Queen’s Roger Taylor compares Freddie Mercury to a ‘manic goat’ as he opens up about remastered debut album

I HAVE heard Freddie Mercury’s incredible voice described in many ways over the years.

But no one has ever quite put it like his Queen bandmate Roger Taylor, who said the late frontman’s vocals took a lot of work before he nailed them.

“I don’t think you realise how dreadful he sounded before,” Roger told me at the launch of the band’s ­remastered debut album Queen 1 at the Ham Yard Hotel in London.

“I mean, he sounded like some manic goat. He sounded extraordinary, his vibrato.

“My mother’s face when she saw him . . . ”

Quick to defend Fred, Brian May added: “He turned out to be our wonderful Freddie whom we will never forget. He became this colossal force who could reach to the back of any gig or a stadium in Argentina. He reached everyone.”

During the chat, the pair also took a pop at the BBC, which, they said, snubbed them for years before the band landed a lucky break.

Roger said: “We could not get on Top Of The Pops, which was being filmed at the BBC weather studio – about the size of the average bathroom.

“And someone cancelled, it might have been David Bowie, and we got the slot and that was the breakthrough for us.

“Top Of The Pops, thank God, has gone.”

Harsh.

Vape ban won't hurt teetotal Tom

SPIDER-MAN actor Tom Holland won’t be fazed by the controversial decision to ban disposable vapes.

I’m told he quietly quit the plastic funny fags, as I call them, earlier this year. His girlfriend Zendaya did too.

It came after the Marvel star went teetotal to overhaul his health two years ago.

A source said: “Tom used to love disposable vapes but earlier this year he decided to give them up.

“He’s really focused on his health and, like with booze, he felt they weren’t adding anything to his life.”

Tom, who now owns alcohol-free beer brand Bero, previously said he felt “enslaved” by alcohol.

Of his relationship with booze he said: “I felt like I couldn’t be social, I couldn’t go to the pub and have a lime soda. I was struggling.

“I asked myself, ‘Why am I enslaved to this drink? Why am I so obsessed by the idea of having this drink?’”

Because it tastes so bloody good, Tom.

Sophie's ready for knees-up

SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR is having fun in Marrakesh before her biggest ever tour.

She was positively glowing in this above-the-knee floral dress at the Fashion Trust Arabia 2024 bash on Thursday after announcing her UK headline tour.

It will kick off in Glasgow next May and take in 15 cities, including London’s Royal Albert Hall – and Sophie can’t wait.

She said: “I love performing live, but it’s always an extra treat to tour at home.”

Not looking fur love, Camila?

CAMILA CABELLO is single at the moment – but she has never looked hotter.

The Havana hitmaker was certainly the best-dressed star in the room at a Los Angeles awards bash on Thursday night, wearing this leggy Versace dress with a furry stole.

She joined Lana Del Rey, Kristen Stewart and Chrissy Teigen at the Imagemaker Awards held by US women’s magazine InStyle.

Earlier this week she had also been spotted at Doja Cat’s birthday party.

Camila had a long-term relationship with Stitches singer Shawn Mendes, with the pair dating from 2019 to 2021 before a final fling last year.

He recently opened up about what made them split.

Shawn said: “Love is a lot, but partnership is more than love – and I think it has a lot to do with how you support each other in your day-to-day life and really being honest about who you are.”

Plenty more fish in the sea, eh . . . 

Kate teases her return to music

THIRTEEN years after her last album, Kate Bush is finally preparing to return to music – although it might be a while off.

In a rare interview on Radio 4’s Today show yesterday, she said: “I’ve been caught up doing a lot of archive work over the past few years – redesigning our website, putting a lyric book together.

“I’m very keen to start working on a new album when I’ve got this finished.

“I’ve got lots of ideas and I’m really looking forward to getting back into that creative space. It’s been a long time.

“Particularly, over this past year, I’ve felt really ready to start doing something new.”

Kate added: “I’m sure it will be different. We’ve all been through a lot in the past few years.”

But on whether she feels ready to return to performing on stage, she said: “I’m not there yet.”