Shortly after we left for home last night, news arrived in our inbox that Queen had finally found a replacement for the surely irreplaceable Paul Rodgers and chosen the gender-bending American Idol star Adam Lambert to handle vocal duties for a headline set at Sonisphere, in Knebworth, this August. Oh joy of f***ing joys.

Queen and Mr Lambert will be appearing at the festival on Saturday July 7, with tickets for the event (which also features Evanescence, The Darkness, Marilyn Manson, Andrew WK and Mastodon) on sale this Thursday (23 Feb) from www.sonisphere.co.uk.

Now here’s the thing. While we’re sure the dedicated, passionate and beautiful Glamberts and Lambrits will be over the moon at this news, and those of you happy to shell out the best part of a hundred quid to watch two of your favourite old band churn through the hits yet again will also be looking forward to the summer, the rest of us are left thinking, “Jeez, it’s really time to let it go now lads”.

Here’s Brian May’s take on the matter:

“Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy. It's a worthy challenge for us, and I'm sure Adam would meet with Freddie's approval!”

Well maybe he would. We'll never know. But for perspective, imagine Paul & Ringo performing as The Beatles with Olly Murs on vocals, and them saying: "I think this is something John Lennon would've approved of". You'd spit in their faces with rightful disgust.

Now I've no doubt they miss their friend and collaborator. And for that they have my deepest sympathy. It sucks to lose someone you love.

But for the last 20 years, Brian and Roger have systematically sought to perpetuate the myth that Freddie was a genius, bordering on sainthood. Then invoked his name as a justification for every moneygrubbing, fevered ego-wank that TWO MEMBERS of the band want to indulge in.

And we all know what Freddie approved of when he was alive: defying the cultural boycott to play to largely white audiences in Sun City during the height of the struggles against South African apartheid. Making him a tosser of the highest order, regardless of his musical abilities. Under the circumstances I don't think the after-life opinions of that particular rotted corpse are of any value.

They’ve never really topped that collaboration with 5ive.