Previously unreleased first live album finally surfaces after 40 year wait.

Sunday 31st March 1974 is a landmark date in the history of rock music. It is now celebrated in the multi format release of a rare recording made at legendary London venue The Rainbow, of a concert by a then up-and-coming band called Queen. Few who turned up for that iconic performance could have predicted they would go on to become arguably the world’s best and most successful rock group, although many more may have suspected it after this stunning show.

Among the unique material contained in this release are over a dozen tracks never previously released on any official Queen live album. The release will come in CD, Vinyl and standard DVD or SD Blu-Ray formats available as standard releases or special limited edition sets as well as digital formats.

The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, (from Queen II) was inspired by a painting by Richard Dadd (1817-1886) which now hangs in the Tate Gallery, having been donated to the gallery by war poet Siegfried Sassoon. The song is by far the most significant song on the Rainbow project in terms of rarity. The March 31st show was the last time Queen performed it in concert and this is the only known live recording of the song. The track’s appearance on this package is likely to be the biggest surprise on the set.

Great King Rat and Modern Times Rock’n’Roll (from the first album), See What A Fool I’ve Been (the non-album B-side of Seven Seas of Rhye) and Flick of the Wrist (from Sheer Heart Attack), are also included on an official Queen live product for the first time.

The November show was released in part (not full) on the 1992 VHS, part of the little-known Box of Tricks package, but the March show has never been officially released.

On the 1992 VHS Liar and Keep Yourself Alive (from first album), Father To Son (from Queen II) and Jailhouse Rock only featured in part, whereas now on Queen: Live at the Rainbow ’74 they are full versions for the first time. Modern Times Rock’n’Roll, Flick Of The Wrist, Seven Seas of Rhye and Big Spender (all from November) were NOT on the VHS video, so this is the first time they have emerged.

The following 15 songs from March and November Rainbow 1974 concerts have never appeared on any official Queen live album before (this excludes video): Procession, Father to Son, Ogre Battle, Son and Daughter, White Queen, Great King Rat, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, Modern Times Rock’n’Roll, Liar, See What A Fool I’ve Been, Flick of the Wrist, In the Lap of the Gods (not to be confused with In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited), The March of the Black Queen, Bring Back that Leroy Brown and Stone Cold Crazy.