In a letter to The Times - published on Saturday, May 5 - Beach remembered EMI Records under private equity and how he felt it was to the detriment of the bands housed there at the time.

"Today's music business is very different to that of 40 years ago, when the band I represent, Queen, began its career with EMI Records," he said. "Then the company was a hugely influential creative force in the UK and overseas. It gave us ...