Barry Mitchell, early Queen bassist, has died

Barry Mitchell, the second bassist for the legendary rock band Queen, has passed away. The news was confirmed by the band’s official archivist, Greg Brooks, via social media.

Mitchell played with Queen during their formative period between August 1970 and January 1971, performing in 13 concerts alongside founding members Freddie Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor. Although his tenure was brief, he is credited with contributing original bass lines and riffs to early tracks such as ‘Liar’ and ‘Son and Daughter.’

In a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone, Mitchell reflected on his departure from the group, admitting he did not see the band's future potential and was not sufficiently enthusiastic about their musical direction at the time. Following his time with Queen, he played with the proto-punk band Tiger (formerly Crushed Butler) and later rejoined the stage with Jayne Raydio in the 1990s. He is survived by two daughters.