Roger Taylor chooses his Tracks Of My Years all this week

Queen’s Roger Taylor picks his Tracks Of My Years this week, starting with Bill Haley and the Comets and Tina Turner.

Speaking ahead of the release of his brand new solo album ‘Violence Insane In A Beautiful World’ and his tour, Roger's ten-track journey starts with his childhood in Norfolk and then Cornwall where Rock and Roll changed his life. His first drum was a snare his dad found in a storage bin. Then it took years for the family to piece together a whole kit. He was in a band from a young age and he first sang lead vocals in a school band. He loved The Kinks and The Who and those bands were big influences on him. He tells the story of how he moved to University in London to study biology and met his Queen bandmate Brian May. Together they formed a band and then Freddie Mercury joined followed by bassist John Deacon and Queen was born. Roger talks about Queen starting out, performing, touring, missing Freddie, the weekend he spent in New York finishing Under Pressure with David Bowie and his solo work.

Plus, two listeners take on Vernon's mid-morning music quiz Ten to the Top and Vernon delves into the BBC archives for Vernon's Vault.

All amongst some great music to keep you smiling through the morning

Listen to Vernon’s full conversations with his guests for Tracks Of My Years on BBC Sounds, and watch on BBC iPlayer and Radio 2's YouTube channel, just search for 'Tracks Of My Years'.

A BBC Audio production for BBC Radio 2.