Real Life or Fantasy? - 'Bohemian Rhapsody', Roger Taylor

Queen the Bold

Queen had become a rising sensation! Following a very successful tour of America, the band, their new manager Reid, Paul, and their new lawyer, Jim Beach, were waiting in the office of Ray Foster of EMI Records, waiting to discuss their next and latest project: another album.

"Ha, and Tim said we weren't going anywhere with this," Roger declared, glad to have proven their former band-mate wrong.

Freddie, punctual as usual, was the only one not there, hence why they were waiting.

No one spoke, adding a slightly awkward feeling to the atmosphere in the office. Mal wished someone would say something, in order to stop Foster from staring the band down through narrowed eyes over the rims of his glasses. She could tell he was judging them, and Freddie being late certainly didn't help. She could feel the press of his gaze from across the desk.

Finally, her wish was granted, and someone spoke up. It was Jim Beach. "Uh, quite a nice day out, isn't it?" He got some nods and 'yeahs' in reply, but it didn't create any further conversation. Jim now looked at the floor, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Mal was squashed between Roger and her brother on the couch facing Foster's desk. The four band members who were there had all claimed the couch, Reid, Paul, and Jim choosing to stand to leave the lone chair empty for Freddie.

Roger sighed, checking his watch for about the tenth time.

"He'll be here," Mal muttered. Freddie would always be there for them.

"I know, it just makes the rest of us look bad."

Finally, the door to the office opened. "Hello!" A happy and perky Freddie swept into the room, all smiles.

"You're late," Foster stated, obviously unimpressed.

"Am I?" Freddie collapsed into the empty chair they had left for him.

"We saved you a seat," Paul told him.

"Lovely."

"All right, now that we're all here," began Reid, emphasizing this with a look directed at Freddie who was now busy lighting a cigarette. "Jim, this is Ray Foster of EMI Records, and Ray this is the band's lawyer, Jim Beach."

"Ugh, we really must stop calling him that," cut in Freddie with a groan, lit cigarette between his lips.

"Uh, it's his name."

"No, we cannot keep calling him 'Jim Beach.' That's absurd! Not to mention unspeakably boring." Poor Jim was now staring at the floor, looking more embarrassed now than after his failed attempt at making conversation before. Freddie drew on his cigarette then pointed at Jim. "'Miami'. From now on, I, the Queen, dub thee, 'Miami Beach.'"

Jim chuckled. "The sun always sets behind you, doesn't it, on Miami Beach?" His comment once again earned no response.

"Right," broke in Foster, obviously a little wary of this group, hence his staring them down earlier. "Now that everyone has an acceptable name. Look, we just really need something special-"

"Well then you're in luck, Darling!" broke in Freddie. "Queen is as special as it gets!"

"-More hits," continued Foster, as though Freddie hadn't spoken. "Like 'Killer Queen', only bigger."

"It's not bloody widgets we're making," spoke up Roger. "We can't just reproduce 'Killer Queen'. It doesn't work like that."

Freddie was already up and in action, placing a record on the player. "No. We can do better."

With a turn of the volume dial, opera music filled the office. Freddie began circling Foster's desk, waving his hand like a conductor in time to the music.

Foster was obviously taken aback and confused. "It's opera."

"Opera," said Reid.

"Opera," repeated Paul.

"Oh, there seems to be an echo in here," stated John. "Opera!"

The music swelled suddenly, and Freddie beat the desktop in time to the music. This obviously startled Foster - Mal couldn't help but laugh at the way he jumped in his seat. Freddie looked ready to burst with excitement and had the biggest grin on his face.

By the next swell of the music, the whole band was into it.

"We don't want to repeat ourselves," Brian explained once the song had ended. "The same formula, over and over again."

"Formulas are a complete and utter waste of time," stated Freddie. "Waste of our time."

"Formulas work," countered Foster. "Let's stick to the formulas. I like formulas."

"Formulas are boring! We'll call the album, 'A Night at the Opera'," Freddie envisioned.

"Brilliant," agreed Mal.

"Are you aware that no one actually likes opera?" Foster said.

"I like opera," spoke up Jim - now Miami - Beach.

"Do you?"

"I do," added Reid. Foster rolled his eyes.

"Oh don't misunderstand us, Darling. It's a rock-and-roll record, but with the scale of Opera," explained Freddie, already envisioning it. "I can see it now: the Pathos of Greek tragedy, the wit of Shakespeare, the unbridled joy of musical theatre..." The whole band was now nodding in agreement with Freddie's vision. "It's a musical experience! Rather than just another record."

"It'll take people on a musical journey, into uncharted territory," said Mal.

"Exactly!" agreed Freddie. "Something for everyone. Something that will make people feel belongs to them."

"What do you mean by 'uncharted territory'?" Foster asked, obviously unsure.

"Uncharted musical territory... We'll mix genres, we'll break boundaries - we'll speak in bloody tongues if we want to!" It was all coming together, and Freddie had a gleam in his eyes, that classic Freddie Mercury gleam, which shone through from behind the tinted lenses of his sunglasses.

"There's no musical ghetto that can contain us," said Rog.

Freddie pointed to him and snapped his fingers for emphasis. "That's right!"

"It's our music. Our music is our own. We have all the freedom in the world," added Mal.

"No one knows what Queen means because it doesn't mean one thing," explained John.

"Exactly!" agreed Freddie. "See, we're all in agreement, all on the same page."

Foster sighed. "What do you think, John?" he asked Reid after a moment of consideration, pondering to himself.

"I agree with the band," answered Reid.

"Of course you do," sighed Foster with a shake of his head. He then turned to Jim. "And you? Jim Beach?"

"'Miami'," corrected Jim. "Fortune favours the bold."

Freddie leaned against the desk. "Surely, a man of your - unique taste - isn't afraid of a little risk..." He raised his eyebrows from behind his aviators.

Foster sighed. "Please don't make me regret this."

Freddie grinned. "You're fun. And don't worry, Darling, you won't regret it. Trust me on that."

(Poor Jim! He's so sweet! :) Next we head to the farm and the recording of the iconic BoRhap - one of my favourite parts of the movie full of great moments of the boys! :)

Thank you so much for reading and, as always, I hope you enjoyed! :))