'I've always thought of us as a top group. Sounds very big-headed, I know, but that's the way it is.' – Freddie Mercury
This September marks the 50th anniversary of Queen's legendary Hyde Park concert, the landmark performance that drew an estimated 150,000 people and celebrated the extraordinary rise of one of Britain's greatest rock bands. Killer Queen captures the years that led to that unforgettable afternoon through the lens of acclaimed photographer Mick Rock, with commentary from Mary Austin, John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, and Roger Taylor. This official limited edition offers an unparalleled visual chronicle of Queen's formative years, from the release of their debut album in 1973 to their triumphant Hyde Park performance in 1976.
‘Mick Rock always was a class act. We met, he and we young Queenies, at a point in our careers where the skies had opened up and creatively the scope of our journey was limitless – very exciting times.’ – Brian May
To mark the anniversary, Genesis Publications has released a small number of the last remaining signed copies from the publisher's own collection.
These final copies are presented in a newly created full-colour screen-printed solander case produced exclusively for the final copies in the edition. Only 1 double-signed copy, signed by Brian May and Mick Rock, remains available.
'They were fun and they were cute. Even without the makeup on, they were pretty adorable, friendly people.' – Mick Rock
On the 18th of November 1973, Mick Rock took his first shots of an up-and-coming group called Queen at the band's breakthrough gig at Imperial College, London. Mick's photographs of the concert are just a small part of an archive of nearly 400 rare and unseen images preserved in Killer Queen for posterity. From electrifying live performances to closed-door recording sessions, from studio portraits to candid backstage moments, Mick Rock's photographs capture the charisma and energy that defined Queen.
'Looking back, it is obvious that Mick was a master of his art very early on. The images in this book (including many we rejected at the time, sometimes for artistic reasons, sometimes for reasons of vanity!) stand up fresh and untarnished by time.' – Brian May
Mick's collaboration with Freddie, Brian, Roger and John lasted until 1976 and Queen's legendary free concert in Hyde Park. During this time he helped create the iconic album covers for Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack. Previously unpublished outtakes and test Polaroids from these famed sessions are included in Killer Queen, a testament to the enduring magic of Queen, immortalized through Mick Rock's lens.
'If you go on stage, you might as well look good. It seems like a waste of time if you don't. I mean, why the hell are you up there?' – Roger Taylor
'It was quite a moment when we decided to turn professional. We'd been playing in our spare time but really I didn't think, myself, that we'd ever do it. We went from school dates to playing little gigs, trolling around in a battered old van.' – John Deacon
Accompanying Mick Rock's stunning visuals is a manuscript of meticulously sourced quotes from John Deacon, Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor, plus intimate reflections and new text from Mick Rock, Brian May and Mary Austin. Collectively, their voices offer personal insights and untold stories that bring the photography to life.
'With Freddie there were always new heights, always new images, new thoughts. I feel he had a right to enjoy his third eye and the right to enjoy himself, and all I ever really wanted to do was protect him so that no one would hurt him.' – Mary Austin
Brian May's anecdotes about the band's creative process and Mary Austin's heartfelt memories of Freddie Mercury add a deeply personal dimension to the collection. Together with an introductory essay by Mick Rock, a chronological timeline, tour itineraries and tipped-in articles from Sounds and Circus magazines, Killer Queen is a remarkable historical document of Queen's formative years and of the artistry that forever changed the face of rock music.
'A book so ludicrously luxurious even by Genesis's standards.' – Record Collector
Released from the Genesis Publications archive, these rare collector's copies are among the last remaining examples of Killer Queen signed by Brian May and the late Mick Rock.
Quarter-bound in Italian leather and buckram with gold foil blocking and gilt page edges, Killer Queen is limited to just 2,500 numbered copies, spans 212 large-format pages and reproduces nearly 400 photographs across 11 different paper stocks, including acetate, tracing paper and 200 gsm matt art stock (page size: 340 × 240 mm / 13⅖" × 9½").
Preserved in the publisher's own collection since the book's original publication in 2003, these very final copies are presented in a newly created full-colour screen-printed solander case featuring a photograph from Mick Rock's iconic Queen II cover session.
Signed by: Brian May & Mick Rock
Main Volume: 340 × 240 mm, 212 pages
Binding: Quarter-bound in Italian leather
Box: New full-colour screen-printed archival solander case
Only 1 double-signed copy, signed by Brian May and Mick Rock, remains available.
Captured at London's Rainbow Theatre in 1974, Mick Rock's portrait catches Freddie Mercury at the moment Queen's ascent became unstoppable.
Chosen exclusively as the Deluxe print for Killer Queen in 2003, the photograph was never reproduced within the book itself. These rare archive prints come from the publisher's own collection – original examples printed and signed in 2003, and released for the first time to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen's legendary Hyde Park concert, the landmark performance that marks the culmination of the years chronicled in Killer Queen.
To find out more and to secure an archive print, click here.
Signed by: Mick Rock
Print size: 20.3 × 30.5 cm (8" × 12")
Framed size: 34.3 × 44.5 cm (13½" × 17½")
Printing: FM stochastic offset lithography
Paper: 300 gsm GardaMatt art paper
Edition: Limited to 30 archive prints – fewer than 5 remain individually
Framing: Hand-framed in black hardwood with acid-free conservation mount and UV-protective Perspex glazing
Certificate of Authenticity: Signed by the publisher
Select from the following copies:
The official signed limited edition by Brian May, Roger Taylor, Mary Austin and Mick Rock, and featuring archived quotes from Freddie Mercury and John Deacon.
Since 1974 Genesis has created signed limited edition books on behalf of authors and artists ranging from the Beatles to Buckingham Palace.
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