Current News  QFN-22
==================================================================

Let Me Live

A postcard was mailed out to members by the fan club the
week before the UK release of 'Let Me Live'. The artwork is
a duotone print (black and green) like the artwork of the
first CD release, but without any text. The reverse of the
CD postcard lists the 2 CDs and the picture disc 7", along
with information about their track listings.

The artwork for the postcard and single CD looks is a
montage of seperate photographs of each member, John from
the Innuendo period, Brian from his solo tour, Freddie from
Barcelona, and Roger from his recent 'Happiness' tour.
Together it creates a new vision of Queen that would have
looked very strange would have appeared together in this
form on stage.

The first CD has the album version of the title track, plus
digital remasters of 'Fat Bottomed Girls', 'Bicycle Race'
and ' Don't Stop Me Now'. It's a picture CD (of the cover).

CD number two, by contrast, has a red cover (the first was
green) and includes a very early photograph on the cover
from 1973, similar to the shots on the rear of Queen's first
album, (although not one which was used). Photographs are by
Richard Puddifoot. The CD is a picture CD like the cover,
and the extra tracks are 'My Fairy King', 'Doin' Alright',
and Liar' which the cover tells us are taken from the
forthcoming album 'Queen At The BBC' (1973).

A 7" vinyl picture disc was/is (if you can find one!) also
commecially available in the UK for this release featuring
the blue photo montage of all 4 members assembled from
different periods, and as used on the one of the CD's. 

-------------------------------------------------------------

Brian has been involved in yet another charity single for
the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre. The song 'Reaching
Out' is performed by Rock Therapy which include Brian May,
Sam Brown, Andy Fairweather-Lowe, Lulu, Shara Nelson, Pure
Strings, Paul Rogers and Charlie Watts.

The single was released in the UK on the 15th July 1996
year, but failed to set the chart alight. The CD also
includes an acoustic and instrumental versions.

Rock Therapy performed the song on Top Of The Pops on
19/7/96

----------------------------------------------------------------

The BFI (British Film Institute) short films made to
accompany the 'Made In Heaven' album tracks (all except
'It's A Beautiful Day' and 'Made In Heaven') were sponsored
by Queen Productions who provided 500,000 for the eight
films. Hopefully the films will be released on home video
before the end of the year. They had their premiere at the
Cannes Film Festival with both Roger and Brian being
present. 

The details are:

Film     : Return Trip
Director : Bernhard Rudden
Time     : 7 minutes
Music    : Let Me Live

Film     : Mother Love
Director : Jim Gillespie
Time     : 6 minutes
Music    : Mother Love

Film     : O
Director : Nichola Bruce
Time     : 6 minutes
Music    : My Life Has Been saved

Film     : I Was Born To Love You
Director : Richard Heslop
Time     : 7 minutes
Music    : I Was Born To Love You

Film     : Evolution
Director : Simon Pummell
Time     : 5 minutes
Music    : Heaven For Everyone

Film     : Heart Ache
Director : Simon Pummell
Time     : 6minutes
Music    : Too Much Love Will Kill You

Film     : You Don't Fool Me
Director : Mark Szasy
Time     : 5 minutes
Music    : You Don't Fool Me

Film     : Outside In
Director : Chris Rodley
Time     : 6 minutes
Music    : A Winter's Tale

---------------------------------------------------------------

Rolf Harris the Australian singer (and cartoonist) has done
a cover version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. After his success
with Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven' last year he
obviously thought it was time for a follow-up.

He has been on various TV chat shows and says the song is a
serious tribute to "the genius of Freddie Mercury".

---------------------------------------------------------------

Freddie & Micheal Jackson recordings.

I was recently sent some information about the above
recordings and the original source on the Internet came from
someone who writes for the British Micheal Jackson Fan Club.

Don't ask for more as this is all I know, I quote:

"I just wondered if you all knew about the Micheal Jackson &
Freddie Mercury duet, which looks like it is about to
surface on a forthcoming album from The Jacksons. In 1983/4
Micheal recorded the song 'State Of Shock' with Freedie
before recording it with Mick Jagger. The Jagger version was
eventually released, but it is generally thought that
Micheal considered it 'second best' as his opinion of Jagger
was not very high, compared to his deep appreciation of
Freddie's voice.

Anyway, this track looks like it may appear on the
forthcoming album  from the Jacksons, possibly entitled
'Humanity', or 'Generations'. It is a reunion album, and
won't be released before the end of 1997. It features new
and rare recordings, as well as the sort of gem that this
version of 'State Of Shock' should be.

I personally cannot wait to hear a Jackson/Mercury duet. I
love Freddie Mercury. He was an incredible artist, not that
I need to tell you lot that!). Two such wonderful voices,
yet so different. It should be something worth hearing.

By the way my source for the above is from Mark Cowen who
now runs the official Janet Jackson fan club, but who used
to run the Jackson family fan club, and has very good
contact with all the siblings (bar Micheal of course who is
less accessible."

So there you have it Fred and Jacko. What a combination. I
knew this recording couldn't stay in the vaults forever.
I've also heard that Freddie and Micheal recorded a version
of the track 'Victory' which became the title-track of the
last Jacksons album, but I don't know if that's a certainty.
The above comes from a very good source though and it's
apity he didn't refer to it in some way.

---------------------------------------------------------------

More Phonecards

As reported in the last issue of QFN, 'P & J Promotions' are
to release two more Queen-related telephone cards. However,
after their third release of 'The Miracle' card (September
3rd), the sequence won't be following true album releases in
a backward direction as expected. Consequently the following
release will be 'Live Magic', (December 3rd) missing out
'Queen At The Beeb'.  

Again the cards will be limited to 5000 world-wide and come
in a full-colour presentation folder. The price is to remain
at 10 each plus postage.

Postage is as follows:
UK - 1.
Europe - 3.
Rest Of World - 3.50.

If you order more than one card (of the same release - ie
all 'The Miracle) and live outside the UK, then you must add
1 for each extra card. You must also order 'The Miracle'
and 'Live Magic' separately and write two cheques - one for
each release. Cheques can be post-dated and sent before the
release date. Cheques will not be presented to your bank
until near each release date.

There are still a small number of the 'Made In Heaven' and
'Innuendo' cards still available at the same prices as
above. Write with either an SAE (UK) or 2 IRC's (Elsewhere).
Cheques payable to:
                                          
P & J Promotions
PO Box 23
Shoreham-By-Sea
West Sussex
BN43 5EG

---------------------------------------------------------------

Pinochio
--------
Last issue I briefly mention Brian's involvement in a new
version of the old story of the wooden puppet Pinochio. I've
now discrovered that the film and it's soundtrack has
already been released in America, and is due for a British
release in October.

Brian was commisioned by Spencer Proffer, the supervising
producer of the film to create a piece of music for a major
secence of the film where Pinochio is forced by the bad guy
of the film (Lorenzini) to star in the puppet theatre. The
resulting piece 'Il Colosso' and the song composed by Brian
'What Are We Made Of?' is apparently wonderful according to
the fans who have heard it. Here Brian sings a duet with
Norwegian singer Sissel.

---------------------------------------------------------------

See What A Fool I've Been
-------------------------
There has been confusion in the past about the Queen track
'See What A Fool I've Been', as the duo Brownie McGee and
Sonny Terry also composed/sang a blues song with the same
title.

Recently I queried this with Jacky at the fan club who got
Brian to confirm that the Queen version is his original with
the same name, and not a cover of the Brownie McGee song.  

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Freddie Star
------------
The UK AIDS awareness group 'A Kind Of Magic' named a star
(in the sky) after Freddie on his 50th birthday (September
5th). The star is in the constellation Cassiopeia, but it's
more commonly refered to as 'The Queen'.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Last issue I mentioned Arthur Tonna (a Freddie look-a-like)
who attended and astounded many fans at the Convention. I
have since received a letter from his agent, who tells me
that Authur, who is from Malta, is a trained singer and was
hoping to do a solo spot at Southport - he had brought his
crown and cloak for the occassion.

Apparently Arthur is very famous in Malta, and opens
festivals, fashion shows etc. and has been featured in
magazine articles and on television. He was invited to the
'Made In Heaven' launch in Los Angeles, which tookmplace on
the 5th November at the Roxy in West Hollywood.

Authur's agent also tells me he is a very wealthy business
man (a millionaire I'm informed) and lives in a mansion in
sheer luxury. His ambition is to see inside Freddie's house
and garden in London. However, a newspaper cutting I was
sent by his agent lists him as a panel beater/sprayer, so
make of that what you will. 

Authur will be attending the Freddie birthday party, but if
he will be there as fan or performer is not known. 

---------------------------------------------------------------

Also on Freddie's birthday VH1, the TV station had a special
Freddie Mercury day and invited listeners to place requests.
I only discovered this fact (via the fan club answer machine
service) late at night, so I didn't see any of it, not that
I have satelite TV anyway.

I you can receive VH1, and saw any of this special, then be
sure to let QFN know what was on and how the day went. I was
actually too busy testing out my new mountain bike and
celebration Freddie's birthday at pubs along my route. No I
didn't actually go up any mountains!

________________________________________________________________

1/7/96 Official fan club answering machine Mr & Mrs Bulsara
are moving house, and want to sell some of Freddie's
personal belongings to raise money for the MPT. Items known
are a single bed and a HiFi. No values are known.

Sotherby's auction house in London auctioned Freddie's
Sivler Mercedes amongst other things on the 18th of
September.
________________________________________________________________

Kerrang honoured Queen in their 'Hall Of Fame' and were on
MTV on 12/7/96 interviewing Roger and Brian.
________________________________________________________________

END