Recording album with Freddie Mercury as he was dying made Queen a 'family', says Brian May
Four years after the death of Freddie in November 1991, Queen released their 1995 album 'Made in Heaven'.
The record stands as a testament to the legendary singer's vocal and writing skills as well as his emotional last recordings.
The band knew Freddie was dying as they recorded the album in Montreux. They'd record when the singer came into the studio whenever he had the energy to do so.
Band members Brian May and Roger Taylor revealed in a powerful new interview how the heartwrenching experience made them a "family" and allowed the embattled frontman to forget his troubles for a couple of hours, Express reports.
Speaking to Mojo, May chose two of the album's tracks that count as his favorites.
"'Winter's Tale' was Freddie's last piece of songwriting. He knew he wouldn't have long and was singing about the beauty of the world. It's not maudlin at all," May recalled.
"After he died, I decided nobody else could touch it until Roger and I decided to bring it to a natural conclusion. 'Mother's Love' is the last utterances of Freddie in the studio. It's hard to describe what happened during those final days. All Fred's troubles were left outside the studio. We became an incredibly close-knit family."
After Freddie's demise, Taylor persuaded May to go ahead with creating the album.
"I was the one driving it, to begin with. Brian, particularly, was very reluctant," he told Mojo.
"But when we all heard Freddie's voice coming back at us from the control room, it made all the difference. Freddie wanted us to make as much music as we could while he was still alive. He didn't want us to stop."
'Made In Heaven' went on to become a major hit across the globe, and stayed at the Number 1 spot in the UK for several weeks.
Queen's stunning back catalog is touching new audiences after last year's blockbuster movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
The band is now launching another huge concert tour with their new frontman Adam Lambert.