In 1968, Brian May and Tim Staffell, both students at Imperial College, decided they wanted to form a group. Brian placed an advertisement on the college notice board for a "Ginger Baker type" drummer, and a young medical student called Roger Taylor auditioned and got the job.

They called the group "SMILE". Smile was signed to Mercury Records in 1969, and had its first experience of a recording studio in Trident Studios that year. Tim Staffell was at Ealing College of Art with Freddie Bulsara, and introduced him to the band. Freddie soon became a keen fan. Sadly, in 1970 "Smile" decided to call it a day, as nothing seemed to be happening for them. Tim went off and joined a band called Humpy Bong, and Freddie left his band "Wreckage" and joined up with Brian and Roger - it had all begun.

There are so many biographies on the internet, montreuxmusic suggests you check the Queen Fan Club, Queen on line, and Queenzone pages, where all the details are given with great care.



Queen and Montreux :
July 1978 the band travels to Switzerland and France to record their new album "Jazz". Whilst in Montreux a violent thunder storm erupts. Brian promptly goes outside and records the whole thing. These sounds appear on the song "Dead On Time". They liked the studio so much that they bought it! When the resident studio engineer David Richards asked what they intended to do with the studio, Freddie replied 'dump it in the lake, Dear!’

February 1981, Queen starts its South American Tour. No less than 500’000 thousand fans gathered for 8 shows in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Then they went on to Venezuela, Mexico etc. Just after this tour follows the recording of “Under Pressure” with guest artist David Bowie. This song is a huge success on the “Hot Space” album recorded beginning 1982 in the Mountain Studios in Montreux.

Queen also appeared in 1984 and in 1986 at the Montreux Golden Rose Festival. This TV show was seen by an audience of no less than 400’000 people all over Europe. This event was a show giving many high quality rock bands a chance to perform and to be seen. Queen, like everybody else, was asked to sing “playback”. It was much easier from the technical point of view. Almost no material needed, except for the drums and “playback” loudspeakers to be changed between each show. Queen performed “Radio Ga Ga”, “Tear It Up”, “It's A Hard Life” and “I Want To Break Free”. None of the band members had ever appreciated performing to “playback” but finally they realized that, for this occasion, it would make their life easier!!

In 2001, Brian May appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival.