Listen to Queen's 1973 radio debut in John Peel session

A clip featuring Queen performing for the first time on the radio with acclaimed BBC DJ John Peel has been released.

The lyric video features the band’s performance of My Fairy King in February 1973 – five months before the release of their self-titled debut album. Listen to it below.

It forms part of six radio sessions which have been unearthed for forthcoming release Queen On Air – The Complete BBC Sessions, which will launch on November 4. The collection will feature 24 recordings, including alternate versions of the debut single as well as reworked classic album tracks.

Restored by Queen engineer Kris Fredriksson and mastered by Grammy award-winning Adam Ayan, the package will be available as a 2CD set and a 3LP vinyl edition, plus a deluxe six-disc edition featuring a CD of live broadcasts and three CDs of radio interviews. It can be pre-ordered via the band’s website.

Guitarist Brian May says of My Fairy King: “This was the first time we’d really seen Freddie working at his full capacity. He’s virtually a self-taught pianist, and he was making vast strides at the time, although we didn’t have a piano on stage at that point because it would have been impossible to fix up.

“So, in the studio was the first chance Freddie had to do his piano things and we actually got that sound of the piano and the guitar working for the first time which was very exciting. My Fairy King was the first of these sort of epics where there were lots of voice overdubs and harmonies.

“Freddie got into this, and that led to The March of The Black Queen on the second album and then Bohemian Rhapsody later on.”

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Watch On

Queen On Air – The Complete BBC Sessions Deluxe Edition

Disc 1

1. My Fairy King
2. Keep Yourself Alive
3. Doing All Right
4. Liar
5. See What A Fool I’ve Been
6. Keep Yourself Alive
7. Liar
8. Son and Daughter
9. Ogre Battle
10. Modern Times Rock’n’Roll
11. Great King Rat
12. Son and Daughter

Disc 2

1. Modern Times Rock’n’Roll
2. Nevermore
3. White Queen (As It Began)
4. Now I’m Here
5. Stone Cold Crazy
6. Flick of the Wrist
7. Tenement Funster
8. We Will Rock You
9. We Will Rock You (Fast)
10. Spread Your Wings
11. It’s Late
12. My Melancholy Blues

Disc 3

Golders Green Hippodrome, London – September 13, 1973

1. Procession” (Intro Tape)
2. Father to Son
3. Son and Daughter
4. Guitar Solo
5. Son and Daughter” (Reprise)
6. Ogre Battle
7. Liar
8. Jailhouse Rock

Estadio Do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil – March 20, 1981

1. Intro
2. We Will Rock You (Fast)
3. Let Me Entertain You
4. I’m in Love with My Car
5. Alright Alright
6. Dragon Attack
7. Now I’m Here
8. Love of My Life

Maimmarktgelande, Mannheim, Germany – June 21, 1986

1. A Kind Of Magic
2. Vocal Improvisation
3. Under Pressure
4. Is This the World We Created
5. (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care
6. Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)
7. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
8. God Save the Queen

Disc 4: Interviews

1. Freddie Mercury With Kenny Everett (November 1976)
2. Queen with Tom Browne (Christmas 1977)
3. Roger Taylor with Richard Skinner (June 1979)
4. Roger Taylor with Tommy Vance (December 1980)
5. Roy Thomas Baker The Record Producers

Disc 5: Interviews

1. John Deacon, South American tour (March 1981)
2. Brian May Rock On with John Tobler (June 1982)
3. Brian May Saturday Live with Richard Skinner and Andy Foster (March 1984)
4. Freddie Mercury Newsbeat (August 1984)
5. Brian May Newsbeat (September 1984)
6. Freddie Mercury Saturday Live (September 1984)
7. Freddie Mercury with Simon Bates (April 1985)
8. Brian May The Way It Is with David ‘Kid’ Jensen (July 1986)

Disc 6: Interviews

1. Roger Taylor My Top Ten with Andy Peebles (May 1986)
2. Queen for an Hour with Mike Read (May 1989)
3. Brian May Freddie and Too Much Love Will Kill You with Simon Bates (August 1982)
4. Brian May Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with Johnnie Walker (October 1992)

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