Queen and bombast go together like chocolate and peanut butter, so it's no surprise to hear that Adam Lambert, American Idol's flamboyant runner-up, is being talked up as a possible frontman for the veteran rock band.
"[Drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point," guitarist Brian May said of Lambert. "It's not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn't that easy. But I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there."
Queen has been without a permanent frontman since Freddy Mercury died in 1991. The band recently ended their four-year partnership ex-Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers.
To many, Rodgers, a no-nonsense, gutsy blues vocalist, always seemed like a strange fit for Queen. Lambert's over-the-top glam-rock stylings seem better suited for the Night At The Opera titans.
"I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there" Brian May on American Idol's Adam Lambert
Gene Simmons isn't entirely convinced
But while May was effusive in his praise for Lambert, KISS' Gene Simmons had his doubts:
"Respectfully, I don't think Adam is a rock singer," Simmons wrote recently on his website. "He sounds much more convincing singing ballads and Broadway shows."
Brian May had the last word on the subject, stating that "If you have enough talent and enough will to succeed, you will get there by whatever route presents itself. Once you have scaled the castle walls, with the sword in your hand, it matters little how you got there. I've not always been positive about shows like this but there is no doubt that it offers a door to some real genuine talent along the way."
Will Lambert rock May - and the world - as a member of Queen? Stay tuned.
