He asked to be credited under his real name, which was done on all albums from Queen II (1974) onwards. Rare photos show the reclusive star now. Whatever Happened To Queen Bassist John Deacon. Here are Peter’s statements: “Freddie took John under his wing because he was the new boy. "[41] Deacon played guitar in addition to bass, taking over rhythm parts on many albums, as well as several acoustic performances. QUEEN and Adam Lambert open up in a powerful new documentary and Roger Taylor reveal what really happened to missing member John Deacon. After being in the band for four years, not long after the group cut an acetate of three songs, Deacon played his final concert with the band (then called The Art) in August 1969. [4] Deacon was known to friends and his bandmates as 'Deacs' or 'Deacy'[5] and attended Linden Junior School in Leicester, Gartree High School and Beauchamp Grammar School in Oadby. [42] He can also be seen playing the grand piano in the music video to "Spread Your Wings",[43] although on the actual recording the piano was played by Mercury. Today we take a look at what he’s up to. In the months following Freddie Mercury’s death, in November 1991, the remaining members of Queen planned and performed a tribute concert. [46] As a trained electronics engineer, he was able to build equipment for the band. Subsequently, Deacon tended to write one or two songs for every Queen album, until The Miracle (1989) and Innuendo (1991), which credited the band as a whole. Two of the three surviving members including guitarist BRIAN MAY and drummer ROGER TAYLOR have been seen around a lot of lately, but JOHN DEACON virtually disappeared. Then, as we said, Freddie Mercury died and his death hit John Deacon the hardest, forcing him to leave Queen. He penned major hits like "You're My Best Friend," "I Want to Break Free" and "Another One Bites the Dust," which … He later said: "As far as we are concerned, this is it. Brian May loved it. Deacon was the youngest member of the band. Reclusive former Queen bass player John Deacon pictured out in London Deacon, 64, wrote some of band's biggest hits and is now worth £85million … He composed several songs for the group—including Top 10 hits "You're My Best Friend", "Another One Bites the Dust", and "I Want to Break Free"; co-wrote "Under Pressure", "Friends Will Be Friends" and "One Vision"—and was involved in the band's financial management. His most famous creation is the "Deacy Amp", built in 1972 from pieces of electronic equipment found in a skip, and used by himself and May throughout Queen's recording career. Towards the end of the group's career, he used a custom bass designed by Roger Giffin. The band members were Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), and John Deacon (bass guitar). [1] He lives in Putney in Southwest London with his wife Veronica Tetzlaff, whom he married on 18 January 1975,[51] and is the father of six children. "[50], Deacon has often been described as the "quiet" member of the band. Deacon and Veronica have been married since January 1975. Picture: Getty "I think he’s a little fragile and he just didn’t want to know anything about talking to people in the music business or … John Deacon was born on 19 August 1951 in Oadby, Leicester, England which makes him 62 in August this year. Deacon ultimately retired from music, but Taylor and May vowed to press onward. [36] On the Queen + Paul Rodgers collaboration album The Cosmos Rocks, the bass duties were split between May and Rodgers, but Deacon was thanked in the notes on the CD. May also confirmed that Deacon approved of the making of the band's biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, where he was played by Joseph Mazzello. He was deliberately picked for his understated qualities. The band played covers of chart hits; Deacon played rhythm guitar using an instrument he had bought with money borrowed from the group's founder, Richard Young. [25] He wrote the hit "Another One Bites The Dust" (1980) as a dance song based on his early love of soul. WARNING: Major spoilers for Days Gone. [27] By the mid-1980s Deacon had started to play with other bands as well. What happened to Queen Bassist John Deacon? John Deacon facts. He performed on the single "Picking Up Sounds" by Man Friday & Jive Junior, a supergroup also featuring Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham, Bad Company's Simon Kirke and Mick Ralphs, and The Pretenders' Martin Chambers. He counted his influences as Chic, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. He chose not to be present at Queen's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. John had become interested in electronic music, and MIDI sequencing, and wanted to head off into a more 'disco' sound. [9] He began to collaborate more with Mercury during the 1980s, as they both wanted to change the band's musical direction. [17] Deacon played bass on Mercury's single with Montserrat Caballe "How Can I Go On"[30] and also worked with Elton John and Hot Chocolate's Errol Brown. A 1975 review of Sheer Heart Attack said, "Only at the end would a new initiate to Queen recognize John Deacon's unmistakable trademark ... the least well known musician in Queen is one of his rock generation's most able. John Deacon (right) pictured at a Queen press conference in 1975. [16], In early 1971, Deacon was introduced to Taylor and May by a friend at a disco who told him that they were in a band that had just lost its bassist. It turns out that this was because of something that happened during the 1978 / 79 tour; which resulted in Brian and Roger basically wanting to kick John out of the group. In the opening cutscene of Days Gone, we see Deacon place an injured Sarah (stab wound not a zombie bite) on a NERO helicopter. It is impossible to replace Freddie." He also played some guide guitar parts on the album, for May was hospitalised with hepatitis when recording started. As for John Deacon… Well actually, what did happen to John Deacon? John Deacon: Look at Queen legend NOW when his bandmates 'haven't heard a grunt for years' QUEEN bassist John Deacon has had no contact with Roger Taylor and Brian May for … [31], Deacon was upset by Mercury's death in November 1991, which resulted in a reduction in his musical activity. If you’ve been following Queen since the death of Freddie Mercury then you know that original bassist, John Deacon is nowhere to be seen. However, whenever they are about to undertake anything financial, they still reach out to Deacon first. He played rhythm guitar on the opening "Staying Power" because of his soul and Motown-influenced style, and insisted on playing guitar on his own composition "Back Chat" and not allowing May to play any guitar solos because the style did not fit what Deacon wanted. Between 2004 and 2009 they performed with singer Paul Rodgers, formerly of … [22][23], Deacon's first writing credit came on Queen's third album, Sheer Heart Attack (1974). So what happened to John Deacon? [40], In 1973, Rolling Stone wrote that the combination of Taylor and Deacon "is explosive, a colossal sonic volcano whose eruption makes the earth tremble. Ordinary friends introduced the three young men, former members of the Smile group, who had just formed Queen and were looking for a bass player. [1], On Queen's first album (1973) he was credited as "Deacon John",[21] in order to make him "sound more interesting". After Queen, he simply moved on with his life into retirement. Days Gone's story is quite thrilling, but its ending twist ruins all the character development that Deacon St. John built up. Deacon was known to friends and his bandmates as 'Deacs' or 'Deaky ' and attended Linden Junior School in Leicester, Gartree High School and Beauchamp Grammar School in Oadby. ... John Deacon was kind of … Freddie Mercury died of an AIDS-related pneumonia on November 24, 1991. Picture: Getty Roger Taylor And John Deacon Of Queen In Munich. [24] His second song – written for his wife-to-be Veronica – "You're My Best Friend" was featured on the group's fourth album, A Night at the Opera (1975), and went on to be an international hit. [52] One of the reasons for Queen splitting from Trident, their original management company, is that it refused to lend Deacon money to put a deposit on a house. As the BBC noted, his net worth rose by £25m last year to £130m. [17], Deacon considered his songwriting to be of equal importance to his musical skills in Queen. He also did not join the collaboration with singer Paul Rodgers (as Queen + Paul Rodgers),[35] where he was replaced on bass by Danny Miranda. For most of Queen's career, he used a Fender Precision Bass, which underwent a number of cosmetic changes. The rest of the band thought Deacon would blend in amongst three big characters. John Richard Deacon (born 19 August 1951) is an English retired musician, best known for being the bass guitarist for the rock band Queen. We don't undertake anything financial without talking to him. Ex-Queen bassist John Deacon is worth £105m, but he’s been a recluse for 30 years living a life of blissful suburban retirement where it’s golf and anonymity that now rock his world He would occasionally play synthesizers on his own compositions and often composed at the piano, playing a Wurlitzer electric piano on "You're My Best Friend". The song saw radio play on both black and white US music stations. The National Emergency Response Organization (NERO) is the … He became interested in electronics, reading magazines on the subject and building small devices, including the modification of a reel-to-reel tape deck to record music directly from the radio. John Deacon is arguably the most under-rated bassist of all time. Even in retirement though, Deacon's time with Queen continues to pay off. While investigating facts about John Deacon 2019 and John Deacon Net Worth, I found out little known, but curios details like:. An overlooked aspect of this is the Deacy Amp. Queen guitarist Brian May jokingly asked the band bassist, John Deacon, to learn the double bass for the recording of his folk song '39. [17] A persistent legend claims Deacon was the seventh bassist auditioned,[18] but more recent sources show Queen's bassists were, in order: Mike Grose, Barry Mitchell, Doug Bogie and Deacon. Freddie Mercury's recent would be 65th birthday cannot fail to bring Queen's bassist John Deacon to mind. [11] As well as a dedicated musician, Deacon also was the band's archivist, taking clippings from newspapers of even the advertisements featuring The Opposition. He showed up for a few more gigs and recordings but stepped away from the band after 1997, letting Brian May and Roger Taylor do their thing. The National Book Award-winning author has a new novel called Deacon King Kong. "[39] Session bassist Neil Fairclough covered the tour. Queen songs Deacon wrote that were released as singles: English musician, bassist, songwriter, born 1951, The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness, "Queen before Queen – the 1960s recordings Part 4 – The Opposition", "Is This the Real Life? [53][54], According to the 2019 Sunday Times Rich List, Deacon was worth £130 million.[55]. […] Brian May has since said that Deacon is still involved on the business side of Queen but chooses to stay out of the limelight. He left the band in 1969 following his move to London. John Deacon (Leicester, England, 1951) was the last to arrive to the group in 1971 while taking the electronics course at Chelsea College London. Why did he decide to call it quits? It is impossible to replace Freddie." Born in Leicestershire in 1951, John Deacon began his career in 1965 as a guitar player for the Opposition, before switching to bass in 1966 when a new rhythm guitarist was recruited. He joined Queen in 1971 on the strength of his musical and electronic skills, particularly the home-made Deacy Amp which guitarist Brian May used to create guitar orchestras throughout Queen's career. I only consider that as part of what I do". It's set in a Brooklyn housing project in 1969. Many of the so-called "guitar orchestras" on Queen albums use this amplifier. QUEEN: Whatever Happened to Bassist JOHN DEACON? [10] He switched to bass the following year after the original bassist was fired for not improving his playing as much as the other members. He also was not present when Queen was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001. These days Deacon still lives in Putney with his wife of forty-five years with whom he's raised six children. John Deacon was born in 1950s. What Happened To John Deacon – The Sad Story by Robin Williams 18 days ago 248 Views 21 Votes March 1st, 1971, John Richard Deacon became the fourth and final member of Queen, as history recounts it, not only because he was a brilliant bass player, but he was also quiet and didn’t try to upstage the others. Even in retirement though, Deacon's time with Queen continues to pay off. There is no point carrying on. Queen’s iconic and legendary late frontman, Freddie Mercury’s long-time personal agent, Peter Freestone made an interview with Sunday Express and revealed the details of the relationship between Freddie and John Deacon. Nothing has happened to John Deacon. So did Freddie. [45], Deacon's first bass, used in The Opposition, was an Eko, later switching to a Rickenbacker 4001. It is impossible to replace Freddie. [15] In 1970, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor had formed Queen; Deacon saw them in October that year but was not immediately impressed. His mother’s name was Lilian Molly Deacon née Perkins. Deacon retired from public life following Freddie Mercury 's death in 1991, and since Steve Perry re-emerged this summer, Deacon can safely … [14], Although he left his bass and amplifier at home in Oadby, after less than a year of studying in London, Deacon decided he wanted to join a band. [49] A trademark of Deacon's playing is his bass runs. [12][13] He left as he had been accepted to study at Chelsea College in London (now part of King's College London), where he obtained a First Class Honours degree in Electronics in 1971. Or, at least, that's how John Deacon, Queen's bassist, felt, according to Smooth Radio: "There is no point carrying on. Having studied to become an electrician, he took it home, shoved a PP-9 battery into it, and brought the newly created amp to practice. "Time and place is really crucial to good storytelling," he says. They gave him a test, and that day changed his life. He has not performed on any of the other projects that the two remaining members, Brian May and Roger Taylor, have put together. May added, however, "he still keeps an eye on the finances, though. [17] He said, "As far as we are concerned, this is it. He was shy, not like Brian and Roger. He took it and attached it to his own guitar set up, thus creating the orchestral like sounds that became a signature for Queen's music. 05-nov-2018 - Freddie Mercury and John Deacon in Munich, 1984. CREDIT to readyfreddie on Tumblr. "[17] After playing live with Queen three more times – at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness on 20 April 1992, in a charity concert with Roger Taylor at Cowdray House in Midhurst on 18 September 1993, and at the opening of the Bejart Ballet in Paris on 17 January 1997, performing only "The Show Must Go On" with Elton John on lead vocals – he decided to retire from music,[32] re-appearing only briefly by joining his former bandmates in October 1997 for the recording of the final Queen song "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)", included on the Queen Rocks album released a month later. [26], Deacon played a larger role on the band's 1982 album Hot Space. John Deacon is still John Deacon. This led to an acrimonious argument between the two. John Richard Deacon was born on 19 August 1951, in Leicester, England. From the third album, Sheer Heart Attack, onwards, he wrote at least one song per album, several of which became hits. [8] He particularly enjoyed soul music. Zootaxa 3685 (1): 001–080", "QA: Queen, Adam Lambert Talk New Tour, Pressure and John Deacon | Music News", "Queen, "Spread Your Wings" from News of the World (1977): One Track Mind", "Ernie Ball Announces 40th Anniversary StingRay", "03-XX-1975 – Sheer Heart Attack – Circus", "Legacy of music legends: Why Queen will still rock you", "Ed Sheeran tops Adele as Stormzy joins Sunday Times Rich List", Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest, The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III, We Are the Champions: Final Live in Japan, List of "Bohemian Rhapsody" cover versions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Deacon&oldid=1018938434, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia temporarily semi-protected biographies of living people, Pages using Template:Infobox musical artist with unknown parameters, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Jive Junior and Man Friday: "Picking Up Sounds" (7" single, 1983), The Immortals: "No Turning Back" (single from, This page was last edited on 20 April 2021, at 17:53. As well as bass, Deacon played some guitar, keyboards and piano on Queen's studio work. What happened to John Deacon Since then he retired from music, his public appearances are rare, the musician doesn’t give any interviews to the press. However, between writing "Another One Bites the Dust," one of the band's best hits, to becoming the group's chief financial advisor, according to Iheart, after he realized their management company, Trident, was cheating them, the electrician-cum-rocker played an integral role in the group. [13] Later in the year, he briefly formed a band called Deacon that made one live appearance at Chelsea College. John Deacon was the bassist for the world-famous band, Queen. Even BRIAN MAY was in the news this week attacking a camerman. As the BBC noted, his net worth rose by £25m last year to £130m. Related: Days Gone: The Best Tips & Tricks to Know Before Playing Through all the violence and betrayal, Deacon holds out hope for one thing: seeking closure with the loss of his wife, Sarah. His father worked at the Norwich Union insurance company and in 1960 the family moved to the dormitory town of Oadby. [9], Deacon joined his first band, The Opposition, in 1965 at the age of 14. There is no point carrying on. These days Deacon still lives in Putney with his wife of forty-five years with whom he's raised six children. The Untold Story of Queen", "Flashback: Queen and Elton John Perform 'The Show Must Go On, "Brian May disappointed by John Deacon's movie snub – Sound Bites – Display – Sound Bites", "Diagnoses and discussion of the group 1 and 2 Brazilian species of Heteragrion, with descriptions of four new species (Odonata: Megapodagrionidae). While diehard fans will instantly recognize the name John Deacon, for many casuals, he merely fills the third man spot for the theatrics of Freddie Mercury and Brian May, a fact exaggerated by his characteristic quietness. [2][3] His father worked at the Norwich Union insurance company and in 1960 the family moved to the dormitory town of Oadby. He retired from the music industry and public scrutiny entirely. After the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury in 1991 and the following year's Tribute Concert, Deacon performed only sporadically with the remaining members of Queen before retiring from the music industry in 1997 after recording "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)". John Deacon; the introverted shy man of rock; became the fourth bandmate in 1971. [33], Deacon has reportedly spoken unfavourably about the May/Taylor/Robbie Williams cover of "We Are the Champions", recorded for A Knight's Tale. [28][29] and played with The Immortals, which released the track "No Turning Back" as part of the soundtrack to the film Biggles: Adventures in Time. Although the rest of the band felt he was the right bassist for them, he barely spoke in rehearsals and avoided arguments. He wants to be private and in his own universe." Nothing has happened to John Deacon. When asked by Rolling Stone about whether they keep in contact with him, Brian May stated "We don't, really. He has a younger sister named Julie Deacon. He doesn't want to. [17][31] He also used an Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray live on occasion. [6][7] He studied well and achieved 8 GCE O level and 3 A level passes, all at grade A. The 1950s is often viewed as "baby boom" and a period of conformity, when young and old alike followed group norms rather than striking out on their own. Even though a band called "Queen" has continued after Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, Queen had effectively ended with his passing. Having dispensed with Trident, Queen appointed a new manager, John Reid, who just happened to also be the manager of Elton John. In 1997 John Deacon retired to spend more time with his family. A couple of days later he auditioned in a lecture room at Imperial College London and became the last member of Queen to join. His favourite bass players were Chris Squire of the progressive rock band Yes[48] and The Who's John Entwistle. Some of the guitar work on Hot Space (the clean Fender Telecaster single-coil sound) is Deacon's. He did not come to the band's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and refrained from joining the tours with Adam Lambert. Even during the promotion for the band’s biopic Bohemian Rhapsody all we saw was guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor promoting the film alongside the actors. [34], Deacon has stayed out of the public eye since retiring. His father, Arthur Henry Deacon, was employed with the Norwich Union insurance company. Actually, he didn't just leave Queen. John Deacon was upset by Freddie Mercury 's death in 1991. John Richard Deacon was born on 19 August 1951 at St. Francis Private Hospital, London Road, Leicester[1] to Arthur Henry and Lilian Mollie Deacon (née Perkins). The 50s were also the beginning of the [13] Deacon was selected for his musical talent, his quiet demeanour and his electrical skills. [47], Deacon usually played the bass with his fingers, instead of using a plectrum. His full name is John Richard Deacon. [19][20] Deacon played his first show with Queen at the College of Estate Management in Kensington in June. Roger Taylor followed up explaining "He's completely retired from any kind of social contact." Deacon grew up in Oadby, Leicestershire, playing bass in a local band, The Opposition, before moving to study electronics at Chelsea College, London. John Richard Deacon was born on 19 August 1951 at St. Francis Private Hospital, London Road, Leicester to Arthur Henry and Lilian Mollie Deacon (née Perkins). One night in 1972, John Deacon passed some tossed out circuit. [38], In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone magazine regarding the forthcoming Queen + Adam Lambert North American tour with Adam Lambert, May and Taylor admitted that they no longer have much contact with Deacon except regarding finances, with Taylor stating that "[Deacon]'s completely retired from any kind of social contact", and describing him as "a little fragile". [1] Having become a fan of Deep Purple, he saw the group perform the Concerto for Group and Orchestra with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall that September. After Queen, he simply moved on with his life into retirement. But while Queen’s legendary status continues to grow, the man behind such classic basslines as Under Pressure and Another One Bites the Dust has seemingly disappeared. He became interested in electronics, reading magazin… He wrote "Misfire", a Caribbean-themed song on which he played almost all guitar parts, and co-wrote "Stone Cold Crazy" with the rest of the band. [44] Unlike the other three members of Queen, Deacon did not sing on the group's records, though he did occasionally sing backing vocals during live performances. He is married to Veronica Tetzlaff with whom he has six children. [37], In 2013, a newly-discovered species of the genus Heteragrion (Odonata : Zygoptera) from Brazil was named Heteragrion johndeaconi after Deacon, in honour of his musical and songwriting skills – one of four Heteragrion flatwing damselflies named after the bandmates, paying tribute to the 40th anniversary of Queen's founding.
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