Rock band Queen have returned to the road after many years due to self-inflicted retirement  by the terrible loss of lead singer Freddie Mercury and one which had appeared to signal the end of a recording and touring career that had marked the band out as rock champions of the world's concert arenas.

Video Clip from "Al Murrays Happy Hour" - ITV

Pairing with Paul Rodgers the legendary vocalist, songwriter and founding member of Free and Bad Company, Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor surprised many earlier this year with the announcement that they were returning to 'business as usual' and taking on more than 32 live dates throughout the UK and Europe.

27 tracks which make up the 2-CD set "Return of the Champions", is set for UK release September 19th 2008.  A  DVD version due 24 October 2008 will also be available of the Sheffield gig filmed using 18 cameras plus bonus footage of the special Hyde Park night, the DVD features the bonus track, Queen + Paul Rodger's fine version of Lennon's 'Imagine' which provided May, Taylor and Rodgers a moment to reflect on that moment of time in London.

The recording, captured live during the band's sold out Sheffield Hallam Arena show back in May, delivers a virtual greatest hits collection from both the Queen and Paul Rodgers song catalogues, mixing perennial crowd pleasers such as Queen's 'Tie Your Mother Down', 'Radio Ga Ga', 'We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions' with Rodgers' own million sellers 'Feel Like Makin' Love', 'Wishing Well' and 'All Right Now'. Here also for the first time we get we get live versions of some of the classic hits recorded after the band stopped performing in 1985 and consequently never before available on disc, among them 'The Show Must Go On', delivered in a scorching version by Rodgers.

The album serves also as a reminder of what fine stand-alone musicians and vocalists Brian May and Roger Taylor are.

Last update : 16-05-2008 08:54

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