Barry Mitchell, Early Queen Bassist Who Played Before John Deacon, Has Died

Barry Mitchell, who played bass for Queen during their formative early days before John Deacon permanently joined the lineup, has died. Sources note his age was somewhere between 76 and 80.

Greg Brooks, the band’s official archivist, shared the news in a statement on Facebook. “Terribly sad news just received that early Queen bass player (circa 1970), Barry Mitchell, has passed away,” Brooks wrote. He added that Mitchell’s anecdotes at fan conventions were fascinating and offered rare insight.

Barry Mitchell Time With Queen in 1970 and 1971

Mitchell was not Queen’s original bass player. When the group formed in London in 1970, Mike Grose served as a founding member alongside Freddie Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor. After playing just three live performances, Grose quit and was succeeded by Mitchell.

During his tenure between August 1970 and January 1971, Mitchell performed 13 shows with the band. He later recalled playing a handful of concerts in England, notably in Liverpool, during a 2018 interview reported by NME. At that time, Mitchell noted, the group was not at all the cult band people know. He admitted he did not see the potential and was eventually fired, stating, “It’s crazy to say this now, but it’s the truth.”

Legacy and Post-Queen Projects

Following Mitchell’s departure in January 1971, Doug Bogie stepped in for two live shows before John Deacon took over. Queen eventually released their self-titled debut album in 1973, which featured two tracks — “Liar” and “Son and Daughter” — containing bass lines reportedly written by Mitchell.

After parting ways with Queen, Mitchell continued his music career playing in bands including Tiger, which was once known as Crushed Butler, and Jayne Raydio.