Brian May ha mantenuto la promessa, riportando alla luce un brano inedito dall’archivio dei Queen. Durante uno speciale radiofonico trasmesso da Planet Rock, il chitarrista ha presentato per la prima volta l’inedito “Not For Sale (Polar Bear)”, una registrazione rimasta finora confinata tra i nastri d’epoca della band.
May ha spiegato che il brano risale al 1974, periodo cruciale in cui il gruppo lavorava prima a “Queen II” e successivamente a “Sheer Heart Attack”. “È una canzone molto vecchia, ma per quanto ne so questa versione non è mai stata ascoltata da nessuno”, ha raccontato il musicista, storico collaboratore di Freddie Mercury. Lo stesso May ha poi confermato che “Not For Sale (Polar Bear)” sarà inclusa in una futura ristampa di “Queen II”, prevista per il 2026.
Listen to "Not For Sale (Polar Bear)" below.
The track was recorded during the “Queen II” sessions but failed to make the album's final tracklist. Over the years only an unofficial version had circulated, credited to Smile, the pre-Queen band in which May himself played. Originally released on March 8, 1974, “Queen II” is universally regarded as a pivotal step in shaping the band's aesthetic and musical language. It's no coincidence that, on the occasion of its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the album was hailed as a true cornerstone in the British band's history.
Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.
This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by OndaRock Staff, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.