"We (pop stars) are people not androids. We`ve got views. I`ve got opinions and I don`t see why I shouldn`t use a bit of my art to put them over. I think music is one of the most powerful media forces in the world today."

We`re not going out there with somebody pretending to be Freddie Mercury. We are what we are now; we`re not what we were then, we`re just going out, playing our songs.

There are stereotypes and it is quite amazing how often members of bands seem to follow those stereotypes. Singers are all vain. Guitarists are all vain but won`t admit it. Bass players are quiet people, and drummers are very exciting people to be with.

There`s something rather nice about spending the evening hitting things. (On drumming)

Fantastic to write with. They have their place, they`re terribly useful to the musician, but they`re just another tool. They never will replace a good drummer. A lot of the bands that use them, I call them typewriter bands because basically they program the sample sounds with no real dynamics, and that dynamics is very important. And the records come out sounding very flat and very 2-dimensional whereas something with real dynamics and a good drummer can add another dimension - depth - to the band and that`s why bands that play together when they`re actually making the record will always sound better. (On drum machines)

I saw Buddy Rich playing. He was wonderful, fantastic. I would say of just sheer technique he`s the best I`ve ever seen.

The greatest Rock`n`Roll drummer of all time was John Bonham who did things that nobody had ever even thought possible before with the drum kit. And also the greatest sound out of his drums - they sounded enormous, and just one bass drum. So fast on it that he did more with one bass drum than most people could do with three, if they could manage them. And he had technique to burn and fantastic power and tremendous feel for rock`n`roll. "When the levee breaks" is the archetypal heavy drum sound - it`s never been bettered - it`s like a steamroller, enormous bass drum. Simple but takes feel.

The first time I saw Led Zeppelin, Bonzo (John Bonham) just walked on the stage and just warmed up for about 10 seconds. Freddie (Freddie Mercury) and I nearly fell over we just couldn`t believe the power and the sound. People are still today trying to imitate Led Zeppelin, America is full of drummers trying to play like John Bonham.

I picked up a guitar and found it very difficult and I sort of graduated to drums because I found them very easy - I suppose it was a case of natural aptitude. Mitch Mitchell was my role model at the time, and I still think listening to Mitch Mitchell, especially the early stuff with Hendrix (Jimi Hendrix), is just fantastic.

I think maybe we (Queen) were subconsciously influenced by The Beatles` albums, I think really, especially the later ones, like Rubber Soul, Revolver and Abbey Road. They were very eclectic albums.