Freddie Mercury is the lead singer of the group. Freddie Mercury died not from AIDS, but from cancer

Freddie Mercury, a great performer whose biography became the subject of controversy after his death, made a revolution in rock music in the 70-80s of the twentieth century. This revolution was a victory of taste over numerous vulgar punks, who were also not devoid of talent and manifested themselves in the form of a picture of protest against everything conventional and skeletal. But boneiness breaks through only with pure talent, as proven by Freddie Mercury, whose death, due to its unexpectedness, made the same impression on the whole world as the rapid 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 versions, does not speak of him as an ordinary and boring person. His very origins in a Parsi family from the ancient region of fabulous Zanzibar did not imply a traditional path in life. Where Freddie Mercury was born (in Stone Town, the oldest district of Zanzibar), the most mysterious things seemed ordinary, and the beauty of the world was sung by vocal singers from Bollywood. One of these bright women was the subject of vocal delight for the young Parsi, which encouraged him, in addition to excellent studies, to take up painting and singing.

By nationality, Freddie Mercury was a Parsi of Iranian origin, and it was this that generated silent admiration among fans throughout his life because of his natural flexibility and excellent bearing. But few people knew that his passion for sports in his childhood and adolescence made this young singer an active and active hero of the stage. That young man who, after many years of rehearsals and searching for his sound, gradually turned from Farrukh Bulsar into Freddie Mercury. I couldn’t be a simple couch potato waiting for my happiness. He did much more than those around him to revive the fairy-tale motifs of his homeland with strokes of truth and joy throughout the vast territory of planet Earth.

How are myths born?

Freddie Mercury's biography, personal life, and his children haunt numerous writers of sensations to this day. A very able-bodied and talented artist who spent days and nights in the studio, according to many “eyewitnesses,” he was an active homosexual, but he did not disdain having affairs with ladies who fell under the hot temper of the southerner. The artist’s illness is portrayed by all these envious people as God’s punishment for the devilish debauchery that reigned in his life as an artist.

But no one mentions in bright colors the beautiful things that united Catherine Leary and Freddie Mercury in this world. This love, which accompanied the great lead singer of Queen all his life, can only arouse keen public interest through his tragic death. The mysterious death of Catherine 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 playmaker and fueled by a large amount of alcohol and other more effective stimulants, the activity of an active touring performer would have lasted no more than five years. The simple joys of the family hearth truly and always nourished this man; he was surrounded by his beloved cats, one of which, named Delilah, became the heroine of the song of the same name. Solitude and peace in the short hours of rest allowed him to give his best during performances, delighting the audience with cool steps with a stumped microphone stand. No one has been able to reproduce this signature technique of Freddie Mercury with the same grace and ease of the author.

To the amusement of the crowd

Freddie Mercury, whose personal life was actually very private, did not make loud statements directly and did not admit to his unconventional inclinations. All existing speculation was generated by his friends and partners due to an insatiable desire to capitalize on the fame of the great artist before his death and to continue to use this irrefutable evidence of debauchery for many years after.

To further demonstrate such manifestations of talent, the forgotten love of student times was brought out of oblivion onto the stage, who rose well in playing the role of a sufferer. Mary Austin, who was of little interest to anyone during the artist’s lifetime, became the highlight of the program in the finale. The death of Freddie Mercury became 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 meet female persons who would certainly be with him for at least a year. Of course, an extraordinary person looks unconventional and acts differently from everyone else. But these stories can stupefy even the most sensationalist person. A lot of incompatible and absurd things are written in these biographies, the most “grateful” reader of whom could only be the artist himself.

The great soloist’s fantastic ability to work made it possible to earn money from the release of a new album even 4 years after Mercury’s death. The recordings from the spring of 1991 were compiled into a full-length disc and certified platinum within six months. The asking price of four million pounds sterling and the house in London suited the completely disinterested heirs, who had nothing to do with the family and talent of the deceased, but who had ample opportunities and the wild imagination of cynics.

The artist himself did not consider it necessary to waste precious moments of life on clarifying the truth and lies; the great man understood that time would put everything in its rightful place.

Calm of the Sphinx

The years of Freddie Mercury's life from 1946 to 1991, of course, represent a very small period, even within a century. But it’s not for nothing that they say that “you will see them doing business.” 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 amaze with its range, but delighted with its light. The blinding light of a man in love with life, who did not pay attention to outside conversations, but took care of his family and loved ones, protecting their peace until the end of his life.

Realizing that the end was imminent, he took care of his children, taking the wise step of placing them in 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 his closest relatives and carried out according to Zoroastrian rites.

The artist himself was considered a supporter of this teaching during his lifetime. But even here it was not possible to maintain the tradition to the end. The body of the great singer was consigned to fire, which does not correspond to the ritual of the Zoroastrians. The breaking of foundations and the victory of originality broke through the bonds even after death. The champion of champions who could crush everyone on stage and charm everyone with the melody of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Freddie Mercury and AIDS - these two concepts caused 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 at all what Mercury died from. Freddie and Light, Joy, Delight, and also Calmness are true, but very dull-looking definitions, even with a capital letter, against the backdrop of this grandiose artist.

In 2017, filming began on the film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” 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. ફારોખ બલ્સારા‌;
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 into a 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”. Farooq's father worked as a cashier at the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

In 1952, Freddie had a sister, Kashmira. In 1954, Farukh's parents enrolled him in St. Peter's School in Panchgani, 500 kilometers from Bombay. There Freddie began to live with his grandfather and aunt. The name "Farukh" was difficult for his (mostly English-speaking) classmates to pronounce, so his friends began calling him Freddy.

At the age of ten he became the school champion 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 excellence in all sciences and arts.” Freddie was a good student, showed interest in music and painting, and constantly made drawings for friends and relatives. He also sang in the school choir and took part in stage plays.

From an early age Freddie was interested in music. Singing took up almost all of his free time, sometimes to the detriment of his studies. The principal 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. The parents agreed, and Freddie began to study with enthusiasm. Upon completion of his studies, he received a fourth degree in theory and practice (English: Piano Grade IV).

In 1958, five friends from St. Peter's School - Freddie Balsara, Derrick Branch, Bruce Murray, Farang Irani and Victor Rana - created their first rock band, which they called The Hectics (Russian: Fidgets). The group played at school functions, dances and anniversaries. Since childhood, Freddie was always embarrassed by his unusual teeth and therefore, when he smiled, he covered his mouth with his hand. He continued this habit 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 declared an independent state. Due to political unrest in the country, the Balsara family, taking only two suitcases with clothes, flew to the UK.

Arriving in England, the Balsara family first stayed with relatives who lived in Feltham, Middlesax County, then they bought their own house. Freddie, who was eighteen years old at that time, entered Islesworth Polytechnic School, where he studied mainly painting, as he wanted to go to art college. The family had money problems, so during the holidays Freddie had to work part-time. He first worked in the supply department at Heathrow Airport in London, then as a loader at the Feltham warehouse.

In May 1966, having graduated from Islesworth with a high score in painting, he was interviewed at Ealing College of Art in London, where he began studying graphic illustration in the autumn of that year. Shortly after this, Freddie left his parents' house and moved into 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; his idol, guitarist Jimi Hendrix, occupied a special place in his drawings.

In the summer of 1969, twenty-three-year-old Freddie graduated from Ealing with a degree in graphic design. Freddie soon moved in with Roger Taylor, and they opened a shop in Kensington Market, where they sold both Freddie's paintings and other goods. 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 took place as part of the annual blues festival, so the events were covered by the press.

In September-October 1969, at Freddie's suggestion, the group was renamed Wreckage ("Wreckage"), and Freddie used a trick to convince everyone to change the name of the group. After renaming, Wreckage gave several concerts, 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 group. Among the advertisements in Melody Maker, he found a vacancy as 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 something very important to tell her; something that will change their relationship forever. Mary explains: “I was a little naive and it took me a while to realize the truth. He ended up being 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 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 this is simply impossible. 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 vocalist in their group. On his initiative, the group was renamed Queen. After the group's composition became permanent, Freddie decided to draw its coat of arms. According to one version, the coat of arms of Great Britain was taken as a basis, with the Latin letter Q, around which the zodiac signs of the Queen members are “woven”: two Leos - John Deacon and Roger Taylor, a crab crawling out of the fire - the sign of Cancer - Brian May. Above all the figures rises the bird Simurgh - the sacred symbol of Zoroastrianism, symbolizing the freedom of the spiritual from the earthly. Two fairies with wings are kind helpers for heroes from the British epic.

In 1972, during the recording of Queen's debut album at Trident studio, Freddie decided to change his surname Balsara to the creative pseudonym “Mercury” (English Mercury - “Mercury” and “Mercury”). Freddie wrote the first Queen song to hit the British charts, “Seven Seas of Rhye” (1973). He also composed the group’s first hit, “Killer Queen” (1974), as well as Queen’s most successful composition, “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 and shot a video clip for it, which became a revolution in music videos, some even call it the “first video clip,” although videos for songs had been shot before.

In 1975, Queen toured Japan. The musicians were extremely surprised by the warm reception of the band's Japanese fans. Brian May recalled: "We had some success in England and the US, but we had never seen such fanaticism and adoration before. Suddenly in Japan we began to feel like real stars, like The Beatles and the Bay City Rollers, people greeted us with cries 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 long-time dream came true - he performed with the Royal Ballet. For his performance, he chose the songs “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” In 1980, Freddie changed his image - he cut his hair short and grew a mustache.

Freddie Mercury had a short relationship with the famous Austrian actress Barbara Valentin, whom he met in 1983. Mercury said of their relationship: “Barbara and I formed a union that was stronger than with any of my lovers for the last six years. I could really tell her everything and be myself with her, which is very rare for me.” The musician also mentioned her, among others, in the dedication of his solo album “Mr. Bad Guy."

From the very beginning of his popularity, Freddie Mercury's image raised many questions about his sexuality, but Mercury always avoided conversations about his personal life, laughed it off or answered vaguely. In a 1984 interview with the Canadian magazine Music Express, he said: “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 didn’t resist some gossip because it contributed to the catchiness headlines. If you are hinting at my sexual preferences: it’s very simple - I do it with the one I love. And there is no secret bottom. My personal life is no one’s business." 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’m eating people and destroying 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 and many famous performers were present, such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Sting, U2 and many others (parallel to the Wembley Show) , there was a concert in Philadelphia). The concert was broadcast on television all over the world, meaning more than a billion people watched it! With their performance, Queen secured their place in history, and all observers, journalists, fans and critics were unanimous that the group became the highlight of the program.

A year later, on July 12, 1986, Queen performed again at Wembley Stadium as part of the Magic Tour in support of their album 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 August 9 was Queen's last performance with Mercury. In March 1987, Freddie Mercury met Montserrat Caballe in Barcelona and gave her a cassette tape 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, in Covent Garden, to the surprise of Freddie Mercury.

In 1986, rumors began to appear that Freddie Mercury had AIDS. Initially, information was leaked to the press that he had taken 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 regarding his health. Only his 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 pattern, 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 him to hold concerts.

Mercury, knowing that there was little time left, tried to record as many songs as possible. In the last years of his 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 videos were shot 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 their last album, Queen Made in Heaven, in 1995.

On November 23, 1991, Freddie made an official statement that he had AIDS: “Given the rumors circulating in the press over the past two weeks, I want to confirm that my blood test showed the presence of HIV. I have AIDS. I considered it necessary to keep this information secret in order to preserve 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 the transfer of all rights to the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" to the Terence Higgins Foundation, created to combat AIDS and HIV.

The next day, November 24, at about seven o'clock in the evening, Freddie Mercury died in his home in London from bronchial pneumonia that developed against the background of AIDS; he was 45 years old. After news of his death broke, thousands of people came to the grounds of his Garden Lodge home to place bouquets of flowers, cards, 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.”

Freddie Mercury's funeral was held closed - only family and friends were present. Although the musician no longer followed Zoroastrian beliefs as an adult, his Zoroastrian parents held a funeral ceremony in accordance with their beliefs, with the exception of cremation of the body, which is not encouraged by Zoroastrian customs. Freddie Mercury's body was cremated. Only Mary Austin knows where the musician's ashes lie - that was his wish.

On November 25, 1996, 5 years after the death of Freddie Mercury, a monument to him was unveiled in Montreux (Switzerland), where the musician worked and rested for many years. Queen originally planned to erect a monument in London, and for four years they looked for a place there for it, but they were refused. The only location proposed for the monument in London by the government 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 We Will Rock You is regularly staged, another monument about 8 meters high was unveiled.

The song "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was written by Freddie, was recognized as the "Best Song of the Millennium" by The Official Charts Company[. Freddie’s second equally famous (and perhaps even 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 sporting competitions.

Freddie Mercury(English) Freddie Mercury, real name Farrukh Bulsara(guj. ફારોખ બલ્સારા‌); 5 September 1946, Stone Town, Zanzibar - 24 November 1991, London, UK) - British singer of Parsi origin, songwriter, vocalist of the rock band Queen. He was the author of such group hits as “Seven Seas of Rhye”, “Killer Queen”, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Somebody to Love”, “We Are the Champions”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, etc. The musician also worked solo creativity. Freddie died on November 24, 1991 from bronchial pneumonia that developed against the background of AIDS.

In 2002 Freddie Mercury ranked 58th in the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons poll. In 2005, Blender magazine conducted a survey, the results of which Freddie took second place among vocalists (first among men). In 2008, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 18 on its list of "Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Vocalists of All Time". Allmusic described him as "one of rock's greatest singers and the owner of one of the greatest voices in music history."

Biography

Childhood and youth (1946–1964)

Freddie Mercury was born on September 5, 1946 on the island of Zanzibar into a Parsi family, Bomi (1908 – 12/25/2003) and Jer (b. 09/29/1922) Bulsara. At birth, the boy received the name Farrukh, which means “beautiful”, “happy”. Farrukh's father worked as a cashier at the Supreme Court of England and Wales. In 1952, Freddie had a sister, Kashmira.

In 1954, Farrukh's parents enrolled him in St. Peter's School in Panchgani, 500 kilometers from Bombay. At that time, Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar had a significant formative influence on him from a musical point of view. In Panchgani, Freddie began to live with his grandfather and aunt. The name "Farrukh" was difficult for his (mostly English-speaking) classmates to pronounce, so his friends began calling him Freddy.

All sports at St. Peter's School were typically British. Freddie didn't like cricket or long-distance running - he preferred hockey, sprinting and boxing. At the age of ten he became the school champion 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 excellence in all sciences and arts.” Freddie was a good student, showed interest in music and painting, and constantly made drawings for friends and relatives. He also sang in the school choir and took part in stage plays.

In 1958, five friends from St. Peter's School - Freddie Bulsara, Derrick Branch, Bruce Murray, Farang Irani and Victor Rana - formed their first rock band, which they called The Hectics. The group played at school functions, dances and anniversaries.

In 1962, sixteen-year-old Freddie graduated from St. Peter's School in Panchgani and returned to Zanzibar. In early 1964, the British government transferred authority over Zanzibar to the Arab Sultan, and a week later Zanzibar was declared an independent state. Due to political unrest in the country, the Bulsara family, taking only two suitcases with clothes, flew to the UK.

On the eve of fame (1964-1970)

Arriving in England, the Bulsara family first stayed with relatives who lived in Feltham, Middlesex, then they bought their own house. Freddie, who was eighteen years old at that time, entered Islesworth Polytechnic School, where he studied mainly painting, as he wanted to go to art college.

The family had money problems, so during the holidays Freddie had to work part-time. He first worked in the supply department at Heathrow Airport in London, then as a loader at the Feltham warehouse. His colleagues noticed his “delicate” hands, which were not suitable for this job. Freddie answered their questions that he was a musician and worked as a loader only in his free time. Thanks to Freddie's charm, other movers began to take on the lion's share of his work.

In May 1966, having graduated from Islesworth with a high grade in painting, Freddie was interviewed at Ealing College of Art in London, where he began studying graphic illustration in the autumn of that year.

Shortly after this, Freddie left his parents' house and moved into 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; his idol, guitarist Jimi Hendrix, occupied a special place in his drawings. In Ealing, Freddie met and became friends with Tim Staffel, vocalist, bass guitarist and leader of the band Smile. After some time, Tim began to invite Freddie to the band's rehearsals. Freddie appreciated the potential of Smile, especially the playing of guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Freddie also met other young aspiring musicians, such as Tim and Nigel Foster. Chris Smith, his flatmate, was also into music. Freddie and Chris played together, trying to mix different styles, but did not go on stage.

On August 13, Freddie met the Liverpool group Ibex. The group consisted of guitarist Mike Berzin, bass guitarist John Taylor, nicknamed Tupp, drummer Mick Smith, nicknamed Miffer (from the English miff - “get angry”, “spoil the mood”) and another bass guitarist Jeff Higgins, who replaced Tupp, when he played the flute. Their manager Ken Testi was with them. 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 took place as part of the annual blues festival, so the events were covered by the press. Ibex concerts took place on August 23 at the Octagon Theater and on August 25 at Queen's Park. Ibex performed cover versions of songs by Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin - Freddie's favorites.

In September-October 1969, at Freddie's suggestion, the group was renamed Wreckage ("Wreckage"), and Freddie used a trick to convince everyone to change the name of the group [source not specified 1231 days]. After a short time, Miffer left the group, and his place was taken by Richard Thompson, ex-drummer of the 1984 group, in which Brian May played before Smile. After renaming, Wreckage gave several concerts, 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 group. Among the advertisements in Melody Maker, he found a vacancy as a vocalist in the group Sour Milk Sea. Freddie came to the audition and was accepted on the same day, as the other participants liked his voice and way of moving. The band consisted of vocalist-guitarist Chris Chesney, bassist Paul Milne, rhythm guitarist Jeremy "Rubber" Gallop and drummer Rob Tyrell. After several rehearsals, the group played a couple of concerts in Oxford, Chris's hometown.

Freddie and Chris became friends, and soon Chris moved into the apartment where Freddie and the musicians from Smile lived. The remaining members of Sour Milk Sea did not like their friendship, citing concern for the future of the group. As a result, after two months, Jeremy took almost all the equipment (since it belonged to him), and this was the end of Sour Milk Sea.

Queen (1970-1991)

1970-1982

In April 1970, Tim Staffel decided to leave Smile, and Freddie took the place of vocalist in their group. On his initiative, the group was renamed Queen.

Until February 1971, the group did not have a permanent bass player - in less than a year, Queen replaced three people. Finally, at one of the music parties, they met John Deacon, whose abilities best suited the group professionally. After this, Queen formed their final line-up.

After the group's composition became permanent, Freddie decided to draw its coat of arms. According to one version, the coat of arms of Great Britain was taken as a basis, with the Latin letter Q, around which the zodiac signs of the Queen members are “woven”: two Leos - John Deacon and Roger Taylor, a crab crawling out of the fire - the sign of Cancer - Brian May. Two fairies with wings are kind helpers for the heroes from the British epic (also Freddie's zodiac sign is Virgo).

In 1972, during the recording of Queen's debut album at Trident studio, Freddie decided to change his surname Bulsara to the creative pseudonym “Mercury” (English Mercury - “Mercury” and “Mercury”). He used this name in his song "My Fairy King", which contains the lines: "Mother Mercury, look what they've done to me, I cannot run I cannot hide" (Russian: Mother Mercury (option: mercury), look what they did to me, I can’t run, I can’t hide). In parallel with the work on the first album - Queen - Freddie took part in a project of Trident Studios under the pseudonym Larry Lurex, performing cover versions of the songs “I Can Hear Music” and “Going Back” (on the initiative of Freddie Mercury, Brian May was involved in this project and Roger Taylor).

Freddie wrote the first Queen song to hit the British charts, “Seven Seas of Rhye” (1973). He also composed the group’s first hit, “Killer Queen” (1974), as well as Queen’s most successful composition, “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 playback on commercial radio stations (5:55) and mixing several styles and genres of music. But Queen released the song as a single and shot a video clip for it, which became a revolution in music videos, some even call it the “first video clip,” although videos for songs had been shot before. The song stayed at the top of the British charts for nine weeks.

On October 7, 1979, Freddie's long-time dream came true - he performed with the Royal Ballet. For his performance, he chose the songs “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

In 1980, Freddie changed his image - he cut his hair short and grew a mustache.

Solo career and peak of fame with Queen (1983–1988)

At the end of 1982, Queen announced that there would be no touring next year and the group was going on vacation. Freddie Mercury has long been mulling over the idea of releasing a solo album and now the opportunity has arisen for this. At the beginning of 1983, he began recording at Musicland Studios in Munich. During this time, he met composer Giorgio Moroder, who was involved in a project to restore Fritz Lang's 1926 silent science fiction film Metropolis. Moroder was brought in as a composer to create a contemporary-style score for the film. He invited Mercury to take part in this project. The result of the collaboration between Mercury and Moroder was the song “Love Kills”, released on September 10, 1984.

At the end of May 1983, Freddie Mercury attended Verdi's opera Un ballo in maschera. Here he first saw and heard the outstanding Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballe. The extraordinary beauty and power of her voice made a huge impression on him.

The first single of Mercury's future solo album Mr. Bad Guy became the song "I Was Born to Love You", released on April 9, 1985. The album was released three weeks later through CBS Records. Subsequently, two songs from this album, "Made in Heaven" and "I Was Born to Love You", were included on the album "Made in Heaven", released by Queen in 1995.

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 and many famous performers were present, such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Sting, U2 and many others (parallel to the show at Wembley there was a concert in Philadelphia). The concert was broadcast on television all over the world. With their performance, Queen secured their place in history, and observers, journalists, fans and critics declared that the group was the highlight of the program[source not specified 1099 days].

Brian May (Queen guitarist): “I remember how my adrenaline level skyrocketed when I walked on stage and heard the roar of the crowd. But we set to work energetically. Looking back, I think we were all a little worried at the time. When we finished, I thought the performance was a little disjointed. But it carried a lot of positive energy. Of course, Freddie was our secret weapon. He spoke to everyone in the stadium with ease. I think it was his day!” [source not specified 452 days]

A year later, on July 12, 1986, Queen performed again at Wembley as part of the Magic Tour in support of their album 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.

On February 23, 1987, Freddie Mercury released the single "The Great Pretender" (a cover version of a song by The Platters, recorded at Townhouse Studios). He also recorded two songs for the 1986 musical Time - the eponymous "Time" and "In My Defense".

In March 1987, Freddie Mercury met with Montserrat Caballe in Barcelona and gave her a cassette with 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, in 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 his hometown of Caballe. On October 8, 1988, at the La Nit festival in Barcelona, Mercury and Caballe performed for the second time together - they performed three songs: “Golden Boy”, “How Can I Go On” and “Barcelona”. Co-writer of these songs Mike Moran performed the piano parts for these songs. This performance was Freddie Mercury's last appearance in front of the public. By this time, the musician was already seriously ill with AIDS.

The album Barcelona was released on October 10, 1988. The album's title track, "Barcelona", was one of two anthems for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (the other being "Amigos Para Siempre" by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black, performed by Sarah Brightman and José Carreras).

Illness and death (1986-1991)

In 1986, rumors began to appear that Freddie Mercury had HIV infection. Initially, information was leaked to the press that he had taken 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 regarding his health. Only his close people knew about his terrible diagnosis.

Mercury, knowing that there was little time left, tried to record as many songs as possible. In the last years of his 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 videos were shot 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 their last album, Queen Made in Heaven, in 1995.

On November 23, 1991, Freddie made an official statement that he was sick with HIV infection: “Given the rumors circulating in the press over the past two weeks, I want to confirm: a test of my blood showed the presence of HIV. I have AIDS. I considered it necessary to keep this information secret in order to preserve 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 the transfer of all rights to the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" to the Terence Higgins Foundation, created to combat HIV and AIDS.

The next day, November 24, at about seven o'clock in the evening, Freddie Mercury died in his home in London from bronchopneumonia, which developed against the background of HIV infection and AIDS. After news of his death broke, thousands of people came to the grounds of his Garden Lodge home to place bouquets of flowers, cards, letters and photographs on the paths.

Freddie Mercury's funeral was held closed - only family and friends were present. Although the musician no longer followed Zoroastrian beliefs as an adult, his Zoroastrian parents conducted a funeral ceremony in accordance with their beliefs, with the exception of cremation of the body, which is not encouraged according to Zoroastrian customs. Peter Freestone, Freddie Mercury's personal assistant, described the ceremony as follows:

Freddie's coffin was carried into the chapel to the sounds of Aretha Franklin's song "You've Got a Friend." The Zoroastrian rite that followed was a continuation of the ceremony that began at half past nine in the morning. Two Parsi priests, robed in white, officiated at the funeral chapel of John Nods and Sons Funeral Home in Ladbok Grove.<…>At the end of the service, Freddie’s body left the world accompanied by the voice of Montserrat Caballe, who performed the aria “D’Amor Sull’ Ali Rosee” from Verdi’s opera “Il Trovatore”. Freddie never aspired to be like everyone else - such adieu was just in his spirit, and Freddie would have approved of it.

Freddie Mercury's body was cremated. Only his family and Mary Austin knew where the musician's ashes rested - that was his wish. At the beginning of 2013, The Daily Mirror reported that the resting place of the artist's ashes had been discovered by fans - this is Kensal Green Cemetery in West London.

In his will, Freddie Mercury left most of his estate, including the mansion and income from his record sales, to Mary Austin, as well as to his parents and sister. In addition, 500 thousand pounds were bequeathed to his chef Joe Fanelli, personal assistant Peter Freestone, 100 thousand pounds to his personal driver Terry Giddings and 500 thousand pounds to Jim Hutton. Jim Hutton returned to Ireland in 1995, where he died on January 1, 2010 from lung cancer.

Posthumous fame

Freddie Mercury was and still remains one of the most popular performers in the whole world. His incredible stage images and eccentric behavior on stage are known even to people far from music. On April 20, 1992, the remaining members of Queen Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, along with many world pop and rock stars, gave a concert in memory of Freddie at Wembley Stadium, the proceeds of which, amounting to £19,400,000, were directed to the foundation fight against AIDS. On November 6, 1995, the album Made in Heaven was released, featuring recordings made during the spring sessions at Dreamland Studios in Montreux in 1991.

The name Freddie Mercury has become a kind of brand in music, synonymous with rock of the 80s. Many modern singers take Freddie's image, performing style and image as a model, but no one has yet managed to achieve the same success that Freddie Mercury and Queen were able to achieve during their 20 years of collaboration.

The song "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was written by Freddie, was recognized as the "Best Song of the Millennium" by The Official Charts Company. Freddie's second equally famous 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 of major sporting competitions.

Personal life

At the end of 1969, Freddie Mercury, thanks to Brian May, met Mary Austin in West Kensington, with whom he lived for about seven years. But then they broke up.

One day everything changed when Freddie admitted that he had something very important to tell her; something that will change their relationship forever. Mary explains: “I was a little naive and it took me a while to realize the truth. He ended up being 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 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 this is simply impossible. 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.

Freddie Mercury had a short relationship with the famous Austrian actress Barbara Valentin, whom he met in 1983. Mercury said of their relationship: “Barbara and I formed a union that was stronger than with any of my interests in the last six years. I could really tell her everything and be myself with her, which is very rare for me.” The musician also mentioned her, among others, in the dedication of his solo album “Mr. Bad Guy": "Thanks for the big tits and bad behavior."

In one of the interviews, when asked whether the song “I Want to Break Free” is dedicated to sexual minorities (in the video the group appeared in the form of female characters from a popular British soap opera), Freddie replied:

The funny thing is that everyone thinks it was my idea, because people think... But it's not true. I had something similar in my subconscious, but if I expressed this idea to the rest of the group, they would not agree with it, since it would look as if I was trying to dress them all up as homosexuals, and everyone thought that I was trying to take advantage of situation or something like that. The funny thing is that it was the rest of the band who came to me with this idea... But I was actually shocked that they were actually going to dress up as women.

After the musician’s death, information resources continued to discuss the topic of Mercury’s orientation. Press claims that Freddie was gay were based, in part, on interviews with people who knew Mercury personally. Brian May and Roger Taylor gave an interview a week after Freddie's death, in which Brian May said: “He was gay and he was quite public about it,” and at a concert in memory of Mercury, held in the spring of 1992, George Michael mentioned the singer’s open bisexuality. The book by Mercury's personal assistant, Peter Freestone, described the singer's relationships with several men. Jim Hutton also wrote a book, Mercury and Me, about his relationship with Freddie, which lasted the last six years of the singer's life.

Data

Freddie's friends were such famous people as Montserrat Caballe, Robert Plant, Tim Rice, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Dave Clark, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and many others.
Freddie made four demo recordings with Michael Jackson: two versions of “There Must Be More to Life Than This” (one sung by a duet, the other by Michael Jackson with a few small phrases by Freddie on backing vocals, the composition was later released on Freddie Mercury’s solo album Mr. Bad Guy), "State of Shock" (subsequently released by The Jacksons on the album Victory) and "Victory" (details about this recording are unknown). However, for unknown reasons, the collaboration never materialized. Officially it was said that both musicians were busy.
After the appearance of the songs “Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)”, “Mustapha” and “Las Palabras de Amor (Words of Love)”, many were interested in how many languages Freddie knew. In fact, apart from English, Freddie only spoke his native Gujarati.
At all Queen concerts, Freddie used a microphone with an unfinished stand attached to it. This distinctive sign, which became the singer’s calling card, was formed during his first performances in England as part of the group Wreckage. At the concert, which took place on Christmas Day 1969 at Wade Deacon Girls' School in Widnes, Freddie was jumping and spinning around the stage as usual. He got tired of the heavy microphone stand - he unscrewed its base and “then jumped around the stage in his all-too-familiar manner, clutching the “extra” three-foot rod attached to the microphone in his hand.”
The image of Freddy formed the basis for the design of Sol, one of the main characters in the Guilty Gear series of games.
"A Winter's Tale" is the last song Mercury wrote, and "Mother Love" is the last song he recorded. He was unable to finish the recording, so Brian May sings the last verse.
Mercury was a keen philatelist as a child. His collection was exhibited at philatelic exhibitions in different countries.
Mercury was very fond of cats; over the years, several cats usually lived in his mansion: Oscar, Tiffany, Goliath, Delilah, Miko, Romeo, Lily. He dedicated a song to his cat Delilah.
Film "Freddy is Dead" The Last Nightmare" was released in the year of Freddie Mercury's death, a few months before his death, and the premiere took place on September 5, 1991 - the singer's last birthday.
On May 31, 2011, the British BBC channel aired a two-part documentary about the group Queen called “Queen - Days of Our Lives.”
On September 5, 2011, in honor of the 65th anniversary of Freddie Mercury's birth, the Google search engine was loaded with a special animated screensaver (Doodle) to the song “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
In September 2012, the image of Freddie Mercury was turned into one of the characters in the popular computer game “Angry Birds”. All proceeds from turning Freddie into a computer hero will go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity dedicated to helping people with AIDS.

Videography

VHS editions

The Video EP (released July 21, 1986)
The Great Pretender (released 16 March 1987 UK only)
The Barcelona EP (released February 6, 1989)
The Video Collection (released November 6, 2000)

DVD editions

The Video Collection (released October 23, 2000)
Lover of Life Singer of Songs (released September 4, 2006)
Lover of Life, Singer of Songs (Collectors Edition 2CD+2DVD)" (released November 20, 2006)

Discography

Mr. Bad Guy (album released April 29, 1985)
Barcelona (album released October 10, 1988)
The Freddie Mercury Album (released November 17, 1992)
The Great Pretender (album released November 24, 1992 US only)
Freddie Mercury – Remixes (album released November 1, 1993 only in Bolivia, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan)
The Solo Collection (box set released October 23, 2000 in the UK, Europe and Japan)
Solo (album released in 2000)
Lover of Life, Singer of Songs (album released September 4, 2006).

Singles

1974 - “I Can Hear Music”
1984 - “Love Kills”
1985 - “I Was Born to Love You”
1985 - “Made in Heaven”
1985 - “Living on My Own”
1985 - “Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow”
1986 - "Time"
1987 - "The Great Pretender"
1987 - “Barcelona” (with M. Caballe)
1988 - “The Golden Boy” (with M. Caballe)
1988 - “How Can I Go On” (with M. Caballe)

Posthumously published (selectively):

1992 - “Barcelona” (with M. Caballe)
1992 - “How Can I Go On” (with M. Caballe)
1992 - “In My Defense”
1993 - “The Great Pretender”
1993 - “Living on My Own” (‘No More Brothers Remix’)
2006 - “Love Kills” (a series of remixes released for the 60th anniversary)

The Great Pretender would have turned 71 today.

Although it is difficult to imagine Freddie Mercury as old, today he would have turned 71 years old. “The Owl” will not rewrite the biography of the Great Pretender, but offers to remember the best songs performed by the lead singer of the group Queen.

The Show Must Go On

This song was written by Queen guitarist Brian May. This was a few months before Freddie’s death, when he no longer wanted to write poetry. But, as May says, he really just wrote what Freddie himself would have written, so this text is like Freddie's text: “He sat here most of the time. And he knew about this idea. He knew it was a way to express everything we felt about him. When I sang the main part, I asked him if everything was okay? He drinks vodka, goes into the studio and does everything just perfectly."

We Are The Champions

Queen created a sports anthem that has since been heard in stadiums on all continents, which has marked many of the most significant victories. It became a cult item and was used in films, cartoons, and music videos.

I Want To Break Free

At concerts when this song was performed, Freddie often appeared in the costume from the song's video clip - in a fluffy wig, in a pink blouse and with fake breasts. Gradually, as the song progressed, he got rid of these things. However, this stage image was not to the liking of some countries. At a concert in Rio de Janeiro, the audience threw stones at the band when the singer appeared in this form, and he had to immediately take off everything unnecessary.

Don't Stop Me Now

This is not a song, but one huge portion of optimism. Cognitive neuroscientists who study the connection between nervous systems and human behavior claim that this is generally the most positive song in the history of music. It’s paradoxical, but in the video for such a funny piece, Freddie is extremely static. He is “tied” to the piano, which he plays for almost the entire song, and only briefly breaks away from the instrument during solos performed by his colleagues, jogging around the stage and scattering sparks of his trademark enthusiasm around.

Made In Heaven

Freddie recorded this song back in 1985. It had nothing to do with Queen - he created it for his first “solo album” Mr. Bad Guy. 10 years later it came in handy in another matter. Freddie's Queen colleagues decided to compile another album, including songs that Freddie had performed before. And of course, a song with such a title in such an album could not be ignored. It was even made the title of the entire album. "Made in Heaven" - and Queen's posthumous work became the best-selling album in their history.

Breakthru

A song that surprisingly fits the current context. You could even say that Queen predicted the fall of the Berlin Wall months before it happened. The song seems simple, but its birth was preceded by fundamental work. “It grew out of 30 tracks made at different times,” Freddie said.

I'm Going Slightly Mad

The penultimate Queen video featuring Freddie - and the penultimate song he wrote. The words are light, even frivolous, the clip is humorous - but, knowing the ending of this story, it is easy to see a double bottom in the text, and in the clip - a person who is holding on with all his strength. Freddie was already very ill, everyone understood that he was living out his last months. But it was necessary to hold on until the end - and Freddie did his next job. Not like the expressive things he was famous for.

Bohemian Rhapsody

“Chaotic rhymed nonsense” - that’s what Freddie himself called the lyrics of this song. Meanwhile, it was seen as both a echo of Albert Camus and an anti-war manifesto. "It's one of those songs that makes people imagine," he later said. Recorded over three and a half weeks, it became Queen's first worldwide hit.