Introduction
After Genesis' sophomore album "Trespass" was recorded, ill health and developing stage fright caused guitarist Anthony Phillips to leave the group. Bassist Mike Rutherford said "That was the closest we came to busting up. For some reason we felt so close that if one left, we thought we couldn't carry on. Of all the changes we've been through, surviving Ant leaving was the hardest." His last show with the band took place in Haywards Heath on 18 July 1970. He felt the increased number of gigs affected the group's creativity and that several songs he wrote were not recorded or performed live. He had contracted bronchial pneumonia and became isolated from the rest of the band, feeling that it had too many songwriters in it. Banks, Gabriel, and Rutherford saw Phillips as an important member, being the most instrumental in encouraging them to turn professional after their debut LP "From Genesis To Revelation", which was recorded while the group were in their final year of high school, became a commercial failure because record shops put the album in the "Religious" section upon seeing the cover. Keyboardist Tony Banks recalled the album "after a year or so, had sold 649 copies". The band regarded Phillips' exit as the band's greatest threat and the most difficult to overcome. Gabriel and Rutherford decided they would continue; Banks agreed on the condition that they also fire drummer John Mayhew, and find a new drummer that was of equal stature to the rest of the group.
In 1968, guitarist Brian May, a student at London's Imperial College, and bassist Tim Staffell decided to form a band. May placed an advertisement on a college notice board for a "Mitch Mitchell/Ginger Baker type" drummer; Roger Taylor, a young dental student, auditioned and got the job. The group initially called themselves Smile. While attending Ealing Art College in west London, Staffell became friends with Farrokh "Freddie" Bulsara, a fellow student from Zanzibar of Indian Parsi descent. Bulsara, who was working as a baggage handler at London's Heathrow Airport, felt that he and the band had the same tastes and soon became a keen fan of Smile. In 1970, after Staffell left to join the band Humpy Bong, the remaining Smile members, encouraged by now-members Bulsara and Mike Grose, changed their name to Queen and performed their first gig in Haywards Heath on 18 July 1970.
In the dressing room after the show, Genesis' lead singer and flautist Peter Gabriel sidled up to Roger Taylor with a proposal of his own. "I told him how we were on the verge of firing our drummer and needed a replacement. I just thought that he was magnificent and would fit in marvellously with the band". Taylor was immediately intrigued with this proposition, but was worried on how he was going to tell his bandmates the news. Taylor apologetically turned down his offer at first, saying that "I can't do that to Brian, we've been friends for ages, after Tim left Smile, we still wanted to continue together". Upon hearing this, Gabriel's face lit up - "That's wonderful, we need a guitarist as well, this was Anthony's final night tonight!". After having a long discussion based on the pros and cons of this decision, after only one performance, Brian May and Roger Taylor left Queen amicably, on the condition that Bulsara and Grose could still continue Queen. May said "All was great, everyone was going to have success, be happy and make incredible music at the same time". The next day, a press statement was released, stating that without an audition, Brian May and Roger Taylor would become the newest members of Genesis, replacing Anthony Phillips and John Mayhew, respectively.
While Genesis spent the rest of the year extensively touring to promote "Trespass", Queen had quite a few members come and go. Bulsara's search for a new guitarist and drummer began with advertisements placed in copies of Melody Maker. The invitation was spotted by drummer Phil Collins, formerly of Flaming Youth who already knew about his work in the short-lived English heavy blues rock band Sour Milk Sea. He recalled, "My only knowledge of Queen was through seeing the ads for the gigs they had planned before Roger and Brian left. It seemed like they were going to be constantly working. ... I thought 'At least I'm going to be working if I get the gig'." Bulsara noticed the confident way Collins approached and sat at his drum kit and knew he would be the right replacement. He said, "It was a combination of things. He could make it swing a little bit ... he could also tell good jokes and make me laugh ... And he could sing, which was real nice because we could do some exciting harmonies". In August 1970, Collins became the new drummer for Queen. He brought along his Flaming Youth bandmate Ronnie Caryl to audition for guitar, but he was unsuccessful. At the same time, Mike Grose left the group, to be replaced by Barry Mitchell, and Mick Barnard became the group's guitarist. The group toured around for a couple of months, playing both originals and covers, before Bulsara and Collins decided that Mitchell and Barnard weren't right for the group, and were let go. They were replaced with Doug Bogie and Steve Hackett, respectively. This lineup seemed more unique from the get go, as Hackett added a special sound to the group. At this time, Bulsara changed his name to Freddie Mercury, after a line in a song he wrote called "My Fairy King". However, Bogie would leave the group, thinking that the group's identity wasn't clear yet. His replacement, John Deacon would finally result in the classic Queen lineup of Freddie Mercury, Steve Hackett, John Deacon and Phil Collins.
After Genesis' sophomore album "Trespass" was recorded, ill health and developing stage fright caused guitarist Anthony Phillips to leave the group. Bassist Mike Rutherford said "That was the closest we came to busting up. For some reason we felt so close that if one left, we thought we couldn't carry on. Of all the changes we've been through, surviving Ant leaving was the hardest." His last show with the band took place in Haywards Heath on 18 July 1970. He felt the increased number of gigs affected the group's creativity and that several songs he wrote were not recorded or performed live. He had contracted bronchial pneumonia and became isolated from the rest of the band, feeling that it had too many songwriters in it. Banks, Gabriel, and Rutherford saw Phillips as an important member, being the most instrumental in encouraging them to turn professional after their debut LP "From Genesis To Revelation", which was recorded while the group were in their final year of high school, became a commercial failure because record shops put the album in the "Religious" section upon seeing the cover. Keyboardist Tony Banks recalled the album "after a year or so, had sold 649 copies". The band regarded Phillips' exit as the band's greatest threat and the most difficult to overcome. Gabriel and Rutherford decided they would continue; Banks agreed on the condition that they also fire drummer John Mayhew, and find a new drummer that was of equal stature to the rest of the group.
In 1968, guitarist Brian May, a student at London's Imperial College, and bassist Tim Staffell decided to form a band. May placed an advertisement on a college notice board for a "Mitch Mitchell/Ginger Baker type" drummer; Roger Taylor, a young dental student, auditioned and got the job. The group initially called themselves Smile. While attending Ealing Art College in west London, Staffell became friends with Farrokh "Freddie" Bulsara, a fellow student from Zanzibar of Indian Parsi descent. Bulsara, who was working as a baggage handler at London's Heathrow Airport, felt that he and the band had the same tastes and soon became a keen fan of Smile. In 1970, after Staffell left to join the band Humpy Bong, the remaining Smile members, encouraged by now-members Bulsara and Mike Grose, changed their name to Queen and performed their first gig in Haywards Heath on 18 July 1970.
In the dressing room after the show, Genesis' lead singer and flautist Peter Gabriel sidled up to Roger Taylor with a proposal of his own. "I told him how we were on the verge of firing our drummer and needed a replacement. I just thought that he was magnificent and would fit in marvellously with the band". Taylor was immediately intrigued with this proposition, but was worried on how he was going to tell his bandmates the news. Taylor apologetically turned down his offer at first, saying that "I can't do that to Brian, we've been friends for ages, after Tim left Smile, we still wanted to continue together". Upon hearing this, Gabriel's face lit up - "That's wonderful, we need a guitarist as well, this was Anthony's final night tonight!". After having a long discussion based on the pros and cons of this decision, after only one performance, Brian May and Roger Taylor left Queen amicably, on the condition that Bulsara and Grose could still continue Queen. May said "All was great, everyone was going to have success, be happy and make incredible music at the same time". The next day, a press statement was released, stating that without an audition, Brian May and Roger Taylor would become the newest members of Genesis, replacing Anthony Phillips and John Mayhew, respectively.
While Genesis spent the rest of the year extensively touring to promote "Trespass", Queen had quite a few members come and go. Bulsara's search for a new guitarist and drummer began with advertisements placed in copies of Melody Maker. The invitation was spotted by drummer Phil Collins, formerly of Flaming Youth who already knew about his work in the short-lived English heavy blues rock band Sour Milk Sea. He recalled, "My only knowledge of Queen was through seeing the ads for the gigs they had planned before Roger and Brian left. It seemed like they were going to be constantly working. ... I thought 'At least I'm going to be working if I get the gig'." Bulsara noticed the confident way Collins approached and sat at his drum kit and knew he would be the right replacement. He said, "It was a combination of things. He could make it swing a little bit ... he could also tell good jokes and make me laugh ... And he could sing, which was real nice because we could do some exciting harmonies". In August 1970, Collins became the new drummer for Queen. He brought along his Flaming Youth bandmate Ronnie Caryl to audition for guitar, but he was unsuccessful. At the same time, Mike Grose left the group, to be replaced by Barry Mitchell, and Mick Barnard became the group's guitarist. The group toured around for a couple of months, playing both originals and covers, before Bulsara and Collins decided that Mitchell and Barnard weren't right for the group, and were let go. They were replaced with Doug Bogie and Steve Hackett, respectively. This lineup seemed more unique from the get go, as Hackett added a special sound to the group. At this time, Bulsara changed his name to Freddie Mercury, after a line in a song he wrote called "My Fairy King". However, Bogie would leave the group, thinking that the group's identity wasn't clear yet. His replacement, John Deacon would finally result in the classic Queen lineup of Freddie Mercury, Steve Hackett, John Deacon and Phil Collins.
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