Queen: As It Began

I’ll admit, I approached *Queen: As It Began* with skepticism. After decades of documentaries, tribute bands, and *Wayne’s World* references, what’s left to say about Queen? Plenty, as it turns out—if you’re willing to ditch the rose-tinted glasses. Smith’s book is a masterclass in demystification, and Cooper’s narration sells it. His voice has this wonderful gravelly texture, like a veteran DJ who’s seen it all, and he leans into the book’s more absurd moments (Freddie’s pre-fame job selling secondhand clothes? Gold.) with just the right amount of cheek. The real revelation here is the band’s early struggles. The audiobook doesn’t just *tell* you Queen was an underdog story—it drops you into the middle of it, from their first disastrous gig at a college where the audience pelled them with coins to the label rejections that called them “too theatrical” (the horror!). My only critique? The middle act drags slightly during the technical deep-dives into recording sessions—unless you’re a gearhead, your mind might wander. And while Cooper’s performance is mostly stellar, his Freddie Mercury impression in quoted dialogue feels a touch overdone, veering into impression rather than interpretation. But these are minor quibbles. What lingers is the sheer *unlikeliness* of Queen’s success, and how this book makes you root for them all over again—not as legends, but as flawed, brilliant upstarts who refused to play by the rules. If you’ve ever wondered how a band this weird became this big, this is the audiobook that finally answers it.