Biography

Tim Staffell was the lead singer and bassist of the now legendary late sixties rock trio Smile, alongside guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. When he left to pursue other musical projects in 1970, his college friend Freddie Bulsara took his place as lead singer. The band changed their name to Queen and Bulsara changed his surname to Freddie Mercury. The 2018 biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ depicts this chapter of Queen’s history, portraying a gig where Smile performs ‘Doin’ All Right’, which Staffell co-wrote with May (and was also recorded with Mercury for Queen’s first album). Staffell supplied new vocals and bass parts for the movie and official soundtrack: ‘Doing All Right - ...Revisited’. Staffell has continued to write and and perform original music in the decades since he left Smile, collaborating with luminaries such as drummer Colin Peterson (Bee Gees), keyboardist and composer Morgan Fisher, guitarist Snowy White and Chaz Jankel (Ian Dury & The Blockheads). His later songwriting style and sound show a kinship with transatlantic songwriters like Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Daryl Hall & John Oates, The Crusaders or Stevie Wonder. His second solo album, ‘Two Late’, was released in the same week as the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ film; it joins his earlier work ‘aMIGO’ which contained guest performances by May, White and Fisher, among others. Tim's third solo album 'Wayward Child' will be released in 2023.