Photo Courtesy of Queen Photos
Queen fans, rejoice! The classic rock band will be releasing a new album called Queen Forever that will feature unheard songs by legendary frontman and vocalist Freddie Mercury. Guitarist Brian May announced that the band has been piecing together tracks recorded in the mid 80’s by the late singer. “We had to start from scratch because we only had scraps,” May told BBC Radio Wales, “It is quite emotional, it is the big, big ballads and the big, big epic sound,”
What’s even more exciting are the rumors that the cd will contain a never before released duet between Mercury and the King of Pop himself Michael Jackson. This is very fitting considering Jackson’s recent posthumous album Xscape has been a wild success. Initially the Mercury/Jackson duet was to feature on Xscape, though lack of time prevented its inclusion. Should the duet be featured on Queen Forever it will be a landmark duet between two of the most powerful voices in music history.
Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in 1946 in Zanzibar (now Tanzania). After the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution forced him to flee to England, Mercury Earned a graphic design degree at the Ealing Art College (Mercury would later deign Queen’s crest). Following graduation Bulsara sang in a few odd bands before joining Brian May’s and Roger Taylor’s new band Smile. Soon after the band switched their name to Queen as Bulsara would change his surname to Mercury, having been allied b his nickname Freddie since elementary school.
With Queen, Mercury’s voice became one of the most celebrated in rock history. With songs like “Killer Queen”, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Are the Champions”, and “Somebody to Love” Queen solidified themselves as one of the most popular bands of the 70’s and 80’s. Tragically, rumors began to swirl in the late 80’s of Mercury’s HIV diagnosis and in November 24 1991 Mercury would die from Bronchial Pnneumonia resulting from AIDS, leaving behind a vast amount of mourning fans.
May is hoping for a summer 2014 release for the album. Coincding with this announcement is Queen’s first U.S. tour in eight years. Pop star Adam Lambert will travel with the band as lead vocalist, performing both his own songs and the classics of Queen. Tickets can be purchased at their website here.