In a recent interview with Guitar World, he explained why the figure – similar to this one – means to much to him, saying: “I have one of the original robots… which stands about four feet high and holds the album cover. He’s quite a treasured relic, I must say. He’s even more treasured to me because I lost him.”
I will say that all the albums I've collected are still very much a part of my daily life. I love my vinyl. When I want to relax, I put vinyl on. I don't generally put CDs on. I think partly it's the feel, and it's partly the fact that you get a nice big sleeve where you can read and enjoy the pictures. And you get to physically touch this beautiful thing, treasure it, smell it, and put the needle on in a very physical way.
When asked if there was one piece of Queen memorabilia you've held onto that means the most to him, Brian answered:
Well, I have one of the original robots from News of the World, which stands about four feet high and holds the album cover. [Laughs]. He's quite a treasured relic, I must say. He's even more treasured to me because I lost him.
“What happened was I moved house, forgot that he was in the attic, and I left him, which caused me great upset. And then, I was able to come across one secondhand from a collector, and I kind of kid myself into thinking that he is the original guy that I had.
“I don't know if he is or not, but I tell myself that he's the original ‘Frank’ that I had in those days. I should mention that we call him Frank, and I'd say that he's the most meaningful piece that I have.”
This robot, also known as Frank, named after its designer Frank Kelly Freas. Measuring approximately 54 inches in height, nearly 140cm, this incredible rarity is made from silver coloured moulded plastic with hand-finished colouring and detail and it’s not well known, but each example is slightly different. The robot’s hands create a platform upon which the vinyl LPs can be displayed, held in place by a red wire-framed basket with antenna. (blog.e.com)
(Main Photo, Credit: Paul Hamer, Photoshop By Max Splendor)
