• A. The Hectics
  • B. Smile
  • C. Blue Öyster Cult
  • D. Larry Lurex

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Think about the period before Freddie Mercury joined the group.

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B. Smile

The band Queen was originally called Smile before Freddie Mercury joined and changed the name to Queen. This name was chosen because it sounded grand and versatile. The Hectics was a band in which Freddie Mercury played earlier during his school days, Blue Öyster Cult is an American hard rock band, and Larry Lurex was a pseudonym used by Mercury as a solo artist.

📚 More background information

Smile was formed in 1968 by guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, with Tim Staffell as the singer and bassist. When Staffell left the band for another music group, Freddie Mercury joined them, changing the dynamic and the name of the band to Queen in 1970. Mercury felt that the name “Queen” was a powerful symbol that fit their image and ambitions.

Blue Öyster Cult and Larry Lurex often cause confusion. Blue Öyster Cult was another band from the same era, and Larry Lurex was a joke by Mercury, used when he recorded solo music. Queen continued to musically experiment and eventually grew to become one of the most iconic rock bands in history, fueled by hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You.”