What band did Freddie Mercury sing in? Freddie Mercury: the story of a boy from Stone Town

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 interesting to few people during her 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.

Name: Freddie Mercury
Date of Birth: September 5, 1946
Date of death: November 24, 1991
Zodiac sign: Virgo
Age: 45 years
Place of Birth: Zanzibar, Tanzania
Activity: singer, leader of the rock band Queen
Family status: wasn't married
Wikipedia

Freddie Mercury: biography

Freddie Mercury is a singer-songwriter and performer in the rock band Queen. Many of his musical compositions have become world hits. A little later he became famous as a solo musician.

Childhood, family of Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury (The real name of the singer is Farrukh Bulsara.) He was born on the island of Zanzibar. Freddie's parents were Parsi; his father was a cashier at the English Supreme Court. Farrukh had a younger sister, Kashmira. The boy was sent to school in Panchgani, and he lived with his grandfather and aunt. His name meant "beautiful" but was very awkward to pronounce by English speakers. It was easier for friends to call their classmate Freddie.

Freddie fell in love with music as soon as he heard the performance of the popular Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar. Further, his biography was predetermined. He preferred several sports in which he achieved good results. When he was 10 years old, Freddie managed to become a champion in table tennis, and at the age of 12 he won the cup in the all-around youth competition. The boy studied well, he had a diploma for his achievements in science and art.

Freddie was a great drawer. Performances and choral singing at school were not complete without his participation. Music filled all the student’s free time, which was noticed by the school principal. The boy was offered piano lessons for a nominal fee. After graduating from school, the parents were satisfied with their son’s musical success.

Freddie Mercury: Passion for music

School friends led by Freddie created a rock band called “Psychos”. The children played at all school holidays. After school, the young man returned to his homeland, and soon their island became an independent state. During the transfer of power, unrest began, and the entire Bulsara family, hastily gathered, retired to the UK to stay with relatives, and later purchased their own home.

At the age of 18, Freddie studied at a polytechnic school, but dreamed of an art college. His mother and father were experiencing financial difficulties, so the guy worked part-time at the London airport and was a warehouse loader. They loved the guy at work and tried to help him in everything. He graduated with the highest scores, and Freddie was accepted into the college of his dreams. The young man meets the famous guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Soon Tim Staffel, who sang and played bass in the band Smile, became his friend. Freddie often attended the band's rehearsals.

The further fate of Freddie Mercury

Freddie's biography persistently led the future star along the path of music. At the age of 23, he completed his studies and received a diploma in graphic design. This skill of his as an artist was useful in making money in the store he and his friend Roger Taylor opened. The Liverpool group Ibex, with whom Freddie became close, accepted him into their ranks with all the songs he composed.

The young man’s voice and performance captivated all the castings at which he demonstrated his vocal abilities. There were changes in the Smile group, and at this time Freddie became friends with guitarist Chris Chesney, and the position of the vocalist soon became vacant, where Freddie moved. The group received its new name, it was born again. Now Queen had its own coat of arms, which combined the intricate plexus of the zodiac signs of the band members.

And Freddie himself took a sonorous pseudonym, consisting of two words: Mercury and mercury. Songs performed by the new team members began to gain popularity and became hits. Queen accompanied her songs with video clips, which became revolutionary in this field of musical art.

Freddie Mercury and music

The group, which had become popular, went on tour in Japan, and Freddie became a fan of this country. After performing together with the Royal Ballet, the group members went on vacation. While the friends were relaxing, Mercury began preparing for his solo album. He went to Munich, made acquaintance with the famous composer Giorgio Moroder, as a result of which another song was born that gained popularity among listeners.

When fate gave him the opportunity to attend the opera Un ballo in Masquerade, the singer was stunned by the vocal abilities of the opera singer from Spain Montserrat Caballe. Freddie received inspiration for creativity and hits began to appear one after another. The group Freddie worked with was lucky. They appeared on world television, which gained them fans of 75 thousand viewers.

Mercury soon separated from the musicians with whom he had shared a long creative path. The Spanish opera diva who once inspired him liked the solo album, and they began working together with Montserrat Caballe.

The Rise of Freddie Mercury

Caballe and Mercury created a wonderful duet; they performed wonderful songs at festivals and grand openings, some of which became the hallmark of the performers. No one expected that such a rapid rise would quickly end in decline. But this fall was not creative; the musician became seriously ill. He was given a terrible diagnosis - AIDS.

As an author, Freddie Mercury wrote and wrote and recorded his solo albums, because the time allotted in this world was becoming less and less. Freddie Mercury officially announced to all his fans in the press that he was sentenced to death. The rock musician died of pneumonia; his weakened body was unable to cope with the disease.

Personal life of Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury's only real friend was his first woman, Mary Austin. They lived together for only seven years, but she, having become his secretary, remained forever in his heart. It was to this woman that Freddie bequeathed his house. The musician was not happy for long with another woman - Barbara Valentin, an actress from Austria.

The singer's orientation remains a mystery to many, although May, Taylor and Jim Hutton, who knew him well, argued that Freddie Mercury had unconventional views in his sexual life. I have had relationships with men for the last 6 years.

The musician's biography has many surprises in store, which become known only after his death. You don’t always want to compare the fates of outstanding people, but Rudolf Nureyev seemed to repeat the biography of the idol of many generations. He is not of Russian origin, musically and actingly gifted, gay and at the end of his life AIDS. It's a pity that God takes the best.

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. In addition, Freddie was a good athlete, he especially liked hockey, sprinting and boxing, although 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.”

From an early age 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 are 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 to world music in general, 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 Queen’s most successful work - a masterpiece of world 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 wild, at first glance, 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 the unofficial anthem of the winners major sporting competitions. This is what you hear most often from fans. Recently the song was named the most recognizable in the world.

Freddie's friends include such famous people as 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 became the singer’s calling card, 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" is the last song written and performed by Freddie.

Videography

VHS editions

1. "The Video EP" (Released July 21, 1986)
2. "The Great Pretender" (Released 16 March 1987 UK only)
3. "The Barcelona EP" (Released February 6, 1989)
4. November 6, 2000)

DVD editions

1. "The Video Collection" (Released October 23, 2000)
2. "Lover of Life Singer of Songs" (Released September 4, 2006)
3. “Lover of Life Singer of Songs (Collectors Edition 2CD+2DVD)” (Released November 20, 2006)

Discography

1. “Mr. Bad Guy" (Album released April 29, 1985)
2. "Barcelona" (Album released October 10, 1988)
3. "The Freddie Mercury Album" (Album released November 17, 1992)
4. "The Great Pretender" (Album released November 24, 1992 US only)
5. “Freddie Mercury - Remixes” (Album released November 1, 1993 only in Bolivia, Brazil, Italy, Holland and Japan)
6. "The Solo Collection" (Box set released October 23, 2000 in the UK, Europe and Japan)
7. “Solo” (Album released in 2000)
8. “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
Discography	Studio albums Mr. Bad Guy Barcelona Collections The Freddie Mercury Album The Great Pretender Freddie Mercury - Remixes Lover of Life, Singer of Songs Box sets The Solo Collection Solo Singles Love Kills I Was Born to Love You Made in Heaven Living on My Own Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow Time The Great Pretender Barcelona¹ The Golden Boy¹ How Can I Go On¹ In My Defense
Videography	VHS: The Video EP The Great Pretender The Barcelona EP The Video Collection. DVD: The Video Collection Lover of Life Singer of Songs
Other
¹ - songs sung with Montserrat Caballe

John Deacon Freddie Mercury Brian May Roger Taylor Paul Rogers Tim Staffel Spike Edney
Studio	"Queen" "Queen II" "Sheer Heart Attack" "A Night at the Opera" "A Day at the Races" "News of the World" "Jazz" "The Game" "Flash Gordon" "Hot Space" "The Works" "A Kind of Magic" "The Miracle" "Made in Heaven" "The Cosmos Rocks"
Concert	"Live Killers" "Live Magic" "Live at Wembley "86" "Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl" "Return of the Champions" "Queen Rock Montreal"
Collections	"Greatest Hits" "At the Beeb" "Greatest Hits II" "Queen Rocks" "Greatest Hits III"
Box sets	"The Complete Works" "Box of Tricks" "Greatest Hits I & II" "The Crown Jewels" "The Platinum Collection"
Singles	Keep Yourself Alive · Seven Seas of Rhye Killer Queen · Bohemian Rhapsody · You"re My Best Friend · Somebody to Love · Tie Your Mother Down · Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) ·

The second edition of the sensational book is coming out the other day. Mariam Akhundova “The Story of Freddie Mercury”. Let us remember that it was first published in 2005. In the early 2000s, a Russian historian and journalist, having analyzed the biography of the famous rock singer, came to the conclusion that there are serious arguments in favor of a very unusual hypothesis - that the band’s vocalist Queen became a victim of slander.

First of all, almost 17 years have passed since the death of the vocalist, creator of almost half of the songs, screenwriter of many famous Queen videos in 1991, and since then, for unknown reasons, not a single normal creative biography has been published.

At the same time, Mercury's most popular biographers - also his servants Freestone and Hutton - did not even think about analyzing his work, but instead created an image of the Queen vocalist that was far from reality.

Obviously, the real Mercury has nothing in common with the “hero” of his biographies. This is evidenced by significant inconsistencies between Queen's concert schedule and Freddie's lifestyle presented in the books of Freestone and Hutton.

Queen (recently named one of the world's best-selling bands) had a very busy touring schedule, taking up almost all of the musicians' time. A few but persistently advertised biographers attributed to Mercury the life of a social slacker - that is, drug abuse and spending time in clubs around the clock, and at the same time - an incredible number of sexual partners from among the British proletariat - "chauffeurs with strong hands."

In terms of the level of description of the singer’s personal life, almost all British authors boldly step over the line separating biography from pornography.

In addition to detailed sex scenes, the books contain interesting episodes in which Mercury cleared his stomach after a drinking binge and even recorded himself urinating in Michael Jackson's toilet.

In general, according to M. Akhundova, these biographies are pamphlets, libels, that is, materials aimed at destroying the singer’s reputation.

It must be said that over the years between the two editions of the book, research continued, as a result of which the new version of “The Freddie Mercury Story” is significantly different.

In the latest edition, the role of Freddie’s “close people” is explored in particular detail. Queen fans have long been embarrassed that Mercury's servant, hairdresser Jim Hutton, who called himself his main lover and, of course, claimed to be infected with AIDS, is alive and, judging by the photograph, completely healthy.

In addition, convincing arguments have emerged in favor of the fact that Freddie Mercury was not sick with AIDS, but with cancer. This is indicated not only by interviews with specialists who have worked with Mercury in the last year.

By the way, those around Mercury in 1991, right up until his death, were sure that Freddie had cancer. As it turned out, this hypothesis is easily confirmed from a medical point of view. It is known that Freddie was able to sing almost on his deathbed - the last recording of the vocal part was made two weeks before his death.

At the same time, Freddie had chronic laryngitis, and if he really was HIV-positive, AIDS would have first attacked his throat. One way or another, Freddie's official diagnosis - pneumonia caused by AIDS - is actually incompatible with singing.

One of the key topics of the new publication is an analysis of Freddie's will, made with the participation of Russian international law experts. It follows from it that the representative of the label with which Mercury worked - manager Jim Beach - by will received the right to control the distribution of Freddie's money to all his heirs.

It is difficult to say what made Mercury sign such a paper. The document may have been forged. One way or another, one of the points in Freddie Mercury’s curious will – about transferring part of the money to a fund to fight cancer, not AIDS, is thought-provoking.

The lead singer of the legendary group "Queen", the author of many songs, Freddie Mercury, whose biography we will consider today, was a very unusual person. He still remains among the most popular performers on the world stage. The eccentricity that he showed on stage and his amazing stage images were remembered for a long time not only by his fans, but also by people far from the world of music.

Freddie Mercury: biography. Childhood

Farrukh Bulsary (this is the artist’s real name) was born in 1946 in the city of Zanzibar, the capital of the island of Unguja. The parents gave the boy a name that meant “happy”, “beautiful”. In 1954, Farrukh went to live with his grandfather in Panchgani and went to school. He was always a diligent student, played sports, but most of all he liked painting and music. He devoted all his free time to singing, sometimes even what was intended for study. The director of the school where the boy studied drew attention to his vocal abilities and wrote a letter to his parents with a proposal to organize piano lessons for Farrukh. His classmates thought his name was too complicated and they simply called him Freddy. This is how Freddie Mercury began his path to fame.

Artist biography: first successes

As a twelve-year-old teenager, the future star, together with four of his friends, formed a group and began performing at all school evenings. After leaving school, Freddie decided to continue his studies at an art college in London (he and his whole family moved to England in 1964). During the holidays I tried to earn extra money, since my family was not rich, I painted a lot and forgot more and more about music. In college, the guy met the vocalist of the group "Smile" and began attending their rehearsals. In 1969, Freddie and a friend opened a small store where they sold Freddie's paintings and other interesting things. In the same year, Freddie began performing in the group "Ibex", and in 1970 he took the place of the vocalist of "Smile". On his initiative, the band was renamed “Queen”. Freddie also changed his last name, becoming Mercury (from the English “mercury”, “mercury”). Many songs for both the band's first album, released in 1972, and subsequent ones, were written by Freddie Mercury.

Artist biography: solo career

The team made a splash all over the world with performances, gained millions of fans, and the participants began to feel like real stars. Freddie changed his image: he cut his hair short and grew a mustache. In 1984, taking advantage of a short break in the touring schedule and vacation, he recorded his first solo compositions, and in 1985 he released an album. Soon information appeared in the press about the singer’s serious illness, but he completely denied it. In 1989, the musician, instead of going on another tour with his bandmates, devoted time to recording new songs. But in fact, the reason for this was not a creative impulse at all, but Freddie’s inability to perform due to deteriorating health.

Freddie Mercury: biography. Personal life

In 1969, the artist met with whom he lived together for seven years. Despite the fact that they broke up, Freddie called her the one and only of his life. The musician is also credited with an affair with actress Barbara Valentin. The singer’s personal life has always been a mystery, since he never gave clear answers to journalists’ questions; it was impossible to understand what was true in his words, what was fiction, and what was just a joke.

Freddie Mercury: death

In 1991, on November 23, the artist announced to everyone that he had AIDS, and the next day he died. Freddie has become a true legend, and even now, more than 20 years after his work, he remains an inspiration and example for many young musicians.