In the rich history of rock music, few names have shone as consistently as Queen. With a career spanning over five decades, the band is among the most famous of all time. During this period, Queen became the embodiment of the power of musical creativity and most of their songs remained at the top of the charts for weeks. They have created a kind of musical universe of their own, composed of a combination of hard rock, glam rock, pop, funk and opera, breaking down the boundaries between genres. Inspired by the 1991 Greatest Hits II album, Montblanc pays homage to one of Queen's most successful albums with the Great Characters Homage to Queen Special Edition. Echoing the striking color scheme of the Greatest Hits II double LP, the edition comes in dark blue with gold finish details. The four musicians behind the sound of this legendary compilation have gone down in history: Freddie Mercury, the charismatic frontman with a vocal range of several octaves and a rich vibrato; Brian May, the virtuoso guitarist with an unmistakable sound; John Deacon, the versatile and creative bassist; and Roger Taylor, the rhythmic heart of the band. As evidence of their musical virtuosity, which made the 1991 album one of the best-selling and best-known in the world, their "work tools" are subtly immortalized on the precious resin: microphone and bass on the cap; guitar and drums on the body. On their album Greatest Hits II the band presented a wide selection of their chart hits, from rock anthems to catchy pop songs, including iconic songs such as A Kind of Magic, classics such as Radio Ga Ga and The Show Must Go On, the electrifying I Want to Break Free or the poignant Under Pressure, a collaboration with David Bowie. In addition to Freddie Mercury's voice, the key to the band's special sound was Brian May's exceptional guitar talent. The writing instrument pays homage to him and his virtuosity through the shape of the tip. Designed after the distinctive volume and tone control knobs of his famous electric guitar, the cone features a delicate groove pattern, a small red dot and an engraving of the release date of the Greatest Hits II album. The crown worn by Mercury during the final performance of God Save The Queen inspired the silhouette of the Special Edition's cap top and is at the same time a metaphor for the majestic character of the band and its musical legacy. The gold-finish clip was designed to resemble a microphone stand, in reference to one of the hallmarks of Freddie Mercury's live performances.
