BBC Queen Exclusive

Roger Taylor reveals brand new song

30 Nov 2007 - Roger Taylor gave BBC Breakfast an exclusive listen of Queen's first studio recording in ten years, this morning.

Say It's Not True was written for South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela and is released as a free download tomorrow for World AIDS Day.

There is a massive concert in Johannesburg tomorrow for World AIDS Day, called 46664, which was Mandela's prisoner number whilst he was incarcerated on Robben Island. The concert features performances from Annie Lennox, Peter Gabriel and Razorlight as well as local artists. 

"We are all inextricably involved with AIDS, after losing Freddie" -Roger Taylor

The download is available at the 46664 website, Taylor said the song was written specifically for World AIDS Day and that AIDS is a particular problem in South Africa: "One in four people have it, it's a tremendous problem."

When asked about the fact that the South African government is in denial about the problem on many levels he said: "The problem is at that level aswell... it's an educational problem, a problem of ignorance really in many ways, the drugs are not freely available enough, it's a tremendous problem there."

"We are inextricably involved with AIDS, after losing Freddie, it's something which will never go away. We have our AIDS Mercury Phoenix Trust."

The band are back in the studio and Taylor says it's been great to be back recording again: "It's been fantastic actually, a magical experience, there is a tremendous rapport with Paul Rodgers, Brian May and myself - it does sound like us. We are looking forward to finishing it."
 


Ruth Barnes