When Queen faced Financial Ruin that one Flop Album could Break the Band

Brian May shared about the time when Freddie Mercury and Queen were on the brink of financial ruin and break up if one of their best-known albums had failed.
This week’s Queen the Greatest mini-documentary explores a risky moment of make or break for the band. Inspite of their growing success in the early 70s, the band was facing financial ruin. They really needed their fourth album to be huge. It all came down to Queen’s 1975 record A Night At The Opera, which at the time was the most expensive album ever made in the UK.
In this week’s video, Queen drummer Roger Taylor shared just how risky it was for the band.

Taylor said: “I remember when we went into the studio to make A Night At The Opera. It felt like make or break.”
While Brian May shared: “We were not only poor, but we were in debt. 
“All the sound and lighting companies and the people that hadn’t been paid.”
He added: “So we were at a really crucial point. We might have had to break up if that album hadn’t done well.

“It was an expensive album, enormous complexity on there. Even looking at it now I wonder how we did some of that stuff.”
Nevertheless, the risk paid off, with A Night At Opera seeing Queen at their absolute finest.

Bohemian Rhapsody is now Britain’s third best-selling single of all time and the only song to reach UK Christmas No 1 twice by the same artist.
Today, it’s the most-streamed song of the 20th century and just three weeks ago became the first track by a British band to be RIAA-certified Diamond.
Brian said “This is incredible news. At times like this, I have to pinch myself to be sure it's real.

“All those wild dreams we had – this is beyond any of them. Huge thanks to all who have believed in us over the years."

While Taylor added: “It's a wonderful and gratifying thought to know the song has reached out and connected with so many people! We thank you all"

As for A Night At The Opera, the 1975 album would go on to top the charts across the globe and went on to sell over 6 million copies in many countries around the world - even achieving multi-platinum status in the US.

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