Out this fall: Freddie Mercury & Michael Jackson duets

Michael Jackson spent time in the studio with Queen's Freddie Mercury, a collaboration that ended when the two had a falling out.

Three decades later, three of the duets they recorded in Jackson's Encino, Calif., home studio may finally be released.

Queen guitarist Brian May has been fleshing out the tunes with bandmate Roger Taylor and producer William Orbit. The Jackson estate granted May access to the 1983 tapes in 2011, and he's been tweaking since then, layering the demos with additional guitar lines and vocal harmonies.

"There are a few items in progress," May wrote on his blog, Bri's Soapbox. "We will have something for folks to hear in a couple of months' time, hopefully."

He describes the project as "exciting, challenging, emotionally taxing. But cool."

The tracks are likely to include new guitar solos from Brian May along with Queen-style vocal harmonies.

Great evening with @WilliamOrbit working with some Queen/Freddie/Michael Jackson tapes. Exciting, challenging, emotionally taxing. But cool.
— Dr. Brian May (@DrBrianMay) July 11, 2013

Freddie Mercury & Michael Jackson Duets To Be Officially Released...The Tracks Include New Guitar Solos From Brian May & Queen Vocal Harmonies.

Great evening with @WilliamOrbit working with some Queen/Freddie/Michael Jackson tapes. Exciting, challenging, emotionally taxing. But cool.
— Dr. Brian May (@DrBrianMay) July 11, 2013

Three previously unreleased Queen tracks featuring Freddie Mercury and guest appearances from Michael Jackson are likely to be released this year (2013), it has been revealed.

There had been plans in the Queen camp to put together a whole collection of various previously unreleased recordings featuring Mercury, though those plans have seemingly been dropped after Roger Taylor and Brian May decided there were not enough complete demo recordings to justify a full album.

However, it seems that the three collaborations with Jackson are suitable for a public airing, and it’s been reported that the tracks have now been cleared by the Jackson estate for release sometime under the Queen banner.

The tracks are likely to include new guitar solos from Brian May along with Queen-style vocal harmonies.

Writing on his blog in reply to a fan, May, 66, said: ‘There are a few items in progress. We will have something for folks to hear in a couple of months’ time, hopefully.’

Queen's Freddie Mercury backstage with the presence of Michael Jackson.

Queen and Adam Lambert to play Las Vegas iHeart Radio Festival

By: Lyndsey Parker

Adam Lambert may have just parted ways with RCA Records, but his career shows no signs of slowing down. Following last week's exciting news that he has joined the cast of "Glee," it's just been equally excitingly confirmed that he'll also be reuniting with Queen at the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas on September 20, for the first official scheduled "Queenbert" performance in the States.

Adam Lambert first memorably sang with Queen on the "American Idol" Season 8 finale in 2009, and he impressed Brian May and Roger Taylor so much that he was later invited to sing with them at the MTV Europe Video Music Awards when they received the Global Icon Award in 2011. That led to a string of high-profile overseas Queenbert concerts last summer, but there was no news of any Queen/Adam shows in America, despite popular demand — until now.

Queen and Adam will join an absolutely jaw-dropping A-list lineup that includes Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Muse, fun., Ke$ha, J. Cole, Miguel, Phoenix, and many more...

The iHeartRadio Festival will take place on September 20 and 21 at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

Queen, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson Collaborations To Be Released‎

Great evening with @WilliamOrbit working with some Queen/Freddie/Michael Jackson tapes. Exciting, challenging, emotionally taxing. But cool.
— Dr. Brian May (@DrBrianMay) July 11, 2013

Two previously unreleased Queen tracks featuring Freddie Mercury and guest appearances from Michael Jackson are likely to be released this year (2013), it has been revealed.

There had been plans in the Queen camp to put together a whole collection of various previously unreleased recordings featuring Mercury, though those plans have seemingly been dropped after Roger Taylor and Brian May decided there were not enough complete demo recordings to justify a full album.

However, it seems that the two collaborations with Jackson are suitable for a public airing, and it’s been reported that the tracks have now been cleared by the Jackson estate for release sometime under the Queen banner.

Queen's Freddie Mercury backstage with the presence of Michael Jackson.

 

THE QUEEN EXTRAVAGANZA TO VISIT UK FOR AUTUMN TOUR & TICKET DETAILS

By: Pollstar

The official tribute show masterminded by Queen’s Roger Taylor and Brian May will rock the United Kingdom in the fall. With stops including Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow and London, pre-sales and general onsales for The Queen Extravaganza launch this week

The state-of-the-art production features Marc Martel singing the songs made famous by Queen and its incredible frontman Freddie Mercury who passed away in 1991 at the way-too-young age of 45.

Martel, along with Jennifer Espinoza, were the two singers selected via a rigorous talent competition to perform in The Queen Extravaganza.   While Espinoza is appearing on the production’s North American dates, today’s announcement indicates only Martel will be on the U.K. tour.

Here’s the schedule starting with the tour’s Quebec City residency followed by stops in Canada and the U.S.  The new U.K. additions are bolded.

Quebec City, Quebec, Theatre Capitole : Aug. 6-7, 9-11, 13-14, 16-18, 20-21, 23-25, 27-28, 30-Sept. 1.

Canada & The U.S.
Sept. 3 – Ottawa, Ontario,  Canadian Tire Centre
Sept. 5 – Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
Sept. 6 – Moncton, New Brunswick, The Centre at Casino New Brunswick
Sept. 8 – Lebanon, New Hampshire, Lebanon Opera House
Sept. 9 – Red Bank, N.J., Count Basie Theatre
Sept. 10 – Niagara Falls, N.Y., Rapids Theatre
Sept. 11 – Morristown, N.J., Mayo Performing Arts Center
Sept. 13 – Bethlehem, Pa., Sands Bethlehem Event Center
Sept. 14 – Westbury, N.Y.,  NYCB Theatre At Westbury
Sept. 15 – New Bedford, Mass., Zeiterion Performing Arts Center

United Kingdom
Oct. 27 – Birmingham, O2 Academy Birmingham
Oct. 28 – Oxford, O2 Academy Oxford
Oct. 29 – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
Oct. 30 – O2 Academy Liverpool
Nov. 1 – Sheffield, O2 Academy Sheffield
Nov. 2 – Leicester, O2 Academy
Nov. 3 – Newcastle, O2 Academy Newcastle
Nov. 4 – Glasgow, ABC
Nov. 6 – London, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire

Pre-sales for the newly announced U.K. leg begin July 2 and general onsales launch July 5.  Visit QueenExtravaganza.com for more information.