Five Live is an EP released in 1993, featuring five tracks, performed by George Michael, Queen, and Lisa Stansfield. “Somebody to Love” and “These Are the Days of Our Lives” were recorded at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, held on 20 April 1992, at Wembley Stadium. Below are the press materials used to promote the Five Live EP:
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was staged April 20, 1992 in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley Stadium in London. This concert served as inspiration for George Michael to further honor Freddie’s memory and raise additional funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust for distribution to AIDS charities worldwide with a live recording project.
Hollywood Records and Queen Productions are proud to announce the release of Five Live, a mini-album featuring George Michael and Queen with Lisa Stansfield. (George Michael appears courtesy of Sony Music and Lisa Stansfield courtesy of Arista Records.) Five Live is available on Hollywood Records compact discs and cassettes.
Five Live features George Michael’s unforgettable performance of Queen’s “Somebody To Love” with John Deacon, Brian May and Roger Taylor on stage at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert For AIDS Awareness. Also included is the magic pairing of George Michael and Lisa Stansfield singing Queen’s classic “These Are The Days Of Our Lives.”
The mini-album also features previously unreleased live tracks recorded during George Michael’s 1991 Cover To Cover Tour; a medley of Seal’s song “Killer” with the Temptations’ classic “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” and “Calling You,” the theme from the feature film “Baghdad Cafe.” The unique mini-album’s closing track is “Dear Friends,” recorded by Queen in 1974 and taken from their Sheer Heart Attack album.
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert has been exquisitely preserved for Hollywood Records Music Video (distributed by Buena Vista Home Video). Recorded live by 18 cameras in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Wembley Stadium in London and released simultaneously with Five Live on the April 20th anniversary of the concert, the home video captures this unique, once-in-a-lifetime event.
The video contains sensational solo and group performances by Guns ’N Roses, Metallica, Roger Daltrey, Def Leppard, Extreme, Liza Minnelli and many others, all of whom have cited Queen as an important artistic influence in their work. Among the superstar talents performing together in special, historic duets are Elton John and Axl Rose for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” David Bowie and Annie Lennox performing “Under Pressure” and George Michael and Lisa Stansfield singing “These Are The Days Of Our Lives.”
“I think a lot of people, not necessarily people who have anything against gay people, are probably taking some small comfort in the fact that although Freddie died of AIDS he was publicly bi-sexual It’s a very, very dangerous comfort. The conservative estimate for the year 2000 is that 40 million people on this planet will be infected by HIV, and if you think that those are all going to be gay people or drug addicts, then you are pretty well lining up to be one of those numbers So please, for God’s sake and for Freddie’s sake, and for your own sakes. please be careful. “
George Michael
Wembley Stadium, April 1992
“This record captures the moment when one of the world’s greatest singers crossed over into totally new territory. We were all stunned by his power and superb control. George is a true Great, and it was a pleasure being in his “backing band.”
Brian May, Queen
“George Michael’s wonderful performance and uncanny vocal resemblance to our much missed Freddie Mercury alone, make this project special while Lisa Stansfield’s performance marks her out as one of the world’s foremost and finest contemporary vocalists.”
Roger Taylor, Queen
All artist royalties and record company net profits will be donated to the Mercury Phoenix Trust for distribution to AIDS charities worldwide in memory of the incomparable Freddie Mercury.
Here’s the promo ad that run in several music magazines and other publications to promote the Five Live EP:
