In October, Roger Taylor of Queen released his sixth solo studio album, Outsider. The album was well-received, debuting at number 3 on the UK charts, and offering a more personal perspective from Roger on themes such as love, regret, and politics.
One song in particular, titled “Gangsters Are Running This World,” draws attention for its reference to the rise of far-right political figures in the current political landscape. In an interview with Louder , Roger Taylor discusses the track and mentions Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro.
“It’s not even a politicized lyric, it’s just a statement of fact,” Taylor says. “It seems pretty obvious to me that a lot of gangsters are in charge of countries lately. And they’re nothing but gangsters… I’m talking about the Putins, the Bolsonaros, all those countries with terrible far-right dictators. They’re influencing our lives in so many ways.”
While Roger Taylor may feel comfortable making politically themed songs today, his past in Queen didn't approach the subject from the same perspective. He admits that his former band always tried to stay away from political issues, but that there is "freedom" in being able to express oneself individually.
“In Queen, we’ve always tried to be apolitical,” he says. “But when you have the freedom to express yourself as an individual, you can say whatever you want, and that’s what I’ve always tried to do.”
