Queen + Michael Jackson

A recent blog post (6/26) from Queen guitarist Brian May contains some interesting gems about the late Michael Jackson's connection with the band, and particularly its late lead vocalist and primary songwriter, Freddie Mercury, who died in 1991.

Among May's interesting revelations:

• Jackson was frequently in attendance during Queen's U.S. concert tours in the late '70s and early '80s
• After seeing them perform "Another One Bites The Dust" in concert, Jackson insisted that it should be released as a single
• Jackson and Mercury not only became friends, but recorded some tracks together (never released)

Okay, so I buried the lead. Can you imagine the musical and commercial impact of a collaboration between Mercury and Jackson? Whether those recordings might ever be released, is a big unknown.

May doesn't do much to clarify when he responds to a fan comment about bootlegs of the sessions that have surfaced on YouTube. "Ah yes. The 'music thieves' at work as usual. Well, there is much to be said about these 'leaked' tracks, but I'm not going to get into it right now."

Well, thanks anyway, Bri. Maybe later, okay?

^{Brian May photo by Getty Images}