Queen were an English rock band originally consisting of four members: vocalist
Freddie Mercury, guitarist
Brian May, bass guitarist
John Deacon, and drummer
Roger Taylor. The band formed in London in 1970 after May and Taylor's former band
Smile split after having released an album and single. Freddie replaced lead vocalist
Tim Staffell, after the latter's departure from the original trio. There was much deliberation as to what the band's name would be. May and Taylor had settled upon the Grand Dance, derived from a C.S. Lewis Trilogy of books Out Of The Silent Planet.