Queen bassist John Deacon performed with Queen from 1971 until his retirement in 1997. And while the star has been out of the limelight for almost as long as he was in it, rare and never-before-seen photos of him are to be revealed in a brand new book called Queen: The Neal Preston Photographs. One such picture has been shared on the band’s official Instagram account.
The new book also features unseen photos of Freddie Mercury, while Brian May and Roger Taylor have contributed commentary on the snaps with Preston.
Queen – The Neal Preston Photographs covers Queen tours from 1975 to 1986.
Among his work, the photographer captured the 1981 South American tour, 1985’s iconic Live Aid show and Queen’s final tour with Freddie a year later.
May said: “Neal just has the knack, the skill, to always be in the right place at the right time.”
Following Queen and Adam Lambert’s Tour Watch Party on YouTube, which saw an hour-long show of their live highlights, it was clear to the band that a live album was a good idea.
Queen drummer Roger Taylor said: “We hadn’t really watched those clips before, we were always too busy touring.
“We weren’t aware of how good the band sounded.
“So we thought, well, maybe there’s a live album of highlights of concerts that we’ve done over the last eight years with Adam Lambert to be made.”
While Brian May enthused: “As we all grapple with the challenge of creating live shows in a world dominated by a formidable viral enemy, it seemed the perfect time for us to create a collection of hand-picked live highlights from our Queen shows over the last 7 years with our brother Adam Lambert.
“It’s a first! As you watch and listen to these tracks you’ll be journeying all around the world with us, and experiencing a complete virtual live set.
“The collection climaxes in Sydney earlier this year when, in support Fire Fight Australia, we recreated the complete Queen Live Aid set.
“It was a historic event for a great cause – with perhaps the highest adrenaline level since the original Live Aid in 1985. It makes me particularly happy that we can now share this unique moment with the whole world.”