Queen To Never Perform With Freddie Mercury Hologram

While Tupac's Coachella hologram appearance may have been impressive, don't expect to see Freddie Mercury on stage with Queen in the near future, as bandmate Roger Taylor has said it will never happen.

Speaking during rehearsals for Queen Extravaganza - a tribute tour with a line-up hand picked by Taylor and bandmate Brian May - Taylor says he would have no problem with someone else creating a Freddie Mercury hologram, but it wouldn't happen on his stage.

"I don't want to sit up here with a hologram of my dear friend," said Taylor in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. "Were somebody to use a hologram of Freddie, I don't think I would have an objection. But I don't want to. It just didn't sit too well with me."

Taylor also added that he believes Freddie Mercury would wholeheartedly support not only the tribute tour - but the band's current frontman, Adam Lambert.

"When Freddie died, we were in shock," said the drummer. "And it didn't go away for five years. We would have probably remained together. We were very tight and very close. We never saw the need to break up. I think he'd love (these shows). I think he would have been really flattered. He would have loved the idea of keeping our musical flag flying. Brian and I always sort of imagine he's in the room."

Thanks for the report to Gigwise.com.

Comments

[Maiden95]

Good on Queen. I imagine what Roger Taylor said would be the exact same thing Dave Grohl would say about performing with a Kurt Cobain hologram. Just not right.

Kind of a strange title btw..

[WholeLottaIzzy]

This is actually a little surprising. But good. I was half expecting Queen to actually do this. I'm glad their not though.

[moody git]

would have been pretty cool to see, a hologram having more stage presence than a good number of artists. but as above, i'm glad they aren't going to

[robo37]

If the last 4 words were missing off that title, I might have been interested.

[Obsceneairwaves]

VERY GOOD all this hologram talk is freaking me out. RIP freddy

[OxMxGxTACOS]

Fucking.. Good.

[chaoticfables]

Well, fair enough.

[FrauVfromPoB]

This is probably a good thing. The hologram thing is kind of unsettling, and having one of Freddie probably wouldn't sit right with a lot of fans, not just Brian and Roger. And after some of the questionable musical antics Brian has gotten up to lately (like that guest spot on that British rapper guy's song), they'd probably get branded as money-grubbers.

Plus you could pretty much see straight through Freddie anyway in the last few years of his life. I think we've had enough of that.

[drew61195]

Finally! A person with a respect for the fallen...

[motorizer]

Huuuuuh ... Just imagine if he WAS still alive ...

[Rick_Diculous]

Hologram concerts should only have hologram audiences.

[DamnBastard1224]

LET THE LEGEND REST.

Holograms don't compare to the real thing, it's a shame such a great and talented man has been lost, but it's not his time anymore.

[DJ_Effrey]

Thank god for that... who would really want to see a cheap imitation of one of rock n roll's greatest frontmen anyway?

[tennesseehild]

Good on you. I applaude that metal is making a stand. Our record companies are closing out, upcoming acts can't get funding, but by god we'll make a stand for the music we love.

[Austin_205]

OH THANK YOU GOD!

[schirripar]

Holograms might be sufficient for Hip Hop. But rock and roll is great because of the human elements, and the lore of being able to see someone truly great live that you can only tell your grand-kids about.

[Muxi92]

There actually was a Freddy hologram some years ago in a tribute show on german television, but I can't find a video of it.

[sherry07]

Good thing. I didn't think they would ever do a hologram of Freddie actually but it;s good to hear it for certain

[rebreh]

Sigh, now there is going to be a new article everyday about a band saying no to a hologram.

[MYGeR]

Just have to wait for a few years that all the members pass away, and the same people that wanted to put Freddy on stage with Queen will succeed by making them all rising from the dead.

[flaphead325]

Isn't there a legal problem with that? To who belong a person's appearance? Is it just like a photo, or is it more?

[L2112Lif]

Well, there goes the 'Queen are just in it for the money' route... Since a hologram tour would probably be the biggest grossing thing Queen could do...

[guitarlad89]

just ****ing stop with the holograms.

[its_minchew]

Am I the only one that finds it odd that they are doing shows with Adam Lambert???

[Armagedn]

schirripar wrote:

Holograms might be sufficient for Hip Hop. But rock and roll is great because of the human elements, and the lore of being able to see someone truly great live that you can only tell your grand-kids about.

Yep, no human element in hip-hop.
But everyone's so offended by these holograms... I think it's really cool technology. I definitely understand what Roger's saying, though.

[Metal-pro]

We said we don't care about those holograms. Plz stop UG!

[dennis.1960]

Good news, though I'm kinda surprised...after whoring themselves out to American Idol I was worried Roger & Brian were going to drag the Queen legacy through some ugly mud.

[DickHardwood]

Holograms in rock?No,thank you.I don't think they can grasp Freddie's flamboyance in a hologram.As for the Nirvana one..a hologram that will randomly start smashing the stage?Good luck with that.

[YOURMOMSGUITAR]

I AM A HOLOGRAM! EVERYONE BOW BEFORE ME!

[ifc69]

I can finally get some sleep at night.

[99deadballons]

Rick_Diculous wrote:

Hologram concerts should only have hologram audiences.

& they have to pay with hologram money

[crazysam23_Atax]

Good! We don't need Queen (or any other rock band) selling out to this shi t!

[MiniSly]

can't be any worse than having Adam Lambert...

[Ballsweat]

no shit

[JayMichaelRayne]

hey stop making money with dead people. would you be satisfied if you knew you would be a source of money after death?

[iommi600]

Nope.

I rather sit here and watch Freddie himself being awesome at Wembley. Turn your hologram into a dildo and shove it up your ass.

[Armagedn]

JayMichaelRayne wrote:

hey stop making money with dead people. would you be satisfied if you knew you would be a source of money after death?

I would be, yes. Provide some financial security for my family even when I'm not alive. That would be satisfying.

[Alice2Mudgarden]

Good to see somebody's got the right idea in respecting a musician's legacy and integrity.

[RHCPFAN96]

we all know the kurt cobain hologram will happen because courtneys drug fund will have to run low at some point

[RHCPFAN96]

- as cool as it all looks and sounds its just weird and not right!

[-[NiL]-]

It was weird enough how they had that video of him during "Bohemian Rhapsody" when they played with Paul Rodgers.

[Megadeth99]

Thank god! I don't want any more people to turn into holograms anymore!

[johnnathandope]

An Axl Rose hologram would make way more sense

[BigSpence]

Armagedn wrote:

JayMichaelRayne wrote:

hey stop making money with dead people. would you be satisfied if you knew you would be a source of money after death?I would be, yes. Provide some financial security for my family even when I'm not alive. That would be satisfying.

You really think these rock star's families aren't set for life already?

[BornToLooze]

I still think it would be cool for bands to do a memorial show with a hologram like X Japan did for hide

[guitarplayer292]

I'd much rather have these guest vocalists they had (I personally loved Paul Rodgers with them) than resurrect Freddie in a hologram.

[MR.LZZYHALE]

Armagedn wrote:

schirripar wrote:

Holograms might be sufficient for Hip Hop. But rock and roll is great because of the human elements, and the lore of being able to see someone truly great live that you can only tell your grand-kids about.
Yep, no human element in hip-hop.
But everyone's so offended by these holograms... I think it's really cool technology. I definitely understand what Roger's saying, though.

hating on holgrams is a hipster thing to do now

[vinnym86]

FUCK i misread that title and almost had a ****ing heart-attack. **casually goes about the rest of the day**

[Northernmight]

Good.

This hologram thing is scary, weather some modern ism deems it hipster or not. Blurs the little fine line between fantasy and reality. And people want it, they want to praise the dead - to see what's not there.

I'm not alright with it. But if theres one thing i've learned.. You can't argue against money.

[rhino1957]

robo37 wrote:

If the last 4 words were missing off that title, I might have been interested.

+1

[Orlando Gomez]

nice

[AeroRocker]

robo37 wrote:

If the last 4 words were missing off that title, I might have been interested.

Blasphemy!

Checked.

[DeathMetalHub]

I watched the Tupac hologram and thought it was stupid. I mean, hey the performance and presence must of been overwhelming but it just looked so awkward especially when he was "talking" to rappers he probably never met in his life. So I think this is a good thing Queen rejected, but hey its my opinion. If they decided to do Jimmi next, it would have to be just Jimmi shredding on his own. Sorry if I sound stupid but thats the way I feel about this.

[GeekInThePink]

Adam Lambert is a better singer than a hologram is.

[kennedys1]

Sorry hologram people but Princess Lea in Star Wars: A New Hope was the best hologram of all time. 'Nuff said.

[dave2332]

[quote]DeathMetalHub wrote:

I mean, hey the performance and presence must of been overwhelming but it just looked so awkward especially when he was "talking" to rappers he probably never met in his life.[quote]

I think it was Snoop Dogg he was 'talking' to, who had worked with Tupac before. I think Dr. Dre put the production together, he also worked with Tupac. If anyone were to do it, it would be them and I have no problem with that.

I think it worked for a short segment like what they did, but I don't think a full concert would be convincing and you are basically paying to hear studio versions very loud. Queen should stick to playing it live.

[johnthebassist4]

I'm glad. There's something deranged about doing a performance with a hologram of your deceased best friend.

[cxrlxscr]

Fuck holograms. Thank you Roger.

[Agent51]

I think that people overlook the fact that, while maybe its a cool novelty for us fans, these were actual people. When these guys in Queen say they don't want to do it, or anyone for that matter, that's completely understandable. It's basically seeing their dead friend. These guys all had personal, daily, family-like relationships with the artists in discussion. It's a much different emotion for them than it is for us fans who are just like "bad*ss, there's JIMI EFFEN HENDRIX!"

Then again some people CAN do it, like Dr Dre with Tupac. So I guess these holograms will just start to pop up on a case by case basis, in terms of playing with original lineups.

I personally am torn. On one hand I'd kill to Jimi , or Freddie, that's all music I love but was born a couple generations late (in the 80s). I never got to see some of my guitar icons live. But at the same time I think it basically amounts to exploitation. I don't mean that in a self-righteous way or anything, but it seems like these holograms would be nothing but cash-cows and that doesn't seem right given all of the emotion the holograms would evoke.

[MasterOfKnot]

Adam Lambert? Seriously?

[uncere4ever]

They won`t play with Freddie again, but they were talking about playing with Lady Gaga?! Poor Freddie..

[stratomaiden]

After that American Idol stunt, I was kind of expecting Queen to perform w/ the hologram, but its great that they declined. May we let the dead rest. RIP Freddie Mercury

[6-String_Madman]

johnnathandope wrote:

An Axl Rose hologram would make way more sense

I wouldn't want to see that KID... EITHER WAY.

[almudjk]

It is really good to see respect for Freddie

[Root Beer]

AMEN TO THAT!

[iscreamicecream]

Holograms rule! do it for the children who don't know what real rock is and what it takes to be a real frontman and vocalist not like these screamo emo kids nowadays....maybe true rock and roll will come back..and MTV will stop sucking. Bring back Freddie!

[Scary Guy]

This a testament to how ****ed music is today. There is no really exceptional heart-felt music today and that's why we have to bring back true artists from the dead.
People against holograms should open their minds up a bit since you all have no problem downloading dead artists music for free.
A hologram if done just once or twice is in no way money-grubbing its meant to be in the artists honor, i mean shit we better just start ripping down every statue on earth!

[icbm666]

At least you can't get AIDS from a hologram.

[SweepSDMF]

icbm666 wrote:

At least you can't get AIDS from a hologram.

Well, I laughed

[rbramble18]

"yeah....jk." - Queen