Why Freddie Mercury never finished 3 duets with Michael Jackson — it involves a llama
When Freddie Mercury was looking to break free of Queen as his band went on hiatus in 1983, he turned to a King — King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
The two late music legends were mutual fans — Jackson even suggested that Queen release 'Another One Bites the Dust' as a single — and MJ was hot off of releasing his 'Thriller' blockbuster in 1982. Mercury wanted to move more in a dance direction, so they collaborated on three tracks at Jackson's home studio in Encino, California.
But none of this dynamic duo's duets — 'Victory,' 'State of Shock,' and 'There Must Be More to Life Than This' — were completed to make Mercury's debut solo album, 'Mr. Bad Guy,' which came out 40 years ago on April 29, 1985.
7 Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson collaborated on three tracks that were never finished for 'Mr. Bad Guy.'
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Blame it on Jackson's pet llama, Louie, who made a miffed Mercury bolt from their sessions.
'I think the last straw was when Michael brought his pet llama into the studio,' Jo Burt — who played fretless bass on 'Mr. Bad Guy' — exclusively told The Post. 'I think Freddie sort of took umbrage to that.'
Mercury called Queen manager Jim 'Miami' Beach to make his escape from the studio. 'Mercury rang me and said, 'Miami, dear, can you get over here? You've got to get me out of here, I'm recording with a llama,'' Beach recalled in the 2012 documentary 'Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender.'
Mercury would go on to release a solo version of 'There Must Be More to Life Than This' on 'Mr. Bad Guy,' and Jackson ended up recording 'State of Shock' with Mick Jagger for 1984's 'Victory,' his last album with his brothers.
It was all part of the creative freedom that Mercury was enjoying and experiencing for the first time on his debut solo project apart from Queen — with no compromises.
'He just did something he liked from the bottom of his heart … what he wanted it to be, without being talked into maybe a bit more guitars, or a bit more of this or more that,' said Reinhold Mack, who produced 'Mr. Bad Guy.' 'It was just like, 'This is it, this is how I want it.''
7 Freddie Mercury dedicated 'Mr. Bad Guy' to 'my cat Jerry — also Tom, Oscar and Tiffany, and all the cat lovers across the universe'
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Although Mercury had previously recorded two songs under the pseudonym Larry Lurex that were released in 1973 and contributed 'Love Kills' to the 1984 'Metropolis' soundtrack, 'Mr. Bad Guy' was his first true solo statement after taking Queen to killer heights with classics such as 'Somebody to Love,' 'We Are the Champions' and, of course, 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'
The LP was born out of a time when a splintered and squabbling Queen was on hiatus after 1982's 'Hot Space.'
'I think he just wanted to stretch his wings a little because there are a lot of compromises you have to make when you're with a band,' said Fred Mandel, who played keyboards on 'Mr. Bad Guy' after previously touring with Queen and working on 1984's 'The Works.' 'And I think he just wanted to do something where he could make his own decisions.'
7 Freddie Mercury was ready to take it to the dance floor on his debut solo album, 1985's 'Mr. Bad Guy.'
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Mercury wanted to explore more of the disco-rock groove of 1980's 'Another One Bites the Dust,' which continued on 'Hot Space,' but the rest of Queen wasn't having it.
'They didn't like that as a band too much,' said Mack, who first started working with Queen on 1980's 'The Game.'
'I think the 'Hot Space' album had started to take on this dance thing that he loved, and between him and Brian [May, Queen guitarist], the tension had stretched,' said Burt, who played on 'Man Made Paradise.'
7 'Leaving Queen was never really in the cards,' said Reinhold Mack, who produced Freddie Mercury's debut solo album.
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But living in Munich, Germany — where he was in a relationship with restauranteur Winnie Kirchberger — and exploring the gay club scene there, Mercury was ready to take it to the dance floor.
'I think that's pretty well documented that he was very much clubbing, hanging out in bars a lot,' said Burt, who was in a relationship with Mercury's former fiancée, Mary Austin, at the time.
'I mean, the whole dance scene, he liked a lot,' said Mack. 'He liked grooves and, you know, Michael Jackson. And he said, 'I hate him. I hate Prince, too. Because they are so good.' '
Curt Cress — who played drums on 'Mr. Bad Guy' — recalls that Mercury was insistent on making a clean break from Queen, so much so that he had him re-record Roger Taylor's part on the title track.
7 Freddie Mercury performed with Queen at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil in 1985.
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'It was a funny situation because I was playing on the song 'Mr. Bad Guy' because Roger Taylor played it already, and so they asked to wipe it off,' said Cress, who was recruited by Mack to work on the album.
'And so I played it again because Freddie didn't want to have a Queen album, so he didn't want to have the Queen guys on his record, but I said, 'I can't wipe it off, you know, because we have to ask Roger before.' But Roger said, 'No problem, just wipe it.''
Meanwhile, 'Made in Heaven' was a dedication to Mercury's godson, Mack's son John Frederick. The song would go on to become the title of the 1995 Queen album released after Mercury's 1991 death.
'I think the band, or the remaining people of the band, adopted it as their track,' said Mack.
7 Freddie Mercury rocked Live Aid with Queen just three months after releasing his debut solo album, 'Mr. Bad Guy.'
Redferns
Mercury also worked with Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck on 'Another Piece of My Heart,' another track that was never released on 'Mr. Bad Guy.' 'But it was great fun doing it,' said Mack.
Although Mercury would go on to release a collaborative album with opera singer Montserrat Caballé, 'Barcelona,' 'Mr. Bad Guy' would be his one and only solo LP.
One of his duets with Jackson, 'There Must Be More to Life Than This,' was eventually released on 2014's 'Queen Forever.'
7 Freddie Mercury dedicated the 'Mr. Bad Guy' track 'Made in Heaven' to his godson John Frederick Mack.
Redferns
While 'Mr. Bad Guy,' which Mercury dedicated to 'my cat Jerry — also Tom, Oscar and Tiffany, and all the cat lovers across the universe' — found the singer stretching out beyond Queen, it was never meant for him to split from the group that had made him a rock god.
In fact, just three months after the album was released, the band gave its iconic performance at Live Aid.
'I felt they were like four brothers, really,' said Mandel, who was playing in Elton John's band at the time. 'I think they just wanted some time off.'
'Leaving Queen was never really in the cards,' added Mack. 'But I think 'Mr. Bad Guy' still holds up. The album is good.'
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We'd get to the last chord, and we're all there with our headphones on and we'd hear him scream, 'Right the fuck on!' That's so inspiring for us musicians.' Tonight it's hard to tell how excited Wilson is about SMiLE, but he's definitely excited about dinner. 'They have an excellent salad here; I think you should get it,' he advises, then calls the waitress over and orders two iceberg-and-blue-cheese salads and two rib-eye steaks, medium rare. Wilson seems relaxed — or as relaxed as I've seen him in recent years — as he drinks beer and talks about his courtside seats to the Lakers playoff games and about his four-month-old adopted son, Dylan. (just saying Dylan's name makes Brian burst out laughing.) 'Life's better than it's been in the past twenty years,' he says. Still, he admits that he works hard to keep depression at bay. 'Every day I have an anxiety attack,' he says. 'I can't explain why. It just comes on.' 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- Chicago Tribune
Daily Horoscope for June 12, 2025
General Daily Insight for June 12, 2025 This is a day for active healing. Warrior Mars in Leo is making a rare trine to wounded Chiron in Aries at 1:10 am EDT. They're reminding us that if we want to leave behind old hurts, we must do the work ourselves and walk the talk, rather than just thinking about it. Meanwhile, the Moon in grounded Capricorn will trine Venus in sensual Taurus, reminding us to stop and smell the roses. Simultaneously, the lunar opposition to Mercury will encourage feelings-based communication. Aries March 21 – April 19 Let yourself play around a bit — especially if the trap of feeling as though you constantly need to act like the adult in every situation currently has you in its clutches. Listen to the call of joy from Mars in your fun-loving 5th house trining Chiron in your emphatic sign. Instead of holding yourself up to unfair or grueling expectations, go blow off some steam in whatever way sounds most entertaining. You deserve to relax without feeling so much pressure. Taurus April 20 – May 20 Dig deep if you want to see results today. A special trine between Mars in your emotional 4th house and Chiron in your healing 12th house is encouraging you to turn inwards and focus on any sensitive topics that have been weighing you down recently. This won't be about wallowing in them, but rather processing them in a way that reduces their continual weight on your psyche. When you give yourself the gift of letting go, you can experience a renewed sense of lightness. Gemini May 21 – June 20 Participate actively in your life today. A gorgeously social and open-minded aura is encouraging you to get out and about as Mars in your chatty 3rd house converses with careful Chiron in your group-oriented 11th house. Lots of fun can be had when you meet up with your preferred people. You might find even more satisfaction than usual in your connections. Plus, you could meet someone new or have a special experience that feels truly once-in-a-lifetime, so don't waste this by shutting yourself away. Cancer June 21 – July 22 The work you're currently doing carries special meaning. You can find an unusual sense of satisfaction as Mars in your productive 2nd house trines Chiron in your determined 10th house, knowing that you are beginning to see progress in the right direction. A VIP of some kind could provide you with a special bit of insight that further clarifies whatever's happening. Let this knowledge propel you toward the finish line. Don't worry about reaching it just yet, though — enjoy the journey while it's happening. Leo July 23 – August 22 Push yourself, Leo! It's time to force yourself out of any shells you've been hiding within as action planet Mars in your dynamic sign makes a potent trine to Chiron in your 9th House of Journeys. The universe is inviting you to step forward and spread your wings, because what you discover beyond your everyday routines and limitations could prove positively enlightening. Don't keep yourself stuck in a rut when there is adventure calling your name! Let them hear your roar. Virgo August 23 – September 22 It is time to let go of something with intent. A harmonious trine between energetic Mars in your 12th House of Finality and Chiron in your 8th House of Renovation is encouraging you to leave behind pieces that no longer fit your puzzle — and to be serious in those efforts. This is no time for being wishy-washy or holding on to things that merely seem comfortable. Comfort doesn't always equal happiness! By releasing something, you create space for a better future. Libra September 23 – October 22 Your connections matter, now more than ever. There is a special emphasis on aligning yourself with people who truly mean something to you as Mars in your outgoing 11th house trines Chiron in your relationship-focused 7th house. You can find an unusual amount of catharsis and comfort in these close partnerships, but don't forget that you can also provide those for someone else. Relationships are a two-way street, so be willing to go in both directions if you want to truly utilize this vibration. Scorpio October 23 – November 21 One step at a time is all it takes to reach your goals. You're likely raring to go with Mars propelling you forward from your 10th House of Business, though his gentle trine to Chiron in your routine 6th house is a reminder to avoid biting off more than you can chew. This isn't a warning — it's simply underlining the point that you're already capable. There's no need to try to do so much at once that you burn out in the process. Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 The world is full of pleasure waiting for you to come experience it. There is a downright magical trine between passionate Mars in your daring 9th house and Chiron in your joyful 5th house, making it more important than ever that you live life to the fullest. Consider it your cosmic assignment to discover new ways of experiencing pleasure and satisfaction. The new hobbies or connections you develop through this could enact lasting change for the better in your sphere of influence. Capricorn December 22 – January 19 Your emotions are profoundly powerful, now more than ever. Mars in your 8th House of Deep Bonding is making a supportive trine to Chiron in your 4th House of Foundations, encouraging you to go deep in your efforts to excavate old emotional baggage which ought to be released. It may not seem like a fun process, but when you dig deep within yourself, you may uncover amazing rewards. At minimum, future you should be grateful that you took the time to lighten your load! Aquarius January 20 – February 18 Communication is key to making things work right now. A special trine between Mars in your 7th House of Cooperation and Chiron in your 3rd House of Messages is putting an emphasis on being open and honest with people — and ensuring that they're doing the same with you. Most misunderstandings or previous hurts can be healed and put to rest under this alignment, so don't waste the chance to make everyone feel better (yourself included). Remember that healing often requires effort. Pisces February 19 – March 20 Knowing your value is of paramount importance. Red-hot Mars in your efficient 6th house is trining Chiron in your practical 2nd house, so you are going to be rather sensitive to anyone who isn't showing you proper respect or valuing your time. If you feel taken advantage of or overworked, you may feel the need to stand up for yourself and let everyone know you can't be pushed around. That is more than fine, but rehearse your words before you start addressing any inequalities.
