John Deacon's collaborations with other artists
Aug 9, 2021 15:55:38 GMT
Lord Fickle, oreno, and 1 more like this
Post by fabiogminero on Aug 9, 2021 15:55:38 GMT
Hi all.
I want to share with you John Deacon's performances outside Queen; I know, there aren't many but I think it's right to talk about it. In Queen, John has composed some of the best songs of the group, while with other artists he has limited himself to collaborating as a musician. However, he was credited as composer of several tracks. Here I wanted to provide a list of his collaborations.
As a musician:
1) 1983: "Picking Up Sounds" single by Man Friday and Jive Junior.
John wrote the track with Man Friday and Robert Ahwai, played the bass guitar and synthetizer and also produced the single, which was released in 1983. The other musicians who took part in the song were Martin Chambers (vocals), Scott Gorham and Mick Ralphs (guitars) and Simon Kirke (drums).
2) 1984: "Strange Frontier" album by Roger Taylor.
John Deacon played bass in the song "It’s An Illusion", in which Rick Parfitt also played guitar. The album was released in the UK by EMI Records on 25th June 1984.
3) 1984: "I Cry For You (Love, Hope and Confusion) (Single Remix)" by Roger Taylor.
John remixed this track (from Roger's album "Strange Frontier") for the inclusion on the "Strange Frontier" single, released in the UK by EMI Records on 30th July 1984.
4) 1984: "Love Kills" single by Freddie Mercury.
For many years, no one knew the real identity of the musicians featured in the first single released under the name of Freddie Mercury. In fact, they were Brian, Roger and John, who played guitar, electronic drums and rhythm guitar respectivetely. They are not credited in the single, which was released in the UK on 10th September 1984.
5) 1985: "Ice On Fire" album by Elton John.
John Deacon was invited to play on Elton's album; he played bass on the song "Too Young", in which Roger Taylor played drums. The album was released in the UK by The Rocket Record Company on 4th November 1985.
6) 1986: "This Is Your Time" by Errol Brown.
Between 1985 and 1986, John wrote this song with his friend Errol Brown (from Hot Chocolate); Deacon and Brown recorded the track, in which John played bass guitar. Unfortunately, the song was never released and it's now still unpublished.
7) 1986: "Leather Jackets" album by Elton John.
In early 1986, Deacon was again invited to perform on a Elton John's record; also with Roger on drums, he played bass in the song "Angeline". The album was released in the UK by The Rocket Record Company on 15th October 1986.
8) 1987: "Talkin’ Of Love" album by Anita Dobson.
John played bass guitar in the song "I Dream Of Christmas", a song originally written in 1984 by Brian May as a hypothetical Christmas single by Queen; the band never released the song (choosing "Thank God It 's Christmas" instead), so May gave it to singer Anita Dobson, her new life partner. The album was produced by May, recorded and released in 1987.
9) 1987: "Bad News" album by Bad News.
According to some not particularly reliable sources, John collaborated on Bad News' debut album playing bass guitar and singing backing vocals on their cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody". The album was released in the UK by EMI Records in October 1987.
10) 1988: "Shove It!" album by The Cross.
Apparently, Deacon joined Roger Taylor's new band The Cross during the recordings of their debut album and played bass on some tracks (probably on "Cowboys And Indians" and "Heaven For Everyone"); like Brain May and Freddie Mercury, , who also participated in the album, he was not credited. The album was released in the UK by Virgin on 25th January 1988 (the US release was on 13th April).
11) 1988: "Barcelona" album by Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé.
John joined Freddie Mercury in his second solo album and played bass guitar in the song "How Can I Go On". The track was included on the album, released on 10th October 1988, and was also released as a single by Polydor on 23rd January 1989.
12) 1989: "Who Wants To Live Forever" single by Ian Meeson & Belinda Gillett.
In 1989, Brian May decided to record a cover version of the Queen song "Who Wants To Live Forever" to rise money for The British Bone Marrow Donor Appeal, founded by Denise Morse before her death from leukaemia. This version of the song was performed by two kids, Ian Meeson & Belinda Gillett; Brian played guitar and keyboards and produced the track, while Roger and John played drums and bass respectivetely. Michael Kamen, who arranged the Queen version in 1986, took the role again. The single was released in the UK by Parlophone in August 1989.
13) 1992: "Back To The Light" album by Brian May.
John played bass in the song "Nothin’ But Blue". The album was released in the UK by Parlophone on 28th September 1992.
14) 1992: "The Drums Are Back" album by Cozy Powell.
John played bass guitar on the song "Somewhere In Time", an instrumental version of May's song "Nothin 'But Blue". The album was released in the UK by Electrola in late 1992.
15) 1994: "Bushfire" album by Steve Gregory.
John joined Steve Gregory in the song "Bushfire" playing bass guitar. The album was released by LKJ Records on 21st June 1994.
16) 1997:"SAS Band" album by SAS Band.
The last collaboration made by John before his retiring was in summer 1997 for the SAS Band's debut album: he played bass guitar (together with Steve Stroud) on the cover of Billy Preston's 1969 track "That’s The Way God Planned It". Roger Taylor sang backing vocals and played drums. The album was released by Bridge Recordings in 1997.
As a producer:
1) 1975: together with Queen, John produced a recording session with a band called Trax. Nothing was released.
As a composer:
1) 1986: "Cancel" album by Minako Honda.
John was credited, along with Robert Ahwai, as the composer of the music of the song "Roulette", an alternative version of The Immortals' "No Turning Back" with Japanese lyrics. The album was released in Japan only by Eastworld on 29th September 1986.
Other roles:
1) 1988: "This Is The Chorus" promotional video by Morris Minor and the Majors.
John made a small appearance in the video of the song (filmed on 29th June 1988) as a waiter.
2) 1988: "Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime)" promotional video by Morris Minor and the Majors.
Another small appearance in a video for the band Morris Minor and the Majors; this time, John interpreted the role of a heavy metal musician, playing a guitar and wearing a blue wig.
I want to share with you John Deacon's performances outside Queen; I know, there aren't many but I think it's right to talk about it. In Queen, John has composed some of the best songs of the group, while with other artists he has limited himself to collaborating as a musician. However, he was credited as composer of several tracks. Here I wanted to provide a list of his collaborations.
As a musician:
1) 1983: "Picking Up Sounds" single by Man Friday and Jive Junior.
John wrote the track with Man Friday and Robert Ahwai, played the bass guitar and synthetizer and also produced the single, which was released in 1983. The other musicians who took part in the song were Martin Chambers (vocals), Scott Gorham and Mick Ralphs (guitars) and Simon Kirke (drums).
2) 1984: "Strange Frontier" album by Roger Taylor.
John Deacon played bass in the song "It’s An Illusion", in which Rick Parfitt also played guitar. The album was released in the UK by EMI Records on 25th June 1984.
3) 1984: "I Cry For You (Love, Hope and Confusion) (Single Remix)" by Roger Taylor.
John remixed this track (from Roger's album "Strange Frontier") for the inclusion on the "Strange Frontier" single, released in the UK by EMI Records on 30th July 1984.
4) 1984: "Love Kills" single by Freddie Mercury.
For many years, no one knew the real identity of the musicians featured in the first single released under the name of Freddie Mercury. In fact, they were Brian, Roger and John, who played guitar, electronic drums and rhythm guitar respectivetely. They are not credited in the single, which was released in the UK on 10th September 1984.
5) 1985: "Ice On Fire" album by Elton John.
John Deacon was invited to play on Elton's album; he played bass on the song "Too Young", in which Roger Taylor played drums. The album was released in the UK by The Rocket Record Company on 4th November 1985.
6) 1986: "This Is Your Time" by Errol Brown.
Between 1985 and 1986, John wrote this song with his friend Errol Brown (from Hot Chocolate); Deacon and Brown recorded the track, in which John played bass guitar. Unfortunately, the song was never released and it's now still unpublished.
7) 1986: "Leather Jackets" album by Elton John.
In early 1986, Deacon was again invited to perform on a Elton John's record; also with Roger on drums, he played bass in the song "Angeline". The album was released in the UK by The Rocket Record Company on 15th October 1986.
8) 1987: "Talkin’ Of Love" album by Anita Dobson.
John played bass guitar in the song "I Dream Of Christmas", a song originally written in 1984 by Brian May as a hypothetical Christmas single by Queen; the band never released the song (choosing "Thank God It 's Christmas" instead), so May gave it to singer Anita Dobson, her new life partner. The album was produced by May, recorded and released in 1987.
9) 1987: "Bad News" album by Bad News.
According to some not particularly reliable sources, John collaborated on Bad News' debut album playing bass guitar and singing backing vocals on their cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody". The album was released in the UK by EMI Records in October 1987.
10) 1988: "Shove It!" album by The Cross.
Apparently, Deacon joined Roger Taylor's new band The Cross during the recordings of their debut album and played bass on some tracks (probably on "Cowboys And Indians" and "Heaven For Everyone"); like Brain May and Freddie Mercury, , who also participated in the album, he was not credited. The album was released in the UK by Virgin on 25th January 1988 (the US release was on 13th April).
11) 1988: "Barcelona" album by Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé.
John joined Freddie Mercury in his second solo album and played bass guitar in the song "How Can I Go On". The track was included on the album, released on 10th October 1988, and was also released as a single by Polydor on 23rd January 1989.
12) 1989: "Who Wants To Live Forever" single by Ian Meeson & Belinda Gillett.
In 1989, Brian May decided to record a cover version of the Queen song "Who Wants To Live Forever" to rise money for The British Bone Marrow Donor Appeal, founded by Denise Morse before her death from leukaemia. This version of the song was performed by two kids, Ian Meeson & Belinda Gillett; Brian played guitar and keyboards and produced the track, while Roger and John played drums and bass respectivetely. Michael Kamen, who arranged the Queen version in 1986, took the role again. The single was released in the UK by Parlophone in August 1989.
13) 1992: "Back To The Light" album by Brian May.
John played bass in the song "Nothin’ But Blue". The album was released in the UK by Parlophone on 28th September 1992.
14) 1992: "The Drums Are Back" album by Cozy Powell.
John played bass guitar on the song "Somewhere In Time", an instrumental version of May's song "Nothin 'But Blue". The album was released in the UK by Electrola in late 1992.
15) 1994: "Bushfire" album by Steve Gregory.
John joined Steve Gregory in the song "Bushfire" playing bass guitar. The album was released by LKJ Records on 21st June 1994.
16) 1997:"SAS Band" album by SAS Band.
The last collaboration made by John before his retiring was in summer 1997 for the SAS Band's debut album: he played bass guitar (together with Steve Stroud) on the cover of Billy Preston's 1969 track "That’s The Way God Planned It". Roger Taylor sang backing vocals and played drums. The album was released by Bridge Recordings in 1997.
As a producer:
1) 1975: together with Queen, John produced a recording session with a band called Trax. Nothing was released.
As a composer:
1) 1986: "Cancel" album by Minako Honda.
John was credited, along with Robert Ahwai, as the composer of the music of the song "Roulette", an alternative version of The Immortals' "No Turning Back" with Japanese lyrics. The album was released in Japan only by Eastworld on 29th September 1986.
Other roles:
1) 1988: "This Is The Chorus" promotional video by Morris Minor and the Majors.
John made a small appearance in the video of the song (filmed on 29th June 1988) as a waiter.
2) 1988: "Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime)" promotional video by Morris Minor and the Majors.
Another small appearance in a video for the band Morris Minor and the Majors; this time, John interpreted the role of a heavy metal musician, playing a guitar and wearing a blue wig.
