Freddie Mercury ( bear Farrokh Bulsara ; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991 ) [ 2 ] was a british singer, songwriter, criminal record manufacturer, and contribute singer of the rock isthmus Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he was known for his royal poinciana stagecoach character and four- octave outspoken rate. Mercury defied the conventions of a rock frontman, with his highly theatrical stylus influencing the aesthetic guidance of Queen. Born in 1946 in Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, he attended English-style board schools in India from the age of eight and returned to Zanzibar after secondary school. In 1964, his family fled the Zanzibar Revolution, moving to Middlesex, England. Having studied and written music for years, he formed Queen in 1970 with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Queen, including “ Killer Queen “, “ bohemian rhapsody “, “ person to Love “, “ We Are the Champions “, “ Do n’t Stop Me nowadays “, and “ Crazy Little Thing Called Love “. His charismatic stage performances frequently saw him interact with the audience, as displayed at the 1985 Live Aid concert. He besides led a solo career and served as a producer and guest musician for early artists.
Reading: Freddie Mercury
Mercury died in 1991 at age 45 due to complications from AIDS. He confirmed the day before his death that he had contracted the disease, having been diagnosed in 1987. Mercury had continued to record with Queen following his diagnosis, and he was posthumously featured on the band ‘s final album, Made in Heaven ( 1995 ). In 1992, his tribute concert was held at Wembley Stadium. As a member of Queen, Mercury was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. In 1990, he and the other queen members were awarded the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music, and one year after his death Mercury was awarded it individually. In 2005, Queen were awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the british Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In 2002, Mercury ranked phone number 58 in the BBC ‘s poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. His career with Queen was dramatised in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
early life
The house in Zanzibar where Mercury lived in his early years Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town in the british protectorate of Zanzibar ( nowadays partially of Tanzania ) on 5 September 1946. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] His parents, Bomi ( 1908–2003 ) and Jer Bulsara ( 1922–2016 ), [ a ] [ 5 ] were from the Parsi residential district of western India. The Bulsaras had origins in the city of Bulsar ( now Valsad ) in Gujarat. [ b-complex vitamin ] [ 3 ] He had a younger sister, Kashmira. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] The family had moved to Zanzibar so that Bomi could continue his occupation as a cashier at the british Colonial Office. As parsee, the Bulsaras practised Zoroastrianism. [ 8 ] Mercury was born with four supernumerary incisors, to which he attributed his enhanced vocal range. [ 9 ] [ 10 ] As Zanzibar was a british protectorate until 1963, Mercury was born a british subject, and on 2 June 1969 was registered a citizen of the United Kingdom and colonies after the family had emigrated to England. [ 11 ] Mercury spent most of his childhood in India where he began taking piano lessons at the senesce of seven while living with relatives. [ 12 ] In 1954, at the age of eight, Mercury was sent to study at St. Peter ‘s School, a British-style board educate for boys, in Panchgani near Bombay. [ 13 ] At the age of 12, he formed a school band, the Hectics, and covered rock and roll artists such as Cliff Richard and Little Richard. [ 14 ] [ 15 ] One of Mercury ‘s early bandmates from the Hectics has said “ the entirely music he listened to, and played, was western toss off music ”. [ 16 ] A ally recalls that he had “ an eldritch ability to listen to the radio and replay what he heard on piano ”. [ 17 ] It was besides at St. Peter ‘s where he began to call himself “ Freddie ”. In February 1963 he moved back to Zanzibar where he joined his parents at their flat. [ 18 ]
In the spring of 1964, Mercury and his family fled to England from Zanzibar to escape the ferocity of the revolution against the Sultan of Zanzibar and his chiefly arab government, [ 19 ] in which thousands of ethnic Arabs and Indians were killed. [ 20 ] They moved to 19 Hamilton Close, Feltham, Middlesex, a town 13 miles ( 21 kilometer ) west of central London. The Bulsaras concisely relocated to 122 Hamilton Road, before settling into a little house at 22 Gladstone Avenue in late October. [ 21 ] After first studying artwork at Isleworth Polytechnic in West London, Mercury studied graphic artwork and design at Ealing Art College, graduating with a diploma in 1969. [ 2 ] He late used these skills to design heraldic arms for his isthmus Queen. [ 22 ] Following commencement, Mercury joined a series of bands and sold second-hand edwardian clothes and scarves in Kensington Market in London with Roger Taylor. Taylor recalls, “ back then, I didn ’ triiodothyronine in truth know him as a singer—he was just my spouse. My crazy teammate ! If there was fun to be had, Freddie and I were normally involved. ” [ 23 ] He besides held a job as a baggage coach at Heathrow Airport. [ 24 ] other friends from the time remember him as a repose and shy youthful serviceman with a great concern in music. [ 25 ] In 1969, he joined Liverpool -based band Ibex, late renamed Wreckage, which played “ very Hendrix-style, heavy blues ”. [ 26 ] He briefly lived in a flat above the Dovedale Towers, a public house close to Penny Lane in Liverpool ‘s Mossley Hill district. [ 27 ] [ 28 ] When this band failed to take off, he joined an Oxford -based band, Sour Milk Sea, but by early 1970 this group had broken up adenine well. [ 29 ] In April 1970, Mercury teamed up with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, to become leave singer of their set Smile. [ 2 ] They were joined by bassist John Deacon in 1971. Despite the reservations of the other members and Trident Studios, the band ‘s initial management, Mercury chose the name “ Queen ” for the new band. He late said, “ It ‘s identical imperial obviously, and it sounds brilliant. It ‘s a strong name, very universal and immediate. I was surely mindful of the homosexual connotations, but that was just one facet of it. ” [ 30 ] At about the like meter, he legally changed his surname, Bulsara, to Mercury. [ 31 ] curtly before the acquittance of Queen ‘s self-titled inaugural album, Mercury designed the band ‘s logo, known as the “ queen crest ”. [ 22 ] The logo combines the zodiac signs of the four band members : two lions for Deacon and Taylor ( sign Leo ), a crab for May ( Cancer ), and two fairies for Mercury ( Virgo ). [ 22 ] The lions embrace a stylize letter Q, the cancer rests atop the letter with flames rising directly above it, and the fairies are each sheltering below a lion. [ 22 ] A crown is shown inside the Q, and the whole logo is over-shadowed by an enormous phoenix. The queen crest bears a pass resemblance to the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, particularly with the lion supporters. [ 22 ]
art
Vocals
Mercury ‘s vocal range Although Mercury ‘s speak voice naturally fell in the baritone range, he delivered most songs in the tenor roll. [ 32 ] His know outspoken range extended from bass moo F ( F2 ) to soprano high F ( F6 ). [ 33 ] He could belt up to tenor high F ( F5 ). [ 33 ] Biographer David Bret described his voice as “ escalating within a few bars from a deep, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant tenor, then on to a high, perfect coloratura, pure and crystalline in the upper reaches ”. [ 34 ] spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé, with whom Mercury recorded an album, expressed her impression that “ the dispute between Freddie and about all the early rock candy stars was that he was selling the voice ”. [ 35 ] She adds :
His technique was astonishing. No trouble of tempo, he sang with an incisive feel of rhythm method of birth control, his song placement was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from a register to another. He besides had a bang-up musicality. His wording was subtle, delicate and fresh or energetic and slamming. He was able to find the right color or expressive nuance for each give voice. [ 33 ]
Mercury singing on stage in November 1977 The Who lead singer Roger Daltrey described Mercury as “ the best virtuoso rock ‘n ‘ roll singer of all clock. He could sing anything in any style. He could change his style from channel to line and, God, that ‘s an art. And he was brilliant at it. ” [ 36 ] Discussing what type of person he wanted to play the lead function in his musical Jesus Christ Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber said : “ He has to be of enormous charisma, but he besides has to be a actual, genuine rock tenor. That ‘s what it is. in truth think Freddie Mercury, I mean that ‘s the kind of scope we ‘re talking about. ” [ 37 ] A inquiry team undertook a survey in 2016 to understand the invoke behind Mercury ‘s voice. [ 38 ] Led by Professor Christian Herbst, the team identified his notably faster vibrato and use of subharmonics as singular characteristics of Mercury ‘s voice, particularly in comparison to opera singers. [ 39 ] The research team studied song samples from 23 commercially available Queen recordings, his solo work, and a series of interviews of the belated artist. They besides used an endoscopic video camera to study a rock ‘n’ roll singer brought in to imitate Mercury ‘s spill the beans voice. [ 39 ] [ 40 ]
Songwriting
Mercury wrote 10 of the 17 songs on Queen ‘s Greatest Hits album : “ bohemian rhapsody “, “ Seven Seas of Rhye “, “ Killer Queen “, “ person to Love “, “ commodity antique Lover Boy “, “ We Are the Champions “, “ Bicycle Race “, “ Do n’t Stop Me now “, “ crazy fiddling thing Called Love “, and “ Play the Game “. [ 41 ] In 2003 Mercury was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with the rest of Queen, and in 2005 all four band members were awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the british Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. [ 42 ] [ 43 ] The most celebrated view of his songwriting involved the across-the-board stove of genres that he used, which included, among other styles, rockabilly, liberal rock, heavy metallic element, religious doctrine, and disco. As he explained in a 1986 interview, “ I hate doing the same thing again and again and again. I like to see what ‘s happening now in music, film and dramaturgy and incorporate all of those things. ” [ 44 ] Compared to many popular songwriters, Mercury besides tended to write musically complex material. For example, “ bohemian rhapsody ” is non-cyclical in structure and comprises dozens of chords. [ 45 ] [ 46 ] He besides wrote six songs from Queen II which batch with multiple samara changes and complex material. “ crazy little thing Called Love ”, on the early bridge player, contains only a few chords. Although Mercury frequently wrote identical intricate harmonies, he claimed that he could barely read music. [ 47 ] He wrote most of his songs on the piano and used a broad variety show of key signatures. [ 45 ]
live performer
Mercury performing live in September 1984 Mercury was noted for his survive performances, which were frequently delivered to stadium audiences around the earth. He displayed a highly theatrical style that much evoked a great deal of participation from the push. [ 48 ] A writer for The Spectator described him as “ a performer out to tease, shock and ultimately charm his hearing with diverse extravagant versions of himself. ” [ 49 ] David Bowie, who performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and recorded the song “ Under blackmail “ with Queen, praised Mercury ‘s performance style, saying : “ Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the lie [ … ] he took it over the edge. And of course, I constantly admired a man who wears tights. I entirely saw him in concert once and as they say, he was decidedly a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand. ” [ 50 ] Queen guitarist Brian May wrote that Mercury could make “ the last person at the back of the furthest stand in a stadium feel that he was connected ”. [ 51 ] Mercury ‘s main prop up on stage was a break microphone stand ; after by chance snapping it off the heavy base during an early performance, he realised it could be used in endless ways. [ 52 ] One of Mercury ‘s most noteworthy performances with Queen took place at Live Aid in 1985. [ 2 ] Queen ‘s operation at the event has since been voted by a group of music executives as the greatest live performance in the history of rock music. The results were aired on a television receiver program called “ The World ‘s Greatest Gigs ”. [ 53 ] [ 54 ] Mercury ‘s brawny, sustained notice during the a cappella section came to be known as “ The Note Heard Round the World ”. [ 55 ] [ 56 ] In reviewing Live aid in 2005, one critic wrote, “ Those who compile lists of Great Rock Frontmen and award the acme spots to Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, etc. all are guilty of a frightful oversight. Freddie, as evidenced by his dionysian Live Aid performance, was easily the most divine of them all. ” [ 57 ] Queen roadie Peter Hince states, “ It was n’t just about his voice but the room he commanded the stage. For him it was all about interacting with the hearing and knowing how to get them on his side. And he gave everything in every display. ” [ 48 ] Throughout his career, Mercury performed an estimated 700 concerts in countries around the universe with Queen. A luminary aspect of Queen concerts was the large scale involved. [ 44 ] He once explained, “ We ‘re the Cecil B. DeMille of rock and roll, constantly wanting to do things bigger and better. ” [ 44 ] The dance band was the foremost ever to play in south american stadiums, breaking worldwide records for concert attendance in the Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo in 1981. [ 58 ] In 1986, Queen besides played behind the Iron Curtain when they performed to a crowd of 80,000 in Budapest, in what was one of the biggest rock concerts always held in Eastern Europe. [ 59 ] Mercury ‘s final examination bouncy performance with Queen took rate on 9 August 1986 at Knebworth Park in England and drew an attendance estimated deoxyadenosine monophosphate high as 200,000. A week anterior to Knebworth, May recalled Mercury saying “ I ’ m not going to be doing this forever. This is probably the last time. ” With the british national anthem “ God Save the Queen “ play at the end of the concert, Mercury ‘s final work on stage saw him draped in a robe, holding a aureate crown aloft, bidding farewell to the push. [ 61 ] [ 62 ]
musician
Mercury playing rhythm guitar during a Queen concert in Frankfurt, West Germany, 1984 As a young male child in India, Mercury received dinner dress piano training up to the age of nine. later on, while survive in London, he learned guitar. much of the music he liked was guitar-orientated : his darling artists at the time were the Who, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Led Zeppelin. He was frequently self-deprecating about his skills on both instruments. however Brian May states Mercury “ had a fantastic partake on the piano. He could play what came from inside him like cipher else – incredible rhythm method of birth control, incredible mania and feel. ” [ 63 ] Keyboardist Rick Wakeman praised Mercury ’ s playing style, saying he “ discovered [ the piano ] for himself ” and successfully composed a count of Queen songs on the instrument. [ 64 ] From the early 1980s Mercury began extensively using guest keyboardists. Most notably, he enlisted Fred Mandel ( a canadian musician who besides worked for Pink Floyd, Elton John, and Supertramp ) for his first base solo project. From 1982 Mercury collaborated with Morgan Fisher ( who performed with Queen in concert during the Hot Space branch ), [ 65 ] and from 1985 ahead Mercury collaborated with Mike Moran ( in the studio apartment ) and Spike Edney ( in concert ). [ 66 ] Mercury played the piano in many of Queen ‘s most popular songs, including “ Killer Queen “, “ bohemian rhapsody “, “ good antique Lover Boy “, “ We Are the Champions “, “ person to Love “, and “ Do n’t Stop Me immediately “. He used concert deluxe pianos ( such as a Bechstein ) and, occasionally, early keyboard instruments such as the harpsichord. From 1980 forth, he besides made frequent habit of synthesisers in the studio. Brian May claims that Mercury used the piano less over time because he wanted to walk around on stage and entertain the consultation. [ 67 ] [ 68 ] Although he wrote many lines for the guitar, Mercury possessed only fundamental skills on the instrument. Songs like “ Ogre Battle “ and “ Crazy Little Thing Called Love “ were composed on the guitar ; the latter featured Mercury playing rhythm guitar on stage and in the studio apartment. [ 69 ]
Solo career
ampere well as his exploit with Queen, Mercury put out two solo albums and respective singles. Although his alone work was not as commercially successful as most Queen albums, the two off-Queen albums and several of the singles debuted in the lead 10 of the UK Music Charts. His first alone campaign goes back to 1972 under the pseudonym Larry Lurex, when Trident Studios ‘ sign of the zodiac mastermind Robin Geoffrey Cable was working in a musical project, at the meter when Queen were recording their introduction album ; Cable enlisted Mercury to perform head vocals on the songs “ I Can Hear Music “ and “ Goin ‘ Back “, both were released together as a single in 1973. [ 1 ] Eleven years by and by, Mercury contributed to the soundtrack for the restoration of the 1927 Fritz Lang film Metropolis. “ Love Kills ” was written for the film by Giorgio Moroder in collaboration with Mercury, and produced by Moroder and Mack ; in 1984 it debuted at the number 10 side in the UK Singles Chart. [ 70 ] ( A Richard “ Wolfie ” Wolf remix of the song was used as the end style theme for National Lampoon ‘s Loaded Weapon 1 in 1993. ) Reinhold Mack besides produced the 1987 unmarried “ Hold On ”, which Mercury recorded with actress Jo Dare for the german action drama Zabou. [ 71 ]
I wo n’t be touring on my own or splitting up with Queen. Without the others I would be nothing. The press constantly makes out that I ‘m the angry one and they ‘re all lull, but it ‘s not on-key. I ‘ve got some wild stories about Brian May you would n’t believe .
—Mercury on his alone career, January 1985. [ 72 ]
Mercury ‘s two fully albums outside the band were Mr. Bad Guy ( 1985 ) and Barcelona ( 1988 ). [ 2 ] His inaugural album, Mr. Bad Guy, debuted in the circus tent ten-spot of the UK Album Charts. [ 70 ] In 1993, a remix of “ Living on My Own “, a individual from the album, posthumously reached number one on the UK Singles Charts. The song besides garnered Mercury a posthumous Ivor Novello Award from the british Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. [ 73 ] AllMusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia describes Mr. Bad Guy as “ outstanding from depart to finish ” and expressed his view that Mercury “ did a applaudable job of stretching into chartless district ”. In particular, the album is heavily synthesiser-driven ; that is not characteristic of previous Queen albums. His second album, Barcelona, recorded with spanish soprano singer Montserrat Caballé, combines elements of popular music and opera. many critics were unsealed what to make of the album ; one referred to it as “ the most bizarre candle of the class ”. [ 75 ] The album was a commercial success, [ 76 ] and the album ‘s championship track debuted at No. 8 in the UK and was besides a hit in Spain. [ 77 ] The title chase received massive airplay as the official hymn of the 1992 Summer Olympics ( held in Barcelona one year after Mercury ‘s death ). Caballé sang it live at the open of the Olympics with Mercury ‘s part played on a screen, and again before the beginning of the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich in Barcelona. [ 78 ] In addition to the two solo albums, Mercury released respective singles, including his own interpretation of the strike “ The Great Pretender “ by the Platters, which debuted at No. 5 in the UK in 1987. [ 70 ] In September 2006 a compilation album featuring Mercury ‘s solo work was released in the UK in honor of what would have been his sixtieth birthday. The album debuted in the UK clear 10. [ 79 ] In 2012, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender, a objective film directed by Rhys Thomas on Mercury ‘s attempts to forge a solo career, premiered on BBC One. [ 80 ] In 1981–1983 Mercury recorded several tracks with Michael Jackson, including a demonstration of “ State of Shock “, “ victory ”, and “ There Must Be More to Life Than This ”. [ 81 ] [ 82 ] none of these collaborations were officially released at the time, although moonshine recordings exist. Jackson went on to record the single “ State of Shock ” with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons ‘ album Victory. [ 83 ] Mercury included the solo adaptation of “ There Must Be More To Life Than This ” on his Mr. Bad Guy album. [ 84 ] “ There Must Be More to Life Than This ” was finally reworked by Queen and released on their compilation album Queen Forever in 2014. [ 85 ] In addition to working with Michael Jackson, Mercury and Roger Taylor american ginseng on the title track for Billy Squier ‘s 1982 studio release, Emotions in Motion and subsequently contributed to two tracks on Squier ‘s 1986 let go of, Enough Is Enough, providing vocals on “ Love is the Hero ” and musical arrangements on “ Lady With a Tenor Sax ”. [ 86 ] In 2020, Mercury ‘s music video recording for “ Love Me Like There ‘s No Tomorrow “ was nominated for Best vivification at the Berlin Music Video Awards. Woodlock studio is behind the animation. [ 87 ]
personal life
Relationships
12 Stafford Terrace in Kensington, London, one of Mercury ‘s erstwhile homes In the early 1970s, Mercury had a long-run relationship with Mary Austin, whom he met through guitarist Brian May. Austin, born in Fulham, London, met Mercury in 1969 when she was 19 and he was 24 years old, a class before Queen had formed. [ 88 ] He lived with Austin for several years in West Kensington, London. By the mid-1970s, he had begun an affair with David Minns, an american record executive at Elektra Records. In December 1976, Mercury told Austin of his sex, which ended their romanticist relationship. [ 66 ] [ 89 ] Mercury moved out of the directly they shared, and bought Austin a place of her own nearby his new savoir-faire of 12 Stafford Terrace, Kensington. [ 90 ] Mercury and Austin remained friends through the years, with Mercury often referring to her as his only true ally. In a 1985 interview, Mercury said of Austin, “ All my lovers asked me why they could n’t replace Mary, but it ‘s merely impossible. The lone supporter I ‘ve got is Mary, and I do n’t want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that ‘s enough for me. ” [ 91 ] Mercury ‘s final examination home, Garden Lodge, a twenty-eight board georgian sign of the zodiac in Kensington hardening in a quarter-acre manicure garden surrounded by a high brick wall, was picked out by Austin. [ 92 ] Austin married the painting artist Piers Cameron ; they have two children. Mercury was the godfather of her oldest son, Richard. [ 67 ] In his will, Mercury left his London home to Austin having told her, “ You would have been my wife, and it would have been yours anyhow. ” [ 93 ] During the early- to mid-1980s, he was reportedly involved with Barbara Valentin, an austrian actress, who is featured in the video for “ It ‘s a unvoiced Life “. [ 89 ] [ 94 ] In another article, he said Valentin was “ fair a acquaintance ” ; Mercury was dating german restaurateur Winfried “ Winnie ” Kirchberger during this time. [ 95 ] Mercury lived at Kirchberger ‘s apartment [ 96 ] and thanked him “ for circuit board and lodging ” in the liner notes of his 1985 album Mr. Bad Guy. [ 97 ] He wore a silver marry band given to him by Kirchberger. [ 98 ] A close ally described him as Mercury ‘s “ bang-up love ” in Germany. [ 99 ] By 1985, he began another long-run relationship with Irish-born hairdresser Jim Hutton ( 1949–2010 ), whom he referred to as his conserve. [ 100 ] Mercury described their kinship as one construct on consolation and understand, and said that he “ honestly could n’t ask for better ”. [ 101 ] Hutton, who tested HIV-positive in 1990, lived with Mercury for the last seven years of his life, nursed him during his illness, and was salute at his bedside when he died. Mercury wore a amber marry band, given to him by Hutton in 1986, until the end of his life. He was cremated with it on. [ 98 ] Hutton late relocated from London to the bungalow he and Mercury had built for themselves in Ireland. [ 98 ]
friendship with Kenny Everett
Radio disk jockey Kenny Everett met Mercury in 1974, when he invited the singer onto his capital London breakfast show. [ 102 ] As two of Britain ‘s most flamboyant, hideous, and popular entertainers, they shared much in common and became close friends. [ 102 ] In 1975, Mercury visited Everett, bringing with him an overture copy of the one “ bohemian rhapsody “. [ 92 ] Despite doubting that any station would play the six-minute track, Everett placed the song on the turntable, and, after hearing it, exclaimed : “ Forget it, it ‘s going to be number one for centuries ”. [ 92 ] Although Capital Radio had not officially accepted the sung, Everett talked constantly about a commemorate he possessed but could not play. He then frequently proceeded to play the track with the excuse : “ Oops, my finger must ‘ve slipped. ” [ 92 ] On one occasion, Everett aired the sung fourteen times over a single weekend. [ 103 ] Capital ‘s switchboard was overwhelmed with callers inquiring when the sung would be released. [ 102 ] [ 104 ] During the 1970s, Everett became adviser and mentor to Mercury and Mercury served as Everett ‘s confidant. [ 102 ] Throughout the early- to mid-1980s, they continued to explore their homosexuality and experiment with drugs. Although they were never lovers, they did experience London nightlife together. [ 102 ] By 1985, they had fallen out, and their friendship was further strained when Everett was outed in the autobiography of his ex-wife Lady Lee. [ 102 ] In 1989, with their health failing, Mercury and Everett were reconciled. [ 102 ]
sexual orientation
While some commentators claimed Mercury hid his sexual orientation from the public, [ 19 ] [ 35 ] [ 105 ] others claimed he was “ openly gay “. [ 106 ] [ 107 ] In December 1974, when asked immediately, “ so how about being bend ? ” by the New Musical Express, Mercury replied, “ You ‘re a crafty cow. Let ‘s put it this direction : there were times when I was young and greens. It ‘s a thing schoolboy go through. I ‘ve had my plowshare of schoolboy pranks. I ‘m not going to elaborate further. ” [ 108 ] Homosexual acts between adult males over the old age of 21 had been decriminalised in the United Kingdom in 1967, seven years earlier. During populace events in the 1980s, Mercury much kept a distance from his partner, Jim Hutton. [ 109 ] Mercury ‘s royal poinciana stage performances sometimes led journalists to allude to his sex. Dave Dickson, reviewing Queen ‘s performance at Wembley Arena in 1984 for Kerrang!, noted Mercury ‘s “ camp “ addresses to the hearing and even described him as a “ put, pout, posturing tart ”. [ 110 ] In 1992, John Marshall of Gay Times opined : “ [ Mercury ] was a ‘scene-queen, ‘ not afraid to publicly express his homosexuality, but unwilling to analyse or justify his ‘lifestyle ‘ [ … ] It was as if Freddie Mercury was saying to the world, ‘I am what I am. So what ? ‘ And that in itself for some was a statement. ” [ 111 ] In an article for AfterElton, Robert Urban said : “ Mercury did not ally himself to ‘political outness, ‘ or to LGBT causes. ” [ 111 ] Some have continued to refer to Mercury as bisexual ; for example, regarding the creation of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, Wendy Curry said : “ We were sitting around at one of the annual bismuth conventions, venting and person – I think it was Gigi – said we should have a party. We all loved the big bisexual, Freddie Mercury. His birthday was in September, so why not Sept ? We wanted a weekend day to ensure the most people would do something. Gigi ‘s birthday was September 23rd. It fell on a weekend sidereal day, so, fagot ! We had a day. ” [ 112 ] [ 113 ] The Advocate said in May 2018, “ Closeted throughout his life, Mercury, who was bisexual, engaged in affairs with men but referred to a woman he loved in his young, Mary Austin, as ‘the love of his life, ‘ according to the biography Somebody to Love: The Life, Death, and Legacy of Freddie Mercury. ” [ 114 ] additionally, according to an obituary Mercury was a “ self-confessed bisexual ”. [ 115 ] [ 116 ] The 2018 biopic of Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody, received criticism for its depiction of Mercury ‘s sex, which was described as “ sterilized ” and “ confuse ”, and was even accused of being “ dangerous ”. [ 117 ] [ 118 ] [ 119 ]
personality
Although he cultivated a royal poinciana stagecoach personality, Mercury was shy and retiring when not performing, particularly around people he did not know well, [ 17 ] [ 35 ] and granted very few interviews. Mercury once said of himself : “ When I ‘m performing I ‘m an extrovert, yet inside I ‘m a completely different valet. ” [ 120 ] On this contrast to “ his epic stage persona ”, BBC music broadcaster Bob Harris adds he was “ adorable, bright, sensitive, and quite vulnerable. ” [ 121 ] While on stage, Mercury basked in the love from his audience. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain ‘s suicide notice mentions how he admired and envied the way Mercury “ seemed to love, relish in the sleep together and adoration from the crowd ”. [ 122 ] [ 123 ] Mercury never discussed his cultural or religious backdrop with journalists. The closest he came to doing so was in response to a question about his bizarre persona, he said, “ that ‘s something inbred, it ‘s a part of me. I will constantly walk around like a irani popinjay “, [ 124 ] an devious reference to his indian Parsi background. Feeling a connection to Britain prior to arriving in England, the young Bulsara was heavily influenced by british fashion and music trends while growing up. [ 124 ] According to his longtime assistant Peter Freestone, “ if Freddie had his way, he would have been born aged 18 in Feltham. ” [ 124 ] Harris states, “ One of the things about Freddie was that he was identical civilized and quite ‘English ‘. I ‘d go over to his flat near Shepherd ‘s Bush in the good afternoon, and he ‘d get out the very well china and the carbohydrate lumps and we ‘d have a cup of tea. ” [ 121 ] His aureate apparel smell and the emergence of glam rock candy in the UK in the early 1970s understand Mercury wear outfits designed by Zandra Rhodes. [ 125 ]
When asked by Melody Maker in 1981 if rock stars should use their power to try to shape the earth for the better, Mercury responded, “ Leave that to the politicians. certain people can do that kind of thing, but identical few. John Lennon was one. Because of his condition, he could do that kind of sermon and feign people ‘s thoughts. But to do this you have to have a certain amount of reason and charming in concert, and the John Lennons are few and far between. People with mere talent, like me, have not got the ability or ability. ” [ 126 ] Mercury dedicated a birdcall to the former penis of The Beatles. The song, “ Life is Real ( Song for Lennon ) ”, is included in the 1982 album Hot Space. [ 127 ] Mercury did occasionally express his concerns about the department of state of the worldly concern in his lyrics. His most celebrated “ message ” songs are “ Under pressure ”, “ Is This the World We Created … ? “ ( a birdcall which Mercury and May performed at Live Aid, and besides featured in Greenpeace – The Album ), “ There Must Be More to Life Than This “, “ The Miracle “ ( a song May called “ one of Freddie ‘s most beautiful creations ” ) and “ Innuendo “. [ 128 ] [ 129 ] Mercury cared for at least ten-spot cats throughout his life sentence, including : Tom, Jerry, Oscar, Tiffany, Dorothy, Delilah, Goliath, Miko, Romeo, and lily. He was against the inbreeding of cats for specific features and all except for Tiffany and Lily, both given as gifts, were adopted from the Blue Cross. Mercury “ placed as much importance on these beloved animals as on any human life ”, and showed his worship by having the artist Ann Ortman paint portraits of each of them. Mercury wrote a birdcall for Delilah, “ his favorite big cat of all ”, which appeared on the Queen album Innuendo. [ 130 ] Mercury dedicated his liner notes in his 1985 alone album Mr. Bad Guy to Jerry and his other cats. It reads, “ This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry—also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany and all the caterpillar lovers across the universe—screw everybody else ! ” [ 131 ] In 1987, Mercury celebrated his forty-first birthday at the Pikes Hotel, Ibiza, Spain, respective months after discovering that he had contracted HIV. [ 92 ] Mercury sought much consolation at the retreat and was a cheeseparing ally of the owner, Anthony Pike, who described Mercury as “ the most beautiful person I ‘ve ever met in my life. So entertain and generous. ” [ 132 ] According to biographer Lesley-Ann Jones, Mercury “ felt identical much at home there. He played some tennis, lounged by the pool, and ventured out to the leftover gay club or cake at night. ” [ 133 ] The birthday party, held on 5 September 1987, has been described as “ the most incredible example of excess the Mediterranean island had ever seen ”, and was attended by some 700 people. [ 134 ] A cake in the shape of Antoni Gaudi ‘s Sagrada Família was provided for the party. The original cake collapsed and was replaced with a two-metre-long quick study patty decorated with the notes from Mercury ‘s song “ Barcelona ”. [ 132 ] The bill, which included 232 break glasses, was presented to Queen ‘s director, Jim Beach. [ 135 ] Before his death, Mercury had told Beach, “ You can do what you want with my music, but do n’t make me boring. ” [ 136 ]
illness
There were signs that Mercury had been exhibiting HIV symptoms arsenic early on as 1982. Authors Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne have stated in their biographic book about Mercury, Somebody to Love: The Life, Death, and Legacy of Freddie Mercury, that Mercury secretly visited a doctor in New York City to get a egg white lesion on his clapper checked ( which might have been hairy leukoplakia, one of the first base signs of an infection ) a few weeks before Queen ‘s final american appearance with Mercury on Saturday Night Live on 25 September 1982. [ 137 ] They besides stated that he had associated with person who was recently infected with HIV on the lapp day of their final US appearance, in which he began to exhibit more symptoms. [ 137 ]
[138]Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, Queen’s recording studio from 1978 to 1995. Mercury recorded his final vocals here in May 1991. In December 2013, the studio was opened free as the “Queen Studio Experience”, with fans asked for a donation to the Mercury Phoenix Trust charity. In October 1986, the british press reported that Mercury had his blood tested for HIV/AIDS at a Harley Street clinic. According to his partner Jim Hutton, Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in late April 1987. [ 139 ] Around that time, Mercury claimed in an consultation to have tested negative for HIV. [ 35 ] The british press pursued the rumor over the adjacent few years, fueled by Mercury ‘s increasingly bony appearance, Queen ‘s absence from touring, and reports from early lovers to yellow journalism journals. By 1990, rumours about Mercury ‘s health were prevailing. [ 140 ] At the 1990 Brit Awards held at the Dominion Theatre, London, on 18 February, Mercury made his final appearance on stagecoach when he joined the rest of Queen to collect the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. [ 141 ] [ 142 ] Mercury and his inside encircle of colleagues and friends continually denied the stories. It has been suggested that Mercury could have helped AIDS awareness by speaking earlier about his illness. [ 50 ] [ 143 ] Mercury kept his condition private to protect those closest to him ; May late confirmed that Mercury had informed the band of his illness much earlier. [ 144 ] [ 145 ] Filmed in May 1991, the music video for “ These Are the Days of Our Lives “ features a very reduce Mercury in his final scenes in front of the television camera. [ 146 ] Director of the video Rudi Dolezal comments, “ AIDS was never a subject. We never discussed it. He didn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate want to talk about it. Most of the people didn ’ triiodothyronine even 100 percentage know if he had it, apart from the band and a few people in the inner circle. He always said, ‘ I don ’ t want to put any charge on early people by telling them my calamity. ’ ” [ 147 ] The rest of the band were cook to record when Mercury felt able to come into the studio, for an hour or two at a time. May said of Mercury : “ He fair kept saying. ‘Write me more. Write me stuff. I want to equitable sing this and do it and when I am gone you can finish it off. ‘ He had no fear, truly. ” [ 138 ] Justin Shirley-Smith, the adjunct mastermind for those last sessions, said : “ This is hard to explain to people, but it was n’t deplorable, it was very happy. He [ Freddie ] was one of the funniest people I ever encountered. I was laughing most of the time, with him. Freddie was saying [ of his illness ] ‘I ‘m not going to think about it, I ‘m going to do this. ‘ ” [ 138 ] After the conclusion of his work with Queen in June 1991, Mercury retired to his home in Kensington, West London. His former partner, Mary Austin, was a especial quilt in his final years, and in the last few weeks made regular visits to look after him. [ 148 ] Near the end of his biography, Mercury began to lose his sight, and declined so that he was unable to leave his seam. [ 148 ] Mercury chose to hasten his death by refusing medicine and took merely painkillers. [ 148 ] On 22 November 1991, Mercury called Queen ‘s director Jim Beach to his Kensington home to prepare a public statement, which was released the keep up day : [ 144 ]
Following the enormous conjecture in the urge over the death two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this data individual to date to protect the privacy of those around me. however, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the worldly concern to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this frightful disease. My privacy has always been very especial to me and I am celebrated for my miss of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue .
death
On the evening of 24 November 1991, about 24 hours after issuing the statement, Mercury died at the age of 45 at his home in Kensington. [ 149 ] The campaign of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. [ 150 ] Mercury ‘s close friend Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five was at the bedside vigil when he died. Austin phoned Mercury ‘s parents and baby to break the news, which reached newspaper and television receiver crews in the early hours of 25 November. [ 151 ]
Mercury ‘s funeral service was conducted on 27 November 1991 by a zoroastrian priest at West London Crematorium, where he is commemorated by a pedestal under his give birth identify. In attendance at Mercury ‘s service were his family and 35 of his close friends, including Elton John and the members of Queen. [ 152 ] [ 153 ] His coffin was carried into the chapel to the sounds of “ Take My Hand, Precious Lord “ / ” You ‘ve Got a Friend “ by Aretha Franklin. [ 154 ] In accord with Mercury ‘s wishes, Mary Austin took possession of his cremate remains and buried them in an undisclosed placement. [ 68 ] The whereabouts of his ashes are believed to be known merely to Austin, who has said that she will never reveal them. [ 155 ] Mercury exhausted and donated to charity a lot of his wealth during his life, with his estate of the realm valued around £8 million at the meter of his death. He bequeathed his base, Garden Lodge and the adjoining Mews, deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as a 50 % of all privately owned shares to Mary Austin. His sister, Kashmira Cooke, received 25 %, as did his parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, which Cooke acquired upon their deaths. He willed £500,000 to Joe Fannelli ; £500,000 to Jim Hutton ; £500,000 to Peter Freestone ; and £100,000 to Terry Giddings. [ 156 ] The extinct walls of Garden Lodge in Logan Place became a enshrine to Mercury, with mourners paying tribute by covering the walls in graffito messages. [ 157 ] Three years after his death, Time Out cartridge holder reported that “ the wall outside the family has become London ‘s biggest rock ‘n ‘ roll shrine ”. [ 157 ] Fans continued to visit to pay their respects with letters appearing on the walls [ 158 ] until 2017, when Austin had the wall cleared. [ 159 ] Hutton was involved in a 2000 biography of Mercury, Freddie Mercury, the Untold Story, and besides gave an interview for The Times in September 2006 for what would have been Mercury ‘s sixtieth birthday. [ 139 ]
bequest
proceed popularity
The charisma and ability in his operation style has over the years led to many artists quoting him as one of their biggest inspirations today. The diverse oscilloscope of artists that love Mercury is huge .
—Amy Weller, Gigwise [ 160 ]
Regarded as one of the greatest lead singers in the history of rock music, [ 161 ] [ 162 ] he was known for his royal poinciana stage persona and four- octave vocal scope. [ 163 ] [ 164 ] [ 165 ] Mercury defied the conventions of a rock frontman, with his highly theatrical performance vogue influencing the artistic direction of Queen. [ 166 ] The extent to which Mercury ‘s death may have enhanced Queen ‘s popularity is not clear. In the United States, where Queen ‘s popularity had lagged in the 1980s, sales of Queen albums went up dramatically in 1992, the year following his death. [ 167 ] In 1992, one American critic noted, “ What cynics call the ‘dead star ‘ divisor had come into play—Queen is in the middle of a major revival. ” [ 168 ] The movie Wayne’s World, which featured “ bohemian rhapsody ”, besides came out in 1992. [ 169 ] According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Queen had sold 34.5 million albums in the United States by 2004, about half of which had been sold since Mercury ‘s death in 1991. [ 170 ]
Estimates of Queen ‘s sum global record sales to date have been set a gamey as 300 million. [ 171 ] In the United Kingdom, Queen have now spent more corporate weeks on the UK Album Charts than any other musical act ( including the Beatles ), [ 172 ] and Queen’s Greatest Hits is the best-selling album of all time in the United Kingdom. [ 173 ] Two of Mercury ‘s songs, “ We Are the Champions “ and “ bohemian rhapsody “, have besides each been voted as the greatest song of all meter in major polls by Sony Ericsson [ 174 ] and Guinness World Records. [ 175 ] Both songs have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame ; “ bohemian rhapsody ” in 2004 and “ We Are the Champions ” in 2009. [ 176 ] In October 2007 the video recording for “ gypsy rhapsody ” was voted the greatest of all time by readers of Q magazine. [ 177 ] Since his death, Queen were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and all four isthmus members were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. [ 178 ] [ 179 ] Their Rock Hall of Fame citation reads, “ in the gold era of glam rock and gorgeously hyper-produced theatrical extravaganza that defined one outgrowth of ’70s rock, no group came close in either concept or execution to Queen. ” [ 180 ] The ring were among the inauguration inductees into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Mercury was individually posthumously awarded the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 1992. [ 181 ] They received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the british Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors in 2005, and in 2018 they were presented the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. [ 43 ] [ 182 ]
posthumous Queen album
In November 1995, Mercury appeared posthumously on Queen ‘s final studio apartment album Made in Heaven. [ 2 ] [ 183 ] The album featured Mercury ‘s previously unreleased final recordings from 1991, adenine well as outtakes from previous years and reworked versions of solo works by the other members. [ 184 ] The album cover features the Freddie Mercury statue that overlooks Lake Geneva superimposed with Mercury ‘s Duck House lake cabin that he had rented. This is where he had written and recorded his death songs at Mountain Studios. [ 184 ] The sleeve of the album contains the words, “ Dedicated to the immortal emotional state of Freddie Mercury. ” [ 184 ] Featuring tracks such as “ Too much Love Will Kill You “ and “ Heaven for Everyone “, the album besides contains the song “ Mother Love “, the last vocal recording Mercury made before his death, which he completed using a drum machine, over which May, Taylor, and Deacon late added the implemental track. [ 185 ] After completing the penultimate verse, Mercury had told the band he “ was n’t feeling that great ” and stated, “ I will finish it when I come back following time ”. He never made it back into the studio apartment, so May belated recorded the final poetry of the sung. [ 138 ]
Tributes
A statue in Montreux, Switzerland, by sculptor Irena Sedlecká, was erected as a tribute to Mercury. [ 186 ] It stands about 10 feet ( 3 metres ) high overlooking Lake Geneva and was unveiled on 25 November 1996 by Mercury ‘s beget and Montserrat Caballé, with bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor besides in attendance. [ 187 ] Beginning in 2003 fans from around the worldly concern have gathered in Switzerland per annum to pay tribute to the singer as separate of the “ Freddie Mercury Montreux Memorial Day ” on the first weekend of September. [ 188 ] In 1997 the three remaining members of Queen released “ No-One but You ( merely the Good Die Young ) “, a sung dedicated to Mercury and all those that die excessively soon. [ 189 ] In 1999 a Royal Mail stamp with an image of Mercury on stage was issued in his respect as part of the UK postal overhaul ‘s Millennium Stamp series. [ 190 ] [ 191 ] In 2009 a star commemorating Mercury was unveiled in Feltham, west London where his syndicate moved upon arriving in England in 1964. The leading in memory of Mercury ‘s achievements was unveiled on Feltham High Street by his mother Jer Bulsara and Queen bandmate May. [ 192 ]
A statue of Mercury stood over the entrance to the Dominion Theatre in London ‘s West end from May 2002 to May 2014 for Queen and Ben Elton ‘s musical We Will Rock You. [ 193 ] A tribute to Queen was on display at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas throughout 2009 on its video recording canopy. [ 194 ] In December 2009 a large model of Mercury wearing tartan was put on display in Edinburgh as promotion for the tend of We Will Rock You. [ 195 ] Sculptures of Mercury frequently feature him wearing a military jacket with his fist in the air travel. In 2018, GQ magazine called Mercury ‘s yellow military jacket from his 1986 concerts his best known look, [ 196 ] while CNN called it “ an iconic moment in fashion. ” [ 197 ] For Mercury ‘s sixty-fifth birthday in 2011, Google dedicated its Google Doodle to him. It included an liveliness set to his song, “ Do n’t Stop Me now ”. [ 198 ] Referring to “ the late, great Freddie Mercury ” in their 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech, Guns N ‘ Roses quoted Mercury ‘s lyrics from “ We Are the Champions ” ; “ I ‘ve taken my bows, my curtain calls, you ‘ve brought me fame and luck and everything that goes with it, and I thank you all. ” [ 199 ] [ 200 ] tribute was paid to Queen and Mercury at the close ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The band ‘s performance of “ We Will Rock You ” with Jessie J was opened with a video of Mercury ‘s “ birdcall and reply “ routine from 1986 ‘s Wembley Stadium performance, with the 2012 crowd at the Olympic Stadium responding appropriately. [ 201 ] [ 202 ] The frog genus Mercurana, discovered in 2013 in Kerala, India, was named as a tribute because Mercury ‘s “ vibrant music inspires the authors ”. The web site of the discovery is very cheeseparing to where Mercury spent most of his childhood. [ 203 ] In 2013, a newly discovered species of damselfly from Brazil was named Heteragrion freddiemercuryi, honouring the “ brilliant and give musician and songwriter whose fantastic voice and endowment still entertain millions ” — one of four similar damselflies named after the Queen bandmates, in tribute to Queen ‘s fortieth anniversary. [ 204 ] On 1 September 2016, an english Heritage blue plaque was unveiled at Mercury ‘s home in 22 Gladstone Avenue in Feltham, west London by his sister Kashmira Cooke and Brian May. [ 205 ] Attending the ceremony, Karen Bradley, the UK Secretary of State for Culture, called Mercury “ one of Britain ‘s most influential musicians ”, and added he “ is a ball-shaped picture whose music touched the lives of millions of people around the global ”. [ 206 ] On 24 February 2020 a street in Feltham was renamed Freddie Mercury Close during a ceremony attended by his sister Kashmira. [ 207 ] On 5 September 2016, the seventieth anniversary of Mercury ‘s birth, asteroid 17473 Freddiemercury was named after him. [ 208 ] Issuing the certificate of designation to the “ charismatic singer ”, Joel Parker of the Southwest Research Institute added : “ Freddie Mercury whistle, ‘I ‘m a shooting star leaping through the sky’ — and now that is even more truthful than ever before. ” [ 208 ] In an April 2019 interview, british rock concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith referred to Mercury as “ one of our most care for talents ”. [ 209 ] In August 2019, Mercury was one of the honorees inducted in the Rainbow Honor Walk, a walk of fame in San Francisco ‘s Castro region noting LGBTQ people who have “ made significant contributions in their fields. ” [ 210 ] [ 211 ] [ 212 ] Freddie Mercury Alley is a 107-yard-long ( 98 megabyte ) bowling alley next to the british embassy in the Ujazdów district in Warsaw, Poland, which is dedicated to Mercury, and was unveiled on 22 November 2019. [ 213 ] Until the Freddie Mercury Close in Feltham was dedicated, Warsaw was the alone city in Europe with a street dedicated to the singer. [ 214 ] [ 215 ] In January 2020, Queen became the first band to join Queen Elizabeth II on a british coin. Issued by the Royal Mint, the commemorative £5 coin features the instruments of all four band members, including Mercury ‘s Bechstein august piano and his mic and stand. [ 216 ] Mercury has featured in international ad to represent the UK. In 2001, a parody of Mercury, along with prints of other british music icons consisting of The Beatles, Elton John, Spice Girls, and The Rolling Stones, appeared in the Eurostar home advertise campaign in France for the Paris to London route. [ 217 ] In September 2017 the airline Norwegian painted the buttocks fin of two of its aircraft with a portrayal of Mercury to mark what would have been his 71st birthday. Mercury is one of the company ‘s six “ british stern louver heroes ”, alongside England ‘s 1966 FIFA World Cup winning master Bobby Moore, children ‘s author Roald Dahl, novelist Jane Austen, pioneering navigate Amy Johnson, and air travel entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker. [ 218 ] [ 219 ]
importance in AIDS history
As the first major rock asterisk to die of AIDS, Mercury ‘s death represented an crucial event in the history of the disease. [ 220 ] In April 1992, the remaining members of Queen founded The Mercury Phoenix Trust and organised The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness, to celebrate the life and bequest of Mercury and raise money for AIDS research, which took place on 20 April 1992. [ 221 ] The Mercury Phoenix Trust has since raised millions of pounds for diverse AIDS charities. The protection concert, which took seat at London ‘s Wembley Stadium for an consultation of 72,000, featured a wide variety of guests including Robert Plant ( of Led Zeppelin ), Roger Daltrey ( of the Who ), Extreme, Elton John, Metallica, David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Tony Iommi ( of Black Sabbath ), Guns N ‘ Roses, Elizabeth Taylor, George Michael, Def Leppard, Seal, Liza Minnelli, and U2 ( via satellite ). Elizabeth Taylor address of Mercury as “ an extraordinary rock candy headliner who rushed across our cultural landscape like a comet shooting across the sky ”. [ 222 ] The concert was circulate alive to 76 countries and had an estimated screening audience of 1 billion people. [ 223 ] The Freddie For A Day fundraiser on behalf of the Mercury Phoenix Trust takes place every year in London, with supporters of the jacob’s ladder including Monty Python comedian Eric Idle, and Mel B of the Spice Girls. [ 224 ]
Appearances in lists of influential individuals
several popularity polls conducted over the by ten indicate that Mercury ‘s repute may have been enhanced since his death. For case, in a 2002 vote to determine who the UK public considers the greatest british people in history, Mercury was ranked 58 in the list of the 100 Greatest Britons, broadcast by the BBC. [ 225 ] He was further listed at the 52nd spot in a 2007 japanese national sketch of the 100 most influential heroes. [ 226 ] Although he had been criticised by gay activists for hiding his human immunodeficiency virus condition, generator Paul Russell included Mercury in his book The Gay 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Gay Men and Lesbians, Past and Present. [ 227 ] In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked Mercury 18 on its list of the Top 100 Singers Of All Time. [ 164 ] Mercury was voted the greatest male singer in MTV ‘s 22 Greatest Voices in Music. [ 106 ] In 2011 a Rolling Stone readers ‘ pick placed Mercury in second place of the magazine ‘s Best Lead Singers of All Time. [ 122 ] In 2015, Billboard magazine placed him second on their list of the 25 Best Rock Frontmen ( and Women ) of All Time. [ 228 ]
portrayal on stage
On 24 November 1997, a monodrama about Freddie Mercury ‘s life, titled Mercury: The Afterlife and Times of a Rock God, opened in New York City. [ 229 ] It presented Mercury in the hereafter : examining his life, seeking redemption and searching for his true self. [ 230 ] The act was written and directed by Charles Messina and the depart of Mercury was played by Khalid Gonçalves ( né Paul Gonçalves ) and then late, Amir Darvish. [ 231 ] billy Squier opened one of the shows with an acoustic performance of a birdcall he had written about Mercury titled “ I Have Watched You Fly ”. [ 232 ] In 2016 a melodious titled Royal Vauxhall premiered at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in Vauxhall, London. Written by Desmond O’Connor, the musical told the allege tales of the nights that Mercury, Kenny Everett and Princess Diana spent out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London in the 1980s. [ 233 ] Following respective successful runs in London, the musical was taken to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2016 starring Tom Giles as Mercury. [ 233 ]
depiction in film and television
Bohemian Rhapsody on the side of Mercury’s former art college in West London in October 2018 mural promoting the handout ofon the side of Mercury ‘s erstwhile art college in West London in October 2018 The 2018 biographic film Bohemian Rhapsody was, at its release, the highest-grossing melodious biographic film of all fourth dimension. [ 234 ] [ 235 ] Mercury was portrayed by Rami Malek, who received the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor, for his performance. [ 236 ] [ 237 ] While the film received mix reviews and contained historic inaccuracies, it won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama. [ 238 ] [ 239 ] [ 240 ] Mercury appeared as a supporting character in the BBC television drama Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story, first base broadcast in October 2012. He was portrayed by actor James Floyd. [ 241 ] He was played by actor John Blunt in The Freddie Mercury Story: Who Wants to Live Forever, inaugural broadcast in the UK on Channel 5 in November 2016. Although the course of study was criticised for focusing on Mercury ‘s love life and sex, Blunt ‘s performance and likeness to the singer did receive praise. [ 242 ] In 2018, David Avery portrayed Mercury in the Urban Myths comedy serial in an sequence focusing on the antics wing at Live Aid, and Kayvan Novak portrayed Mercury in an episode titled “ The Sex Pistols vanadium. Bill Grundy “. [ 243 ] [ 244 ] [ 245 ] He was besides portrayed by Eric McCormack ( as the quality Will Truman ) on Will & Grace in the October 2018 episode titled “ Tex and the City “. [ 246 ]
discography
- Studio albums
Notes
- ^ The Bulsara class gets its name from Bulsar, now Valsad, a city and district that is nowadays in the indian country of Gujarat. In the seventeenth century, Bulsar was one of the five centres of the zoroastrian religion ( the other four were besides in what is today Gujarat ) and consequently “ Bulsara ” is a relatively common name amongst Parsi Zoroastrians .
- ^[3] The Parsis are an ethnic group of On Mercury ‘s parentage certificate, his parents identified as “ Nationality : british indian ” and “ race : Parsi “ .The parsee are an heathen group of Persian lineage and have lived on the indian Subcontinent for more than a thousand years .
References
Cited sources
further reading
Quotations related to Freddie Mercury at Wikiquote
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