Few musicians are missed more than the late Freddie Mercury, but his loyal fans have another chance to see the former Queen front man - well, almost - thanks to tribute act Queen on Fire. Lead singer Scott Maley talks to SIBA MATTI about the group strutting into The Beck this month

NOVEMBER 24, 1991 saw the life of one of British music's brightest stars - the flamboyant and utterly fabulous Freddie Mercury - cruelly snuffed out.

Since that fateful day, hundreds of tribute acts have attempted to capture the singer's unique voice and stage presence, but few can claim to be as convincing as Scott Maley.

Kid Gluvz was formed in the early 1990s to perform rock covers. The group's shows included songs that were a little out of the ordinary, and culminated in a 30-minute Queen medley. Audiences loved it so much that they demanded the songs be played in full.

This, combined with lead singer Scott's uncanny resemblance to Freddie, left the band in no doubt about which direction to follow, and they changed their name, first to Killer Queen and later to Queen on Fire.

Scott explains: "That time was almost like serving an apprenticeship. We were playing in working men's clubs and bars and trying to make a name for ourselves.

"After Freddie passed away, people went crazy for the Queen medley at the end of our sets. The rest of the band and I have always been huge fans and, after seeing their reaction, we knew the time was right for us to form Queen on Fire, which we hoped would be the ultimate tribute."

Scott, 39, who originally hails from Prestatyn, in north Wales, painstakingly listens to Queen records and watches videos to ensure his act is exactly like Freddie's - although sadly, he never got the chance to see his music hero in action.

He says: "I thought Queen would always be around, and if you missed one chance to see them perform live, you could just go another time. It never occurred to me that tragedy was around the corner.

"But I have always been determined to do the job properly and to get it right. Freddie had such a distinctive voice that it's crucial to get it absolutely spot on - fans just wouldn't take you seriously otherwise. We also get our costumes specially made from each era - we are meticulous simply because we are so passionate about what we do."

And this conscientious attitude, coupled with Scott's remarkably similar voice and appearance to Freddie, has transformed the group into a bona fide rock act, now widely regarded as the number one Queen tribute band.

For the past 10 years, Queen on Fire has topped the bill at prestigious venues, including major theatres, concert halls and festivals throughout the UK, Europe and Asia.

"One of the highlights for us was playing at the Hard Rock Café and headlining at the Suntec City Convention Centre, both in Singapore," Scott remembers.

"We fell in love with the country and its people - they made us feel so welcome and really pampered us, as there are so few tribute bands in that part of the world. Having said that, a 16-hour flight is really draining and it takes quite a few days to get over that.

"Some of our best gigs have been right here in the UK and we often see British fans who have followed us on tour. But it doesn't really matter where we play - as long as the audience is enthusiastic and sings along, we feed off their energy, and that makes for a great show."

So what can audiences expect to see when Queen on Fire visit The Beck?

"We always sing We Are The Champions, We Will Rock You and Bohemian Rhapsody - that's what people come to hear. Other than that, we enjoy all the songs and don't really have favourites.

"We are always working on perfecting new songs and there might be a few surprises for fans at The Beck,"

Scott reveals. "Most importantly, people need to remember it's a rock show - it won't be an evening of tiptoeing around in the tulips."

Despite imitating one of music's most salacious and outlandish characters, Scott, who now lives in Warsall, Bloxwich, remains unusually grounded.

"When we are on stage, our priority is to do everything exactly the same as the originals, but we don't exactly lead a rock 'n' roll lifestyle aside from that," Scott admits. "We have all reached the age where we are more concerned about keeping fit and prefer a cup of tea to than a stiff drink. Touring is hard work! Having said that, we have no plans to ever stop paying our respects to Queen. In our eyes, no one will ever come close to what they achieved.

They were and always will be the best band in the world."

* Queen on Fire are at the Beck Theatre, Hayes, on Thursday, March 26, at 7.30pm. Tickets £15. Call the box office on 020 8561 8371 or see www. becktheatre.org.uk.