Queen + Somebody Other Than Paul Rodgers

First live concert as Queen + Paul Rodgers.
Brixton Academy in London, England March 28, 2005.

By now, anybody that's a real music fan has heard the sad news. Queen + Paul Rodgers have split up. Apparently there's no hard feelings between singer Rodgers and Queen. The door has been left open to do special appearances together, but nothing more.

Their lone studio album, 'The Cosmos Rocks' did well in the charts when it first came out in 2008, but sales fizzled quickly outside of Europe and Japan. Perhaps that is one of the main reasons for the breakup. Quite honestly, I don't think Queen has had a very good marketing team working on the United States since the early 1980s. Their old tunes have been in a boat load of commercials, but does that get you new fans? You gotta let people know who's music they are hearing. The biggest attention getting activity in the US over the past couple years has been two TV appearances on American Idol.

Adam Lambert and Brian May on American Idol May 20, 2009.
Photo by Ray Mickshaw / Fox Broadcasting Co.

Speaking of American Idol, this season's finale marked the second episode to feature Queen, well guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor anyway. They came on during a duet with Season 8 winner Kris Allen and runner up Adam Lambert singing "We Are The Champions". Since this happened shortly after Paul Rodgers turned the plus sign in Queen + Paul Rodgers into a minus sign, the rumors started flying that Adam Lambert would be Queen's new lead singer. Brian May didn't waste much time before trying to tame that that ridiculous notion. “Amongst all that furor, there wasn’t really a quiet moment to talk,” May told Rolling Stone in an E-mail interview. “But [drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point. It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there.”

So, if not Adam, then who would be a good choice to front one of Rock 'n Roll's best ever bands? Forget about the American Idol talent pool. No, not even Season 5 cutie Kellie Pickler. Though, I wouldn't mind seeing a short stint by another female singer who spent her early days becoming noticed in 'Idol' fashion. You know the old saying, "Good things come in little Italian packages". As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind seeing Giorgia Todrani ..... Sorry, drifted off into a steamy fantasy world there for a while. Giorgia is known for doing Queen songs during concerts all the time. The whole world became aware of her after she sang "Who Wants To Live Forever?" for Luciano Pavarotti at one of his "Pavarotti and Friends" charity concerts. Yes, I know everybody sings Queen songs, especially that one.

Kellie Pickler practices with Queen in April 2006.
Photo by Ray Mickshaw / Fox Broadcasting Co.

Who will Queen choose for the job? Jeff Scott Soto? George Michael? Graham Bonnet? Ozzy Osbourne? ... Ozzy?! ... What?!! ... What?!!! Will they pick anyone? Are they interested in a long term collaboration at all? If it happens, it probably won't be anytime soon. Dammit!

Giorgia - "Who Wants To Live Forever?" (Queen song)



Giorgia - "Love Of My Life" (Queen song)