Queen: 3. Heavy Is The Crown

About this episode

Bill Bailey explores the emotional and creative toll of fame on Queen as they navigate their return to the spotlight in the 1980s.

This episode of Eras: Queen, Bill Bailey explores the emotional and creative toll of fame on the band. After a breakneck pace in the previous decade, Queen quietly disappear from the spotlight in the early 80s, each member pursuing solo projects. They return sharper with renewed clarity for their next album, The Works, culminating in their iconic Live Aid performance in 1985. A year later, Queen continue their role as global icons, performing behind the Iron Curtain in Budapest. Now fully back in the spotlight, Queen face the quiet shadow of Freddie’s illness. Through new interviews and gems from the BBC archive, we hear from Queen in their own words as they navigated the weight of being global superstars.

People in this episode

Host: Bill Bailey

Topics covered

• fame
• music history
• Queen
• solo projects
• Live Aid
• global icons

Keywords

• Queen
• Bill Bailey
• fame
• Live Aid
• The Works
• Freddie Mercury
• music history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Queen

Books & works: The Works

Places: Budapest

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