Latest news with #Mr.BadGuy
Malay Mail
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
The llama that ended a legend: Why Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson's duet dreams died
NEW YORK, April 30 — Freddie Mercury ended a promising studio session with Michael Jackson after the King of Pop brought a pet llama into the recording room. The bizarre moment became the last straw for Mercury, who was working with Jackson on a series of potential duets in 1983, bassist Jo Burt told the New York Post. 'I think the last straw was when Michael brought his pet llama into the studio,' said Burt, who worked on Mercury's solo debut Mr. Bad Guy. Mercury immediately called Queen's manager Jim 'Miami' Beach for help, saying, 'Miami, dear, can you get over here? You've got to get me out of here, I'm recording with a llama,' as Beach recalled in the 2012 documentary Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender. The unlikely collaboration had brought two musical legends together, as Mercury took a break from Queen and Jackson was fresh off the success of Thriller. They recorded three songs — 'Victory,' 'State of Shock,' and 'There Must Be More to Life Than This' — at Jackson's home studio in Encino, California. Despite early excitement, none of the tracks were completed in time for Mercury's solo album Mr. Bad Guy, released 40 years ago on April 29, 1985. Mercury would later release a solo version of 'There Must Be More to Life Than This,' while Jackson recorded 'State of Shock' with Mick Jagger for Victory by The Jacksons. According to producer Reinhold Mack, Mr. Bad Guy gave Mercury the rare freedom to create without compromise, away from the usual pressures of Queen's group dynamic. 'He just did something he liked from the bottom of his heart ... what he wanted it to be,' Mack said, praising Mercury's unfiltered creative control.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
How Freddie Mercury distanced himself as he battled AIDS: He didn't want us to see him 'shrink and die'
Never one to shy away onstage, Freddie Mercury retreated from the world before succumbing to AIDS in 1991. Queen producer Reinhold Mack, who worked with the band from 1980's 'The Game' through 1987's 'A Kind of Magic,' recalls that the singer distanced himself as he was facing his private health crisis. This, despite the fact that Mercury was so close with Mack and his family that he was the godfather of the producer's son John Frederick — to whom he dedicated 'Made in Heaven' on his debut solo album, 'Mr. Bad Guy,' released 40 years ago on April 29, 1985. 5 Queen producer Reinhold Mack remembers Freddie Mercury as 'a really, really good table tennis player.' Getty Images 5 Producer Reinhold Mack started with Queen on 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' the band's first US No. 1 single. Getty Images 'From being at his house lots of times .. it gradually reduced to telephone calls,' Mack told The Post. 'He had such a big heart, he didn't want us to see him deteriorate … just basically shrink and die.' And even over the phone, Mercury protected him from the sad truth. 'You feel kind of totally stupid because you knew that he wasn't doing well,' said Mack. 'And he said, 'No, no, I'm doing fine.' I mean, he knew that we knew, so it was a little awkward.' Mack and his family had forged a special bond with the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' singer. 'I would say we were his substitute family, because, you know, he was with us in our house,' said Mack. 'He played table tennis — was actually a really, really good table tennis player. And he played soccer with the kids and swimming and all that. And he took us out, like at least twice a week, to any fancy restaurant he could find — you know, the entire family.' 5 Producer Reinhold Mack began working with Queen on 1980's 'The Game' album. Getty Images Mack hit the ground running with Mercury and Queen on 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' which became the British band's first No. 1 hit in the US in 1980. 'We had a couple of beers, went back to the studio, and he said he had an idea,' recalled Mack. 'He took a guitar and played the beginning of 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love.' And that's how that whole thing started.' That hit streak continued in 1980 with 'Another One Bites the Dust,' another chart-topper. 5 Freddie Mercury rocked London's Wembley Stadium with Queen at Live Aid 40 years ago in 1985. Redferns 5 Freddie Mercury dedicated 'Made in Heaven' on his debut solo album, 'Mr. Bad Guy,' to producer Reinhold Mack's son John Frederick. Hollywood Records 'Nobody really felt it working except John Deacon,' said Mack of the Queen bassist who wrote the song. 'l helped him out, making a drum loop and putting all these weird sounds on there. And when Freddie heard it, he said, 'Oh yeah, this is really great You know, this is right down in the club scene — and I like that.' ' With its disco-rock vibe taking Queen in more of a dance direction, 'Another One Bites the Dust' would inspire Mercury's solo turn on 'Mr. Bad Guy,' which Mack also produced. But had Mercury lived instead of his life being cut short at 45, Mack isn't so sure he would still be rocking us in his his 70s. 'You know, he mentioned that he wouldn't really do it when he was huffing and puffing onstage … running around in flimsy shirts and stuff,' he said, 'because, you know, getting old is always a chore. So I don't know how long he would have lasted.'
New York Post
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
How Freddie Mercury bonded with his ex-fiancée's new partner
Freddie Mercury wrote 'Love of My Life' — the ballad from Queen's classic 1975 album 'A Night at the Opera' — about Mary Austin, his girlfriend he met in 1969. And even after he came out as bisexual to his then-fiancée in the '70s, ending their romantic relationship, the two retained their special, loving bond. In fact, Mercury remained extremely close to Austin even after she found another partner in bassist Jo Burt. Advertisement 5 Freddie Mercury remained very close to former fiancée Mary Austin after he came out to her as bisexual in 1976. Getty Images 5 'It was an amazing thing to be asked to record with him,' said Jo Burt of working with Freddie Mercury on 'Mr. Bad Guy.' therealjoburt/X 'This was the great love of his life, in a sense,' Burt exclusively told The Post. 'I think he was quite lucky because I was the kind of guy who appreciated the love they had between them.' Advertisement Burt met Austin in 1981, five years after she had split up with Mercury. 'I'd been introduced to Mary, and she and I became partners for the next six years or so,' said Burt. Knowing Austin's history with Mercury, Burt was 'a bit nervous' about meeting the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' singer. 'Obviously, the initial introduction to him was pretty nerve-racking,' he said about meeting a 'cautious' Mercury. 'He was going to have to agree to somebody else taking over that part of his life.' But Mercury was won over by Burt, grateful that Austin had found a new love in her life. Advertisement 5 Freddie Mercury's former fiancée Mary Austin was with the Queen singer until the end when he died from AIDS in 1991. Getty Images 'He often said to me how pleased he was that she was happy and her life was expanding more than I think probably she expected,' said Burt. 'I never ever got between that friendship that they had. I understood it completely, and I think he appreciated that fact as well.' Indeed, Burt himself became 'very close' with Mercury as a result of their mutual love for Austin, who was with the Queen frontman until the very end when he died from AIDS in 1991 and inherited most of his fortune. 'I got to know Freddie really well, ' said Burt. 'I lived in the flat that he bought for [Austin], and I became very much part of his family. Advertisement 5 'I never ever got between that friendship that they had,' said Jo Burt of Freddie Mercury's relationship with Mary Austin. Alan Davidson / Shutterstock 'The rest of the guys in Queen, they each had their own sort of family situations, which they pretty much retired to when they weren't working,' he continued. 'And Freddie had his own, although not with a wife and kids. It really was quite a family affair.' Burt and Mercury also bonded over their music connection. 'Funny enough, I was being managed by John Reid, who also managed Freddie sometime before,' he said. 'And the fact that he was in the same business that I was … we understood each other.' Indeed, when Mercury set out to make his debut solo album 'Mr. Bad Guy' — which was released 40 years ago on April 29, 1985 — he recruited Burt to play fretless bass on 'Man Made Paradise.' 5 Jo Burt played fretless bass on Freddie Mercury's 1985 debut solo album, 'Mr. Bad Guy.' Hollywood Records 'It was an amazing thing to be asked to record with him,' said Burt. 'I played almost exclusively fretless bass by this time, and Freddie was quite intrigued by that. He used to joke that I've been ripped off because I didn't have any frets. 'But it was a fantastic situation to sit in the studio [across from Mercury], as opposed to across the dining room table. I'd love to say that I was second only to [Queen's] John Deacon as a bass player.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why a Llama Stopped Freddie Mercury from Finishing Duets with Michael Jackson
It appears a llama is to blame for why the world is missing a collaboration from Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. After Queen went on hiatus in 1983, the "We Will Rock You" hitmaker — who died from complications from AIDS at the age of 45 — connected with the King of Pop, who died of apparent cardiac arrest at the age of 50. The pair were fans of one another and, as Mercury wanted to pursue a dancier sound on his solo record, they decided to collaborate. Related: Prince's Feud with Michael Jackson: Clues into Why He Skipped the 'We Are the World' Recording 40 Years Ago They ended up heading to Jackson's studio in Encino, Calif. and working on three tracks — Victory,' 'State of Shock' and 'There Must Be More to Life Than This. However, none of them ever made the cut for Mercury's 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy. Instead, a solo rendition of 'There Must Be More to Life Than This' appeared on Mr Bad Guy, while 'State of Shock' ended up being a collaboration with Mick Jagger on the Jackson 5's 1984 album Victory. 'I think the last straw was when Michael brought his pet llama into the studio,' Jo Burt — who played bass on Mr. Bad Guy — told the New York Post. He added: 'I think Freddie sort of took umbrage to that.' According to the publication, Mercury tapped Queen's manager Jim 'Miami' Beach to get out of the situation. '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 said in the 2012 documentary Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender, per the New York Post. Mercury's album Mr. Bad Guy came at a time when he was looking for creative autonomy. Prior to his debut album, Mercury had recorded solo music under the pseudonym Larry Lurex in 1973 and later for the 1984 'Metropolis' soundtrack. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: The Unseen Freddie Mercury: Exploring the Private Man Behind the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Character Mercury only released one solo album — Mr. Bad Guy — however, he did release a 1988 collaborative album with opera singer Montserrat Caballé called Barcelona.'There Must Be More to Life Than This,' which he initially collaborated on with Jackson, was eventually featured on the 2014 compilation album Queen Forever. Read the original article on People
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
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.' Getty Images 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' Getty Images 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.' Getty Images 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. Getty Images 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. Getty Images '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.'
