Roger Taylor's words are music to the ears of Queen enthusiasts everywhere: "Never say never" - the tantalising hint that one day the legendary rock band might take to the stage together again. For years, fans have been holding their breath, hoping against hope that the iconic foursome would reunite for another tour. And now, Taylor's enthusiastic endorsement has sparked a renewed sense of optimism.
Speaking to BBC Radio 2, the drummer confessed his love for performing live: "I love playing live. I enjoy it, always have." But he's quick to temper expectations, acknowledging that any future tour would be contingent on Brian May's willingness - and the bandmate's ambivalence is well-documented. The "big machine" of a large-scale tour may require some serious lubrication before it gets going.
Taylor made it clear that the final say rests with May: "It all depends on how he feels about it." However, Taylor himself seems up for it, declaring "So if we both wanna do it, I'd be happy to. But we'll see." He also gave a glowing endorsement of vocalist Adam Lambert, praising his "incredible voice" - and fans will recall the hitmaker has been touring with Queen for several years now.
The prospect of a Queen tour is always a tantalising one, but recent statements from May have complicated matters. He's spoken out about the US being a "dangerous place", while also ruling out headlining Glastonbury due to badger culling. And let's not forget his health issues - including a minor stroke last year that left him temporarily without control over one arm, which he described as a "wake-up call".
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their touring plans, Queen has been busy in other areas. May revealed last autumn that they'd been working on new material with Lambert, and even considered bringing their live show to The Sphere in Las Vegas - May was clearly intrigued by the innovative venue. And earlier this year, they released a previously unheard festive song, 'Not For Sale (Polar Bear)', over the Christmas period.
Meanwhile, Adam Lambert himself has stated that there's "nothing going on at the moment with Queen" - but fans can look forward to seeing Taylor perform live as part of his own UK tour later this year. His seventh solo album, 'Violence Insane In A Beautiful World', is set for release on 18 September.