What was the band Queen originally called?
Last updated: January 21, 2025
The first incarnation of one of rock's biggest bands featured an astrophysicist, a dentist, and absolutely no Freddie Mercury. Their early gigs consisted mainly of blues covers and psychedelic experiments. What did these future legends call themselves before becoming Queen?
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The answer is: Smile
In 1968, dental student Roger Taylor and astrophysics student Brian May formed a band called Smile with their friend Tim Staffell handling lead vocals. They landed their first gig opening for either Pink Floyd or The Troggs (memories and sources have different stories) at Imperial College, which must have been both thrilling and terrifying for the young musicians.
Farrokh Bulsara knew the band through his friendship with Tim Staffell at art school. When Staffell left the band in 1970 to join another group, Taylor and May were ready to call it quits, but Bulsara stepped in. Bulsara had just started going by a new name, Freddie Mercury, and brought his powerful vocal range and grand ambitions for the band's future.
Beyond is own name, one of Mercury's first moves was suggesting they rename themselves Queen. The other members thought it was ridiculous at first. "Queen? It's a bit camp, innit?" was the general reaction. But Mercury loved how regal it sounded and, with a knowing wink, appreciated its multiple meanings. The final piece fell into place when John Deacon joined as bassist in 1971, completing the lineup that would go on to fill stadiums and make rock history.
The original group recorded six songs as Smile including "Earth" and "Polar Bear" that sound nothing like the Queen we know today. But without those college gigs and that first name, we might never have gotten "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "We Will Rock You."