“It's the perfect theatrical epitaph for a life dedicated to gorgeous artifice.” Entertainment Weekly

Queen's 15th studio album was also, tragically, their last with Freddie.

Following his death in November 1991, John, Roger and Brian spent the next four years working sporadically on a new project with the vocal recordings left behind by Freddie. It was a difficult and enormously challenging process on many levels, unprecedented in terms of personal anguish, but when Made In Heaven emerged it quickly established itself as one of Queen's finest and most accomplished pieces of work.

Made In Heaven was recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux Switzerland and was produced by Queen. It was co-produced and engineered by David Richards, with assistance from Justin Shirley-Smith and Joshua J. Macrae. The album title dates back to a track on Freddie's first solo album in 1985, which the band had reworked for this project.

Despite being told by his doctors in 1989 that he might not be around long enough to finish The Miracle, Freddie did finish it, and indeed he completed the next project too, Innuendo, in 1991. His health and physical condition were severely compromised throughout the sessions, but through innumerable difficulties, he remained focused and determined to record more and more vocals until he could record no more. It was his wish that wherever possible, and particularly in terms of work, that things carry on as normal. The first half of 1991 saw an unusual period of recording like no other in the band's career, governed largely by Freddie and his failing health.

Brian: “By the time we were recording these tracks we'd had the discussions and knew that we were totally on borrowed time. So our plan was to just make full use of Freddie as much as possible. We basically lived in the studio for a while and he would call and say, 'I can come in for a few hours today'. Our plan was just to make as much use of him as we could. He said, 'Get me to sing anything. Write me anything and I will sing it. I will give it my ALL. I will leave you as much material as I possibly can'.”

Roger: “Freddie knew his time was limited and he really wanted to work and to keep going. He felt that that was the best way to keep his spirits up, and he wanted to leave as much as possible. We certainly agreed, so we backed him up right to the hilt.

“With The Miracle he wasn't that well, but he wasn't that ill. And that was more of an effort, a bit of a long album to make. But for 'Innuendo', he really wasn't very well. I think there are some extraordinary performances on that one. I find it a very strong album all the way through. It's quite emotional.”

No-one knew when or even if Freddie would return for more recordings, or which session would be his last. The entire recording process was, to borrow from a Freddie song title, very much in the lap of the gods.

Brian: “A lot of it was really, strangely enough, quite joyous. It sounds odd to say that, and people are going to hate me for saying it, but I know Freddie had some very good times in those last periods. It was tough, but there was a lot of joy during the final recordings. Freddie did not let it become downbeat. He was always 'Up' if he was in the recording studio, always full of ideas, enthusiasm and great passion.”

Roger: “I think the last thing that he wanted was to draw attention to any kind of weakness or frailty - which was all too obvious anyway. He didn't want any kind of pity or anything like that, and he was incredibly brave about the whole thing.”

Brian: “I never saw him let it all get on top of him, never ever. He would always just get on with things. And we had some very funny times. We were very focused and very together as a group. I think we all realised how precious those moments possibly were going to be.”

Sadly, the inevitable time came when Freddie could work no more. He had recorded his final sessions and never attended the studio again. The last recordings of Freddie were in the can, for the rest of Queen to work their collective magic upon when they felt able to. Now, with strict instructions from Freddie, it was up to John, Brian and Roger to complete the songs and album without their beloved colleague.

In addition to brand new material, the Made In Heaven album also features tracks from Freddie's solo career, but in radically revised fashion; re-worked, but with all the familiar distinctive Queen trademarks and production techniques evident from beginning to end.

The album cover concept by Queen and Richard Gray features the even more larger than life Freddie statue (sculpted by Irena Sedlecka) overlooking Lake Geneva in Switzerland, in a sumptuous sunrise setting - the place at which Freddie had written and recorded his last songs, and which had so inspired and influenced him. The gatefold sleeve reveals a similar view but this time taken at sunset.

The statue is now a permanent fixture by the lake, with Freddie standing proud, purveyor of a spectacular landscape, and the many people that come to visit him there. The effigy is every bit as imposing as Freddie was on stage and has become a great tourist attraction. Queen's inimitable front man stands tall, overseeing the view he himself enjoyed so much and indeed captured in the lyrics of one of his final songs, A Winter's Tale; swans floating by, sea-gulls flying over, a silky moon up in the sky, mountains zoomin' higher, quiet and peaceful, tranquil and blissful, a kind of magic in the air, a truly magnificent view, a breathtaking scene, an extraordinary place!

Made In Heaven was released on November 6th, 1995 and was promoted as 'The breathtaking final album'. Most significantly of all, John, Brian, and Roger concluded the sleeve credits with, 'Dedicated to the immortal spirit of Freddie Mercury'.

It became an instant favourite with the fans and gave Queen their most successful studio album to date. It immediately went to No.1 in the UK, as well as Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Holland, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. It achieved multiple Platinum sales status all around the world and would eventually sell in excess of 20 million copies.

Click here to buy Made In Heaven in the Offical QueenOnline Store.