Super rare collaborative recordings featuring legends Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury have been uncovered, and according to Queen guitarist Brian May we won’t have to wait too long before we can get these jams into our earholes.
The tracks never saw the light of day originally as the tensions between the two arose, but as neither are around to do anything about it now they’re being released. The tracks date from a period between 1981 and 1983, when the two were at the peaks of their respective careers, and although bootlegs have existed for some time this will be the first official release of the recordings.
According to May, 3 songs will be released within 2 months time – There Must Be More to Life Than This, State of Shock, and Victory. Fans will know that two of these tracks managed to see the light of day in different form, with State of Shock being re-recorded with Mick Jagger for The Jacksons’ album Victory and a solo version of There Must Be More To Life Than This finding its way onto Mercury’s Mr Bad Guy album.
As the story goes, the recording studio simply wasn’t big enough for two artists of this level and bad blood soon started to develop. Jacko apparently brought a Llama into the studio, walked it around like it ain’t no thang, to which Freddie responded by calling lawyer Jim “Miami” Beach requesting, “Miami, dear, can you get over here? You’ve got to get me out of here. I’m recording with a llama.”
Team Michael, for sure. The tracks are expected to arrive sometime around spring, which seems very appropriate for the occasion.
(Via Pigeons And Planes)
Listen: Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury – State Of Shock (bootleg)
