Sir Brian May recalls early Queen feature he ‘hated’ as he admits: ‘We kicked up a fuss’
Queen legends Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor have revealed why they “hated” the band’s first-ever promo video from 1973 in new interviews celebrating their remixed and remastered debut album Queen I.
The rock icons have opened up about their early disappointment with the original video for “Keep Yourself Alive”, shot at Shepperton Studios.
The promotional clip, filmed just a week before their debut album’s release, proved to be a misfire that failed to capture the essence of their live performances.
In fresh interviews on their official YouTube, May and Taylor discuss how the clinical, overly-lit production led them to demand a complete reshoot with a moodier atmosphere more befitting serious rock musicians.
Before their ill-fated promo video, Queen had their first taste of television exposure through BBC’s The Old Grey Whistle Test.
May vividly remembers watching the show at his parents’ house when their track “Keep Yourself Alive” was featured.
“We were mesmerised because somebody had put together a really nice video,” he recalled. “They didn’t have any footage of us, so they couldn’t make a performance video, but they put together very nice little bits of animation.”
The animated feature earned praise from presenter Bob Harris, who introduced them as “something very exciting, a new group.”
Taylor credited producer Mike Appleton for choosing the song, calling him “a man of taste.”
Following their TV debut, Queen’s management arranged for a promo video shoot at Shepperton Studios, hoping to build on their momentum.
The result left the band deeply dissatisfied, as May explained: “When we saw the finished result, we hated it, because somehow the whole thing had become so well-lit, it looked very clinical. It just didn’t feel like rock ‘n’ roll at all.”
The guitarist revealed how the band took action: “We kicked up a bit of a fuss, being the precocious boys we were, and said ‘We don’t like it, we need to do it again. And this time we want it lit the way we want it.'”
May insisted on replacing the white stage with a black one to create a more authentic rock atmosphere.
The band proceeded with a second attempt, filming “Keep Yourself Alive” on a dimly lit stage that better matched their vision.
Though this revised promo video remained largely unseen outside the music industry, it marked Queen’s first venture into a medium that would later define their career.
Taylor reflected on their early understanding of music videos: “At the time, we did think the visual thing had a part to play, but we didn’t really realise the power of a video.”
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The drummer went on to note how this experience influenced their later work: “When we did Bohemian Rhapsody later, the idea of making that video was our idea, and we knew we could use it as a promotional tool on television.”
The strategy proved successful, with “Bohemian Rhapsody” later reaching number one in Australia after six weeks of television exposure on their music show Countdown.
