The true cause of Freddie Mercury's death is still a big question.
Freddie Mercury's name is not real, the singer's name is Farrukh Bulsara. He is also remembered by his fans as a songwriter, and, of course, as a vocalist of the cult rock band Queen. One of the achievements of this man is that in 2002 he was awarded 58th place in the list of the hundred greatest Britons. In general, during his life he received many awards and prizes. What was Freddie Mercury like? Biography, personal life the singer does not leave his fans indifferent.
Childhood and youth
What was Freddie Mercury like? The biography says that he was born on September 5, 1946 in Stone Town. The singer died on November 24, 1991. But everything is in order. Where are Freddie Mercury's roots? His nationality is Parsi. The parents' names were Jer and Bomi Bulsara. The newborn child was named Farrukh, which translated means “happiness.” When the boy was six years old, his sister Kashmira was born. The head of the family worked as a cashier at the Supreme Court.
In 1954, the parents sent their son to St. Peter's School, located half a kilometer from Bombay. What kind of student was Freddie Mercury? His biography tells that during his studies the boy began to get involved in music, thanks to the singer Lata Mangeshkar. In Panchgan, the guy lived with his uncle and aunt. His real name was difficult for his peers to pronounce, and then they started calling him Freddie. Since then this name has become attached to him. After some thought, the singer took this pseudonym for himself.
All disciplines taught at the school were exclusively British. The guy was most interested in sports such as sprinting, boxing and hockey. But he did not like activities such as running and cricket. This man excelled in sports while at school. At the age of ten he was recognized as the champion among schoolchildren in tennis, and two years later he received a cup for all-around. When he was 12 years old, the director of the educational institution presented Freddie with a certificate for success in the arts and exact sciences.
Despite his busy schedule, he excelled in his studies. This is what the future singer did during his school years:
- performed with the choir;
- painted;
- wrote scripts and participated in performances;
- I studied successfully.
But most of all he was interested in music. It was this activity that the boy devoted his childhood to. I also remember cases where this hobby was to the detriment of studies. The school director was the first to notice that the guy had talent. Then he wrote an appeal to his parents with a proposal that they send their son to study the piano for a nominal fee. The parents were not against it; they also rejoiced at their child’s success. Freddie started learning to play the musical instrument and enjoyed it. The result of his work can be called the fourth degree, both in practice and in theory.
The boy did not sing alone, he had like-minded people. So in 1958 small company the guys created music group, which performed rock. It consisted of five people, and its name translated meant “crazy people.” It is worth noting that this is an ideal name for such a team, which was completely justified. But this name did not bother the school administration, and the guys performed at various events.
In 1962, the singer graduated educational institution. He was sixteen years old then. That same year he returned to his native Zanzibar. But in 1964, the country in which the family lived underwent serious political changes. An Arab sultan began to rule Zanzibar. And then the family packed up in a few days and moved to the UK.
Path to fame
When the family found themselves in England, at first they had to live with relatives in Felthamy, and after some time they bought their own house. Freddie at this time had already become an adult and he wanted to study further, so he entered the Icefort school, where he studied painting. And he really liked this activity.
During these years, the family experienced financial needs, and therefore Freddie, as the eldest son, had to go to work part-time. At first he served at London Airport, then became a loader. Then his colleagues were very surprised that such a young and talented guy was working in such a field. But Freddie justified himself and said that he only does this in free time, and his profession is musician. Due to his charm, he was treated with leniency, and some employees performed Freddy's duties.
What was Freddie Mercury like on the way to his popularity? The biography tells us that after graduating from school, in 1966, the guy decided to go to study at an art college located in London. Already in the fall, Freddie entered this institution. After that, he decided to live separately from his parents, and then he and a friend rented an apartment in Kensington. His neighbor was also passionate about music, and so they often held rehearsals, but were in no hurry to appear on stage yet. This city in those days was considered the center of art.
The singer devoted a lot of time to drawing, and most of his creations were addressed to his favorite guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. There the guy found a new friend - Tim Staffel, the leader of the Smile group, as well as an excellent vocalist and guitarist. After some time, Freddie began to be invited to the rehearsals of this group. There he met and began to communicate with other team members and was amazed at what he saw.
In 1969, the guy finished his studies and moved to live with Taylor Roger, with whom they opened a store together that sold Freddie's paintings and other exclusive items.
In the same year, the singer met the group Ibex. He was so interested in her work that after a couple of weeks he already knew everything about her repertoire. And then Freddie added to the existing ones several own songs. And at the end of August he already performed with the group on the common stage. He suggested renaming the team, his proposal was appreciated and a new name was invented - Wreckage. But in this composition the group did not last long: one by one the participants left it, and it soon broke up.
And then the guy decided not to stop there. He started looking new job for yourself. He looked at the advertisements every day and decided to become the lead singer of the band Sour Milk Sea. When Freddie came across this ad, he showed up for an interview that same day and was appointed vocalist. The band members received him well, as his voice was inspiring, and the way he could move amazed everyone. Several rehearsals were held, and then the group began to give their concerts.
Freddie became best friends with Chris, and soon he moved into his apartment. But the rest of the group didn't like their relationship, as they thought it would harm the band's reputation. A few months later the team finally broke up, but it wasn’t Freddie’s fault. It’s just that the person who was the owner of all the equipment took it away, and the group could no longer carry out its activities.
1970-1982
In April 1970, Freddie became the lead singer of the Smile group, as its former vocalist decided to leave the team. At the same time, a new name was invented - Queen. For the group, Freddie began to draw a symbol, the basis for which was the coat of arms of Great Britain. In 1972, while recording another masterpiece, Freddie had the idea of changing his last name. And from that time on he became Freddie Mercury.
Already in 1975 the group began touring in different countries, including in Japan. Most of all, the guys remembered the performance specifically because they were warmly received, which the band members themselves did not expect. Freddie truly fell in love with this country and he dedicated all his works related to painting to it. In 1980, Freddie decided to change his image: he grew a mustache and cut his hair short, which only made him more attractive.
1983-1988
At the end of 1982, the band members decided that they wanted to rest for the upcoming season and not give any more concerts. But Freddie himself was not ready for this. His plans did not include such a long period of inaction. But he was not upset, since he had more time for himself, and decided to take up solo album, the dreams of which he lived for a long period of time.
In 1983, Freddie began working on a solo record and spent a lot of time in the studio. Then he met the most popular composer Giorgio Moreder, who suggested Freddie to record joint music to the film. In September 1984, the song Love Kills was released.
Freddie Mercury released his first album at the end of April 1985.
In Freddie's life big role played by Montserrat Caballe, whose first meeting took place in 1983 and impressed him strong impression. They met for the second time four years later, when Freddie presented the singer with a cassette of his music. Caballe was impressed by Freddie's creation, and that same year they already worked on a joint album.
The date of the singer’s last appearance on stage was October 1988, it was one of the music festivals. At this time, he already knew that he had AIDS. This year the great singer's album was released.
Personal life
Attractive, charming Freddie Mercury... The singer’s personal life was of interest to many of his fans. At the end of 1969, Freddie met Mary Austin, with whom they were together for seven long years. But they could not get along, and therefore were forced to separate. But even after that they remained good friends, and the girl became Freddie's personal secretary. According to Mary, they separated because Freddie admitted that he was bisexual. He considered the girl his good friend.
After this separation, Freddie had many girlfriends, but he was simply carried away by them, none of them could replace Mary for him. Many of Freddie's songs were dedicated to this girl, and in addition, he bequeathed his mansion to her.
Barbara Valentine is an actress from Australia, with whom Freddie also had a fleeting affair. They met in 1983. The musician himself admitted in an interview that this girl helped him create a strong union, and he could not achieve such a relationship for recent years of your single life.
Freddie Mercury's children
Freddie Mercury had no children. According to many of his fans, this was only because of his gay orientation. But if you remember some interviews, Freddie dreamed of children and family life.
He did not like to talk about personal topics. The image of the singer caused a lot of controversy regarding his sexuality. It is worth noting that in all interviews he either remained silent, joked, or spoke vaguely when it came to questions about his likes and preferences.
Are these rumors about Freddie Mercury true? Biography, cause of death - everything indicates that he was, as it were, “different” from everyone else. Even after Freddie died, the press did not stop talking about his sexuality. Many claimed that he was gay, and this information was obtained after communicating with people who personally knew Freddie. As his friends said, the musician was homosexual and did not hide it at all.
In 1992, a concert was held in memory of the singer, but even there his orientation was touched upon. The book by Freddie's personal assistant described the celebrity's meetings with men.
Freddie Mercury before his death
In 1986, rumors began to spread that Freddie was terminally ill. At first they began to write in the newspapers that it was noticed that the singer was donating blood for HIV infection. It would seem like a simple analysis, but then the press exhausted this information far and wide. Since 1989, fans began to notice Freddie's appearance strong changes. Fans said that he began to lose weight before their eyes, and then his diagnosis was confirmed. But until his death, Freddie denied the disease, and only those close to him knew the truth.
In 1989, Queen gave an interview on one of the radio stations. The participants were asked when their next tour was planned. But the group replied that they did not know exact date, since their lead singer has serious health problems, and Freddie again became the subject of discussion.
But the musician himself knew that he would not live long, and therefore he wanted to record as much as possible musical compositions. In total, two solo records were released in his life, but he wrote songs that were released in the albums of other artists. Videos were shot for some of his songs, which delighted the public. Latest videos were filmed in black and white so that viewers would not notice the condition of their idol. After the musician died, another of his albums was released. This was in 1995.
How did Freddie Mercury die? On November 23, 1991, the singer announced that he was HIV positive. He understood that there was no point in hiding it, because sooner or later everyone would find out about it. Freddie transferred his rights to the songs to a foundation that was created to protect seriously ill people.
How Freddie died
Freddie Mercury, whose biography was rich, but, unfortunately, short, enriched the world musical heritage. Freddie died on November 24, 1991. It happened at about seven o'clock in the evening. Death occurred at his London home. How did Freddie Mercury die? According to doctors, death was caused by bronchopneumonia, which was caused by AIDS.
When fans learned about the passing of the legendary man, many fans gathered at the gates of his house and came to say goodbye to their idol. After all, he was young, he was only 45 years old. There were flowers, cards, photographs and letters along the paths of his house.
Singer's funeral
Freddie Mercury's funeral was private. Fans were not allowed in. Only close people were present. How was Freddie Mercury buried? His nationality is Parsi, and this people adheres to Zoroastrian beliefs. When the musician grew up, he did not follow them. But his parents buried him according to ancestral customs. The only thing that is known at the moment is that the burial ceremony was held to music.
Freddie's body was cremated, and only his family knew where the musician's ashes were. It was his wish that his relatives could not dispute. But a couple of years ago, information appeared in the press that his fans had discovered his burial place - a cemetery located in London.
Freddie managed to draw up a will, according to which most of his funds should belong to Mary Austin, his sister and parents. He also bequeathed his money to the following people:
- to the cook;
- driver;
- personal assistant;
- Jim Hutton, my close friend.
Posthumous fame
But despite the fact that Freddie died more than twenty years ago, he was, is and will be one of the most popular performers throughout history. Freddie Mercury's voice is still legendary. His songs are listened to today, and many people embody his image, as they remember the star of those years.
Even people far from music gasped when they learned about the death of such a great man. After his death, the members of the group in which he was the lead lately, arranged a memorial concert. Proceeds raised from the performance were donated to the AIDS Foundation.
Freddie Mercury's life was not in vain. In Switzerland, a monument was erected to this man in 1996. And for good reason, because a musician and singer for a long time was in this country and worked there. Initially, they wanted to install this monument in London. The search for a place to build it lasted for about four years, but it was never successful. But in London there is still a modest monument located in the backyard of the college where Freddie studied. However, his friends found this offensive.
The development of music in the eighties is associated with the name Freddie. Today, many singers try on the image of the legend of bygone days. But no one managed to prove themselves the way Freddie did. The music that was written and performed by Mercury deserves all kinds of awards, prizes and audience admiration.
Facts from life
As his friends say, Freddie was very fond of pets, especially cats. Therefore, he had several pets in his house, each of which he took care of. Freddie even dedicated a song to one of his cats.
Mercury tried to work with Michael Jackson. The musicians recorded four compositions together that simply shocked the audience.
Freddie Mercury is a legend who died so early due to fatal disease. He fought to the last, but was powerless in the face of such a difficult diagnosis. He made grandiose plans for his life, but it is a pity that they were not destined to come true.
The legendary Freddie Mercury, a biography whose personal life does not leave millions of fans indifferent, was, without a doubt, great. After his death, a huge amount was removed documentaries, which were shown on various television channels in honor of the memory of Freddie. In 2012, he even became a character in one of the games. Freddie Mercury's story will continue for many years to come. He will forever remain alive for his fans.
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. "Owl" will not rewrite the biography of the Great Pretender, but invites us to remember best songs performed by the lead singer of Queen.
The Show Must Go On
I wrote this song 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 actually just wrote what Freddie himself would have written, so this text is like Freddie's text: “ Most of he was sitting here for a while. 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 Berlin Wall several months before it happened. The song seems simple, but its birth was preceded by fundamental work. “It grew out of 30 tracks made in 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 might. Freddie was already very ill, everyone understood that he was living out his last months. But we had to hold on until the end - and Freddie did his another job. Not like the expressive things he was famous for.
Bohemian Rhapsody
“Chaotic rhyming nonsense” - that’s what Freddie himself called the lyrics of this song. Meanwhile, they saw in it a roll call with 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.
Freddie Mercury - British singer Parsi origin, songwriter, vocalist of the rock band Queen. His voice is considered one of the greatest in the history of music, and his songs are still known and sung all over the world.
We will tell you in this article how Freddie Mercury managed to reach such heights.
Biography of Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury (birth name Farrukh Balsara) was born on September 5, 1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar.
His father, Bomi Bulsara, worked as a cashier at Supreme Court. Mother, Jer Bulsara, studied. After Farrukh, a girl, Kashmir, was born into the family.
Mercury spent most of his childhood in India. At the age of 7, he began taking lessons. A year later, the parents sent their son to study at St. Peter's School.
According to relatives, great attention he was influenced by the work of singer Lata Mangeshkar.
At school, besides traditional items, the students were taught cricket and long-distance running, which the future rock musician did not like at all.
Instead, he preferred to play field hockey and also enjoyed boxing.
Freddie with his sister Kashmira The young man had good physical characteristics, thanks to which he won school tennis competitions in the third grade. At the age of 12, he won the cup in the youth all-around.
In addition, Freddie Mercury was keenly interested. He sang and listened to rock and roll, which was just beginning to gain popularity.
However, his greatest interest was in music.
The first person to notice his abilities was the school principal.
He personally wrote a letter to the student's parents, in which he insisted that their son continue to study piano.
According to friends, as soon as Freddie heard new song on the radio, he immediately sat down at the piano and began to reproduce the melody he heard by ear.
In 1958, Mercury and his friends founded a rock band. At rehearsals the guys sang famous songs of that time. In 1962, Mercury graduated from school and returned home.
After 2 years, political unrest began in Zanzibar, as a result of which the family had to move to.
Path to glory
In England, Freddie Mercury began studying at Islesworth, where he studied art and writing. Later, these skills helped him create the Queen crest.
Due to financial difficulties, the future singer had to look for part-time work. For some time he worked as a loader, but he always said that this was only a temporary phenomenon in his life.
Over time, Mercury wanted to live separately from his parents. Together with a friend, he rented an apartment in which they often held rehearsals. Freddie's favorite guitarist was Jimi Hendrix, who is still considered one of the most outstanding guitarists in history.
Soon Mercury met Tim Staffel, who was the frontman of the group “Smile,” as well as other members of this group. Sometimes he was invited to rehearsals, which he was very interested in attending.
In 1969, Freddie graduated and decided to open a small store with Roger Taylor. It sold various works Mercury, as well as other art objects.
In the same year, he met members of the musical group “Ibex”. He was so impressed by the group's work that within a few weeks he knew all their songs by heart.
However, the team soon disbanded. An interesting fact is that it was during this period that Freddie began to write his own compositions.
Since in his youth he wanted to become a musician, he decided to look for work in this field. After reviewing a lot of different advertisements, Mercury decided to audition for the group “Sour Milk Sea,” which required a vocalist.
The band's musicians liked Mercury's unusual voice and the way he behaved on stage. A couple of weeks later the group began giving concerts. However, this team also broke up, as a result of which Freddie was forced to start all over again.
1970-1982
In 1970, the lead singer left the Smile group, and was replaced by Freddie Mercury. After several rehearsals together, the team members decided to change their name to “Queen”.
In 1972, Farrukh Balsara decided to take creative pseudonym– Freddie Mercury, with whom he will go down in history.
With this lineup, they managed to record quite a lot of songs that allowed them to go on tour. Every year, Queen songs became more and more popular.
Queen group In 1980, when the great Russian bard died, Mercury decided to change his image. He started wearing short hairstyle, and grew a black mustache. It is in this form that in the future it will become known to the whole world.
1983-1988
In 1982, Queen musicians decided to suspend creative activity, because they were tired of countless concerts and travel.
However, Freddie himself did not want to stop, but rather strived to work even harder. He was able to write a number of songs and record a solo album.
In 1983, Mercury met with famous singer Montserrat Caballe, who made a strong impression on him. A few years later, Mercury gave her a cassette with his songs.
Caballe appreciated his creativity, and after a few weeks they began work on joint project. As a result, the duo recorded a record, songs from which they then performed together at various festivals.
It seemed to the rock singer that he was just starting his creative path, and the main successes await him yet. However, he soon learned that he had AIDS.
After this, he recorded an album that explored the theme of his illness. Last time the legendary leader of the group “Queen” appeared on stage in the fall of 1988.
Personal life of Mercury
Freddie Mercury had incredible charisma and charm.
Mercury and Mary Austin at a Queen party, July 1986 In 1969, he met Mary Austin, with whom he was together for 8 years.
Over time, Freddie began to be interested not only in women, but also in men. When Mary found out about this, she decided to end her relationship with Mercury.
It is worth noting that the couple separated very peacefully, and throughout the rest of the singer’s life they maintained friendly relations.
Later, Austin even became her ex-boyfriend's personal secretary.
After Mary, Freddie had many women, but he did not have real feelings for any of them. The only and beloved girl of his entire life was Mary Austin.
He dedicated many songs to her, and also bequeathed his own mansion with a huge yard.
Freddie Mercury's children
Mercury himself always wanted to have children, which he often admitted to his friends. However, he never managed to leave offspring behind. Fans of the artist believed that this was due to his unconventional orientation.
He himself did not like to answer such questions, and avoided this topic in every possible way. The musician's friends stated that Freddie was gay, which he himself did not hide.
Freddie Mercury before his death
Rumors that Mercury had AIDS first appeared in 1986. The press began to actively discuss this topic, which aroused great interest in society.
Queen fans claimed that the musician had noticeably lost weight, which further confirmed the presence of a fatal disease. It is worth noting that Freddie publicly denied that he had AIDS. Only friends and relatives knew the truth.
Realizing that he had very little time to live, Mercury wanted to record as many songs as possible. He spent a long time in the studios, sparing no effort and time.
The last video clip featuring Freddie Mercury was filmed in black and white. This was done specifically so that the audience could not notice critical condition his health.
On November 23, 1991, the musician admitted that he was indeed HIV-positive, since it was no longer possible to hide this fact.
He transferred all rights to his work to a foundation formed to protect seriously ill people. 4 years after the death of the great rock singer, another album with his compositions was released.
How Freddie died
Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991 at the age of 45. Official reason His death is believed to be due to bronchopneumonia caused by AIDS.
When fans learned about the musician's death, they gathered near his house to say goodbye to him. There were flowers, notes, posters and other items everywhere.
Singer's funeral
Freddie Mercury's funeral took place according to Zoroastrian customs, although in life he did not adhere to the rules of this religion. Parents insisted on observing all traditions. Various famous personalities attended the ceremony.
Freddie's body was cremated and the ashes were given to Mary Austin. Where the musician’s remains were buried is still unknown to anyone except close relatives.
In his will, Mercury bequeathed the bulk of his funds to Mary, his parents, and his sister Kashmir. It is interesting that besides them he left enough large sums people who worked with him.
Despite the fact that Freddie Mercury died almost 30 years ago, his popularity has not diminished at all. Various events are held in his honor music festivals and monuments are erected.
In 2002, Freddie Mercury was ranked 58th in the 100 Greatest Britons poll.
In 2008 the magazine Rolling Stone ranked him 18th on Rolling Stone's list of the 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."
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Freddie Mercury (real name Farrukh Balsara) is a British singer of Parsi origin. Frontman, songwriter and ideological inspirer legendary group QueenFreddie Mercury's childhood
Farrukh Balsara was born in 1946 in Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. His father Bomi was a cashier at the Supreme Court of England and Wales and earned good money, so the family did not need for anything. 
When Farrukh was 5 years old, his parents moved with him and his sister Kashmira to Bombay. The boy was sent to a boarding school 150 km from largest city India, where he proved himself to be a capable and diligent student and was fond of creativity and sports. At this time, Farrukh became interested in music: the Bollywood singer Lata Mengeshkar had a special influence on him, and later the boy began to be interested in rock and roll. Future musician started calling himself Freddy.
In 1959, the whole family moved to London, where, after graduating from school, in 1965 Farrukh entered the famous Ealing College. There he studied design, painting, and was fond of ballet. Freddie's idols at that time were Jimi Hendrix and Rudolf Nureyev; he devoted his dissertation to the work of the former.
Queen times
At the end of his studies, Freddie met the Liverpool group Ibex. 10 days after the first meeting, Mercury already knew the entire repertoire of the musicians, added several of his own songs to it and went to the first concert in his life as part of the blues festival in Bolton. Despite the successful performance and subsequent concerts, the group quickly disbanded, as some of the participants returned to study. 
In 1970, Freddie, replacing his former classmate, joined members of the youth rock group “The Smile” - Roger Taylor and Brian May. A year later, bass guitarist John Deacon joined them, and in this lineup began a 20-year star story legendary group called “Queen”, which was suggested by Freddie himself.
After the formation of the group was completed, Mercury created their coat of arms: it was based on the coat of arms of Great Britain and images of the zodiac signs of the members of the musical union were added, namely two lions, cancer and virgo.
Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Mercury played a leading role in the formation of the entire concept of the group, including the musical one: he authored the vast majority of compositions, for example, the lyrical ballad “Love Of My Life” (1975), the unique “Bohemian Rhapsody”, as well as the song “We Are The Champions” "(1977), which became the anthem of sports fans.
Queen - "We Are The Champions"
In 1972, Freddie added the pseudonym Mercury to his fictitious name, which means “mercury” or “mercury, plastic.” In the same year, the group released their first album, “Trident,” which became popular overnight. The high-quality stadium rock and variety of genres in which the musicians worked delighted listeners, with many comparing them to The Beatles.
Mercury did not limit himself to working in a group and recorded solo discs. His single “Love Kills” (1984) as well as the album “Mr. Bad Guy" (1985), which he dedicated to his cats. During long trips on tour, Freddie could talk to them on the phone for hours, and their portraits were depicted on one of his vests.
Interview with Freddie Mercury (1987)
Together with Montserrat Caballe Mercury recorded classic opera arias, released on the disc “Barselona” (1988), and the title single was honored to become the anthem of the 1992 Olympics.
Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe - “Barcelona”
Mercury was not only outstanding musician, but also an extraordinary actor. Thanks to this, every concert of the group turned into a real show: its unique, so easy recognizable voice, complemented by a bright temperament, emotionality, and plasticity. The group's video clips were the result of Mercury's desire to combine theater and music, sound and lighting effects - he was the author of most of the clip scripts.
Queen - "The Show Must Go On"
Personal life of Freddie Mercury
In the early 70s, Freddie had a long-term relationship with Mary Austin, whom he was introduced to by bandmate Brian May. Mary worked as a manager at the Biba store, which was a gathering place for young people at that time. 7 years later, Mercury admitted his bisexual orientation, which marked the end of their romance, but they remained close friends until the end of their lives. For Freddie, Mary was part of his family - it was she who, during the singer’s difficult struggle with illness, told his parents the mourning news. 
Freddie himself often said that he always loved Mary and under other circumstances she would have become his wife. He bequeathed most of his 28 million fortune to her.
In 1985, Freddie began a relationship with hairdresser Jim Hutton, which continued until his death. Hutton courted Mercury during last days his life, and then wrote a book called Mercury and Me.
Mercury had an overbite caused by having 4 extra teeth. When his career was just beginning, he wanted to correct his bite, but was afraid that this might worsen his vocal abilities.
Illness and death
In 1986, the first rumors appeared about his illness with the immunodeficiency virus. Members of the group stubbornly denied them, but a day before his death, Mercury made an official statement that he had AIDS. Terminally ill Mercury continued to perform for five years. 
On November 24, 1991, Freddie died of bronchopneumonia caused by HIV infection. The singer’s body was cremated, and only Mary Austin and his family know about the location of the ashes - this was Mercury’s wish. Fans later found this place - London's Kensal Green Cemetery
Heritage
Songs that did not have time to be published during Mercury’s lifetime were included in the album “Made in Heaven” (“Made in Heaven”, 1995). One of Mercury's dying orders was to donate the proceeds from the re-release of the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" to charitable foundation for the fight against AIDS. Terrence Higgins.Farrukh began to live with his grandfather and aunt. Even there, in the first years of his studies, Farrukh’s classmates (mostly English-speaking from birth) came up with the idea of calling him Freddie. This name is not an analogue of Farrukh, despite the similarities, they are simply similar, and Farrukh's classmates were somewhat uncomfortable calling him by his native name.
Freddie Bulsara was a good student, but showed more interest in music and creativity in general than in learning. Moreover, he was an excellent painter, plus he sang in the school choir and regularly participated in performances. Besides this, Freddie was good athlete, he especially liked hockey, sprinting and boxing, despite the fact that he hated cricket and running. For some time he studied ballet. At the age of 10, Farrukh became the school champion in table tennis. At 12, he received a cup for winning the youth all-around, and once even a certificate “for excellence in all sciences and arts.”
WITH early years In Zanzibar, Freddie loved to listen to different music, giving preference to classics and the young, but then rapidly conquering the world, rock. But among Freddie's special passions one should name ethnic music and opera.
All this love for music led to the fact that the principal noticed Freddie’s abilities, which began to manifest themselves at school. He wrote a letter to the boy’s parents, in which he offered to organize piano courses for Freddie for a fee. And the parents agreed. Freddie enjoyed the classes, he had the opportunity to develop his rare talent, and eventually received a 4th degree in theory and practice.
At the age of 12, Freddie became a member of the first group in his life, which he organized - "The Hectics" ("Fidgets"). His first song, written during the same period, is called "I'm Going To The Top." As for the group, all that is known is that The Hectics performed at school parties, dances, and various events. Freddie was not a vocalist, but only a pianist.
Freddie's contribution to Queen in particular and world music In general, it is difficult to overestimate. He is the author of the first Queen song to hit the British charts - Seven Seas Of Rhye (). He also wrote the first hit of the group Killer Queen (), as well as the most successful work Queen - a world masterpiece musical art Bohemian Rhapsody. When writing this song, Freddie had the opportunity to maximize his talent, and he took advantage of this chance. The song was predicted to fail due to its enormous length for those times (5:55), and a seemingly wild mixture of the most incompatible styles and genres of music. But Queen released the song as a single and shot a video clip for it, which is the first “real” video clip in history, as a result of which the group got into Guinness Book of Records, and their hard work resulted in international recognition and fame.
Illness and death (1986-1991)
Freddie’s second equally famous (and perhaps surpassed it in popularity) song was and remains “We Are The Champions”, which was in rotation on almost all US radio stations, not to mention the fact that this composition became unofficial anthem winners of major sporting competitions. This is what you hear most often from fans. Recently the song was named the most recognizable in the world.
Among Freddie's friends are: famous people like Montserrat Caballe, Tim Rice, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Dave Clark and many others.
At all Queen concerts, Freddie used a microphone with an unfinished stand attached to it. This distinctive sign, which has become business card singer, was formed during his first performances in England. Once at one of the concerts, Freddie, as usual, was spinning around the stage, playing with a microphone. The stand of that old and heavy microphone was so heavy, and Freddie’s zeal was so strong, that in the end the lower part of the stand simply fell off, and Freddie was left with the microphone and the upper half of the stand in his hands. He liked this style so much that as a result Freddie adopted this design.
The image of Freddy formed the basis for the design of Sol, one of the main characters in the Guilty Gear series of games.
"Mother Love" - last song written and performed by Freddie.
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)
- 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" (Album released November 17, 1992)
- « The Great Pretender" (Album released November 24, 1992 in the USA only)
- “Freddie Mercury - Remixes” (Album released November 1, 1993 only in Bolivia, Brazil, Italy, Holland 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 - The Very Best of Freddie Mercury Solo” (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)
Notes
Links
| Freddie Mercury | |||||||||
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| Discography |
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| Videography | VHS: The Video EP The Great Pretender The Barcelona EP The Video Collection. DVD: The Video Collection Lover of Life Singer of Songs |
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| Other | |||||||||
| ¹ - songs sung with Montserrat Caballe | |||||||||
| John Deacon Freddie Mercury
Brian May Roger Taylor Paul Rogers Tim Staffel Spike Edney |
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| Studio | « |
