Brian May mentions "Made in Heaven 2" being worked on

rhyeking wrote:

In response to the question of the May 22nd, 1991, "Mother Love" date, a look at the dates known in 1991 shows that the band worked on the post-Innuendo material (the new tracks that appeared on Made In Heaven) in short periods separated by long periods away from the studio, likely times Freddie was unable to work due to treatments and his health. They apparently recorded material from the second week of January until sometime near the end of the month, then took a break (these sessions produced "Lost Opportunity"). Roger and Brian went to the US to promote Innuendo. They shot the "Slightly Mad" video in the middle of February and then broke again until the Spring. Meanwhile, Brian did more promotion in the US until at least mid-April and Rufus Taylor was born in March. The Cross worked on Blue Rock. The Spring return to the studio was for about four weeks (David Richards' estimate) and that aligns with the May 22nd date. They broke from the studio again shortly after, with Brian going to the US from May 28th (possibly earlier, accounting for travel time) to mid-June. While he was gone, on May 30th, Freddie, Roger and John shot their "Days Of Our Lives" performance footage for the video. In June, or thereabouts, the Summer Fan Club magazine notes that Queen were in the studio recently but have no firm plans to return. May 30th, the TATDOOL filming day, is likely near the end of that work period for Freddie. The next period of down time for the band saw Brian work on "Driven By You" and Back To The Light material (and on June 15th he shot his TATDOOL footage). The Autumn Fan Club mag has a letter from Roger noting the band had recorded 4 tracks earlier in the year. The Cross started promoting Blue Rock in September and toured in October, so by this point (by August actually, as they'd have to know that in order to schedule a tour) it seems clear that Queen were really not planning on working on anything for the rest of the year.

Great post, as usual. I would like to add that during the august-october period Brian was focused on the Expo Sevilla 92 show as well, while as you well say, Roger was promoting / touring with The Cross.

rhyeking wrote:

The Spring return to the studio was for about four weeks (David Richards' estimate) and that aligns with the May 22nd date.

... so you presume this is when Freddie's vocals for A Winter's Tale, You Don't Fool Me and Mother Love were recorded?

The Real Wizard wrote:

rhyeking wrote:

The Spring return to the studio was for about four weeks (David Richards' estimate) and that aligns with the May 22nd date.

... so you presume this is when Freddie's vocals for A Winter's Tale, You Don't Fool Me and Mother Love were recorded?

If I had to guess, yes, based on available evidence. "Mother Love" for sure (since it's on the tracking sheet DR shows and was left unfinished by Freddie). It's *possible* A Winter's Tale was worked on in January, too, (Winter, after all, and the last full song Freddie wrote, which *might* reflect the fact that he was in a bit better health in January as opposed to May, but pure speculation on my part).

It's interesting that they chose to release "Lost Opportunity" and not hold it for the next album, given they knew they were racing against the clock with Freddie's health. Maybe it's because Freddie doesn't sing on it himself that they chose to make it a b-side and to put it out.

Too bad it's not really Queen without John Deacon though. AHEM!!!

rhyeking wrote:

It's interesting that they chose to release "Lost Opportunity" and not hold it for the next album, given they knew they were racing against the clock with Freddie's health. Maybe it's because Freddie doesn't sing on it himself that they chose to make it a b-side and to put it out.

Going a bit further than Freddie not singing on it, it was one of the first completed songs. Maybe between its release and the next single release, the idea to record non-album B-sides was dropped and to record an album was introduced.

By all accounts, the decision to keep working so soon after Innuendo was completed (Nov. 26th, 1990) was Freddie's, famously saying "write me anything!" or words to that affect, so I think they were already in Record As Much As Freddie Can mode. That's my impression, anyway. The time from the end of November 1990 (finishing Innuendo) to the second week of January 1991 ("Lost Opportunity"/new album sessions) was probably another such down time for Freddie (treatment/health). Maybe they didn't consider LO good enough for an album, or because Freddie wasn't on it. Brian could probably answer that question.

They also didn't know *when* Freddie would get too sick to record, so at each session they probably were working under the hope that there was another session a couple months away. Imagine if Freddie had lived another year. They likely would've finished the album, or most of it. On the other hand, that Innuendo got finished and MIH was even started is no small feat! Innuendo might well have been like MIH, stitched together years later, if Freddie hadn't lasted as long as he did. Peter Freestone, I believe, has said Freddie was diagnosed (or at least knew something was wrong) in 1987. So in the next four years he was able to record "The Great Pretender" single, Barcelona, The Miracle, Innuendo and to start Made In Heaven, not to mention the pre-Barcelona solo demos. It really is impressive.

@rhyeking
Freddie himself knew that he is HIV positive in 1984 (sources Mary Austin and David Wigg) . In 1987 his status turned into full blown AIDS.

Well like the most sessions it was guitar bass and drums before Freddie put his vocals on it. Only MIH was a different story according to David Richards . So Johns lines are there for sure!

rhyeking wrote:

If I had to guess, yes, based on available evidence. "Mother Love" for sure (since it's on the tracking sheet DR shows and was left unfinished by Freddie).

22nd May could've been the date when they started the track, but they could've finished it (Fred-wise) much later.

May be they decided that in upcoming album better include several found tracks instead of works on another one album

For those of you old enough to remember....The Miracle sessions produced so many tracks that there was a proposal for a 'Alternative Miracle' LP.This idea was shelved to make way for 'Greatest Hits 2',which was initially to be released in 1990,for obvious reasons.Queen had signed a five album deal with EMI in 1983,so were obliged to come up with something.Freddie then decided to make Innuendo,and hits was scheduled for late '91.I have heard (as most have,on Youtube etc..) many of them and they could be worked in to something great.If Freddie's on it,then I'm in !

jrd1951 wrote:

For those of you old enough to remember....The Miracle sessions produced so many tracks that there was a proposal for a 'Alternative Miracle' LP.This idea was shelved to make way for 'Greatest Hits 2',which was initially to be released in 1990,for obvious reasons.Queen had signed a five album deal with EMI in 1983,so were obliged to come up with something.Freddie then decided to make Innuendo,and hits was scheduled for late '91.I have heard (as most have,on Youtube etc..) many of them and they could be worked in to something great.If Freddie's on it,then I'm in !

I think the mike read interview from 1989 has one of the guys, it migth even be Freddie, mention that they worked on something like 20 tracks for The Miracle

Interested to hear the track that Brian suggests people will have forgotten about and he's doing something different with. I wonder if it's a Queen single or a solo single.

Very positive news!

Supersonic_Man89 wrote:

Interested to hear the track that Brian suggests people will have forgotten about and he's doing something different with. I wonder if it's a Queen single or a solo single.

Very positive news!

Most likely "Let Me In Your Heart Again" that was recorded with Freddie but ultimately re recorded for the Anita Dobson album.

Pim Derks wrote:

On one hand I think it's incredibly sad to spent their creative energy on old stuff which was not deemed good enough 20-25 years ago. On the other hand, they worked magic on Made In Heaven - so why not do it again...?

I don't think it's about "not deemed good enough", so much as by the time a recording session had finished (The Game took 18 months remember), what was recorded at the very start and deemed excellent, no longer fitted in with what was recorded at the end of the sessions and so wasn't used.
I wonder how much "Jazz" like material was recorded at the start of "The Game Sessions" that didn't get used. Can you see "More Of That Jazz" ending up on "The Game"? Of course not.