Transcribed by Jennifer Tunney

Russ Williams: Just been handed from the Cyberbarn show with Roger Taylor last night - Roger's going to be here shortly after the News. I don't know if he's in the building yet, because nobody's told me, but I'm sure if he is in the building, they've given Rog coffee or mineral water or something and he's very very comfortable, but just got some of the prints of the pictures off the Internet - one of Roger, I think it was Vanessa from the Guinness Book of Records, presenting Roger with the official world record for the most amount of hits and the biggest EVER on-line live concert ever in the history of the Internet since it began - that's how big it was. (rustle of paper) Oh, there's a nice one there of Roger and his band, er Roger all dressed in black, of course, although he did have lovely purple jacket on, which he took off for the interview. I guess he was feeling more relaxed, and myself - oh there's one of me, oh don't let that - very popular. So I'll show him those when he comes in, but he's coming in. The concert last night, if you didn't manage to log onto it is definitely coming out on video. Its definitely going to be released on video and it won't be too long and its gonna be available through all the normal video stockists and certainly the Virgin Megastore all over the UK. So that's good news. A lot of people for some reason had trouble logging on. I suspect we were in almost an overheating situation, but anyway, it was a really great night and looking forward to speaking to Roger, and we'll find out about the new album, when it's out; play the new single; probably play a Queen song, and he'll be here in the next, er I don't know, 10, 15 minutes so so??..

NEWS

RW: Just had a call from Roger Taylor. Roger and Jim his manager, about 5 minutes away, and they're gonna be here, so er, its gonna be good.??????..?.. 0645 301197 - is the fax number. You can e-mail us - I'm so up to date with this Internet stuff after doing this with Roger last night you see. studio@vradio.co.uk. Roger Taylor's finally arrived at the studio. Roger, how was the traffic?

ROGER TAYLOR: Good morning. The traffic was dreadful and eh - but late, sorry.

RW: I know - What a great - can I just say "Thank you" on behalf of - there was only about 200 people wasn't there, at your place?

RT: Something - I think so, yeah.

RW: And everyone was blown away by your hospitality and the gig and everything, so "thank you". And the winners - David and Adam - who won the tickets on my show who you met yesterday, the ones who were first at the beer tent - before the proceedings started -

RT: He he he he (laughs)

RW: Cos they were. They simply found the beer, I said "Oh God" ?.

RT: Yes it looked like they were having a good time

RW: They did and they phoned up and they wanted to say "Thank you". You're a Record Breaker, Roger.

RT: (Laughs) Yeah

RW: A World Record

RT: So I hear - yeah - we did well, actually didn't we, yeah..

RW: Oh, absolutely but the figure we were given was about 500 hits a second?.

RT: Really.

RW: ? on the Internet for your Concert.

RT: Its hard to sort of relate to exactly what that means (laughs) - I don't know what it means.

RW: I think its 500 people trying to log on every second.

RT: Yeah - every second?.

RW: So it was great. How did you enjoy it - because obviously you've played all these massive stadium gigs all over the world - and there you are playing in front of a lot of friends and record company people and what-have-you?.

RT: Yeah.

RW: ? a small amount of people - but all over the world on the Internet?

RT: It was very strange to actually sort of, cos is was a very sort of 'intimate' um affair, but it was also sort of going out everywhere, so you couldn't, I couldn't quite get my head round that. But, um, basically, we just sort of got on with it and enjoyed it I think - you know.

RW: It was a great show. A lot of people yesterday on the Internet, as you know, when we were doing the interview afterwards, said "Is it going to be on video" and a lot of people had phoned up and faxed this morning, it is going to be released on video?

RT: I'm told it's coming out in less than a month, I think - so ?

RW: Turn it round quick these days don't they?

RT: (laughs)

RW: ?. Which is great. So, yes - it will be available on video, which is great. I wanna play one of the songs that you wrote?.

RT: Sure

RW: for Queen - Radio Gaga - which you did last night - which is great, which you will see on the video as well - and then we'll have a little chat about life after Queen, as it used to be ?

RT: Right.

RW: - if you know what I mean? Roger Taylor from Queen is here and we're also gonna play Roger's new single soon as well. Its Virgin - its 12.23?

RADIO GAGA PLAYS

RW: Radio Gaga - Roger played it last night. Also played a lot of tracks from the new album, which is called "Electric Fire" and Roger Taylor of Queen is here in the studio. What is it like, Roger, life in Queen, post Freddie - obviously it's different?

RT: Yes, it's very different. I mean, it took quite a while to get used to the idea um that he wasn't around, really, about 5 years I think - its actually 7 years ago now,

RW: That's amazing

RT: Which I find it hard to believe - um - and obviously you know he's never far from our thoughts, but you know, life goes on. Here we are.

RW: Is it gonna go on for Queen?

RT: Um I don't know - I think we might get together and do something in the studio next year maybe, but I, I really don't know. I haven't seen the other guys for a while and you know, Brian's been doing his thing and I been sort of doing mine, so?

RW: So there's no prospect at this moment in time - I mean you never say never of getting another lead singer, or is it just that Freddie's just totally irreplaceable?

RT: I don't think we'd ever do that, but I think we might just sort of work with people on a one off basis occasionally. That, that, I mean is a possibility but we haven't actually done it yet, you know.

RW: It there any, you know there have been rumours, is there any archive stuff, stuff that you've recorded that's never been put out on, on record that you may, you know, with Freddie on obviously, from throughout your career?

RT: I wish there was.

RW: There isn't anything. Right.

RT: No there's virtually nothing um that that was good enough to come out I think, so I think we're, I think we're out.

RW: By the way, if you want to log onto the Virgin Radio Web Site right now, it's the brand new one. The old one was an award winner. This one is gonna blow your mind er - there are pictures of the gig at Roger's Cyberbarn last night, which you can actually see, and its www.virginradio.com What about your work with The Cross? That's not gonna happen now?

RT: No I don't think so. That was just a period that came and went and um it was fun. It was like a fun period but um it it sort of came and went, and if I do things now I sort of just do them on my own really. Find it easier.

RW: Lots of people wanna know if YOU are going to tour.

RT: Yeah - I'm not even sure about that either um - (laughs) thought I did my tour last night.

RW: How many glasses of red wine did you have last night.

RT: (laughing) I did my tour last night, didn't I, you know.

RW: So its in the Lap of the Gods to pinch one of your song titles at the moment.

RT: Yeah, yes, well said, yea.

RW: Okay. Now - the new album "Electric Fire" - I've been playing "Pressure On" obviously - because of the competition and we're gonna play it in a minute.

RT: Yea thanks.

RW: How long did it take you to record that album?

RT: It was done over about 3 years. So quite a while really, but it was done in little bursts of writing and working and so it took quite a while to actually get a whole album together - so it's a long project but in bursts.

RW: And you did it at home.

RT: Yeah

RW: You've got your own studio - you've got a beautiful house and you got your own recording studio - so you never have to go anywhere or pay expensive fees any more do you? (both laugh) Is it good?

RT: Well its very good actually, it's quite nice - I just sort of walk down the hill to work. It - that's very big luxury, yeah.

RW: Well it was tremendous last night and I notice on the album you do your own version of "Working Class Hero" as well.

RT: Yea - that's the one cover - probably not a lot of people don't know that song. I know a lot of people do, but a lot of the younger people don't.

RW: Well we we really enjoyed it. I particularly enjoyed "A Nation of Haircuts" actually - that's the one that we were all talking about,

RT: Oh, really. Very interesting

RW: .. you know, that you did last night. It's a great album and I wish you all honestly all the success with it Roger and er, just to be involved in this, for all of us at Virgin its been magnificent and er it was a great gig And we didn't we didn't really truthfully know whether it was going to work on the Internet, did we?

RT: No we really didn't.

RW: We went in blindfolded.

RT: I hadn't got a clue, but thanks for all your help, you've been great actually.

RW: It's not a problem at all - it's our pleasure and good luck for the future, good luck with the album "Electric Fire". Do we know what date its out on?

RT: Its out on Monday 28th.

RW: Monday?

RT: Yeah.

RW: So that's - before you go to work or on your lunch hour on Monday you have to go and get a copy of this album cos it's great. Roger Taylor (Roger laughs) "Electric Fire". Thank you Rog.

RT: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

RW: We hope to work with you again - I'm sure we will and er "Pressure On" - we'll play it now. This is the full length album version and its great. Have a nice weekend Rog.

RT: You too.

PRESSURE ON PLAYS

RW: From "Electric Fire" brand new album from Roger Taylor of Queen - out on Monday, "Pressure On" - new single. And it just was a great night last night and if you watched it on the Internet then I hope you enjoyed it. If you couldn't get through, it was very busy, and I'm sorry, but the video will be out soon - and Roger's er popped off for an enormous Cheeseburger. He's just like us after a hangover -gotta go have (imitates with funny voice) "a quick cheeseburger somewhere". I recommended a couple of places - no not large chains - more intimate restaurants - and it was nice to see him. And that's it. He won't be coming in again - well not for a while anyway - I don't think - anyway. It was good to see him and good luck to him with the album and the single "Pressure On", obviously, is out at the moment.