Queen

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Queen
Origin	London, England
Genres	Rock
Years active	1970-present
Labels	EMI Records
Members
Current members	Adam Lambert (vocals) Brian May (guitar) Roger Taylor (drums)
Past members	Freddie Mercury (vocals) John Deacon (bass) Paul Rodgers (vocals)

Queen is a British rock band formed by Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. Michael Jackson was a big fan of the band in the 1980s.

History

Formed in London in 1970, the band comprised Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. From their early days playing small venues to headlining stadiums around the world, Queen's meteoric rise to fame is a testament to their unparalleled talent and creative vision.

Led by the charismatic and enigmatic Freddie Mercury, Queen quickly gained a reputation for their eclectic and genre-defying music, blending elements of rock, pop, opera, and glam. With Mercury's dynamic vocals, May's virtuosic guitar solos, Taylor's powerhouse drumming, and Deacon's melodic bass lines, Queen crafted a sound that was uniquely their own. Their groundbreaking albums, including "A Night at the Opera" and "News of the World," showcased their versatility and pushed the boundaries of rock music.

Queen's impact on popular culture extends far beyond their music, with their flamboyant stage presence, elaborate live performances, and iconic imagery captivating audiences around the world. From Mercury's mesmerizing live vocals to May's towering guitar riffs, Queen's concerts were legendary spectacles that showcased their unparalleled musicianship and showmanship. Their iconic anthem "Bohemian Rhapsody," with its operatic structure and groundbreaking music video, remains one of the best-selling singles of all time and a defining moment in rock history.

Despite the tragic loss of Freddie Mercury in 1991, Queen's legacy continues to thrive, with their music transcending generations and inspiring countless artists across genres. With hits like "We Will Rock You," "Somebody to Love," and "Don't Stop Me Now" still resonating with audiences today, Queen's status as rock royalty is firmly cemented. As they continue to enchant new generations of fans with their timeless music and electrifying performances,

Collaboration with Michael Jackson

"Another One Bites the Dust"

Jackson attended a couple of Queen's The Game Tour shows at The Forum, Los Angeles in 1980. During one of the shows in July, Michael met with the band backstage and had a chat with them. He suggested they release one of his favorite songs from their then-newest album, "Another One Bites the Dust" as a single, as he saw it as a potential hit.

It was written by John Deacon, who once explained he aimed for a disco-like sound, something the bassist always wanted to try. Only months prior, Jackson himself had released his debut album under Epic, Off the Wall, which also featured mainly disco tunes.

Initially, Queen, and especially Roger Taylor, didn't see the potential since "Another One Bites the Dust" strayed so much from their standard sound.

Michael Jackson with Freddie Mercury (1980)

“	We'd already had one number one from that album, The Game, and then we had another hit and I remember Michael Jackson saying, ‘You guys are mad if you don't release Another One Bites the Dust'. I remember saying, 'That will never be a hit.' How wrong can you be?	”
–Roger Taylor

"Another One Bites the Dust" was added to the tour's set list on August 17, 1980 and only five days later it was released as a single. It not only reached no. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but became Queen's best-selling single, selling 7 million copies.

Jackson & Mercury

Jackson would make another appearance backstage of Queen's September 15, 1982 show of the Hot Space Tour. Meanwhile, friendship between Jackson and Freddie Mercury began to grow, and in the following year the two hit the studio. Their collaborative sessions gave birth to "There Must Be More to Life Than This" - a song Mercury initially wrote for Hot Space but didn't make the cut, "State of Shock" - a new song Jackson wrote by himself, and finally "Victory" - an original song both Michael and Freddie wrote together that is to this day unreleased.

Unfortunately, none of the collaborations were finished and stayed unreleased for the time being. The official reason given by Mercury himself is scheduling issues, however his manager Jim Beach stated it was due to Mercury feeling uncomfortable from Michael's llama, Louie staying at the studio, having called Beach to ask him "can you get me out of here. I'm recording with a llama."

"There Must Be More to Life Than This" was released by Mercury on his 1985 debut solo album Mr. Bad Guy, and "State of Shock" made it on The Jacksons' 1984 Victory album as a collaboration with Mick Jagger.

Freddie spoke about his friendship with Jackson during a few interviews between 1983 and 1984. Since then, it has been unknown if the two stayed in contact up until Mercury's passing in 1991.

In a 1998 interview with GQ, Brian May spoke out referring to "a song that Freddie recorded with Michael Jackson" that the surviving band members "haven't worked out a way to complete it." This could hint at May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon having had considered releasing one of the three collaborations on Made in Heaven - Queen's final, 1995 album consisting of previously unreleased material. However, it is only an assumption, as there isn't any further evidence to support this theory.

Jackson & May

Michael Jackson with Brian May (1980)

Following Michael's death in 2009, May had also revealed overtime, that he was friends with Jackson as well, and praises his artistry.

“	I think he qualifies as a great artist; he devoted his whole body and soul to his art. […] I only hope he passed away in happiness, in great hopes and anticipation of his glorious comeback tour.	”
–Brian May, 2009

“	I remember spending time at airports with him, because sometimes when you’re on tour at the same time, you cross at certain points […] I remember Michael playing games with Jimmy, my son […] He was just someone we enjoyed having around.	”
–Brian May, 2014

"There Must Be More to Life Than This"

Queen Forever (2014)

In 2012, a version of "There Must Be More to Life Than This" featuring Jackson was included in a documentary regarding Freddie's life; The Great Pretender. This incarnation was much more stripped down and featured a guitar solo seemingly provided by Brian May himself, having an identical sound to that of his Red Special electric guitar. This sparked rumors of Queen and the Michael Jackson Estate working together in order to release the collaborations Michael and Freddie worked on. Finally, in 2014 Queen released "There Must Be More to Life Than This" on the Queen Forever compilation album, now being a much more rock oriented song. This version was created by William Orbit, whose mix was described by the band as "very much sounding like the band". Roger Taylor and May had also made their own mix, but it failed to make the cut due to disagreements with Jackson's Estate. Taylor had compared working with the Estate to "wading through glue". Reportedly, these issues had also led to the other two recordings ("State of Shock" and "Victory") staying unreleased.

Gallery

Michael Jackson with Freddie Mercury (1980)

Michael Jackson with Freddie Mercury (1980)

Michael Jackson with Freddie Mercury (1980)

The Jacksons with Freddie Mercury (1980)

Trivia

• As one may expect, Freddie was Michael's favorite member. In a 1983 Rolling Stone article, Jackson stated "I’m a Freddie Mercury fan". It is the only time he had publicly spoke about the band or its members.
• During an interview, Mercury revealed he was at one point supposed be featured on Thriller, but that it didn't work out.