Tribute] [Life & Career] [Songwriting]
"I've got more confidence in the group now than ever before"(1974)
"I have the feeling that the whole thing is getting a bit more professional all round. We are, after all, on our third album."
"I was possibly the one person in the group who could look at it from the outside because I was the fourth person in the band. I knew there was something there but I wasn't convinced of it. Till possibly this album."
"People used to have clips before, but they were often shot on file. It was quite accidental...at the time we were touring England, and we knew we wouldn't be able to get to record Top Of The Pops on the Wednesday. Our managers at the time had a mobile unit, so it was actually shot on video, in about four hours."
About Another One Bites The Dust...
"I listened to a lot of soul music when I was in school and I've always been interested in that sort of music. I'd been wanting to do a track like 'Another One Bites The Dust' for a while, but originally all I had was the line and the bass riff. Gradually I filled it in and the band added ideas. I could hear the song for dancing but had no idea it would become as big as it did. The song got picked off our album and some of the black radio stations in the US started playing it, which we've never had before."
"We didn't know Bob Geldof at all. When 'Do They Know It's Christmas' was out, that was a lot of newer acts. For the gig, he wanted to get a lot of the established acts. Our first reaction was, we didn't know - 20 minutes, no sound check. When it became apparent that it was going to happen, we'd just finished touring Japan and ended up having a meal in the hotel discussing whether we should do it.....and we said yes. It was the one day that I was proud to be involved in the music business. A lot of days you certainly don't feel that! But the day was fabulous, people forgot that element of competitiveness...it was a good morale boosting for us too, because it showed us the strength of support we had in England, and it showed us what we had to offer as a band."
About playing in Sun City (South Africa)...
"Throughout our careers we've been a very non-political group. We enjoy going to new places. We've toured America and Europe so many times that it's nice to go so somewhere different. Everybody's been to South Africa, it's not as if we're setting precedent. Elton John's been there. Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard. I know there can be a bit of fuss, but apparently we're very popular down there. Basically, we want to play wherever the fans want to see us."
At the Freddie Mercury Tribute…
"First of all Brian and Roger and myself would like to thank all the artists performing here today in London. They've given their time and energy to make this tribute to Freddie a reality. The Show must go on.....would you please welcome 3 times grammy award winners ......Metallica !"
About himself, his career, his life…
"I guess you can say control has a lot to do with it."
Question: What is the songwriting process like for you?
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John: I find it difficult to write songs. I usually start from the musical side. It's not a very good way of working. It makes it difficult because I then have a melody and have to put words to it afterwards. But it just seems to be the way I go about it. I should sit down and write some words out first and then try to put music on it. It should be simpler that way. But I just tend to have more musical ideas that lyrical ideas. I also find it difficult getting my ideas across to the band when we attempt to play it. |
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Freddie: I basically write the tune. I write the song around the melody most of the time. Sometimes a lyric will get me started. "Life Is Real" was one of those, because the words came first. I just really got into it, pages after pages, all kinds of words. Then I just put it to a song. I just felt that it could be a Lennon-type thing. "Killer Queen" was another one I wrote the words for first. But otherwise Ihave melodies in my head. I play them on the piano and I used to tape record them. Now I just store them in my head. I feel that if they're worth remembering, I will. If I lose them, I lose them. If they're still in my head, they're worth remember and putting down on tape. |
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Roger: Sometimes it's a lyrical idea, but usually it's a musical idea; just an idea I want to try. I write songs as a hobby. I'm not really what you'd call a professional songwriter. Sometimes I go through a creative spell and lots of things come out ; some of them almost spontaneously and others take a little work. I'm not a Paul McCartney who gets up and writes a song before breakfast. He's trying to break the world record for writing songs. I often come from a rythmic thing, which it will be for a percussionist. But I suppose I use the guitar most. I'm going in for piano now, as opposed to synthesizers. I'm really trying to learn to play it properly. |
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Brian: I write best when I'm not on guitar; maybe a few riffs or the basis, but strangely enough, you usually get the most perspective on a song when you're on an instrument that you're not accustomed to. I'm not accustomed to playing the piano and I find that quite inspiring, because your fingers fall on different patterns. Whereas on a guitar, I pick it up and know where my fingers are going to fall. Mostly I sit alone someplace and think about it. That's the best way. I don't think my songwriting has changed as much as the others in the group. I tend to write more traditional Queen material like "Las Palabras De Amor". I still tend to write melodies and that certain sort of heaviness, which the group does well at its best; the guitar and piano which have that sort of thick sound. I really enjoy that, although these days it's used a little bit more sparingly. |
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