Honoring Queen's Early Sound
Barry Mitchell, Queen's Early Bassist Who Shaped Their Sound, Dies at Age Seventy
Key Points
Before John Deacon joined, Queen’s early bassists included Mike Grose, Barry Mitchell, and Doug Bogie, placing Mitchell in the trio of pre-Deacon bass players rather than a lone interim member.
Mitchell recalled in a Rolling Stone interview (2018) that the band played several England shows, notably in Liverpool, and filled sets with classic rock & roll because they didn’t yet have enough original songs.
His departure from Queen came after about 13 gigs; he joked that they fired him for being 'useless' but later said it was his own lack of enthusiasm for the band's music that steered him away.
Despite a brief tenure, Mitchell’s early bass lines and riffs left a mark on Queen’s sound and fed into the band’s later work, with references to his influence on tracks like Liar and Son And Daughter that future bassists would develop further.
Barry Mitchell, Queen's second bassist, has died at age 80, according to Greg Brooks, the band's official archivist. Mitchell joined Queen in August 1970 and played 13 gigs with the band before departing in January 1971, making way for John Deacon, who would anchor the classic lineup. Though his tenure lasted just five months, Mitchell's early bass lines helped shape Queen's formative sound during a pivotal chapter in rock history.
Fans and music outlets have paid tribute to Mitchell, with Queen legend Roger Taylor offering emotional remembrance of his former bandmate. Mitchell later reflected on his brief stint with the band, joking that they fired him for being "useless" but eventually admitting his own lack of enthusiasm steered him away. Despite leaving early, his influence on tracks like "Liar" and "Son and Daughter" remained evident in Queen's later work.
The Bass Player Before the Classic Lineup Solidified
Barry Mitchell was not Queen's only pre-Deacon bassist. According to reports, Mike Grose was the first bassist, followed by Mitchell in 1970, then Doug Bogie before John Deacon joined and cemented the legendary four-piece. Mitchell's five-month window placed him squarely in Queen's experimental phase, when the band was still finding its identity and musical direction.
During his short run, Mitchell played mostly classic rock and roll covers because Queen didn't yet have enough original material. A 2018 Rolling Stone interview revealed that Mitchell and the band performed several England shows, notably in Liverpool, where they filled sets with covers while developing their own sound.
From Queen to a Quiet Exit From Music
Mitchell's departure came after roughly 13 gigs. He later joked the band "fired him for being useless," but the truth was more straightforward: his own disinterest in their music pushed him out. Unlike John Deacon, who would dedicate decades to the role, Mitchell simply didn't see a future with the group and moved on to other pursuits.
After leaving Queen, Mitchell faded from the music spotlight for years. He briefly returned to performing in the 1990s with a band called Jayne Raydio, marking a small footnote in his post-Queen career. His early bass work, however, left traces in Queen's foundation that would echo through their classic era recordings.
A Lasting Mark on Queen's Sound
Though Mitchell played just 13 shows before exiting, music historians credit his early bass lines and riffs with shaping Queen's emerging identity. Songs like "Liar" and "Son and Daughter" bear the imprint of his contributions, influences that future bassist John Deacon would later build upon and refine as the band rose to international stardom.
At fan conventions and on social media, Mitchell became known for sharing warm anecdotes about his Queen days. Greg Brooks regularly highlighted Mitchell's stories at these gatherings, cementing his status as a bridge figure—brief but vital—between Queen's earliest experiments and the global phenomenon they would become.
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