Freddie Mercury | Source: Getty Images
Reinhold Mack Says Working with Queen Was ‘Basically an Accident’
Sep 08, 2026 - 11:30 A.M.
Long before he became one of Queen's most trusted collaborators, Mack had no idea who he was even being flown to Germany to work with. That mystery session would turn into one of the most meaningful friendships of his career.
Producer Reinhold Mack is reflecting on the early days of his friendship with the late Freddie Mercury, a bond that began with nothing more than a chance encounter.
Freddie Mercury dressed as a King during a performance with Queen at Wembley Stadium on July 15, 1986 in London. | Source: Getty Images
The veteran producer first crossed paths with Queen while working at Musicland Studios, where the band went on to record some of their most iconic music.
Speaking to People as he prepares to part with mementos of their friendship in Propstore's $4 million Music Live Auction next month, Mack revealed that he and Mercury hit it off almost instantly.
But looking back on how they first met, Mack admitted, "Working with Queen was basically an accident."
Queen, circa 1978 | Source: Getty Images
"I was working with Gary Moore in Los Angeles at the time, and I had a phone call asking if I could come to Munich to work with a band, no names being said there, and I asked around and somebody mentioned that might be Queen, so I figured let's do that," he explained.
So off to Germany he went. Mack's early collaboration with the band produced "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and marked the start of a genuine friendship with Mercury.
The Queen frontman would go on to spend time with Mack's family regularly during his visits to Munich. "I think what worked out really, really great is that our relationship turned into a friendship," Mack shared.
Jeff Lynne of British rock group Electric Light Orchestra, also known as ELO, in the background, behind producer Reinhold Mack, in a studio in Munich, Germany, circa March/April 1979. | Source: Getty Images
He continued, "He took our family as his family. At that time in the '80s, he could walk around in Munich and nobody would recognize him, and he went out with my wife going shopping, buying things, buying silverware, buying tracksuits and table tennis tables for my kids."
"And he was a really good table tennis player and just came around to my kid's birthday," he added. Mack's youngest son, whom he affectionately calls "little Freddie," was born while the band was working on their 1982 album, "Hot Space."
Queen poses ahead of their performance at the Rock on January 11, 1985 in Rio, Brazil. | Source: Getty Images
Mack recalled his wife teasing the band about how long the sessions were taking at Musicland Studios. "My wife said, 'It's probably easier to conceive and give birth to a child than you guys getting an album done,'" he shared.
"And in that time, she conceived and gave birth to little Freddie, who is his godson," Mack said, noting that Mercury stayed close with the family over the years and often asked after little Freddie in particular.
Freddie Mercury of Queen plays piano as he performs onstage on August 9, 1982 at Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. | SOurce: Getty Images
Mack has contributed more than 80 items to the upcoming auction, headlined by the actual Yamaha C3 grand piano Mercury played extensively at Musicland Studios.
The instrument is expected to be the standout lot at Propstore's Music Live Auction, running October 1-2, with a pre-sale estimate between $264,000 and $528,000.
Alongside the piano, Mack's collection includes the AKG C414 EB microphone used to capture Mercury's vocals at Musicland, notably on "One Vision"; Mercury's handwritten working lyrics for "My Love Is Dangerous" and "Let's Turn It On"; and a teddy bear the singer once gifted to the Mack family.
