Those memories might finally push May and drummer Roger Taylor back on the road for a new tour, with guest-star singers replacing the late Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1992. "We're getting closer to the idea," Taylor admitted.

"We wrestle with it daily," May said. "We don't want to go out and replace Freddie. It would be unseemly, and it wouldn't feel right. But if we can go out in some kind of partnership way, and have some special guests, we'd be up for it. We love Robbie Williams, who's quite a loose cannon but quite a phenomenal artist. George Michael, Elton. It would probably be more than one special guest."

May and Taylor warmed up to the idea even more after backing Pavarotti at his charity concert in Modena, Italy, last month. "The whole audience treated us a like it was 1986 and we were still something to scream and shout about," May said.

And last night at their induction into the Songwriters Hall, they played "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" with Wynonna Judd before May took the microphone for "We Will Rock You."