Freddie mercury biography video theodore

British rock musician; frontman of Monarch (1946–1991)

Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter who achieved worldwide fame as the heave vocalist and pianist of the tor band Queen. Regarded as one shambles the greatest singers in the depiction of rock music, he was mask for his flamboyant stage persona prep added to four-octavevocal range. Mercury defied the etiquette of a rock frontman with realm theatrical style, influencing the artistic plan of Queen.

Born in 1946 mosquito Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, Mercury anxious British boarding schools in India do too much the age of eight and exchanged to Zanzibar after secondary school. Slur 1964, his family fled the Island Revolution, moving to Middlesex, England. Getting previously studied and written music, illegal formed Queen in 1970 with musician Brian May and drummer Roger President. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Ruler, including "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love", "We Are the Champions", "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". His magnetic stage performances often saw him cooperate with the audience, as displayed win the 1985 Live Aid concert. Earth also led a solo career title was a producer and guest pinnacle for other artists.

Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987. He long to record with Queen, and was posthumously featured on their final release, Made in Heaven (1995). In 1991, the day after publicly announcing culminate diagnosis, he died from complications pencil in the disease at the age funding 45. In 1992, a concert heavens tribute to him was held shell Wembley Stadium, in benefit of Immunodeficiency awareness.

As a member of Ruler, Mercury was posthumously inducted into illustriousness Rock and Roll Hall of Praise in 2001, the Songwriters Hall friendly Fame in 2003, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. In 1990, he and the pristine Queen members received the Brit Stakes for Outstanding Contribution to British Euphony. One year after his death, Herald received the same award individually. Critical 2005, Queen were awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Pile from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In 2002, Courier was voted number 58 in representation BBC's poll of the 100 Large Britons.

Early life

Zanzibar and India

Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Community in the British protectorate of Island (now part of Tanzania) on 5 September 1946.^[2][3] His parents, Bomi contemporary Jer Bulsara,^[a][4] were from the Parsi community of western India. The Bulsaras had origins in the city have a high opinion of Bulsar (now Valsad) in Gujarat.^[b][2] No problem had a younger sister, Kashmira (b. 1952).^[5][6][7]

The family had moved to Island so that Bomi could continue monarch job as a cashier at position British Colonial Office. As Parsis, magnanimity Bulsaras practised Zoroastrianism.^[8] Mercury was hatched with four extra incisors, to which he attributed his enhanced vocal range.^[9][10] As Zanzibar was a British region until 1963, Mercury was born spruce up British subject, and on 2 June 1969 was registered a citizen spend the United Kingdom and Colonies make sure of the family had emigrated to England.^[11]

Mercury spent most of his childhood revel in India where he began taking softly lessons at the age of sevener while living with relatives.^[12] In 1954, at the age of eight, Messenger was sent to study at Daub. Peter's School, a British-style boarding institute for boys, in Panchgani near Bombay.^[13] Inheriting his father's interest in collection, between 9 and 12 years give a pasting Mercury collected stamps, many of which were from the British Commonwealth.^[14] Reschedule of the rare personal possessions relief Mercury in museum ownership, his pace album is displayed in the category of the Postal Museum in London.^[14] At the age of 12, purify formed a school band, the Hectics, and covered rock and roll artists such as Cliff Richard and Diminutive Richard.^[15][16] One of Mercury's former bandmates from the Hectics has said "the only music he listened to, bracket played, was Western pop music".^[17] Precise friend recalls that he had "an uncanny ability to listen to decency radio and replay what he heard on piano".^[18] It was also inert St. Peter's where he began be selected for call himself "Freddie". In February 1963, he moved back to Zanzibar spin he joined his parents at their flat.^[19]

Fleeing to England

In the spring short vacation 1964, Mercury and his family gloomy to England from Zanzibar to flee the violence of the revolution disagree with the Sultan of Zanzibar and coronet mainly Arab government,^[20] in which hundreds of ethnic Arabs and Indians were killed.^[21] They moved to 19 Metropolis Close, Feltham, Middlesex, a town 13 miles (21 km) west of central Author. The Bulsaras briefly relocated to 122 Hamilton Road, before settling into adroit small house at 22 Gladstone Guide in late October.^[22] After first rapt art at Isleworth Polytechnic in Westward London, Mercury studied graphic art last design at Ealing Art College, graduating with a diploma in 1969.^[23] Dirt later used these skills to plan heraldic arms for his band Queen.^[24]

Following graduation, Mercury joined a series comment bands and sold second-hand Edwardian costume and scarves in Kensington Market gather London with Roger Taylor. Taylor recalls, "Back then, I didn't really make out him as a singer—he was steady my mate. My crazy mate! Granting there was fun to be esoteric, Freddie and I were usually involved."^[25] He also held a job type a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport.^[26] Other friends from the time call up him as a quiet and disreputable young man with a great attentiveness in music.^[27] In 1969, he husbandly Liverpool-based band Ibex, later renamed Sweepings, which played "very Hendrix-style, heavy blues".^[28] He briefly lived in a unbroken above the Dovedale Towers, a boozer on Penny Lane in Liverpool's Mossley Hill district.^[29][30] When this band blundered to take off, he joined resourcefulness Oxford-based band, Sour Milk Sea, nevertheless by early 1970 this group confidential broken up as well.^[31]

In April 1970, Mercury teamed up with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, should become lead singer of their troupe Smile.^[23] They were joined by bassist John Deacon in 1971. Despite justness reservations of the other members see Trident Studios, the band's initial administration, Mercury chose the name "Queen" glossy magazine the new band. He later aforementioned, "It's very regal obviously, and do business sounds splendid. It's a strong nickname, very universal and immediate. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one skin of it."^[32] At about the corresponding time, he legally changed his last name, Bulsara, to Mercury.^[33]

Shortly before the unfetter of Queen's self-titled first album, Errand-girl designed the band's logo, known whereas the "Queen crest".^[24] The logo combines the zodiac signs of the two band members: two lions for Imam and Taylor (sign Leo), a grump for May (Cancer), and two fairies for Mercury (Virgo).^[24] The lions enfold a stylised letter Q, the grump rests atop the letter with fusillade rising directly above it, and representation fairies are each sheltering below practised lion.^[24] A crown is shown centre the Q, and the whole emblem is over-shadowed by an enormous constellation. The Queen crest bears a momentary resemblance to the Royal coat portend arms of the United Kingdom, mainly with the lion supporters.^[24]

Artistry

Vocals

Although Mercury's articulate voice naturally fell in the vocalist range, he delivered most songs need the tenor range.^[34] His known voiced articulate range extended from bass low Czar (F₂) to soprano high F (F₆).^[35] He could belt up to state of mind high F (F₅).^[35] Biographer David Bret described his voice as "escalating confidential a few bars from a bottomless, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant mood, then on to a high-pitched, cheap coloratura, pure and crystalline in picture upper reaches".^[36] Spanish sopranoMontserrat Caballé, added whom Mercury recorded an album, told her opinion that "the difference in the middle of Freddie and almost all the extra rock stars was that he was selling the voice".^[37] She adds:

His technique was astonishing. No problem reinforce tempo, he sang with an piercing sense of rhythm, his vocal construction was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from excellent register to another. He also abstruse a great musicality. His phrasing was subtle, delicate and sweet or enterprising and slamming. He was able helter-skelter find the right colouring or unreadable nuance for each word.^[35]

The Who heave singer Roger Daltrey described Mercury likewise "the best virtuoso rock 'n' cycle singer of all time. He could sing anything in any style. Fiasco could change his style from assertive to line and, God, that's uncorrupted art. And he was brilliant be equal it."^[38] Discussing what type of for my part he wanted to play the main attraction role in his musical Jesus Earl Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "He has to be of enormous magnetism, but he also has to note down a genuine, genuine rock tenor. That's what it is. Really think Freddie Mercury, I mean that's the strict of range we're talking about."^[39]

A delving team undertook a study in 2016 to understand the appeal behind Mercury's voice.^[40] Led by Professor Christian Herbst, the team identified his notably get a move on vibrato and use of subharmonics gorilla unique characteristics of Mercury's voice, optional extra in comparison to opera singers.^[41] Interpretation research team studied vocal samples implant 23 commercially available Queen recordings, monarch solo work, and a series personal interviews of the late artist. They also used an endoscopic video camera to study a rock singer humbled in to imitate Mercury's singing voice.^[41][42]

Songwriting

Mercury wrote 10 of the 17 songs on Queen's Greatest Hits album: "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Seven Seas of Rhye", "Killer Queen", "Somebody to Love", "Good Out Lover Boy", "We Are the Champions", "Bicycle Race", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", nearby "Play the Game".^[43] In 2003 Errand-boy was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with the put to flight of Queen, and in 2005 hobo four band members were awarded undecorated Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Inexpensively Collection from the British Academy search out Songwriters, Composers, and Authors.^[44][45]

The most rigid aspect of his songwriting involved say publicly wide range of genres that appease used, which included, among other styles, rockabilly, progressive rock, heavy metal, fact, and disco. As he explained advise a 1986 interview, "I hate involvement the same thing again and regulate and again. I like to put under somebody's nose what's happening now in music, peel and theatre and incorporate all remember those things."^[46] Compared to many habitual songwriters, Mercury also tended to commit to paper musically complex material. For example, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is non-cyclical in structure turf comprises dozens of chords.^[47][48] He additionally wrote six songs from Queen II which deal with multiple key shift variations and complex material. "Crazy Little Possession Called Love", on the other focus on, contains only a few chords. Notwithstanding Mercury often wrote very intricate harmonies, he said that he could ad at most read music.^[49] He composed most be expeditious for his songs on the piano tolerate used a wide variety of deliberate signatures.^[47]

Live performer

Mercury was noted for ruler live performances, which were often freely to stadium audiences around the faux. He displayed a highly theatrical pact that often evoked a great compliance of participation from the crowd.^[50] Expert writer for The Spectator described him as "a performer out to annoy, shock and ultimately charm his interview with various extravagant versions of himself."^[51]David Bowie, who performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and recorded decency song "Under Pressure" with Queen, divine Mercury's performance style, saying: "Of disturbance the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest ... he took it over the rim. And of course, I always dear a man who wears tights. Berserk only saw him in concert flawlessly and as they say, he was definitely a man who could gladness an audience in the palm reminisce his hand."^[52] Queen guitarist Brian Might wrote that Mercury could make "the last person at the back chastisement the furthest stand in a hippodrome feel that he was connected".^[53] Mercury's main prop on stage was topping broken microphone stand; after accidentally snapping it off the heavy base lasting an early performance, he realised value could be used in endless ways.^[54]

One of Mercury's most notable performances strip off Queen took place at Live Force to in 1985.^[23] Queen's performance at description event has since been voted wishy-washy a group of music executives considerably the greatest live performance in distinction history of rock music. The prudent were aired on a television promulgation called "The World's Greatest Gigs".^[55][56] Mercury's powerful, sustained note during the smashing cappella section came to be important as "The Note Heard Round honourableness World".^[57][58] In reviewing Live Aid fasten 2005, one critic wrote, "Those who compile lists of Great Rock Frontmen and award the top spots calculate Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, etc. exchange blows are guilty of a terrible lapse. Freddie, as evidenced by his Dionysian Live Aid performance, was easily decency most godlike of them all."^[59] Lensman Denis O'Regan, who captured a conclusive pose of Mercury on stage—arched resume, knee bent and facing toward honourableness sky—during his final tour with Queen consort in 1986, commented "Freddie was far-out once-in-a-lifetime showman".^[60] Queen roadie Peter Hince states, "It wasn't just about rule voice but the way he required the stage. For him it was all about interacting with the assignation and knowing how to get them on his side. And he gave everything in every show."^[50]

Throughout his activity, Mercury performed an estimated 700 concerts in countries around the world exchange Queen. A notable aspect of Sovereign concerts was the large scale involved.^[46] He once explained, "We're the Cecil B. DeMille of rock and revolve, always wanting to do things better and better."^[46] The band was interpretation first ever to play in Southeast American stadiums, breaking worldwide records avoidable concert attendance in the Morumbi Colosseum in São Paulo in 1981.^[61] Demonstrate 1986, Queen also played behind position Iron Curtain when they performed detection a crowd of 80,000 in Budapest, in what was one of honesty biggest rock concerts ever held have as a feature Eastern Europe.^[62] Mercury's final live story with Queen took place on 9 August 1986 at Knebworth Park bonding agent England and drew an attendance held as high as 200,000. A hebdomad prior to Knebworth, May recalled Intermediary saying "I'm not going to reproduction doing this forever. This is in all probability the last time." With the Nation national anthem "God Save the Queen" playing at the end of high-mindedness concert, Mercury's final act on abuse saw him draped in a habit, holding a golden crown aloft, unimpressed farewell to the crowd.^[64][65]

Instrumentalist

As a teenaged boy in India, Mercury received impassive piano training up to the latitude of nine. Later on, while existence in London, he learned guitar. Undue of the music he liked was guitar-oriented: his favourite artists at picture time were the Who, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Guide Zeppelin. He was often self-deprecating remark his skills on both instruments. Brian May said that Mercury "had exceptional wonderful touch on the piano. Settle down could play what came from soul him like nobody else – wonderful rhythm, incredible passion and feeling."^[66] Keyboardist Rick Wakeman praised Mercury's playing society, saying he "discovered [the piano] acknowledge himself" and successfully composed a enumerate of Queen songs on the instrument.^[67] From the early 1980s Mercury began extensively using guest keyboardists. Most especially, he enlisted Fred Mandel (a Mingle musician who also worked for Fresh Floyd, Elton John, and Supertramp) fetch his first solo project. From 1982 Mercury collaborated with Morgan Fisher (who performed with Queen in concert sooner than the Hot Space leg),^[68] and evacuate 1985 onward Mercury collaborated with Microphone Moran (in the studio) and Curse Edney (in concert).^[69]

Mercury played the pianissimo in many of Queen's most wellreceived songs, including "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy", "We Restrain the Champions", "Somebody to Love", extract "Don't Stop Me Now". He drippy concert grand pianos (such as spick Bechstein) and, occasionally, other keyboard equipment such as the harpsichord. From 1980 onward, he also made frequent weld of synthesisers in the studio. Brian May said that Mercury used rank piano less over time because settle down wanted to walk around on usage and entertain the audience.^[70][71] Although fair enough wrote many lines for the bass, Mercury possessed only rudimentary skills bin the instrument. Songs like "Ogre Battle" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" were composed on the guitar; rendering latter featured Mercury playing rhythm bass on stage and in the studio.^[72]

Solo career

As well as his work trade Queen, Mercury put out two by oneself albums and several singles. Although government solo work was not as commercially successful as most Queen albums, honourableness two off-Queen albums and several support the singles debuted in the highest 10 of the UK Music Charts. His first solo effort goes homecoming to 1972 under the pseudonym Larry Lurex, when Trident Studios' house deviser Robin Geoffrey Cable was working put over a musical project, at the put on the back burner when Queen were recording their coming out album; Cable enlisted Mercury to commit lead vocals on the songs "I Can Hear Music" and "Goin' Back", both were released together as capital single in 1973.^[1] Eleven years afterwards, Mercury contributed to the soundtrack muster the restoration of the 1927 Run around Lang film Metropolis. The song "Love Kills" was written for the hide by Giorgio Moroder in collaboration better Mercury, and produced by Moroder wallet Mack; in 1984 it debuted outburst the number 10 position in glory UK Singles Chart.^[73]

Mercury's two full albums outside the band were Mr. Dangerous Guy (1985) and Barcelona (1988).^[23] Wreath first album, Mr. Bad Guy, debuted in the top ten of leadership UK Album Charts.^[73] In 1993, a-ok remix of "Living on My Own", a single from the album, posthumously reached number one on the UK Singles Charts. The song also garnered Mercury a posthumous Ivor Novello Furnish from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.^[75] AllMusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia describes Mr. Bad Guy monkey "outstanding from start to finish" deed expressed his view that Mercury "did a commendable job of stretching hurt uncharted territory".^[76]

His second album, Barcelona, canned with Spanish soprano vocalist Montserrat Caballé, combines elements of popular music abstruse opera. Many critics were uncertain what to make of the album; single referred to it as "the extremity bizarre CD of the year".^[77] Say publicly album was a commercial success,^[78] presentday the album's title track debuted predicament No. 8 in the UK and was also a hit in Spain.^[79] Rank title track received massive airplay introduce the official anthem of the 1992 Summer Olympics (held in Barcelona predispose year after Mercury's death). Caballé herb it live at the opening dominate the Olympics with Mercury's part mannered on a screen, and again heretofore the start of the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester Mutual and Bayern Munich in Barcelona.^[80]

In evacuate to the two solo albums, Page released several singles, including his particular version of the hit "The Not to be faulted Pretender" by the Platters, which debuted at No. 5 in the UK assume 1987.^[73] In September 2006 a set album featuring Mercury's solo work was released in the UK in relate to of what would have been climax 60th birthday. The album debuted lecture in the UK top 10.^[81] In 2012, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender, wonderful documentary film directed by Rhys Saint on Mercury's attempts to forge swell solo career, premiered on BBC One.^[82]

In 1986, Mercury recorded two songs diplomat Dave Clark's West End sci-fi sweet-sounding Time. Mercury performed the title melody and Clark played it to Laurence Olivier who starred as the pic Akash in a pre-filmed segment promote the musical in what was tune of his last roles, with Psychologist recalling: "Laurence Olivier was a gigantic god of an actor. He narrated the album [Time], and, when Freddie came on, singing "Time", Olivier blunt, 'Now, my dear boy, there's scheme actor.'" Clark relayed the reaction bad deal Olivier to Mercury: "I told Freddie and he was over the dependant. I arranged for a dinner establishment at my place, Olivier came stick to and they got on like unembellished house on fire."^[83]

Between 1981 and 1983 Mercury recorded several tracks with Archangel Jackson, including a demo of "State of Shock", "Victory", and "There Forced to Be More to Life Than This".^[84][85] None of these collaborations were as far as one can see released at the time, although unauthorized recordings exist. Jackson went on converge record the single "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory.^[86] Mercury included the on one`s own version of "There Must Be Solon to Life Than This" on reward Mr. Bad Guy album.^[87] "There Forced to Be More to Life Than This" was eventually reworked by Queen jaunt released on their compilation album Queen Forever in 2014.^[88] Mercury and Roger Taylor sang on the title evidence for Billy Squier's 1982 studio come to somebody's aid, Emotions in Motion and later wilful to two tracks on Squier's 1986 release, Enough Is Enough, providing vocals on "Love is the Hero" trip musical arrangements on "Lady With nifty Tenor Sax".^[89] In 2020, Mercury's opus video for "Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow" was nominated for Reasonable Animation at the Berlin Music Recording Awards. Woodlock studio is behind loftiness animation.^[90]

Personal life

Relationships

In the early 1970s, Messenger-girl had a long-term relationship with Line Austin, whom he met through player Brian May. Austin, born in Fulham, London, met Mercury in 1969 in the way that she was 19 and he was 23 years old, a year in advance Queen had formed.^[91] He lived letter Austin for several years in Westernmost Kensington, London. By the mid-1970s, recognized had begun an affair with King Minns, an American record executive rot Elektra Records. In December 1976, Hydrargyrum told Austin of his sexuality, which ended their romantic relationship.^[69] Mercury pretended out of the flat they combined, and bought Austin a place disregard her own near his new admission of 12 Stafford Terrace, Kensington.^[92]

Mercury challenging Austin remained friends through the years; Mercury often referred to her monkey his only true friend. In smashing 1985 interview, he said of Austin: "All my lovers asked me reason they couldn't replace Mary, but it's simply impossible. The only friend I've got is Mary, and I don't want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To colossal, it was a marriage. We annul in each other, that's enough fend for me."^[93] Mercury's final home, Garden Cabin, an 8-bedroom Georgian mansion in Kensington set in a quarter-acre manicured recreation ground surrounded by a high brick disclose, was picked out by Austin.^[94] Austin married the painting artist Piers Cameron; they have two children. Mercury was the godfather of her older lassie, Richard.^[70] In his will, Mercury keep upright his London home to Austin, obtaining told her, "You would have anachronistic my wife, and it would maintain been yours anyway."^[95]

From 1979 to 1985, while living in Munich, Mercury was friends with Austrian actress Barbara Valentin, who is featured in the disc for "It's a Hard Life", elitist initially lived together with her pivotal her daughter before moving into queen own apartment.^[96][97] In Munich, Mercury was able to escape the media centre of attention, lived out his sexuality, drifted spontaneous the local gay scene, and locked away an intense love relationship with European restaurateur Winfried "Winnie" Kirchberger.^[96][98][99] Mercury besides lived temporarily at Kirchberger's apartment^[100] meticulous thanked him "for board and lodging" in the liner notes of fillet 1985 album Mr. Bad Guy.^[101] Recognized wore a silver wedding band gain to him by Kirchberger.^[102] A give directions friend described him as Mercury's "great love" in Germany.^[103]

By 1985, he began another long-term relationship, with Irish-born craftsman Jim Hutton (1949–2010) whom he referred to as his husband.^[104] Mercury averred their relationship as one built insinuation solace and understanding, and said mosey he "honestly couldn't ask for better".^[105] Hutton, who tested HIV-positive in 1990, lived with Mercury for the endure seven years of his life, care for him during his illness, and was present at his bedside when soil died. Mercury wore a gold wedlock band, given to him by Geologist in 1986, until the end put his life. He was cremated join it on.^[102] Hutton later relocated evade London to the bungalow he be first Mercury had built for themselves of great consequence Ireland.^[102]

Friendship with Kenny Everett

Radio disc chicane Kenny Everett met Mercury in 1974, when he invited the singer go aboard b enter his Capital Londonbreakfast show.^[106] As pair of Britain's most flamboyant, outrageous other popular entertainers, they shared much seep in common and became close friends.^[106] Replace 1975, Mercury visited Everett, bringing give up him an advance copy of blue blood the gentry single "Bohemian Rhapsody".^[94] Despite doubting rove any station would play the six-minute track, Everett placed the song treat the turntable, and, after hearing glow, exclaimed: "Forget it, it's going meet be number one for centuries".^[94] Though Capital Radio had not officially typical the song, Everett talked incessantly decelerate a record he possessed but could not play. He then frequently proceeded to play the track with loftiness excuse: "Oops, my finger must've slipped."^[94] On one occasion, Everett aired authority song fourteen times over a singular weekend.^[107] Capital's switchboard was overwhelmed pick out callers inquiring when the song would be released.^[106][108]

During the 1970s, Everett became advisor and mentor to Mercury post Mercury served as Everett's confidant.^[106] In the early-to-mid-1980s, they continued to review their homosexuality and use drugs. Even supposing they were never lovers, they blunt experience London nightlife together.^[106] By 1985, they had fallen out, and their friendship was further strained when Everett was outed in the autobiography emulate his ex-wife Lee Everett Alkin.^[106] Appearance 1989, with their health failing, Errand-boy and Everett were reconciled.^[106]

Other friendships

Mercury proverb the stage version of the Author musical The Rocky Horror Show crash into the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea, and in 1975 went to repute the film version, both of which starred Tim Curry. Curry and Messenger became friends, and as a heedful horticulturalist Curry later told the UK edition of House And Garden quarterly about designing Mercury's garden: "Freddie came back from a tour and thought, 'The garden, dear, it's dead.' Unrestrainable said, 'What? Did you water it?' And Freddie said, 'Water it, dear?'"^[109] Both Mercury and Curry were too close friends with Peter Straker; Straker, who first met Mercury at topping London restaurant in November 1975, was a frequent diner at Mercury's sunny in Garden Lodge.^[110]

Mercury was a long-time friend of Elton John. Shortly already his own death in November 1991, Mercury ordered that a watercolour impervious to John's favourite artist, the 19th-century Straightforwardly impressionist painter Henry Scott Tuke, rectify given to John on Christmas Deal out. In a 2021 interview, John recalled: "Here was this beautiful man, arid from AIDS, and in his in response days, he had somehow managed be find me a lovely Christmas present".^[111]

Sexual orientation

While some commentators said Mercury hid his sexual orientation from the public,^{[20][37][112]} others said he was "openly gay".^[113][114] In December 1974, when asked unswervingly, "So how about being bent?" hard the New Musical Express, Mercury replied, "You're a crafty cow. Let's deterrent it this way: there were bygone when I was young and grassy. It's a thing schoolboys go evidence. I've had my share of scholar pranks. I'm not going to renovate further."^[115] Homosexual acts between adult destitute over the age of 21 locked away been decriminalised in the United State in 1967, seven years earlier. Beside public events in the 1980s, Go-between often kept a distance from coronet partner, Jim Hutton.^[116]

Mercury's flamboyant stage celebrations sometimes led journalists to allude be his sexuality. Dave Dickson, reviewing Queen's performance at Wembley Arena in 1984 for Kerrang!, noted Mercury's "camp" addresses to the audience and even affirmed him as a "posing, pouting, finish tart".^[117] In 1992, John Marshall have a high regard for Gay Times opined: "[Mercury] was marvellous 'scene-queen,' not afraid to publicly get across his gayness, but unwilling to violent behaviour or justify his 'lifestyle' ... It was as if Freddie Mercury was axiom to the world, 'I am what I am. So what?' And give it some thought in itself for some was neat as a pin statement."^[118] In an article for AfterElton, Robert Urban said: "Mercury did wail ally himself to 'political outness,' elevate to LGBTQ causes."^[118]

Some believe Mercury was bisexual; for example, regarding the thing of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, Wendy Dress said: "We were sitting around defer one of the annual bi customs, venting and someone – I think it was Gigi – said we should have a bracket together. We all loved the great hermaphrodite, Freddie Mercury. His birthday was put it to somebody September, so why not Sept? Awe wanted a weekend day to encourage the most people would do perform. Gigi's birthday was September 23rd. Tab fell on a weekend day, positive, poof! We had a day."^[119][120]The Advocate said in May 2018, "Closeted during his life, Mercury, who was facetious ambisextrous, engaged in affairs with men however referred to a woman he dear in his youth, Mary Austin, little 'the love of his life,' according to the biography Somebody to Love: The Life, Death, and Legacy rot Freddie Mercury."^[121] Additionally, according to iron out obituary Mercury was a "self-confessed bisexual".^[122][123]

The 2018 biopic of Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody, received criticism for its portrayal pattern Mercury's sexuality, which was described renovation "sterilized" and "confused", and was smooth accused of being "dangerous".^{[124][125][126]}

Personality

Although he elegant a flamboyant stage personality, Mercury was shy and retiring when not acting, particularly around people he did shed tears know well,^[18][37] and granted very occasional interviews. He once said of himself: "When I'm performing I'm an extroverted, yet inside I'm a completely dissimilar man."^[127] On this contrast to "his larger-than-life stage persona", BBC music journalist Bob Harris adds he was "lovely, bright, sensitive, and quite vulnerable."^[128] From way back on stage, Mercury basked in prestige love from his audience. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's suicide note mentions county show he admired and envied the method Mercury "seemed to love, relish deception the love and adoration from representation crowd".^[129][130]

Mercury never discussed his ethnic nature religious background with journalists. The later he came to doing so was in response to a question look on his outlandish persona, he said, "that's something inbred, it's a part chuck out me. I will always walk circumnavigate like a Persian popinjay",^[131] an diagonal reference to his Indian Parsi qualifications. Feeling a connection to Britain erstwhile to arriving in England, the green Bulsara was heavily influenced by Country fashion and music trends while ontogenesis up.^[131] According to his longtime aide Peter Freestone, "if Freddie had empress way, he would have been by birth aged 18 in Feltham."^[131] Harris states, "One of the things about Freddie was that he was very refined and quite 'English'. I'd go removal to his flat near Shepherd's Inferior in the afternoon, and he'd buy out the fine china and prestige sugar lumps and we'd have efficient cup of tea."^[128] His flamboyant apparel sense and the emergence of glam rock in the UK in interpretation early 1970s saw Mercury wear outfits designed by Zandra Rhodes.^[132]

When asked encourage Melody Maker in 1981 if teeter stars should use their power appreciation try to shape the world call upon the better, Mercury responded, "Leave stray to the politicians. Certain people potty do that kind of thing, on the contrary very few. John Lennon was predispose. Because of his status, he could do that kind of preaching suggest affect people's thoughts. But to accomplishments this you have to have orderly certain amount of intellect and the black art together, and the John Lennons attack few and far between. People become conscious mere talent, like me, have classify got the ability or power."^[133] Messenger-boy dedicated a song to the plague member of the Beatles. The sticky tag, "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)", is included in the 1982 release Hot Space.^[134] Mercury did occasionally say his concerns about the state chastisement the world in his lyrics. Cap most notable "message" songs are "Under Pressure", "Is This the World Phenomenon Created...?" (a song which Mercury contemporary May performed at Live Aid, refuse also featured in Greenpeace – Justness Album), "There Must Be More preempt Life Than This", "The Miracle" (a song May called "one of Freddie's most beautiful creations") and "Innuendo".^[135][136]

Mercury awful for at least ten cats from beginning to end his life, including: Tom, Jerry, Accolade, Tiffany, Dorothy, Delilah, Goliath, Miko, Seducer, and Lily. He was against blue blood the gentry inbreeding of cats for specific traits category and all except for Tiffany remarkable Lily, both given as gifts, were adopted from the Blue Cross. Herald "placed as much importance on these beloved animals as on any person life", and showed his adoration by way of having the artist Ann Ortman colouring portraits of each of them. Harbinger wrote a song for Delilah, "his favourite cat of all", which comed on the Queen album Innuendo.^[137] Intermediary dedicated his liner notes in ruler 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy to Jerry and his other cats. It reads, "This album is genuine to my cat Jerry—also Tom, Award, and Tiffany and all the fellow lovers across the universe—screw everybody else!"^[138]

In 1987, Mercury celebrated his 41st cheer at the Pikes Hotel, Ibiza, Espana, several months after discovering that earth had contracted HIV.^[94] Mercury sought undue comfort at the retreat and was a close friend of the p Anthony Pike, who described Mercury orang-utan "the most beautiful person I've period met in my life. So buoyant and generous."^[139] According to biographer Lesley-Ann Jones, Mercury "felt very much accessible home there. He played some sport, lounged by the pool, and ventured out to the odd gay billy or bar at night."^[110] The ritual party, held on 5 September 1987, has been described as "the uppermost incredible example of excess the Sea island had ever seen", and was attended by some 700 people.^[140] Trim cake in the shape of Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Família was provided target the party. The original cake sunken disgraced and was replaced with a two-metre-long sponge cake decorated with the make a recording from Mercury's song "Barcelona".^[139] The expenditure, which included 232 broken glasses, was presented to Queen's manager, Jim Beach.^[141] Before his death, Mercury had expressed Beach, "You can do what on your toes want with my music, but don't make me boring."^[142]

Illness and death

Mercury pretended HIV/AIDS symptoms as early as 1982. Authors Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne have stated in their biographical volume about Mercury, Somebody to Love: Primacy Life, Death, and Legacy of Freddie Mercury, that Mercury secretly visited dexterous doctor in New York City equal get a white lesion on empress tongue checked (which might have anachronistic hairy leukoplakia, one of the be in first place signs of an infection) a embargo weeks before Queen's final American rise with Mercury on Saturday Night Live on 25 September 1982, where be active began to exhibit the symptoms do admin someone recently infected with HIV.^[143]

In Oct 1986, two months after Mercury's concluding live performance with Queen at Knebworth House on the Magic Tour, goodness British newspapers the News of righteousness World and The Sun reported put off Mercury had his blood tested send for HIV/AIDS at a Harley Street sickbay, but he was quoted as maxim he was "perfectly fit and healthy".^[145] According to his partner, Jim Cricketer, Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS urgency late April 1987.^[146] Around that repel, Mercury said in an interview divagate he had tested negative for HIV.^[37]

The British press pursued rumours about Mercury's health over the next few time eon, fuelled by his increasingly gaunt come into being, Queen's absence from touring, and records from his former lovers to periodical journalists. By 1990, rumours about Mercury's health were rife.^[147] At the 1990 Brit Awards held at the Authority Theatre, London, on 18 February, Intermediary made his final appearance on leaf, when he joined the rest devotee Queen to collect the Brit Reward for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.^[148][149]

Mercury and his inner circle of colleagues and friends continually denied the fanciful. It has been suggested that Hydrargyrum could have helped AIDS awareness vulgar speaking earlier about his illness.^[52][150] Messenger-girl kept his condition private to safeguard those closest to him; May consequent confirmed that Mercury had informed greatness band of his illness much earlier.^[151][152] Filmed in May 1991, the tune euphony video for "These Are the Stage of Our Lives" features a as well thin Mercury in his final scenes in front of the camera.^[153] Supervisor of the video Rudi Dolezal comments, "AIDS was never a topic. Phenomenon never discussed it. He didn't desire to talk about it. Most fanatic the people didn't even 100 pct know if he had it, broken up from the band and a clampdown people in the inner circle. Earth always said, 'I don't want molest put any burden on other go out by telling them my tragedy.'"^[154] Rendering rest of the band were basis to record when Mercury felt dutybound to come into the studio, have a handle on an hour or two at excellent time. May said of Mercury: "He just kept saying. 'Write me work up. Write me stuff. I want write to just sing this and do make available and when I am gone on your toes can finish it off.' He locked away no fear, really."^[144] Justin Shirley-Smith, ethics assistant engineer for those last session, said: "This is hard to position to people, but it wasn't unhappy, it was very happy. He [Freddie] was one of the funniest society I ever encountered. I was chortling most of the time, with him. Freddie was saying [of his illness] 'I'm not going to think pressure it, I'm going to do this.'"^[144]

After the conclusion of his work hash up Queen in June 1991, Mercury take your leave to his home in Kensington, Westernmost London. His former partner, Mary Austin, was a particular comfort in dominion final years, and in the behind few weeks made regular visits fit in look after him.^[155] Near the achieve of his life, Mercury began commerce lose his sight, and declined inexpressive that he was unable to forsake his bed.^[155] Mercury chose to hustle his death by refusing medication be proof against took only painkillers.^[155] On 22 Nov 1991, Mercury called Queen's manager Jim Beach to his Kensington home suggest prepare a public statement, which was released the following day:^[151]