The collaboration between Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor and former Free and Bad Company founding member songwriter/singer Paul Rodgers was cemented in late 2004 when May, Taylor and Rodgers performed in public together for the first time in November of that year, bringing the house to its feet at the first annual UK Music Hall of Fame Awards in London. On the night when Queen was inducted into the very first UK Music Hall of Fame, they served up a blistering cocktail of anthems “We Will Rock You” “We Are The Champions” and closed the show with “All Right Now”.“There was a natural chemistry between us when we performed together that night” said Rodgers. “The idea took hold for us to do something together after that, and the momentum took on a life of its own.”Roger Taylor noted: “Paul is one of the people who have influenced many great singers out there at the moment, and Freddie was a great fan of his. I always hoped we would tour again and Im thrilled were doing it. After all, its our profession. Its what we do and what were good at.” In 2005 Queen & Paul Rodgers undertook their first tour together, playing 32 sold out dates across Europe and the UK, ending with a spectacular and enthralling concert at London Hyde Park.The Independent in London reviewed: “All right now – even without their killer queen. There was a kind of magic in the air when Queen played their first concert since 1986…Rodgers gives good front-man…Queen remains a right royal treat.”“...a marvelous night that ranks as one of the gigs of the year,” added The Guardian newspaper in the U.K.Such was the success of the tour, Queen followed in spring 2006 with a 23-date tour of the
USA
and Canada and a handful of stadium dates in Japan.The tour was followed by the release of the live concert
DVD
and simultaneous CD release, “Return of the Champions” which became a No.1
DVD
in the UK. Now, with their first album recorded together in the pipeline – the first new studio album to carry the Queen name since the Freddie Mercury sessions – Queen & Paul Rodgers are heading back on the road for an extensive tour which will take them to 14 countries in seven weeks and take in concerts in Northern Eurasia, Central, Southern and Eastern Europe, and the UK.. It is expected to be followed by a highly anticipated return to South America, the setting of some of Queens most historic and record breaking tours in the early 80s.Their album, title yet to be disclosed, is being readied for release September 1, two weeks ahead of the start of the tour.The Queen & Paul Rodgers 28-date arena tour will take the band to Northern Eurasia, Central and Southern Europe, and the UK, and is expected to wind up at the end of the year with the bands return to South America, the setting of one of its most historic tours, in the early 80s.The tour kicks of mid-September in Russia with two dates at Moscows
SCO
Olympic Arena, and then follows a path through Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands before arriving in the UK early October for 6 dates including Londons 02 Arena on October 13. The UK dates see the band additionally play Nottingham, Glasgow, Cardiff and Birmingham with a final UK date at Liverpool Arena on October 18 before going on to Serbia, Hungary, Spain, and Austria for seven further dates.Tracks on the new Queen + Paul Rodgers album are all newly written by May, Taylor and Rodgers during the late 2007/ early 2008 recording sessions. Say Its Not True, previously released at the end of last year by Queen + Paul Rodgers as a special World Aids Day download for Nelson Mandelas 46664
HIV

AIDS
charity will be included, plus a first for a Queen album – a cover version. Queen was formed in 1971 and spent the next 20 years writing and recording such multi-platinum albums as News of the World, The Game (#1 for five weeks), A Night a