The former prince of the rock world is now a father of four - John Deacon interview
Early to mid 1986s magazine from Japan (I don’t know which one) written by Hanne Jordan and Yuko Kato
Topics to note: John’s family, John’s father’s death. (Went mute, lost memories), University, John and Roger’s friendship, Freddie’s personality
Please note the translation might not be exact
"Why is everyone here so incredibly nice?" a staff member brought in to assist exclaimed. They had booked out three suites at a top-tier hotel and spent four days—from morning till night—engaged in a relentless series of interviews; yet, despite the exhaustion that should have set in, the members of Queen remained in high spirits, their laughter echoing constantly. Eleven years had passed since their first visit to Japan—a journey that saw them evolve from teen idols into a massively successful national super-band and eventually into "Queen of the World." Having weathered the inevitable ups and downs of their career to secure an unshakable status, they displayed none of the arrogance often seen in bands that have risen rapidly to fame. Among them, John Deacon stood out as the one with the most charming smile of all.
—Brian, Roger, and Freddie have all released solo albums one after another; isn't it about time for your turn, John?
John Deacon: Well, I could do it if I had the material, but I just don't have that many songs.
—"You Are My Best Friend" became a massive global hit, didn't it?
John: Hmm... that was a long time ago... haha.
— That’s a song you wrote about your wife, isn't it? I think it’s wonderful that your wife is the person you trust more than anyone else—truly your best friend.
John: Hahaha. Well, when you’ve been married as long as we have, all sorts of things happen. It’s not always smooth sailing. But, you know, we’re still together.
—You have three children?
John: Actually, it’s four. (Laughs) My eldest son Robert is 10, the second son Michael is 8, my eldest daughter Laura is 6, and the youngest, Joshua, is just over 2.
—In the rock world, child-rearing often falls entirely to the wife while the husband is away; is it the same at your house?
John: Keeping a household running smoothly is tough work. I can only say I’m lucky to still be with my wife. When the kids were little, touring wasn't too hard because my wife and children would come along with me. But as the kids got older—and with school issues coming into play—everyone except me ended up settling down in London. There was a time when I’d get terribly homesick every time we went on tour; it was sheer agony. It was tough. But for the past two or three years, we haven't done any long tours and I’ve been spending a lot of time at home, so now—ironically enough—I can’t wait to get out on the road again. (Laughs)
—Brian explained that the Queen wives and partners are all wonderful people in their own right, and that this actually helps keep the band from breaking up.
John: That’s right. Brian’s wife Christine, my wife Veronica, Roger’s girlfriend Dominique, and Freddie’s Mary all get along really well. Just the other day, we all threw a birthday party for Mary.
—Even though Mary and Freddie split up, is she still considered part of the Queen circle?
John: Mary and Freddie don’t live together anymore, of course, but they’re old friends, and she’s very much a member of the so-called "Queen family."
—Speaking of which, John, you lost your father at a young age, didn't you?
John: I was eleven. It was a huge shock that for a while, I barely spoke at all. I was in a daze for so long that, even now, I have almost no memory of the time before that. What helped me bounce back was getting interested in music. When I was between twelve and fourteen, I was glued to the radio, constantly hunting for pop music. Then I started playing guitar and formed a band. Later, I switched to bass guitar and played gigs all over the place. It wasn't just a hobby for me—I was serious about making a career out of it, believe it or not.
—You were an honor student at a top-tier school and graduated third in your class from the University of London, right? Wasn't it hard to balance your studies with music?
John: It wasn't too bad. Music and academics were the pillars of my youth, and I didn't really do anything else. An honor student? Hmm, I guess you could say that.
Even after entering university, I didn't get involved with drugs or alcohol, and I didn't really date girls either.
—Were you a bit shy when it came to girls?
John: I suppose so. I was probably just shy by nature. I grew up in a small town in Leicester and didn't come to London until I was eighteen and started university. London was a hard place for us to fit into, ultimately. I always felt like an outsider. I lived in a University of London residence hall that was all-male, and since my major was science, it was nothing but guys there, too. As time went on, I found I couldn't stand a life without music, so I had my instrument sent over and started playing with a group called the Opposition.
—And when did you join Queen?
John: That was a bit later. A friend told me about a band looking for a bassist, so I auditioned. By then, the concept for Queen was already in place, and everyone had their ideas pretty well set. I was the newcomer, you could say, so it took a little time before I started contributing my own ideas.
—After graduating, you worked as a schoolteacher for a while, didn't you?
John: Hmm? That was Brian.
—Oh, really? I read in a magazine that you fell in love with a fellow teacher and got married while you were teaching...
John: I actually met her back when we were students; she was attending an all-female class at the University of London. We were in an all-male class, right? So, naturally, there was a place where we’d cross paths—a disco, actually. A friend took me there, and we just happened to run into each other... She worked as an elementary school teacher for a while.
— Has she settled into life as a homemaker now?
John: That's right. She loves painting and has a real artistic sensibility. I’m the opposite—I’ve always been a more practical person—so I think we’ve balanced each other out over the years.
—On a personal note, the first concert I ever saw was Queen, and the first album I ever bought was Queen's ‘Sheer Heart Attack’. At the time, Queen was hailed as the "post-Beatles" act, and you played a major role in bringing rock music—which had been considered a niche genre until then—into the spotlight.
John: That’s nice to hear. I remember our first trip to Japan very well. We’ve had success all over the world since then, but Japan was... different somehow. We never experienced that kind of screaming adoration from girls anywhere else. The moment we arrived at the airport, girls would come rushing toward us in droves... We couldn't even step a foot outside the hotel... You just don't see that kind of thing in other countries.
—How did that make you feel?
John: It was a bit of a thrill (laughs)—it felt great. I wouldn't want to be in that kind of situation all the time, but I do have a special attachment to Japan.
—Queen doesn't have a manager right now, so effectively, you're the one handling the practical side of things, aren't you? Don't you think the band is incredibly independent?
John: Well, that’s because the band had a solid vision right from the start—before we even debuted—and we didn't want outsiders messing with it. If outsiders started telling us to do this or that, we’d probably get pretty frustrated. (Laughs)
—But even without outsiders involved, surely there are times when you fight or disagree within the band? How do you resolve those situations?
John: That’s a tough one. We still get into some pretty heated arguments sometimes. There was a really rough patch at one point, but things are better now. Well, we manage to make it work.
—I hear you often go on vacation with Roger; are you two particularly close within the band?
John: Yeah, we really get along well. Roger’s a really easygoing guy.
—Is it because you’re both the same star sign?
John: We share the same sign, but our personalities are completely different.
He’s a more typical example of that sign—friendly, decisive, and sociable. That’s better than the alternative, I suppose. Well, we manage to make it work.
—When people think of Queen, Freddie usually comes to mind first, but did you know that everyone lists you as their top choice for interviews or meetings? If I may say so, Freddie comes across as eccentric and a bit odd...
John: It’s true, Freddie is an unusual person. He doesn’t like meeting strangers, and he really dislikes interviews and press engagements. He’s not fond of TV, either. For instance, even when we get an invitation to appear on Terry Wogan’s talk show [a popular UK program], Freddie insists he doesn’t want to do it, and the whole thing falls through.
—Is he trying to cultivate a mysterious image, perhaps?
—Does that side of Freddie’s personality ever affect the group’s activities?
John: Of course it does. There are times when the three of us want to do something, but Freddie digs his heels in and refuses.
For example, the three of us want to do more concerts, appear on TV more often, and be more active, but the answer we always get from Freddie is "no." And since we’ve decided not to do anything without him...
Anyway, once Freddie makes up his mind, there’s no changing it. He’s incredibly stubborn.
