Prepare your ears for the release of duets from Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury later this year. According to Anita Dobson’s husband, Brian May, people will be able to hear the tracks in about two months’ time. The duo recorded a number of songs together in 1983, but had to cut short their studio time after Jackson brought in an actual llama.
To whet your appetite for the release of these historic recordings we have a World of Yeah celebrity news unit showbiz exclusive. Here, exclusively, we have an exclusive interview with that very llama, Colin.
Hello Colin. Thanks for joining us.
It’s a pleasure. I’m a huge fan of the show.
Thirty years ago you were working with Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury. Two legends in pop. What was that like?
A delight from start to finish. Both of them were absolute gents.
How did you meet?
It was a party at Su Pollard’s house. You can always rely on dear Su for a good spread. I’d been hogging the buffet with Paul Shane, you know egging him on to see how many pickled onions he could fit into his mouth when I heard this tiny polite cough. I turned round and who should it be but the young one from off of the Jackson’s 5 trying to get to the cheese and pineapple on a stick. Paul almost choked. I had to hit him on the back with a good old hoof, which caused mushed pickled onion to fly all over Michael. I mean…what could you do? Su was a diamond. She got him a dressing gown and put his shirt in the twin tub. And then we just spent the rest of the night chatting, he about his music, me about the guard behaviour of llamas and our use in modern farming to protect livestock.
And from this chance meeting over Su Pollard’s buffet, you were invited to join Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury in the studio?
Yes. I was thrilled. When I met Freddie I told him as much. Love you work Freddie, I said, especially that Bohemian’s Rhapsody one you did. A bit long but good nevertheless. He smiled with those teeth of his.
It’s said that recording stopped, and I apologise for bringing this up, because you were disruptive. Is there any truth to that rumour?
A misunderstanding. Llamas, and I’m no exception, are fiercely protective. Dear Michael and Freddie are singing away, you know like they would, when all of a sudden my camelid instincts flare up. Freddie looks like he’s going for Michael, of whom I’d grown very fond, and I’m afraid I see red. I burst into the studio. The producer’s going absolutely ape defecation crazy and I put myself between Michael and Freddie, spitting away. Trying, or so I think, to protect my friend. Well, it takes some for the shouting to clear. Things were said, you know, and I end up at Paul Shane’s house, snacking on pickled onions and waiting to hear from Michael. Eventually he calls, all very understanding, and explains Freddie wasn’t trying to attack him it was just a case of over exuberant jazz hands. Years later we could laugh about it, but at the time I was mortified.
And was that the end of you studio pop career?
Not quite. I did the odd job, off and on. You know doing backing vocals for the Sugarbabes, stuff like that.
Colin thank you ever so much for talking to us today. And if you want to hear things like this why not tune in to Paul Stacey's breakfast show on a Friday on Erewash Sound. 96.8fm or www.erewashsound.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment