| FMBMJDRT 26.05.2019 21:00 |
In all the official sources it states that JD retired in 1997. However is this actually the case? Was there any announcement? Was it stated in the fan club publication? It doesn't appear to have been mentioned when he was absent from the 2001 Hall of Fame Induction - I believe illness was given as the reason for his absence. I am just suspicious as it appears to be a story applied retrospectively. Perhaps someone who subscribed to the fan club in the late nineties-early mightiest can shed further light... |
| Freddie rey 26.05.2019 21:39 |
He stops writting fan clubs letters on 1998. So, for me, that's the year of his retirement |
| Jimmy Dean 26.05.2019 23:43 |
It’s possible a lot of you guys weren’t actively Queen fans back then... but there was very limited Queen activity between 1997 and 2004. In fact what made more waves was the Queen hub between us queenzoners and more bootlegs becoming available online. So John Deacon didn’t officially retire. Brian and roger just announced that John wasn’t committing himself to new projects each time they came up. I think there was a comment from John saying he didn’t like the direction they were going in when rumors were swirling of Robbie Williams filling in for Freddie. But since then... nothing public. Whether retirement was official or not isn’t relevant. His lack of interest is clear and respected. Unless you think it’s a conspiracy, etc... but I highly doubt Brian and roger pushed him out etc. |
| FMBMJDRT 27.05.2019 00:50 |
Ok thanks. The internal politics of queen does fascinate me more than it should. Wonder what Freddie would think about the three of them and their various behaviours post 1991. |
| Jimmy Dean 27.05.2019 04:44 |
link so he claims he retired around that time (ie, Robbie Williams)... but like i said - it was never an official queen announcement. |
| Chopin1995 27.05.2019 07:19 |
John didn't retire in 1997. He was involved in the mixing process of Under Pressure by Mike Spencer in October 1999: link link |
| dysan 27.05.2019 08:55 |
I'd wager that was the final straw |
| FMBMJDRT 27.05.2019 09:22 |
That stuff about Under Pressure is interesting. I never liked the Rah mix. Now I know that I can blame Brian. |
| dysan 27.05.2019 10:22 |
You can just imagine that period when Brian would suggest something and start it, John hears about it and rolls his eyes and gets involved to prevent it from being totally shit. |
| Saint Jiub 27.05.2019 19:12 |
Not the first time not Brian arrogantly and ignobly scrapped John's work, because Brian was not involved (like John & Roger's Made in Heaven sessions)... |
| Biggest Band On The Planet 27.05.2019 20:42 |
I remember an interview from 1999 were Brian said he still saw Roger and John on a regular basis. John probably left Queen in 2000 when he refused to perform with 5ive at the Brit awards. |
| cmsdrums 28.05.2019 12:11 |
link Anyone that writes ‘Freddy’ doesn’t deserve to have their mixes released!! |
| Dougie 4 28.05.2019 15:31 |
Cmsdrums: Roger Taylor wrote that spelling in a letter to fans once... Don't make a big deal out of it |
| dysan 28.05.2019 16:57 |
It irks me hugely too, but yeah, it's his name innit. |
| bucsateflon 28.05.2019 19:07 |
John retired to go and pursue hes other hobbies: drinking, gambling, women |
| fras444 29.05.2019 18:43 |
^oh is that what they mean by spending more time with the wife and kids or was that the result of spending more time with the wife and kids??? |
| bucsateflon 30.05.2019 13:29 |
true story bro |
| FMBMJDRT 30.05.2019 21:34 |
I think the key date in John's total disappearance is December 2002 when the Sunday People ran the story about buying a house for a lap dancer. Roger And Brian have said that sometime in 2003 John sent them a letter giving full approval for their future activities. I'm sure the two events are linked. |
| Negative Creep 30.05.2019 22:03 |
I would think JD refusing to work with Robbie Williams, scuppering a full blown Williams fronted reunion and then publicly calling the collaboration shit is probably more relevant than JD buying a house for a stripper...! |
| FMBMJDRT 30.05.2019 22:49 |
I think he was just desperate for his privacy by then though and gave up any attempts to define the post Fred legacy and disappeared |
| Negative Creep 30.05.2019 23:00 |
I'm going with a massive hissy fit following an almighty fallout with Brian and subsequently Roger after the Robbie Williams nonsense, which resulted in him throwing a strop and actively refusing to involve himself in any and all Queen related projects. Even as late as 1999/2000 he is actively involved, and then suddenly completely removes himself from the situation in public and even behind the scenes. There probably was a bit of a meltdown, but a meltdown caused by dealing with Brian May not Freddie's death several/many years previous. |
| Helena Dax 30.05.2019 23:38 |
Here's my especulation: I doubt there was a single reason. He had always had mixed feelings about being a rock star, the idea of Queen without Freddie was too painful to him and he probably had some disagreement with Brian and Roger about what to do with Queen. I also noticed something. After Freddie's death, John still played with Queen for a while, talked to fans etc. But as far as I know, he has never talked to a journalist again. Not once. I think the way the press treated Freddie, especially when he was seriously ill, left John absolutely horrified, I wouldn't be surprised if it had been another reason for him to quit. |
| Saint Jiub 31.05.2019 00:07 |
Negative Creep wrote: I'm going with a massive hissy fit following an almighty fallout with Brian and subsequently Roger after the Robbie Williams nonsense, which resulted in him throwing a strop and actively refusing to involve himself in any and all Queen related projects. Even as late as 1999/2000 he is actively involved, and then suddenly completely removes himself from the situation in public and even behind the scenes. There probably was a bit of a meltdown, but a meltdown caused by dealing with Brian May not Freddie's death several/many years previous.Brian pig-headedly selling out? Say it ain't so ... |
| Dougie 4 31.05.2019 01:58 |
I think John's energy just didn't mesh with Brian and Roger's...too many artistic and personality based differences. Earlier I think Freddie was someone who did keep them together and kept a certain diplomatic balance and peace in the band dynamic. |
| dudley-fufkin 7834 31.05.2019 11:18 |
I have absolutely no doubt that John fell out with Brian, hence the silence. |
| FMBMJDRT 31.05.2019 17:48 |
I do think the Robbie Williams situation did get quite heated. As someone else has pointed out on this forum, when Robbie performed WWRY at Knebworth and Live 8 he sings about 'Johnny' rather than 'buddy' (a deliberate reference to JD?). Perhaps Robbie and his people were pushing quite hard for him to be lead singer of Queen and he got quite angry at being vetoed. However we don't know what John's situation was like in the 1990s. There already may have been problems. Based on what I've seen on the internet he continued to write infrequent (quite bland) messages to the fan club, gave some fairly uninspired and depressing answers to a fan club Q+A in 1996 and apparently abandoned the stage during a performance with Spikes All Star Band in 1995. As well as giving no interviews to journalists he gave no recollections of working with Freddie to the fan club or Queen documentaries. Jacky Smith and Crystal do appear to offer assurances during this period that he is healthy and well in response to concerns that he is not. The infamous photo of JD with the stripper is from an Italian gossip magazine in 1998 and was apparently taken at Stringfellows where it states he was a regular (different to 2002 situation). There is not much else to go on... |
| Negative Creep 02.06.2019 11:57 |
The tone Brian and Roger take when talking about John confirm to me that they know he isn't mentally unwell. |
| bucsateflon 02.06.2019 16:57 |
Negative Creep wrote: The tone Brian and Roger take when talking about John confirm to me that they know he isn't mentally unwell.well put |
| bucsateflon 03.06.2019 08:46 |
John is MGTOW |
| The Real Wizard 03.06.2019 16:48 |
dudley-fufkin 7834 wrote: I have absolutely no doubt that John fell out with Brian, hence the silence.Band members fall out all the time. It's been happening for 50 years. But John Deacon's complete retreat from public life is unparalleled. Even Grace Slick has granted the odd interview. Someone wrote here a little while back that a bartender at his local pub urges people not to even mention Queen to Deacon because it gives him anxiety. Something is off with him, and we'll probably never know what. |
| miraclesteinway 03.06.2019 19:05 |
Even John's KIDS ask him to take more interest in Queen. I believe he was at a performance of the We Will Rock You musical, and Cameron Deacon did a review of the Bohemian Rhapsody film trailer, so Cameron is justly proud of Queen and his dad's involvement. Who knows what's going on? Fact is he wants to stay away from it. I would have thought someone with John Deacon's talent would have become a major producer on the dance scene or something but no, he just wants to live his own life which is absolutely fine. I don't even think he cares about Queen being fronted by Adam Lambert - and I'm pretty sure that Cameron even went to a Q plus AL concert. |
| fras444 03.06.2019 19:52 |
^ Do you guys think that the kids would.. well John's kids... have to sign up to a queen fan page to get pre sales or do they get tickets outright for being "the bosses" (Brian, Roger, John and Andy kids that Freddie never knew off..) You wonder if the likes of John's kids hang out at uncle Brian's, "Hey uncle Brian!!" "Hook us up to some tickets" here kids ill give you some back pass tickets instead!!! Wonder what Brian asks when the likes of Cameron come round... "How's dad . ?" "He's okay,.." "what's he been up to??" "Um not much really.... Oh he got the stingray out!!!" "What did he jam too??" Does he want to jam with us!!??" |
| fras444 03.06.2019 19:53 |
I wonder if John's kids are aloud to play with his bass guitars |
| FMBMJDRT 03.06.2019 20:47 |
Cameron refers to "uncle Roger" in his youtube videos and Brian has said he has contact with John's offspring in an interview but that John just wants to be in his own universe... |
| Negative Creep 03.06.2019 21:06 |
"But John Deacon's complete retreat from public life is unparalleled. Even Grace Slick has granted the odd interview. " But it isn't even just a retreat from public life - he has retreated from even speaking to Brian and Roger. Bitter or disgruntled bandmembers refusing interview requests isn't that odd, and for all we know a confidentiality clause could have been signed after he spoke out of turn re the Robbie Williams thing or perhaps JD just decided it was better to say nothing than anything horrible that could damage the brand. Maybe he decided to out-cunt Brian and be mega awkward. The pub story is hearsay - and wasn't the story actually that his wife suggested that it was better if people didn't ask him about Queen? Not unheard of, and you can't really read anything into that other than JD didn't want to be hasled in his local which is fair enough. "Even John's KIDS ask him to take more interest in Queen. I believe he was at a performance of the We Will Rock You musical, and Cameron Deacon did a review of the Bohemian Rhapsody film trailer, so Cameron is justly proud of Queen and his dad's involvement. " Where have his kids asked him to take more interest? If JD was so fragile that even the mention of Queen made him anxious, it is pretty fucking obvious that his son wouldn't attend anything or speak about the band. It seems quite nice that whatever issue JD has with Brian and Roger, that he hasn't forced that onto his children. |
| FMBMJDRT 03.06.2019 21:48 |
I do agree that there must be some kind of arrangement that allows for Brian and Roger to continue as Queen without protest from John in return for him and his wife having their privacy protected by Queens PR. Have you noticed when B+R are asked about John it's never more than one question. No journalist pursues the issue. This must be some kind of prearrangement. I even think the Daily mail article about john which appeared in October last year and was inevitable given the film, was done with a degree of cooperation with the paper as it only hinted at issues without spelling them out e.g. "liked a drink", "friendship with lap dancer but apparently no big deal", bali, etcetera. John may have some intermittent MH issue of one kind or another that the media may have been preinformed of by Queens PR and given his overall low profile he probably isn't pursued by them regularly because of it even though he could be of interest to them because of his knowledge of Freddie. I do however think the constant references to what happened in Munich in the 1980s over the last few years, including in this month's Mojo magazine do implicate John somehow and perhaps his current reclusive nature. |
| Dougie 4 04.06.2019 05:06 |
A Real Rock Mystery |
| fras444 04.06.2019 06:31 |
Not sure who is more of an recluse... John Deacon or Syd Barrett |
| bucsateflon 04.06.2019 08:07 |
John Deacon conundrum is starting to rival Freddie's HIV infection is terms of pure gossip |
| dysan 04.06.2019 08:13 |
Like I say.. all this will disappear once the newbies have seen Rocketman and they move on to discussing Sir Elton's gayness on EltonZone. |
| fras444 04.06.2019 19:56 |
^is there an Elton John forum!!! OMG why didn't anyone tell me there was a forum outside queen.... |
| fras444 04.06.2019 20:18 |
That is a big point... rocketman.... does it have that same aoura that Boh Rhap has..... Although Elton (a one man band) who travels the length and the width of the world selling out huge gigs and is still writing music so you can't truly say he's a "cover band" or purely living off strictly old songs he wrote.. Well be does, but you guys know what I mean... Then you have Queen... Queen (-2+1 or Queen 1/2) Living off some if the world's biggest songs... still touring still selling out gigs but not writing any music..... Like all through their life where you can't pigeon hole them in all aspects of music... This is a weird beast... Rocketman a lead singer who's still very much alive vs Queen... a band who truly captured the generation and generations after. A band who connected, through music and themes touched and breaking boundarys with how a song can be presented to the audience and a band that delt with all the highs and lows, romance separation and a potential life ending illness/death... (all the key ingredients to a "realitly/soap/drama/comedy" movie...) As much as rocketman is good.... I somehow don't think it will reach the same heights as a movie that delt with an immortal soul becoming mortal.... But yeah this movie probaly will take 'x amount' of "fans" from queen but will it still have that grabbing power to, well put it this way, does Eltons music have that power/delicate/connecting pull like Queens music does, Does Eltons yellow brick road, tiny dancer, lion king, candle in the...., Saturday nights.... stack up/age with time (2010/20s kids) vs Queens... We will rock/champions, Boh Rhap, fat bottom girls, your my best friend, hammer to fall.... HELL...... Queens entire discography esp deep cuts like... doin alright, liar, Ogre battle, Spread your wings.... would have more appeal and pull for the next gen fans than Eltons entire discography would... Both musically and lyrically |
| fras444 04.06.2019 20:33 |
BTW dysan and all above..... This topic and some on John of late, have been some of the best/most in-depth analysis duscussion theorizing of John's life and trying to understand just what exactly is going on... If it has... Has anything to do with where it is all pointing to... (the ONE reason why John has called time 100% on Queen...) it would be quite scary to live his world at the moment.... But yeah. For the first time in ages, has the spotlight been so much on John, it is interesting and fascinating that there is still one other member of Queen that, although act's as if he's not on this planet.... is still very much alive and is just as important/key foundation that made Queen QUEEN... Who will always be remembered as "Just the Quiet Bassist".... that wrote their.... and.... the world's biggest anthem ....( John Deacon is like the Asiatic lion!!!!.. Everyone knows about the African lion but there is hardly/barely ever any mention in many docos that.... there is another species of lion... The plight of the painfully rare 250 Asiatic lion in India.. Who are barely holding on to the thread of life, whose habitats are entirely constricted and surrounded by urban, no chance to grow and expand out.... One dieses and that's it.... NO more Asiatic lions...) |
| FMBMJDRT 04.06.2019 20:54 |
I agree with above post about the in depth discussions about John going on these days (not sure about the lion stuff!). I think we have the millennials to thank for digging loads of archive footage and snippets of John post borhap film that have helped flesh him out. Even all the gifs of him on TV and on stage are very telling. |
| fras444 05.06.2019 04:49 |
^ have a joint bro go watch a doco on lions... see if you see Asiatic lions mentioned.... then Google a general Queen doco or a lates interview regarding brian and roger and see if you get a mention about Decay..... Then a little light boulb withh flick on in your head... Asiatic lions John Deacon.... I get it now hahaha then put on some Pink Floyd wish you were here album and enjoy the experince |
| bucsateflon 05.06.2019 06:41 |
fuck off with your dumb millennials |
| fras444 05.06.2019 09:46 |
Who are you calling millennial??? I'm from the 80s.... 87 to be exact... |
| dysan 05.06.2019 10:43 |
So you are actually a Millennial? |
| fras444 05.06.2019 10:56 |
I thought I was the generation xy or yx or what ever it is.... Anyway just about to go for a three week holiday in Malaysia.... left the pouring rain of Taupo nz 8c nice warm tropical sunshine |
| dysan 05.06.2019 13:44 |
Take lots of selfies on the beach and pictures of everything you eat and drink xxxx |
| bucsateflon 05.06.2019 16:34 |
fras444 wrote: Who are you calling millennial??? I'm from the 80s.... 87 to be exact...I didn't presume you are a millennial |
| fras444 06.06.2019 05:41 |
Dysan Thanks mum or dad or uncle or auntie hahahaha sounds like something they would say!! Going from 10c to 30c and 100% humidity really hits hard.. Bucsateflon All good my bro |
| dysan 06.06.2019 06:25 |
fras444 wrote: Dysan Thanks mum or dad or uncle or auntie hahahaha sounds like something they would say!!Well someone on the forum has to make sure you little monsters brush your teeth and don't stay up too late :D |