Celebrated photographer Neal Preston rocks the pages of Real Art Press’ latest book with stunning photographs of the legendary British band

For the celebrated photographer Neal Preston, there are only two things that matter most: photography and rock music. “I was one of those people whose life changed the night that The Beatles played The Ed Sullivan Show. So, it was almost pre-ordained that my two greatest passions ended up melding into a sort of a super-hobby. Early on I realised that I was particularly good at shooting live performances, so I just kept on doing what I was doing,” recalls Preston who started his career as a professional photographer at the age of 16. Through the years, he worked with some of the biggest names in the industry such as Led Zeppelin, Billy Joel, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Heart and Duran Duran.

But out of all the popular musicians he took photographs of, the iconic British band, Queen, takes a special place in his heart. “Queen was not only a great band with amazing songs. They were a feast for the eyes. There was always a lot going on onstage. For me, it was like being a kid in a candy store—great shot opportunities were everywhere. They were also a visually oriented band, so the staging, lighting and production values of each gig were just stunning. As a photographer I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” he shares.

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Above A photograph of Queen band members John Deacon, Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury and Brian May, 1980
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Above Queen and police escort, South America, 1981; Queen, USA, 1982

Preston first worked with the Queen band in 1977 and has continued his journey covering some of their major performances around the globe. “It’s not a glamourous job,” he says, describing a typical day when he covers for the band, or for any musician for that matter. “But working with Queen was different. The more time I spent with them, the more I realised this was a dream job for me.”

In the latest book published by Real Art Press titled Queen: The Neal Preston Photographs, the rock photographer along with Queen’s guitarist, Brian May, and drummer, Roger Taylor, had collated 300 arresting snapshots of the band captured at their most intimate and ecstatic. Among the many stunning photos included in the book were taken from Queen’s record-breaking concerts such as News of the World Tour (1977), The Jazz Tour (1978), The Game Tour (1980) and The Hot Space Tour (1982)—all held in North America; South America Bites the Dust Tour (1981), Gluttons for Punishment Tour (1981), also held in South America; Live Aid, UK (1985)—where Preston was the only photographer allowed on stage when Queen performed; and The Magic Tour (1986) in Europe—lead vocalist and pianist Freddie Mercury’s last tour with the band. “The most memorable shows were on the South American tour in 1981. It was the first time any band had taken its entire production down there and the challenges were huge—but the fans were beyond amazing. Queen was treated like The Beatles, with fans yelling outside their hotels day and night,” Preston narrates.

 

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Above Brian May, Jazz Tour, USA, 1978

“I’m a sucker for dramatic photos so I’m partial to the silhouettes like the photos of Freddie and Brian on stage with the smoke bombs going off. I like to think that a great performance photo picks the viewer up by his neck and puts him right on stage in the middle of everything. I know a lot of these photos do just that,” he says when asked about his favourite snaps of Queen. Preston’s keen eye captured the most iconic poses during the band’s live concerts, complete with haze rising dramatically through vivid lighting, casting the band, particularly the late Mercury in his vibrant, one-of-a-kind costume, into a smoky luminous aura. His photographs extend from backstage, where each member is seen carefully and diligently working hard every day and with purpose: sound-checking, rehearsing, interviewing, travelling and revelling at parties.

To date, 43 years later, Preston’s friendship with the Queen band members continues and those beautiful memories of each performance he covered for them lives on in his heart. 


This article was originally published in Tatler Philippines December 2020 issue. Download it on your device via Magzter.

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Neal Preston

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