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Queen, Adam Lambert to embark on US tour - Entertainment - WSFM101.7 - Good Times & Great Classic Hits www.wsfm.com.au/entertainment/Queen-Adam-Lambert-to-embark-on-US-tour#.Ux02sfItkoo.twitter … via
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014 6:00 AM
Image: Getty
Adam Lambert has never paid attention to the haters, and he won't start now as the lead singer for the rock band Queen on their upcoming summer tour of the United States.
"You just can't focus on that crap, especially in today's day and age, the internet, and everybody has an opinion and a comment. That's not why we do this," Lambert told The Associated Press.
Lambert first performed with Queen in 2009 when he was a contestant on American Idol. (He placed second.) The band and Lambert have since performed together, including last year's iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas and a European tour in 2012. They sang such hits as We Are The Champions and We Will Rock You.
Still, Lambert has to stand in the shadow of the singer many regard as one of the greatest to front a rock band.
"At first it was a little daunting when we did our first incarnation of this. I definitely felt apprehensive," Lambert said. "Freddie Mercury is one of the greatest singers that ever lived.
"It's such a treat for me to get on stage and pay my respects, and pay tribute to one of my favourite singers ever, and to sing some of the greatest music ever written," Lambert added.
The 19-date US tour kicks off June 19 in Chicago. It wraps up July 20 in Washington, DC.
Original members Brian May and Roger Taylor flanked Lambert for the news conference on Thursday and, in the interviews that followed, defended te man they had chosen as Mercury's successor.
"American Idol is a long way in the past for Adam now," May said. "He's a solo artist and well-established. And also we are established as a partnership ... if you concentrate on the negative you're not going to get anywhere. It's very important to have focus, and you play to people who want to hear us."
Taylor also praised Lambert's ability: "Good is good, and quality is quality."
May said the band would pay tribute to Mercury in the show. But, he added: "The mere fact that we're playing songs that Freddie wrote is a tribute."
The guitarist also touched on releasing some of Mercury's old recordings, including a collaboration with Michael Jackson that was recorded in 1983. Mercury died in 1991; Jackson in 2009.
"I was surprised that there was a little bit more in the can that we had overlooked for a long time, so we have a few songs which we're working on right now. Freddie songs as fresh as yesterday," May said.
"It's really amazing. We're all playing together, and I think people will enjoy it.
While Mercury has been gone for 23 years, his legacy lives on. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, has sold hundreds of millions of records worldwide, and has a longstanding musical, celebrating the band's catalogue, that has played on London's West End for 12 years.
"It's been a constant reminder to people of our music, especially younger fans making us cross-generational. And We Will Rock You: The Musical has played a big part in that," May said.
That prompted Lambert to add: "What's so genius about the catalogue is that there are so many different colours. There are huge power ballads that are really important, like Who Wants To Live Forever and The Show Must Go On.
"Huge, amazing dramatic songs. There are these songs that are all different vibe." AAP
