Roger Taylor: A brief biography

Born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, in 1949 and raised in Cornwall, Roger Taylor started out on the ukulele and guitar before moving to drums in his early teens. By 1966, he was both drummer and lead singer for Cornish band The Reaction.

Taylor moved to London in 1967 and formed Smile with Brian May the following year. In 1971, Freddie Mercury and John Deacon came along, and Queen was born. 

Taylor’s influences are broad, with artists like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, and The Who helping to shape Queen as their music expanded beyond its early hard-rock foundations. He’s also a songwriter and contributed to every Queen studio album. His work includes “I’m in Love with My Car”, “Radio Ga Ga”, “A Kind of Magic”, and “These Are the Days of Our Lives”. 

Beyond Queen, Taylor released music with his band, The Cross, and has produced solo material. He isn’t just a drummer; his whole musical identity encompasses vocals, songwriting, keyboards, and production. 

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Roger Meddows Taylor’s drum setup 

Throughout his career, Taylor has used a wide range of kits, with his equipment evolving alongside Queen’s music. His first was a humble Ajax setup bought by his father, consisting of a bass drum, snare, tom, and Zildjian cymbal, with a hi-hat added later. 

By the late ’60s, Taylor was playing Ludwig drums with Smile. His setup already featured characteristics that would follow him throughout his career: a 26” x 14” bass drum, 12” rack tom, 16” and 20” floor toms, 15” Zildjian hi-hats, and two crashes. 

Ludwig remained central during Queen’s early years. For the Queen and Queen II tours, Taylor paired another 26” x 14” kick with a 13” rack tom, and 16” and 18” floor toms. His cymbals mixed Zildjian Avedis with Paiste Formula 602 crashes. 

Hardware-wise, during the early Queen days, Taylor mostly matched the hardware to the kit, using Ludwig stands and mounts. But he hasn’t always exclusively used Ludwig. On later tours, he used Rogers, DW, and Tama stands.  He also favoured the Ludwig Speed King bass drum pedal, a hugely popular design among professional rock drummers of the period. 

By the Sheer Heart Attack and A Night at the Opera tours, his signature setup was taking shape. The six-piece Ludwig kit used a two-up, two-down configuration, including a 14” Meazzi floor tom converted for rack mounting.

Taylor expanded his sonic palette with seven cymbals and a huge 60” Paiste Symphonic gong to deliver the dramatic final hit during live performances of “Bohemian Rhapsody”. For a more compact option, check out the Paiste 38” Symphonic Gong.

During this period, he used Ginger Baker drumsticks but struggled to get consistent stock of them while touring the US, so when supplies ran out, he switched to Premier sticks instead. 

As Queen’s sound developed, so did Taylor’s percussion setup, expanding with concert toms, Ludwig timpani, and electronic percussion. By the early ’80s, he had made Ludwig Classic Maple drums central to his setup. For the Hot Space tour, he played a distinctive chrome Ludwig kit with a 26” kick, three rack toms, two floor toms, RotoToms, and Simmons electronic drums. 

Although Taylor primarily endorsed Ludwig during this time, there were a few occasions where he strayed from his tradition. For 1986’s Magic Tour, Taylor switched to a Yamaha 9000 Series Recording Custom, with a 24” kick, three rack toms, and two floor toms. He also included Roland Octapads to add electronic sounds to the set. His cymbals included a 20” K Custom Dark Crash, K China, and Zildjian Z crashes.  

Taylor returned to Ludwig during the Miracle era. Most notably, the “I Want It All” music video featured a chrome-wrapped kit with two 26” x 16” bass drums, making it visually distinct from his usual single-kick setups. For Innuendo, he used a natural-maple Ludwig kit before later experimenting with Sleishman drums. 

By 2008, Taylor had moved towards DW Collector’s Series drums, which he still uses today. His Exotic Birdseye kit returned to his familiar 26” bass drum with a more compact two-up, two-down configuration. A DW Drums Performance Series kit is a great modern alternative. 

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Legacy and influence 

Roger Taylor’s legacy extends beyond his powerful, arena-filling drumming. His high backing vocals became an important part of Queen’s harmonies, while his playing provided the rhythmic foundation for songs such as “I’m In Love With My Car” and “Another One Bites the Dust”. 

His songwriting was equally important. Taylor wrote Queen favourites including “Radio Ga Ga”, “A Kind of Magic”, and “These Are the Days of Our Lives”. He was also the first member of Queen to pursue a solo career, releasing “I Wanna Testify” in 1977 before Fun in Space and his later work with The Cross. 

Like many people, I grew up listening to Queen, but Roger Taylor took on a different significance when I started drumming myself. I admired how he could serve the song without disappearing into it. His parts could be direct and uncomplicated while still becoming central to the music. “We Will Rock You” captures that approach perfectly. 

That idea continues to influence my approach to music as I develop as an artist. Taylor shows that great drumming isn’t simply about technique. It’s knowing what a song needs and communicating with an audience. 

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FAQs 

Is Roger Taylor a good drummer? 

Roger Taylor is a highly accomplished and influential drummer. His powerful sound, precise timing, and distinctive fills became central to Queen’s music. He also combines technically demanding drumming with backing and lead vocals.  

Are Brian May and Roger Taylor still friends? 

Brian May and Roger Taylor are still friends and close collaborators. May has described their relationship as being like brothers, while Taylor said in 2026 that they live near each other and regularly talk about possible future Queen projects.  

Did Roger Taylor write any Queen songs? 

Roger Taylor did write many Queen songs throughout the band’s career. His compositions include major hits such as “Radio Ga Ga,” “A Kind of Magic”, and “These Are the Days of Our Lives,” alongside fan favourites including “I’m in Love with My Car.”  

Final thoughts  

Roger Taylor’s drum sound has changed considerably throughout Queen’s career, shaped by different kits, snare drums, cymbals, and recording approaches. Looking at Roger Taylor’s drums over the years shows how he adapted his equipment to suit the band’s changing sound, both on stage and in the studio. 

Rather than relying on one defining piece of equipment, Taylor adapted his setup to suit different musical needs, technologies, and personal preferences throughout his career. If you’re choosing similar gear yourself, Taylor’s setups provide a useful reference point. From there, consider your own playing style, budget and the sound you want to achieve.