(Credits: Far Out / Christopher Hopper / Elektra Records)
Fri 19 December 2025 16:30, UK
The most tragic thing about the end of Queen’s original tenure was not just the death of Freddie Mercury. It was that the band also lost their friend in John Deacon.
Deacon was never destined as the most effervescent member of the group. Mercury’s pomp and regalia already made up for that, and then some more. But even despite being their version of a wallflower, the bassist was always an integral part of the machine: writing hits, acting as a muse, and overall just being the steady presence that quietly steered the ship.
It still remains quite sad that he never seemed to see himself that way, however. All his bandmates would have, and still do, describe him as instrumental, but even the brightest of lights and the fullest of stadiums could never convince him to relish in the rock and roll lifestyle for the rest of his days.
Compounded by Mercury’s passing in 1991, it was no doubt a mixture of grief and the perhaps terrifying realisation that the world’s eyes would be on him more than ever before that influenced Deacon’s decision to step away from the spotlight. The loss of such a massive persona was bound to be all the more magnified while knowing you were the one who seemingly had to fill those inimitable shoes.
All of this is to say that Deacon’s eschewing of his former life was final, which also meant by default that he had to cut off Brian May and Roger Taylor, too. No matter how much this may have pained the remaining pair, there has always been a tacit understanding of Deacon’s choice, and they respect him for it. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting, though.
“John has sort of consciously excluded himself from the world. He doesn’t like engaging in contact with anybody I think. I think he’s very fragile and we respect that. Although he’s still obviously our sort of business partner in a way; our silent business partner,” May later explained.
Although the money is obviously nice, “I don’t think he feels he wants to handle it and all the stuff that goes with it. So no, we don’t keep in touch actually,” the guitarist conceded.
He claims the last time Deacon was spotted in any proximity to the band was one night in 2004 when he randomly strolled into the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End, where the musical We Will Rock You was being played. Simply standing at the bar, as could have passed as any other punter. But spying him through the crowds, May knew this man held more secrets than most.
Of course, not every musician is as lucky as to take a leaf out of the Syd Barrett book. But Deacon clearly had his reasons, and it has worked out absolutely fine for him. Some think that major fame is completely irreversible, but he is one example of being able to step back into the vast sea of obscurity after having kept his head above the water for so long.
The grief and tragedies that Queen have endured are massive and weighty. You can’t blame anyone for not being able to cope with that, not least someone who was hardly the most comfortable under the glare of the spotlight in the first place. There is a tendency to see Deacon’s tale as one of woe, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing you can do when a man has made up his mind.
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