Freddie Mercury: biography. Freddie Mercury (interesting facts) Mercury name
Freddie Mercury is the owner of a unique voice and the love of millions of listeners around the world. The biography of the star is a great example of passion for music, dedication in creative activity and a reminder that life is short and fleeting.
Currently, Mercury remains one of the most recognizable musicians of our time, and the well-known composition “The Show Must Go On”, according to 45 thousand Europeans, is the most worthy to sound at the funeral as the final song corresponding to this tragic moment.
Huge popularity gave birth to an incredible amount of speculation and gossip that woven into the biography of the great singer. Sometimes journalists became their authors, and sometimes the producers of the group, who wanted to increase the public's interest in an odious person.
Origin
The parents of the future star were Parsis. They were originally from India and professed Zoroastrianism, like their ancestors. The family had a high origin, and the position of the father - Bomi Bulsara - made it possible to provide for the entire family. At the time of the appearance of the first child, the mother of the baby - Jer Bulsara - was 26 years old, and his father - 38. Bomi served as the chief cashier at Supreme Court British government.
The surname of the family - Balsara - went to the family by the name of an Indian city located south of Bombay.
Childhood
The super vocalist came to this world in the guise of a small swarthy boy who was born in the British colony on Zanzibar in Stone Town. This significant event took place on September 5, 1946. Parents chose the name Farrukh for their son, which translates as "beautiful" or "happy." The kid grew up in love and joy, a personal nanny looked after him, but he never experienced a lack of parental affection.
At the age of six, Farrukh had a younger sister, Kashmir, who would later become an actress. Two years later, eight-year-old Farrukh Bulsara was sent to live with his grandfather and aunt, who lived 150 km from Bombay. There he began to go to St. Peter's School, where the children were taught according to the British system. Typical English sports - croquet and long distance running - did not arouse enthusiasm in him, but in hockey, boxing and sprinting he showed excellent results.
Success in sports was so great that many predicted the boy a career as an athlete, especially considering the fact that at the age of 10 he won the school table tennis championship, and at 12 he became the winner of the youth all-around.
New name
It is at school that Farrukh Bulsara becomes Freddie. The fact is that the real name was difficult to pronounce for most of the boy's English-speaking classmates, so they began to call their young friend in the British manner "Freddie". The former Farrukh liked this name so much that he would later officially rename himself and would be very angry when someone, including immediate family, used the name given to the baby at birth.
First steps in music
At that time, the Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar was especially popular in India, whose songs were sung by everyone around. Her work occupies a special place in the biography of Mercury, since the compositions of this singer had a huge impact on the formation of the musical tastes of the future singer.
The teachers were very pleased with the smart student, and at the age of 12 he received a diploma for excellence in all sciences. Most of all, the boy was interested in music and drawing, he painted portraits and other drawings that he gave to relatives and friends. The creative nature led the guy to the school choir and theater studio, where everyone noted his acting talent.
The first person to pay close attention to Freddie's love of music was the principal of the school. He noticed that the student sings so much that it has a bad effect on academic performance. It was the director who decided to direct this obsession in the right direction, so he wrote a letter to the boy's parents, in which he suggested thinking about his son's musical education. With his light hand Freddie began playing the piano, which was a turning point in his biography. He attended classes with great pleasure, completely surrendering to the passionate playing of the instrument.
Stars of the school scale
An ambitious experimenter and young musician hatches a plan to form a rock band. Having found support in the person of five friends from the same school, in 1958, at the age of 12, he became a member of the first musical group in his life called "The Hectics", which translates into Russian as "fidgets" or "restless".
Performances at dances, school parties and anniversaries become the meaning of life for obsessed teenagers, they spend all their free time rehearsing, and, as it should be for young musicians, they become local stars and celebrities. Despite the fallen popularity, Farrukh Bulsara, like all teenagers, begins to pay close attention to his appearance. Incorrect bite makes the young man cover his mouth with his hand while smiling. This habit will stay with him for the rest of his life.
For four years, the school group has been basking in the glory, until graduation puts an end to the work of the team.
Moving to Britain
At the age of 16, Farrukh Bulsara graduates from school with excellent performance and primary musical education, after which he returns to his parents. But politics intervenes in the musician's biography: two years later, Zanzibar becomes independent and is no longer a colony of Britain.
Riots begin on the island, and the entire Bulsara family returns to Britain, and the children go there for the first time to settle permanently in a new country. The decision to fly was made quickly, so during the move, out of all the property, the parents manage to take only two suitcases with them.
pre-fame
The first years after the move were difficult for the family: at first they had to stay with relatives until they had the opportunity to purchase their own small housing. The question of continuing Freddie's education worried the whole family. Parents wanted him to become an economist or financier, but the young man believes that he does not have enough mathematical intelligence for these professions. The passion for art wins, and he enters the polytechnic school, where he focuses on painting in order to increase his chances of getting into an art college. During the holidays, Mercury moonlights as a simple worker and loader in order to have at least some money.
At the age of 20, he was admitted to an art college in the department of graphic illustration. This coincides with the beginning of an independent life, as Freddie and a friend rent an apartment in Kensington - in the very center of London's bohemian life. Without stopping to draw a lot, the musician and his neighbor rehearse in various musical directions. At the same time, Mercury got acquainted with the group "Smile" and often attends their rehearsals.
At the age of 23, he received his diploma and began performing with the Liverpool band Ibex. Passion for performances seized the young musician so much that after 10 days he knows by heart the entire repertoire of the group and is ready to perform. The joint debut took place as part of a blues festival, which was written about a lot in the press and even shown on television. Once in the group, Mercury quickly changes not only its appearance, but also the name: the former "Ibex" is replaced by "Wreckage" - "Wreckage of a Shipwreck". But due to the fact that some members are still students and have to devote a lot of time to studying, the team will soon disintegrate.
Freddy does not stop and is looking for a place in another group through the ads. He chooses the "Sour Milk Sea" team - "Sour Milk Sea", and comes to the audition, immediately after which he is credited to the main team. Despite the successful concert activity, this project is soon closed due to contradictions between the participants.
Queen
The main turning point in the biography of Freddie Mercury is the creation of the Queen group in 1970, within which the talent of this rock artist was able to open in full force. Being already in the group, the singer officially changes the name of Farrukh Bulsara to the creative pseudonym of Freddie Mercury, choosing the planet Mercury as his patron.
At first, Queen works in conditions of great lack of money, risking everything. But three years later, the band's compositions topped the British charts. In 1974, one of the greatest hits, "Bohemian Rhapsody", was released, to which critics predicted a collapse and failure on the radio airs, since the composition was too long, and the mixture of styles should have been hard to perceive by listeners. None of the gloomy predictions came true, and "Bohemian Rhapsody" was named the best song of the past millennium in a poll of 190,000 people.
Huge popularity was brought to the group not only by the outstanding abilities of its soloist as a musician, but also by a huge acting talent. Charisma, temperament and emotionality turned every performance into a real show. All this was complemented by eccentric costumes, video clips that were shot according to his scripts and combined the pinnacle of sound, visuals and lighting effects.
Personal life
The artist had to pay for fame and recognition with failures in his personal life. In the 70s, Mercury had a seven-year affair with Mary Austin, who remained the best friend of the musician until the end of her life. A difficult relationship ended with the singer telling her about his unconventional orientation. He later became godfather to her eldest son. After his death, in his will, he named Mary Austin as the heir to his mansion.
In the 80s, the artist had several short novels. In 1985, a relationship began with Jimm Hutton, with whom the singer remained until his death.
The question of Mercury's children is still considered open. There is no official data on this in the biography of the star, but many sources believe that the nephews who are being raised by the rock musician's sister, Kashmira Cook, are actually the children of the star. The reason for this was the great external similarity of the uncle and nephews.
Disease
At the peak of his popularity, the singer learns that he has AIDS. In order not to create a stir and not upset his relatives, he tries to hide this information to the last. But the most significant achievements in biographies fall during the period of illness, when the musician begins to work at a frantic pace in order to have time to realize all his creative ideas.
The tour stops, giving way to endless studio work. The rock singer fulfills his dream of working with Montserrat Caballe, which has been the subject of his admiration for many years. After Mercury's death, their joint single "Barcelona" will become a symbol of the 1992 Olympics held in Spain.
He writes material for a solo album and three Queen albums. The latest video works are filmed in black and white to disguise appearance emaciated artist. In order to leave behind a creative legacy, the tireless rock musician was ready to work almost around the clock. In order not to waste precious time, which was very little left, he arranged a bedroom right in the dressing room at the studio, where the shooting of clips continued. During the recording of the video sequence for the song "Show must go on", he often fainted, but did not retreat from work.
The last song recorded is "Mother Love", the final verse of which he could no longer record in the studio, which his friends in the team did for him.
Death
Anticipating his imminent death, the musician met with relatives and friends in order to discuss and approve the script for his funeral. This great person he treated all projects responsibly, and farewell to life was no exception.
The day before his death, the singer gives the last interview in his biography, during which he officially declares that he has AIDS. The next day, November 24, 1991, at the age of 45, he dies of bronchial pneumonia, progressing on the background of AIDS. The funeral was attended only by the closest people and the singer's favorite compositions performed by Aretha Franklin and Montserrat Caballe sounded. For a long time it remained a mystery where the ashes of the star were buried after cremation. 22 years after his death, it became known that the ashes rest in West London at Kensal Green Cemetery.
After his death, the great singer bequeathed to transfer most of his personal funds to the AIDS Foundation.
With the death of Freddie Mercury, the star of the great musician, devoted to creativity until the last days, which served as a guide for many artists of our time, went out in the sky.
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Freddie Mercury was born on September 5, 1946 on the island of Zanzibar. His parents were Parsis. The name Freddie stuck to the boy when he started attending St. Peter's School. IN school age in his biography, Freddie Mercury was fond of tennis, all-around. He studied well, studied painting and music. While studying at school, he completed piano courses. And in 1958, Freddie Mercury, together with his friends, organized the group "The Hectics", which played at school parties.
In 1962, Freddie returned to Zanzibar, but soon his family moved to England. There he began to study at the Polytechnic School, but was intensively engaged in painting and graphics. In his spare time he worked as a loader, because. his family was poor. After leaving school, Mercury entered the Ealing College of Art in London, where he studied graphic illustration. Freddie stopped living with his parents, renting an apartment for himself. Soon in the life of Freddie Mercury happened an important event- he met the leader of the "Smile" group. Then he began to attend group rehearsals, got to know Brian May and Roger Taylor better. After graduating from art college, Mercury opened his own shop with Taylor.
In August 1969, Mercury met the musicians of the Ibex group (later renamed Wreckage), and soon began performing with them. But the group did not last long, and Mercury joined a new team: Sour Milk Sea.
Here, too, the union of musicians did not last long.
In 1970, he returned to Smile. Soon the group changed its name to "Queen". The place of the guitarist, after a long search and several candidates, was taken by John Deacon. Freddie designed the logo for the band, incorporating elements of British heraldry into it. Two years later, Freddie decided to take the pseudonym Mercury (before that he had his last name). The band's first album was released in 1972. Mercury was the author of several of Queen's first hits: "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Killer Queen". The group became famous all over the world, began touring different countries. In 1979, in the biography of the singer Freddie Mercury, a joint performance with the English Royal Ballet took place.
1980 marked a new period for the singer, Freddie even changed his image, began to wear a mustache and cut his hair short. Taking advantage of the vacation and the suspension of touring activities, Mercury took up solo work. He first released the song "Love Kills" (1984). And in 1985, the album "Mr. Bad guy. Joint work with Montserrat Caballe resulted in several joint performances at various festivals.
Since 1986, rumors about the singer's illness appeared in the press, which he completely denied. Only those closest to him knew about his illness with AIDS. In 1989, Queen withdrew from the tour. Freddie Mercury devoted this period in his life to recording songs, because he wanted to release as many as possible. The solo album "Barcelona" was followed by albums "Queen": "The Miracle" and "Innuendo".
On November 23, 1991, Mercury officially confirmed that he had AIDS, and the next day he died of bronchial pneumonia.
To this day, Freddie Mercury remains one of the most famous and popular singers in the world. A concert was given in his honor in 1992, at which many stars and friends of the performer performed.
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Freddie Mercury, a great performer whose biography became the subject of controversy after his death, revolutionized rock music in the 70s and 80s of the twentieth century. This revolution was a victory of taste over numerous vulgar punks, who were also not devoid of talent and showed themselves as a picture of protest against everything conventional and bone. But bone breaks through only with pure talent, which was proved by Freddie Mercury, whose death, by its unexpectedness, made the same impression on the whole world as the impetuous life of a genius.
- Real name: Farrukh Bulsara
- Date of birth: 09/05/1946
- Zodiac sign: Virgo
- Height: 177 centimeters
- Weight: 74 kilograms
- Shoe size: 43 (EUR)
- Eye and hair color: Brown, dark
The biography of our hero, which is written in many variants, does not speak of him as an ordinary and boring person. His very origin in a Parsi family from the ancient district of fabulous Zanzibar did not imply a traditional life path. Where Freddie Mercury was born (in Stone Town - the oldest district of the city of Zanzibar), the most mysterious things seemed ordinary, and the beauty of the world was sung by vociferous Bollywood singers. One of these bright women was the subject of vocal delight for the young Parsi, which, in addition to excellent studies, inspired him to take classes in drawing and singing.
By nationality, Freddie Mercury was a Parsi of Iranian origin, and it was she who gave rise to silent delight among fans throughout his life because of his natural flexibility and excellent bearing. But few people knew that the passion for sports in childhood and youth made this young singer a mobile and active hero of the scene. That young man who, after many years of rehearsals and searching for his sound, gradually turned from Farrukh Bulsar into Freddie Mercury. Could not be a simple couch potato, waiting for his happiness. He did much more than those around him to revive the fabulous motifs of his homeland with strokes of truth and joy throughout the vast territory of planet Earth.
How are myths born?
Biography of Freddie Mercury, personal life, his children haunt numerous writers of sensations to this day. Very able-bodied and talented, the artist who spent days and nights in the studio, according to many "eyewitnesses", was an active homosexual, but did not disdain intrigues with ladies who fell under the hot temper of a southerner. The artist's illness is portrayed by all these envious people as God's punishment for the diabolical debauchery that reigned in his life as an artist.
But no one mentions bright colors the beauty that united Catherine Lehri and Freddie Mercury in this world. This love, which accompanied the great Queen soloist all his life, can only arouse the lively interest of the public by his tragic death. The mysterious death of Katherine Lary in a car with faulty brakes did not attract the attention of the police and many "friends" who were already playing another card of their prosperous old age. Even the date of Freddie Mercury's death (November 24, 1991) was close to the fateful event of the death of his beloved in 1989.
Singer Freddie Mercury was completely devoted to his work, and with the crazy pace of life of such a life-saver and fueled with a lot of alcohol and other more effective stimulants, the activity of an active guest performer would have continued for no more than five years. The simple joys of a family hearth fed this man really and always, he was surrounded by such beloved cats, one of which, named Delilah, became the heroine of the song of the same name. Solitude and peace in short hours of rest allowed to give all the best at performances, delighting the audience with cool steps with a stump of a microphone stand. No one has been able to reproduce this signature technique of Freddie Mercury with the same elegance and ease of the author.
For the amusement of the crowd
Freddie Mercury, whose personal life was actually very closed, did not make loud statements directly and did not admit to his unconventional inclinations. All existing conjectures were generated by his friends and partners because of the irrepressible desire to capitalize on the glory of the great artist before his death and continue to use this irrefutable evidence of debauchery for many years after.
To heighten evidence of such manifestations of talent, the forgotten love of student times was brought out of oblivion onto the stage, which rose well in the performance of the role of the sufferer. Mary Austin, who was of little interest during the life of the artist, became the highlight of the program in the final. The death of Freddie Mercury has become a Klondike for his bandmates and half-forgotten girlfriends.
Particularly striking are the stories of such friends about constant parties in gay bars, where Mercury constantly managed to get acquainted with females who would certainly be with him for at least a year. Of course, an extraordinary person looks non-standard and does not act like everyone else. But these stories can stun even the most sensationalist person. A lot of incompatible and absurd things are written in these biographies, the most "grateful" reader of which could only be the artist himself.
The fantastic ability of the great soloist to work made it possible to make money on the release of a new album even 4 years after Mercury's death. Recordings of the spring of 1991 managed to be reduced to a full-fledged disc and made platinum in six months. The issue price of four million pounds and a house in London suited quite disinterested heirs, who had nothing to do with the family and talent of the deceased, but who had ample opportunities and wild imagination of cynics.
The artist himself did not consider it necessary to spend precious moments of his life on finding out the truth and lies, the great man understood that time would put everything in its rightful place.
Tranquility of the Sphinx
The years of Freddie Mercury's life from 1946 to 1991, of course, represent a very small segment, even within a century. But it is not for nothing that it is said that "you will see them in deeds." And even the blind were able to see the deeds of the Great Wizard thanks to the richness and brightness of his voice, which did not impress with its range, but delighted with its light. The blinding light of a man in love with life, who did not pay attention to side conversations, but took care of his family and loved ones, guarding their peace until the end of his life.
Realizing the close approach of the final, he took care of his children, taking the wise step of transferring them to the family of his sister Kashmir, where they were adopted and found loving parents. And Freddie Mercury admitted his terrible diagnosis for that time before his death. And he accepted his fate with the calmness of a sphinx. His funeral was organized by the closest relatives and carried out according to the Zoroastrian rites.
The artist himself was considered an adherent of this doctrine during his lifetime. But even here it was not possible to sustain the tradition to the end. The body of the great singer was put on fire, which does not correspond to the ritual of the Zoroastrians. Breaking the foundations and the victory of originality broke through the fetters even after death. The champion of champions who could crush everyone on stage and enchant with the melody of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Freddie Mercury and AIDS - these two concepts aroused sacred awe among many fans of the great singer. And yet, this is not a series of concepts that looks harmonious and consistent. It doesn't matter what Mercury died from. Freddie and Light, Joy, Delight, and also Tranquility - true, but very dull-looking definitions, even with a capital letter, against the backdrop of this grandiose artist.
In 2017, the shooting of the film "Bohemian Rhapsody" began, which will tell about the life of the famous artist. The world premiere is scheduled for November 1, 2018.
Freddie Mercury (eng. Freddie Mercury, real name Farukh Balsara, guj.
September 5, 1946, Stone Town, Zanzibar - November 24, 1991, London, UK) - British singer and musician of Parsi origin, vocalist of the rock band Queen.
(Total 29 photos)
Freddie Mercury was born on September 5, 1946 on the island of Zanzibar to the Parsi family Bomi (1908 - 12/25/2003) and Jer (09/29/1922 -?) Balsara. At birth, the boy received the name Farukh, which means “beautiful”, “happy”. Farukh's father was a cashier at the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
In 1952, Freddie had a sister, Kashmira. In 1954, Farukh's parents assigned Farukh to St. Peter's School in Panchgani, 500 kilometers from Bombay. There Freddie began to live with his grandfather and aunt. The name "Farukh" was inconvenient for classmates to pronounce (mostly English-speaking), so friends began to call him Freddie.
At the age of ten, he became the champion of the school in table tennis, at the age of twelve he received a cup for victory in the youth all-around, as well as a diploma "for success in all sciences and arts." Freddie studied well, showed interest in music and painting, and constantly made drawings for friends and relatives. He also sang in the school choir and participated in performances.
From an early age, Freddie was fond of music. Singing took up almost all of his free time, sometimes to the detriment of his studies. The headmaster of St. Peter's School drew attention to Freddie's musical abilities. He wrote a letter to the boy's parents, in which he offered to organize piano lessons for Freddie for a small fee. Parents agreed, and Freddie began to study with enthusiasm. Upon graduation, he received a fourth degree in theory and practice (Eng. Piano Grade IV).
In 1958, five friends from St. Peter's School - Freddy Balsara, Derrick Branche, Bruce Murray, Farang Irani and Victor Rana created their first rock band, which they called The Hectics (Russian Fidget). The band played at school parties, dances and anniversaries. Since childhood, Freddie has always been embarrassed by his unusual teeth, and therefore, when he smiled, he covered his mouth with his hand. This habit remained with him even when he became an adult ...
In 1962, sixteen-year-old Freddie graduated from St. Peter's School in Panchgani and returned to Zanzibar. In early 1964, the British government handed over Zanzibar to the Arab Sultan, and a week later, Zanzibar was proclaimed independent state. Due to political unrest in the country, the Balsar family, having captured only two suitcases with clothes, flew to the UK.
Arriving in England, the Balsar family first stayed with relatives who lived in Feltham, Middlesax, then they bought own house. Freddie, who by that time was eighteen years old, entered Islesworth Polytechnic School, where he studied mainly painting, as he wanted to go to art college. The family had problems with money, so Freddie had to earn extra money during the holidays. Initially, he worked in the supply department of Heathrow Airport in London, then as a loader at the Feltham warehouse.
In May 1966, after graduating from Islesworth with a high score in painting, he was interviewed at the Ealing College of Art in London, where he began to study at the department of graphic illustration in the autumn of that year. Shortly thereafter, Freddie left his parental home and settled in a rented apartment in Kensington with his friend Chris Smith. Kensington in those years was the heart of London bohemia and art. Freddie drew a lot, a special place in his drawings was occupied by his idol - guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
In the summer of 1969, twenty-three-year-old Freddie graduated from Ealing with a diploma in graphic design. Freddie soon moved in with Roger Taylor, and they opened a shop in Kensington Market, selling both Freddie's paintings and other merchandise. On August 13, Freddie met the Liverpool group Ibex. Ten days after the meeting, Freddie already knew the entire repertoire of the group, added a few of his songs and went with them to their first joint concert, in Bolton, Lancashire. Their concerts were held as part of the annual blues festival, so the events were covered by the press.
In September-October 1969, at the suggestion of Freddie, the group was renamed Wreckage (“Wreckage”), and Freddie went to the trick to convince everyone to change the name of the group. After the renaming, Wreckage played a few gigs, but soon, largely due to the fact that Mike Berzin returned to Liverpool to study, the group broke up. Freddie decided to find himself a new band. Among the announcements in Melody Maker, he found a vacancy for a vocalist in the group Sour Milk Sea (“Sour Milk Sea”), but soon the existence of Sour Milk Sea ended.
At the end of 1969, Freddie Mercury met Mary Austin in West Kensington thanks to Brian May, with whom he lived for about seven years. But then they broke up. One day everything changed when Freddie admitted that he had to tell her something very important; something that will change their relationship forever. Mary explains: “I was a little naive and it took me a while to realize the truth. In the end, he was glad he told me he was bisexual.” Mary decided it was time to leave, but he convinced her not to go far.
They remained close friends, Mercury made her his personal secretary, and it was often admitted that Mary was his only true friend. In an interview in 1985, Mercury said: “All my lovers ask me why they can’t replace Mary for me. But it's just not possible. She is my only friend and I don't need anyone else. She was actually my wife. We believe in each other and that's enough for me." The singer dedicated several songs to Mary, of which the most significant is the song "Love of My Life". Mercury was the godfather of Mary's eldest son, Richard, and left her his mansion after his death.
In April 1970, Tim Staffel decided to leave Smile, and Freddie took the place of the vocalist in their group. On his initiative, the group was renamed Queen. After the line-up of the group became permanent, Freddie decided to draw her coat of arms. According to one version, the coat of arms of Great Britain was taken as the basis, with the Latin letter Q, around which the zodiac signs of Queen members are “woven”: two Lions - John Deacon and Roger Taylor, a crab crawling out of the fire - the sign of Cancer - Brian May. Above all the figures rises the Simurgh bird - the sacred symbol of Zoroastrianism, symbolizing the freedom of the spiritual from the earthly. Two fairies with wings are good helpers for the heroes from the British epic.
In 1972, while recording Queen's debut album at Trident Studios, Freddie decided to change his surname Balsara to the creative pseudonym "Mercury" (eng. Mercury - "Mercury" and "Mercury"). Freddie wrote the first Queen song to hit the UK charts, "Seven Seas of Rhye" (1973). He also composed the band's first hit, "Killer Queen" (1974), as well as Queen's most successful song, "Bohemian Rhapsody". The song was predicted to fail due to its length being too long by the standards of that time for a single and for playing on commercial radio stations and mixing several styles and genres of music. But Queen released the song as a single, shot a video clip for it, which became a revolution in music videos, some even call it "the first video clip", although clips for songs have been shot before.
In 1975, Queen toured Japan. The musicians were extremely surprised by the warm reception of the Japanese fans of the group. Brian May recalled: “We had some success in England and the US, but we had never seen such bigotry and adoration before. Suddenly in Japan we started to feel like real stars like The Beatles and Bay City Rollers, people greeted us with shouts of delight, which was news to us.” Freddie fell in love with Japan and became a fanatical collector of Japanese art.
On October 7, 1979, Freddie's old dream came true - he performed with the Royal Ballet (English). He chose the songs "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" for his performance. In 1980, Freddie changed his image - he cut his hair short and grew a mustache.
Freddie Mercury had a brief relationship with the famous Austrian actress Barbara Valentin, whom he met in 1983. Mercury spoke of their relationship: “Barbara and I have created an alliance that has been stronger than with any of my lovers in the last six years. I could really tell her everything and be myself with her, which happens to me very rarely. The musician also mentioned her among others in the dedication of his solo album Mr. Bad guy.
The image of Freddie Mercury from the very beginning of his popularity raised a lot of questions about his orientation, but Mercury always avoided talking about his personal life, laughing it off or answering vaguely. In a 1984 interview with the Canadian magazine Music Express, he stated: "They always tried to put me in the same box with gays. At first it was presented like this: I'm bisexual; then they started talking about the appearance of a hermaphrodite, in addition, I did not resist some gossip, because they contributed to catchy headlines. If you're hinting at my sexual preferences: very simple - I do it with the one I love. And there is no secret bottom. My personal life does not concern anyone." However, Mercury once admitted: “I had more lovers than Liz Taylor - of both sexes - but my connections did not end with anything. It's like I devour people and destroy them."
July 13, 1985 was a special day for Queen and Freddie. On this day, the Live Aid concert took place - a grand show at Wembley Stadium, where 75 thousand spectators were present and many famous performers such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Sting, U2 and many others (in parallel with the Wembley Show) , there was a concert in Philadelphia). The concert was broadcast on television all over the world, that is, it was watched by more than a billion people! With their performance, Queen secured their place in history, and all reviewers, journalists, fans and critics were unanimous that the group became the highlight of the program.
A year later, on July 12, 1986, Queen played again at Wembley Stadium as part of the Magic Tour in support of A Kind of Magic. This concert was attended by over 120,000 people and was later published as Queen at Wembley. The final show of the tour at Knebworth on 9 August was Queen's last performance with Mercury. In March 1987, Freddie Mercury met Montserrat Caballe in Barcelona and presented her with a cassette of several of his new songs. These songs made a strong impression on Caballe, and she even performed one of them at a concert in London, at Covent Garden, to the surprise of Freddie Mercury.
In early April 1987, Mercury and Caballe began work on a joint album. At the end of May, a music festival was held at the famous Ku-Club on the island of Ibiza, where Mercury and Caballe were guests of honor. They performed the song "Barcelona" at the festival, which Freddie Mercury dedicated to Caballe's hometown.
In 1986, rumors began to appear that Freddie Mercury had AIDS. Initially, information was leaked to the press that he was taking an HIV test. Since 1989, serious changes in Mercury's appearance began to appear - he lost a lot of weight. However, until the last days of his life, the musician denied all rumors about his health. Only close people knew about his terrible diagnosis.
In 1989, Queen gave their first joint radio interview in several years, where they announced that they wanted to deviate from the usual “album-tour” scheme, and therefore would not go on tour this time. The real reason was that the physical condition of the band's vocalist did not allow for concerts.
Mercury, knowing that there was little time left, tried to record as many songs as possible. Behind last years life, in addition to his solo album "Barcelona", the musician managed to record songs for three more albums of the group. During his lifetime, two albums were released - The Miracle, which was released in 1989 and Innuendo, released in 1991. Also, several video clips were shot for the songs of these albums. For the last lifetime album, the clips were filmed in black and white to disguise the physical condition of the band's vocalist. After the death of Freddie Mercury, the remaining members of the group, using recordings of his voice, were able to release the last album, Queen Made in Heaven, in 1995.
On November 23, 1991, Freddie made an official statement that he had AIDS: “Given the rumors that have been circulating in the press for the past two weeks, I want to confirm: my blood test showed the presence of HIV. I have AIDS. I considered it necessary to keep this information a secret in order to keep the peace of my family and friends. However, the time has come to tell the truth to my friends and fans around the world. I hope everyone will join the fight against this terrible disease." He also ordered that all rights to the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" be transferred to the Terence Higgins Foundation, created to fight AIDS and HIV.
The next day, November 24, at about seven o'clock in the evening, Freddie Mercury died at his home in London from bronchial pneumonia that developed on the background of AIDS, he was 45 years old. After the news of his death became known, thousands of people came to the fence of his Garden Lodge to place bouquets of flowers, postcards, letters and photographs on the paths. Mercury fans lost their idol, Clark lost a friend: "He was like a rare painting that cannot be repeated."
The funeral of Freddie Mercury was held behind closed doors - only relatives and friends were present. Although the musician, as an adult, no longer followed Zoroastrian beliefs, his Zoroastrian parents performed the funeral ceremony in accordance with their beliefs, with the exception of the cremation of the body, which, according to the customs of Zoroastrianism, is not welcome. Freddie Mercury's body was cremated. Only Mary Austin knows where the ashes of the musician lie - that was his desire.
November 25, 1996, 5 years after the death of Freddie Mercury, in Montreux (Switzerland), where the musician worked and rested for many years, a monument was unveiled to him. Queen musicians originally planned to erect a monument in London, and for four years they were looking for a place for him there, but they were refused. The only site proposed by the government for a monument in London was the backyard of the art college where Freddie studied. Friends considered this an insult to the memory of the great musician. On June 18, 2003 in London near the Dominion Theatre, where performances of the We Will Rock You show are regularly held, another monument about 8 meters high was unveiled.
The song "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was written by Freddie, was recognized as " best song millennium" according to The Official Charts Company[. Freddie's second equally famous (and, perhaps, surpassed it in popularity) song was and remains "We Are The Champions", which was in rotation on almost all US radio stations, not to mention the fact that this composition became the unofficial anthem of the winners major sports competitions.
November 8, 2018, 05:19
In 1947, a photograph of one-year-old Freddie won the photo of the year award in a competition in his hometown.
Of all the sports available at school, Freddie preferred hockey, boxing and sprinting. In addition, he won the school table tennis title at the age of 10.
Freddie Mercury's real name is Farrukh Bulsara. "Farrukh" in translation from Zanzibar means "beautiful", "happy". Officially, the future rock star changed her name in 1970. When he was addressed as Farrukh, Mercury became furious. By nationality, Mercury was a Parsi (an ethnic group of Iranian origin, practicing Zoroastrianism).
The vocal range of the musician was 4 octaves. Freddie's signature stage gimmick, "no stand mic," came about by accident. At one of the concerts in 1969, Mercury used the microphone so actively that he loosened the fastenings of his stand. Then the artist, right during the performance of the song, unscrewed the lower part that interfered with him and began to perform with a microphone in his hands, from which the upper part of the stand hung down. Freddie liked the trick so much that he made it his calling card.
Mercury loved cats, at the same time he sometimes had at least 10 animals. The solo album of the musician Mr Bad Guy is dedicated to the tailed ones, the Delilah song from the last album of The Queen (Innuendo) is dedicated to the beloved cat. While on tour, Mercury regularly called home and talked to cats for hours.
The song Crazy Little Thing Called Love (the only one in which Fredia played guitar at concerts) Mercury wrote in the bathroom.
After graduating from London's Ealing College of Art, he received a diploma in graphic design. The emblem of the group The Queen, consisting of the signs of the zodiac, Mercury invented and drew himself.
The greatest hits compilation The Queen, released in October 1981, is the best-selling British album in the history of music (over 25 million copies).
Freddie Mercury had a long (7 years) relationship with Mary Austin. In 1976, the artist confessed to her his own bisexuality, the couple broke up, but until the end of their lives they were close friends. Austin served as Mercury's secretary; according to her will, part of the musician's fortune and his house were transferred to her.
The favorite country of the leader of The Queen was Japan.
His idols in music were John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.
The artist considered Somebody To Love his most successful song.
The artist's favorite color was yellow. A special variety of yellow roses is named after him.
He was an avid philatelist.
Before one of the concerts in Britain, Mercury got into a fight with his then partner Billy Reid. He bit the musician's hand until it bled.
During another quarrel, Reid and Mercury yelled at each other for several hours in a row, as a result, the artist lost his voice the next morning - and this was on the eve of a performance on the Saturday Night Live television show. The medical team spent a lot of effort and money so that by the evening the singer's vocal abilities would return to normal.
While on tour in the US, Freddie Mercury found out that his partner Tony Bastin was dating someone else. Mercury demanded that Bastin fly to him and at the meeting said that everything was over between them. Immediately after that, the artist sent the unfaithful boyfriend back to England, and after returning from the tour, he took the cat away.
The song Barcelona from Mercury's eponymous solo album, released in 1988, became the anthem of the 1992 Olympics.
Despite a classical musical education, Mercury has repeatedly admitted that he does not know the notes well.
The artist made a statement that he had AIDS the day before his death. Mercury was positively diagnosed with AIDS four years earlier, in the spring of 1987.
The last song he recorded was Mother Love, which was not included in the Innuendo album (four years later it was released on the Made in Heaven record). The final verse for the seriously ill artist was sung by the band's guitarist Brian May.
Freddie Mercury is mentioned in suicide note Kurt Cobain: The Nirvana leader talks about his admiration for his colleague, his ability to accept the love of the public.
The Queen was the first band to use video screens at concerts, the first of the classic rock bands.
Mercury was afraid to correct his famous malocclusion and remove polyps on his vocal cords, as he thought it could damage the vocal data. Nevertheless, Freddie quit smoking only in the last years of his life.
Queen has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star was given to the musicians for their contribution and achievements in the field of music.
The song Who Wants to Live Forever, which is the official soundtrack of the Highlander film series, was written by Brian May and Freddie Mercury in the car, returning from watching the first film about the ageless MacLeod
The Freddie Mercury Memorial in Montreux is located on the Place du Marché, on the luxurious waterfront of Lake Geneva.
