August 1977
Wessex Studios - London
POV Roger
I finished recording with Freddie the vocal part of my song Sheer Heart Attack, which will be on the band's sixth album titled News of The World. My song Sheer Heart Attack I started to write it in the year 1974, for Queen's third album titled Sheer Heart Attack, but it was not ready in time for the album's release, so I finished writing the lyrics recently And finally I finish recording the song today. For two weeks, I recorded all the instrumental parts, that's right. I just did not play the guitar. Bri played the guitar brilliantly and in the last five days, Freddie and I have recorded the vocals.
Sheer heart attack
Sheer heart attack
Real cardiac ...
Finally Freddie and I finished recording the vocals of the song and called Deacy and Bri to listen to the whole song with the vocals and the instrumental. The song is about three minutes and forty-two seconds. We called the co-producer of the album to listen to the song too, Mike Stone. We all listened attentively to the song and at the end we smiled.
"Your song was excellent, Rog. We did a great job, "Bri said, touching my shoulder and I smiled at him.
- The whole effort paid off. Commented Deacy smiling.
"And you, Freddie, what do you think?" I asked him seriously.
"Your song is perfect, dear Rog," he smiled at me openly, baring his teeth.
- If the song came out perfect it was thanks to you too. - I said smiling with a cigarette - My friends, thank you for trusting in my work.
"No need to thank you, Rog, we know how important this song is to you. Since the third album of the band you wanted to put it and now has the opportunity to be on the new album - commented Deacy.
"Really the song is important to me, Deacy," he said, taking a drag on the cigarette.
"We all realize that, Roger," Mike Stone laughed.
"Dear Rog, could you tell us why this song is so important to you? Freddie asked.
Damn it. I did not expect that question. My friends can never know what the real meaning of the song is, otherwise I will show my weaknesses.
"The song portrays only my teenage years in Truro, and I want to break the world," he said, smoking my cigarette quietly.
"Is it just that, Rog, or are you hiding something from us?" Asked Bri.
Bri is like a brother to me, he knows me with the palm of his hand and he knows that hiding something, we have been friends for almost ten years, since the time of our old band, Smile, but I can not speak, nor to him. I take another drag on my cigarette, thinking of many things that have happened in the past.
"Guys, there's nothing to hide. The song is special because it tells of the difficult times I spent in Truro as a teenager while still struggling for a hit in music when I was still in the band The Reaction when I wanted to get out of Truro and come to London. It's a song that tells of a rebellious young man, like me, who wanted to break the barriers. I said smoking.
Everyone looked at me, but they were silent.
- Guys, that's all for today. Tomorrow new recording of a new song. "So be at eight in the morning here in the studio." Said Mike, looking at his watch. "It's seven o'clock now. Boys are already gone. I wonder how tired they are.
I finished the last drag on my cigarette.
- We really are. I want to go home soon, to see my wife Veronica and my son Robert. And my wife needs my presence, I have something new to tell you: Veronica is pregnant again, for three months - Deacy smiled excitedly. - I'll be father again.
Freddie, Bri and I hug Deacy excited. We are happy for him. I'm Robert's godfather and his godmother is Isabella. I do not even like to think of this treacherous woman. But she is friends with Freddie, Bri and Deacy and a good friend of Deacy's wife, Veronica, Chrissy, wife of Bri and Mary, Freddie's ex-girlfriend and friend.
And I? Until a few days ago she had been dating for nearly eleven months, a personal assistant to a major music producer, who was responsible for the show that Queen did for free at Hyde Park in September last year. My ex - girlfriend 's name is Dominique Beyrand. She is French, she is very beautiful and sweet, but, womanizing as I am, I can not go without betraying. I betrayed Dominique many times with many women, but for Dominique, the water drop was that I stayed with the lead singer of the rock band Blondie. The singer's name is Debbie Harry. Debbie Harry is blond, tall, with blue eyes. Unlike Dominique, who has black hair and black eyes. Dominique is also beautiful, but Debbie seduced me and we were caught kissing two weeks ago at a Led Zeppelin performance here in London. Debbie Harry and I were the covers of many British tabloids. Fucking tabloids. I hate the press. Debbie and I exchanged just a few kisses and the damn press said we were already dating. Queen and the press have a troubled history since the band's inception in the 1970s. Of course Debbie and I denied the rumors we were dating, but the damage had already been done. Dominique saw the pictures in every newspaper and broke up with me. I've called her, asking to get back to dating. Said I'm sorry I betrayed you and kissed just Debbie Harry because she seduced me. Dominique said she did not want to hear from me any more. I'm sad. I confess I'm not totally in love with Dominique, I like her, more of the company. She is a beautiful woman, intelligent, exquisite, a real Lady, unlike other women I have ever met, but it is still not love.
I want to be with Dominique because I like her, despite not being love and also because of her lovely company. Woman, what did I really love? Ah, that's beside the point now. Women are treacherous and deserve to suffer, they do not deserve the boyfriend or husband to be loyal. All women deceive men.
I keep thinking about many things when Mike said,
"Guys, before you go, Jim Beach would like to talk to the four of you in the office in private.
Freddie, Bri, Deacy and I looked at each other. What will our manager want with us? Being an extraordinary meeting, the matter is serious.
My friends and I said goodbye to Mike and went to the office where Jim was. Our manager was already sitting in a chair and asked to sit down too. We sat in silence and realized that Jim was holding some magazines and newspapers in his hands. Then he looked at me and the boys next and went out throwing hard, on the table, newspapers and magazines that had news and photos of me. Freddie, Bri and Deacy were silent and so were I. Until our manager said by reading the subtitles of newspapers and magazines:
- '' Roger Taylor is spotted kissing with the lead singer of the band Blondie, Debbie Harry. ''
'' Roger Taylor, Queen's drummer after drinking too much in a pub breaks the local table. ''
'' Roger Taylor betrays his girlfriend Dominique Beyrand and kisses Debbie Harry. ''
'' Roger Taylor is seen driving drunk on the streets of London. ''
'' Roger Taylor was under the influence of drugs when he hit his Range Rover ''?
'' Roger Taylor is seen with program girls at a party showered with lots of booze. ''
'' Roger Taylor from Queen is seen totally drunk and drugged out of the hotel ''.
As our manager Jim read the news he spoke about me, he smiled wryly. I was silent.
"Roger, what the hell are you thinking of doing with your life? Are you twenty-eight years old recently, thirty years old, and still acting like a teenager who can not see a woman? Smoking and drinking a lot? Using drugs? If you smoke your cigarette or some other drug and drink a lot of alcohol the problem is yours, but, try to be more discreet, okay? Same thing to go out with the women, or mess around in the pubs and break tables and chairs. Said Jim.
"Jim, I know I do too many excesses, but I'm not an alcoholic or a chemist," I said seriously. "When I realize that I'm extrapolating, I get light and thin.
"It's not what it looks like," said Jim sarcastically. "In the last six months you've brought a lot of trouble, wherever you went, even during the tour with the boys. The four of them commit excesses, I know very well, but Roger is sinking. What's the matter with you, Roger? Was not that his dream? Be a musician, a great drummer for a great rock and roll band and make a hit in the world? Be rich, famous and popular as you wanted? You have it all, but, you do not seem to be happy. It gets into confusion often. Hit your Range Rover earlier this year. Were you drunk or drugged? Tell me the truth.
"I could not get away from a ditch, I told you, but I did not hit the car because it was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Damn, I could not get the car out of the ditch. He said a little irritably.
- Whatever, but again you've been spotted driving drunk, you've been photographed drunk to the ground, often what the fuck. Your behavior is ruining Queen's image, "Jim said.
- What? - Freddie said - That's not possible - The guys and I are recording the new album and we are still reaping the laurels of success with the album A Night at the Opera and Bohemian Rhapsody, in addition to the sales of the album A Day At The Races.
"We've been successful," Deacy commented. "Or are they hiding something from us?"
"I honestly do not understand," Bri said.
- Queen continues to make a huge success and I'm sure that the new album you're recording will be a huge success, but Roger's behavior has displeased the press and the band's fans, especially women. The women who are fans of Queen are saying that you are the rotten fruit of the band, Roger and that you can completely corrupt the rest of the band. Commented Jim.
I was alarmed. I did not know that my bohemian behavior was giving so much rebound. I do not care what press thinks, but I was worried about what the fans think of me. It's thanks to them that the band has had a great success and I love and respect my fans, especially female fans. I love women, though they are all treacherous. I was sad about this news now.
"And to top it off, his betrayal was a subject on every gossip channel in the UK and the music industry. Dominique, such a beautiful and elegant woman did not deserve your betrayal, Roger. He stayed with Debbie Harry for just one night, with kisses, meaningless. Jim said seriously.
I was thoughtful. I really have fame, women, I have the life of Rock Star, but, I'm unhappy. My personal life is a horror. Family problems and love.
"Jim, I do not want my female fans to think this about me, that I want to hurt the band. What the press thinks I want to screw up, but what the band fans think I'm worried about. He said worriedly.
"It worries us all," Deacy said.
"Do you think there's a solution to all these problems, Jim?" Asked Bri.
"Dear friend, you are our manager and we trust you, please, we do not want to lose our fans," Freddie said.
"There's a way of cleaning up Roger's image with the press and the fans," Jim said. "Roger has to get married urgently.
Freddie, Bri and Deacy looked at Jim in amazement and I freaked out.
- What? What? I? Marry? That's not possible, Jim. Dominique broke up with me about two weeks ago and I'm sure if she was dating me yet, I did not want to get married. She said she did not want to get married and have children quickly. He said incredulously.
"We do not have Dominique, but we can get another woman to marry you, Roger," Jim smiled.
"Wait, dear Jim. You mean we can get Roger a new girlfriend? Freddie started to have a fit of laughter.
"That will certainly be easy," Deacy smiled. "Roger is full of women at his feet.
I rolled my eyes.
"But what do we have to choose?" Brian asked.
"Oops, I have to choose who I'm with," I said irritably.
"I'll explain," Jim said. "We got a beautiful woman for Roger and he'll pretend to be dating her, he'll take her to romantic dinners, theaters, parties, he'll always be with her, so the press can take pictures of the two of them." They start as boyfriends. After two months, Roger asks the beautiful woman in marriage and they take the engagement publicly and next year, marries the beautiful woman. In this way, the press and fans will realize that Roger is doing everything to have a serious relationship. But, in fact, it will not be a marriage, it will be a contract, signed by Roger and the woman chosen. The two will marry in the notary's office, with a justice of the peace. No religious wedding. This nuptial contract will last for a year and a half, until the moods settle down and Roger's image is again very well with the fans. After a year and a half Roger and his wife divorce. The woman who accepts will make a lot of money, around five hundred thousand pounds. She would sign a contract, promising to be silent about forged marriage and other things.
"This is crazy," he said irritably, rising from his chair. "I'm not getting married!" I'm not a man to make serious commitment, I'm not the man to have a family. I do not believe in love!
"You'd better control yourself, Roger," Jim said, smiling wryly. "Your marriage will be a sham, and while you're married, you may have your extramarital affairs, but you have to be very well hidden, you hear?" Because if any news comes out of you, our whole plan will go down. And I hope you accept, otherwise I will stop being the band's manager, because I do not want to hurt myself either.
At that moment Freddie, Bri and Deacy looked at me desperately. We know how Jim Beach is our friend and a very smart and competent businessman. He's young, he's thirty-five and an innovative vision for the band. I sighed. Like my friends, I also do not want to lose our manager, the soul of the band.
- All right, Jim. Even unwillingly, I agree to get married. "But, please, choose a beautiful woman to be my wife."
Jim smiled and said,
- You can leave it, Roger. We will choose a beautiful woman to be your wife.
I smiled weakly and Freddie, Bri and Deacy nodded to me.
In the next few days Jim Beach will draw up the contract and we will go and find a woman who wants to be my wife and make lots of money.
After the meeting with Jim Beach, the boys and I left. Deacy gave Freddie a ride and I gave Bri a ride. After I left Bri at home, I went to my cottage in Surrey, fifty kilometers from London. Bought the cottage recently.
I drive my red Ferrari, which I also bought recently, at high speed on the highway, at more than 180 km / h. (111.847 miles per hour). I'm in love with speed. When I'm off, I participate in go-kart racing as well. The distance from London to Surrey is fifty minutes, almost an hour, I do in half an hour.
When I get to Surrey, I go to the hairdresser, one I've known for a long time. Her name is Cris. I walk into the great salon and he says,
"Good evening Roger, I was about to close the salon.
- Good evening Cris, can you please, can you cut my hair? I say looking at me in the mirror for my long hair.
"Roger, I can not believe you want to cut your long hair after many years," said Grinning Cris.
- Yes Cris, I want you to make my hair shorter. I laughed.
I sat on the chair and Cris started to cut my hair. I saw in the mirror how it was getting. I decided to cut my long hair. It's over. The Glam Rock phase is over. My boyhood phase is over. I really am almost thirty years old. And soon I'll be a married man.
A short time later, I paid for Cris and thanked him. I look in the mirror and see my new haircut. I smile. I have shorter hair, this time up to ear level. I saw the natural blond strands of my hair there, too. I leave the salon and enter my car and go out singing tire with Ferrari. I drive for fifteen minutes and finally arrive at my cottage in Surrey. I park my Ferrari and the first thing I do is take a shower and then dinner. Mrs. Gilda, the housekeeper is heating my dinner. We talk a little while I have dinner and then I go to sleep in my room, in my big bed, alone.
I lie in my bed and think of everything that has already happened to me. I have fame, money, I'm Rock Star, but, really I'm an unhappy man. I close my eyes to sleep and her image of Isabella comes to my mind. Isabella and her long black hair waved like night and her gray eyes. Even when I go to sleep she pursues me ...
And I think of the woman who will be my future wife, only for a year-and-a-half marriage contract ...
To be continued...