'I wrote a book about Queen and here is what surprised me about the band'
EXCLUSIVE: A new book about the legacy of Queen features essays from people who have worked with the band and fans who have special memories of the group.
The man behind a new book examining Queen's legacy has said one thing surprised him as he compiled the stories from those who have worked with the group, and fan tributes about what the band means to them.
In The Lap Of The Gods, named after Queen's 1974 track, was the brainchild of David Geldard and Jay Gent in lockdown and all proceeds raised are going to the charity set up in Freddie Mercury's name, The Mercury Pheonix Trust. With essays from people such as Peter Straker, whose album This One's On Me was co-produced by his friend Freddie, to Tim Staffell who was a founding member of Smile with Brian May and From Roger Taylor to Peter Freestone, Freddie's personal assistant, the book gives an intimate overview of the band and its legendary lead singer.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, David admitted he was pleasantly surprised to learn his hero Freddie lived up to his expectations. "One of the nicest things was Freddie Mercury was my hero since I was a little boy. And getting a feeling from everyone who knew him of how nice he was, how kind he was, what a lovely person… that really came across whilst doing the book and talking to people who knew him," he said.
With 34 essays covering all aspects of the band and their influence this is a comprehensive anthology but notable by their absence are the recollections of Brian May and Roger Taylor, who still tour as Queen with Adam Lambert.
"I wouldn't know how to get in touch with them, is the honest answer," David admitted. "But I think if I did talk to Brian and Roger, that it would be a different book. The amazing thing about it, once you get involved in a project like this, is you start to realise that people's love for this band extends beyond just buying records for the record collection."
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"They come together to meet other friends who are fans. In some cases, they fall in love with other fans," he said referencing several couples who met and married through the Queen fandom.
Although the idea was first conceived in lockdowns the book, which is available on Amazon, has only just been published. "It took forever," David admits. "It's one of the things that I'm really sorry about, because I've got no skills in publishing myself. I just put most of the book together, the interviews and so forth. Jay (co-editor), she did all the publishing stuff. Both myself and Jay have got day jobs s this was done in our spare time.
"It wasn't like I was given an advance from some big publishing company and focus on it full time, and it's been a labour of love."
In The Lap Of the Gods is available to buy from Amazon for £12.99 with all proceeds going to the Mercury Pheonix Trust.
