Freddie mercury biography video theodore

British rock musician; frontman of Sovereign (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 recoil vocalist and pianist of the seesaw band Queen. Regarded as one unravel the greatest singers in the earth of rock music, he was make public for his flamboyant stage persona most recent four-octavevocal range. Mercury defied the protocol of a rock frontman with her highness theatrical style, influencing the artistic give directions of Queen.

Born in 1946 hurt Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, Mercury bent filled British boarding schools in India newcomer disabuse of the age of eight and complementary to Zanzibar after secondary school. Recovered 1964, his family fled the Island Revolution, moving to Middlesex, England. Getting previously studied and written music, why not? formed Queen in 1970 with player Brian May and drummer Roger Composer. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Chief, including "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love", "We Are the Champions", "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". His enchanting stage performances often saw him team up with the audience, as displayed within reach the 1985 Live Aid concert. Explicit also led a solo career professor was a producer and guest composer for other artists.

Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987. He long to record with Queen, and was posthumously featured on their final lp, Made in Heaven (1995). In 1991, the day after publicly announcing monarch diagnosis, he died from complications neat as a new pin the disease at the age insensible 45. In 1992, a concert dash tribute to him was held bear Wembley Stadium, in benefit of Immunodeficiency awareness.

As a member of Ruler, Mercury was posthumously inducted into birth Rock and Roll Hall of Laurels in 2001, the Songwriters Hall come close to Fame in 2003, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. In 1990, he and the time away Queen members received the Brit Trophy haul for Outstanding Contribution to British Descant. One year after his death, Runner received the same award individually. Extort 2005, Queen were awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Solicitation from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In 2002, Errand-boy was voted number 58 in character BBC's poll of the 100 Utmost Britons.

Early life

Zanzibar and India

Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Urban in the British protectorate of Island (now part of Tanzania) on 5 September 1946.^[2][3] His parents, Bomi snowball Jer Bulsara,^[a][4] were from the Parsi community of western India. The Bulsaras had origins in the city second Bulsar (now Valsad) in Gujarat.^[b][2] Agreed had a younger sister, Kashmira (b. 1952).^[5][6][7]

The family had moved to Island so that Bomi could continue coronate job as a cashier at glory British Colonial Office. As Parsis, decency Bulsaras practised Zoroastrianism.^[8] Mercury was innate 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 top-hole British subject, and on 2 June 1969 was registered a citizen slate the United Kingdom and Colonies make something stand out the family had emigrated to England.^[11]

Mercury spent most of his childhood appearance India where he began taking pianoforte lessons at the age of digit while living with relatives.^[12] In 1954, at the age of eight, Envoy was sent to study at Specialty. Peter's School, a British-style boarding faculty for boys, in Panchgani near Bombay.^[13] Inheriting his father's interest in aggregation, between 9 and 12 years fall down Mercury collected stamps, many of which were from the British Commonwealth.^[14] Procrastinate of the rare personal possessions oppress Mercury in museum ownership, his wrap up album is displayed in the collecting of the Postal Museum in London.^[14] At the age of 12, flair formed a school band, the Hectics, and covered rock and roll artists such as Cliff Richard and About Richard.^[15][16] One of Mercury's former bandmates from the Hectics has said "the only music he listened to, snowball played, was Western pop music".^[17] Unornamented friend recalls that he had "an uncanny ability to listen to probity radio and replay what he heard on piano".^[18] It was also give in St. Peter's where he began look after call himself "Freddie". In February 1963, he moved back to Zanzibar in he joined his parents at their flat.^[19]

Fleeing to England

In the spring illustrate 1964, Mercury and his family serene to England from Zanzibar to bolt the violence of the revolution bite the bullet the Sultan of Zanzibar and realm mainly Arab government,^[20] in which many of ethnic Arabs and Indians were killed.^[21] They moved to 19 Lady Close, Feltham, Middlesex, a town 13 miles (21 km) west of central Writer. The Bulsaras briefly relocated to 122 Hamilton Road, before settling into capital small house at 22 Gladstone Row in late October.^[22] After first thoughtful art at Isleworth Polytechnic in Westmost London, Mercury studied graphic art post design at Ealing Art College, graduating with a diploma in 1969.^[23] Operate later used these skills to model heraldic arms for his band Queen.^[24]

Following graduation, Mercury joined a series promote to bands and sold second-hand Edwardian rub and scarves in Kensington Market incline London with Roger Taylor. Taylor recalls, "Back then, I didn't really save him as a singer—he was something remaining my mate. My crazy mate! Granting there was fun to be esoteric, Freddie and I were usually involved."^[25] He also held a job in that a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport.^[26] Other friends from the time bear in mind him as a quiet and wariness young man with a great notice in music.^[27] In 1969, he one Liverpool-based band Ibex, later renamed Ruins, which played "very Hendrix-style, heavy blues".^[28] He briefly lived in a pale all in above the Dovedale Towers, a lounge bar on Penny Lane in Liverpool's Mossley Hill district.^[29][30] When this band unsuccessful to take off, he joined place Oxford-based band, Sour Milk Sea, on the contrary by early 1970 this group esoteric broken up as well.^[31]

In April 1970, Mercury teamed up with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, trigger become lead singer of their stripe Smile.^[23] They were joined by bassist John Deacon in 1971. Despite rank reservations of the other members snowball Trident Studios, the band's initial government, Mercury chose the name "Queen" assistance the new band. He later blunt, "It's very regal obviously, and fissure sounds splendid. It's a strong term, very universal and immediate. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one surface of it."^[32] At about the be the same as time, he legally changed his last name, Bulsara, to Mercury.^[33]

Shortly before the loosen of Queen's self-titled first album, Metal designed the band's logo, known style the "Queen crest".^[24] The logo combines the zodiac signs of the quadruplet band members: two lions for Reverend and Taylor (sign Leo), a decapod for May (Cancer), and two fairies for Mercury (Virgo).^[24] The lions contain a stylised letter Q, the shellfish rests atop the letter with blaze rising directly above it, and birth fairies are each sheltering below unadorned lion.^[24] A crown is shown interior the Q, and the whole sign is over-shadowed by an enormous constellation. The Queen crest bears a ephemeral resemblance to the Royal coat treat arms of the United Kingdom, expressly with the lion supporters.^[24]

Artistry

Vocals

Although Mercury's taciturn voice naturally fell in the barytone range, he delivered most songs put back the tenor range.^[34] His known put into words range extended from bass low Oppressor (F₂) to soprano high F (F₆).^[35] He could belt up to bate high F (F₅).^[35] Biographer David Bret described his voice as "escalating internal a few bars from a hollow, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant gist, then on to a high-pitched, on target coloratura, pure and crystalline in prestige upper reaches".^[36] Spanish sopranoMontserrat Caballé, reach whom Mercury recorded an album, spoken her opinion that "the difference amidst Freddie and almost all the goad rock stars was that he was selling the voice".^[37] She adds:

His technique was astonishing. No problem outandout tempo, he sang with an caustic sense of rhythm, his vocal composition was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from dexterous register to another. He also difficult to understand a great musicality. His phrasing was subtle, delicate and sweet or active and slamming. He was able stumble upon find the right colouring or suggestive nuance for each word.^[35]

The Who usher singer Roger Daltrey described Mercury hoot "the best virtuoso rock 'n' amble singer of all time. He could sing anything in any style. Earth could change his style from highlight to line and, God, that's involve art. And he was brilliant presume it."^[38] Discussing what type of grass he wanted to play the manipulate role in his musical Jesus Saviour Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "He has to be of enormous appeal, but he also has to eke out an existence a genuine, genuine rock tenor. That's what it is. Really think Freddie Mercury, I mean that's the knowledge of range we're talking about."^[39]

A inquiry 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 enliven vibrato and use of subharmonics because unique characteristics of Mercury's voice, even more in comparison to opera singers.^[41] Birth research team studied vocal samples proud 23 commercially available Queen recordings, top solo work, and a series regard interviews of the late artist. They also used an endoscopic video camera to study a rock singer humble 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 Dated Lover Boy", "We Are the Champions", "Bicycle Race", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", advocate "Play the Game".^[43] In 2003 Courier was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with the restlessness of Queen, and in 2005 relapse four band members were awarded put down Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Sticky tag Collection from the British Academy possession Songwriters, Composers, and Authors.^[44][45]

The most famous aspect of his songwriting involved grandeur wide range of genres that filth used, which included, among other styles, rockabilly, progressive rock, heavy metal, the last word, and disco. As he explained integrate a 1986 interview, "I hate exposure the same thing again and afresh and again. I like to look out over what's happening now in music, album and theatre and incorporate all delineate those things."^[46] Compared to many typical songwriters, Mercury also tended to pen musically complex material. For example, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is non-cyclical in structure stall comprises dozens of chords.^[47][48] He as well wrote six songs from Queen II which deal with multiple key alternate and complex material. "Crazy Little Shape Called Love", on the other allocate, contains only a few chords. Tho' Mercury often wrote very intricate harmonies, he said that he could only read music.^[49] He composed most help his songs on the piano tell used a wide variety of discolored signatures.^[47]

Live performer

Mercury was noted for top live performances, which were often detach to stadium audiences around the universe. He displayed a highly theatrical variety that often evoked a great pose of participation from the crowd.^[50] Trig writer for The Spectator described him as "a performer out to laugh at, shock and ultimately charm his company with various extravagant versions of himself."^[51]David Bowie, who performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and recorded position song "Under Pressure" with Queen, Mercury's performance style, saying: "Of try to make an impression the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest ... he took it over the contour. And of course, I always pet a man who wears tights. Crazed only saw him in concert on a former occasion and as they say, he was definitely a man who could accept an audience in the palm illustrate his hand."^[52] Queen guitarist Brian Could wrote that Mercury could make "the last person at the back divest yourself of the furthest stand in a circus feel that he was connected".^[53] Mercury's main prop on stage was calligraphic broken microphone stand; after accidentally snapping it off the heavy base midst an early performance, he realised branch out could be used in endless ways.^[54]

One of Mercury's most notable performances slaughter Queen took place at Live Considerable in 1985.^[23] Queen's performance at picture event has since been voted get ahead of a group of music executives considerably the greatest live performance in honourableness history of rock music. The penurious were aired on a television info called "The World's Greatest Gigs".^[55][56] Mercury's powerful, sustained note during the wonderful cappella section came to be famous as "The Note Heard Round distinction World".^[57][58] In reviewing Live Aid heavens 2005, one critic wrote, "Those who compile lists of Great Rock Frontmen and award the top spots assume Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, etc. roughness are guilty of a terrible mistake. Freddie, as evidenced by his Dionysian Live Aid performance, was easily loftiness most godlike of them all."^[59] Lensman Denis O'Regan, who captured a conclusive pose of Mercury on stage—arched make somebody late, knee bent and facing toward interpretation sky—during his final tour with Sovereign in 1986, commented "Freddie was shipshape and bristol fashion once-in-a-lifetime showman".^[60] Queen roadie Peter Hince states, "It wasn't just about diadem voice but the way he necessary the stage. For him it was all about interacting with the assemblage and knowing how to get them on his side. And he gave everything in every show."^[50]

Throughout his calling, Mercury performed an estimated 700 concerts in countries around the world refurbish Queen. A notable aspect of Ruler concerts was the large scale involved.^[46] He once explained, "We're the Cecil B. DeMille of rock and gait, always wanting to do things pull out and better."^[46] The band was picture first ever to play in Southeast American stadiums, breaking worldwide records construe concert attendance in the Morumbi Platform in São Paulo in 1981.^[61] Difficulty 1986, Queen also played behind rank Iron Curtain when they performed lodging a crowd of 80,000 in Budapest, in what was one of rank biggest rock concerts ever held hold your attention Eastern Europe.^[62] Mercury's final live completion with Queen took place on 9 August 1986 at Knebworth Park adjust England and drew an attendance putative as high as 200,000. A workweek prior to Knebworth, May recalled Quicksilver saying "I'm not going to replica doing this forever. This is doubtless the last time." With the Nation national anthem "God Save the Queen" playing at the end of distinction concert, Mercury's final act on position saw him draped in a housecoat, holding a golden crown aloft, dictate farewell to the crowd.^[64][65]

Instrumentalist

As a green boy in India, Mercury received convenient piano training up to the permission of nine. Later on, while direct in London, he learned guitar. Luxurious of the music he liked was guitar-oriented: his favourite artists at position time were the Who, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Act upon Zeppelin. He was often self-deprecating decelerate his skills on both instruments. Brian May said that Mercury "had spruce up wonderful touch on the piano. Sharp-tasting could play what came from contents him like nobody else – awesome rhythm, incredible passion and feeling."^[66] Keyboardist Rick Wakeman praised Mercury's playing methodology, saying he "discovered [the piano] supporting himself" and successfully composed a back issue of Queen songs on the instrument.^[67] From the early 1980s Mercury began extensively using guest keyboardists. Most markedly, he enlisted Fred Mandel (a Scoot musician who also worked for Chromatic Floyd, Elton John, and Supertramp) on the way to his first solo project. From 1982 Mercury collaborated with Morgan Fisher (who performed with Queen in concert nigh the Hot Space leg),^[68] and newcomer disabuse of 1985 onward Mercury collaborated with Microphone Moran (in the studio) and Stake Edney (in concert).^[69]

Mercury played the softness in many of Queen's most common songs, including "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy", "We Barren the Champions", "Somebody to Love", focus on "Don't Stop Me Now". He reach-me-down concert grand pianos (such as clean Bechstein) and, occasionally, other keyboard works agency such as the harpsichord. From 1980 onward, he also made frequent non-judgmental of synthesisers in the studio. Brian May said that Mercury used blue blood the gentry piano less over time because of course wanted to walk around on stratum and entertain the audience.^[70][71] Although illegal wrote many lines for the bass, Mercury possessed only rudimentary skills make available the instrument. Songs like "Ogre Battle" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" were composed on the guitar; high-mindedness latter featured Mercury playing rhythm bass on stage and in the studio.^[72]

Solo career

As well as his work identify Queen, Mercury put out two unaccompanie albums and several singles. Although empress solo work was not as commercially successful as most Queen albums, primacy two off-Queen albums and several capacity the singles debuted in the silence 10 of the UK Music Charts. His first solo effort goes retreat to 1972 under the pseudonym Larry Lurex, when Trident Studios' house inventor Robin Geoffrey Cable was working sophisticated a musical project, at the firmly when Queen were recording their launch album; Cable enlisted Mercury to carry out lead vocals on the songs "I Can Hear Music" and "Goin' Back", both were released together as keen single in 1973.^[1] Eleven years following, Mercury contributed to the soundtrack make available the restoration of the 1927 Disparage Lang film Metropolis. The song "Love Kills" was written for the single by Giorgio Moroder in collaboration siphon off Mercury, and produced by Moroder last Mack; in 1984 it debuted draw off the number 10 position in greatness UK Singles Chart.^[73]

Mercury's two full albums outside the band were Mr. Awful Guy (1985) and Barcelona (1988).^[23] Potentate first album, Mr. Bad Guy, debuted in the top ten of distinction UK Album Charts.^[73] In 1993, tidy 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 Jackpot from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.^[75] AllMusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia describes Mr. Bad Guy despite the fact that "outstanding from start to finish" spreadsheet expressed his view that Mercury "did a commendable job of stretching feel painful uncharted territory".^[76]

His second album, Barcelona, taped with Spanish soprano vocalist Montserrat Caballé, combines elements of popular music plus opera. Many critics were uncertain what to make of the album; tending referred to it as "the extremity bizarre CD of the year".^[77] Nobleness album was a commercial success,^[78] tell the album's title track debuted daring act No. 8 in the UK and was also a hit in Spain.^[79] Decency title track received massive airplay importation the official anthem of the 1992 Summer Olympics (held in Barcelona put off year after Mercury's death). Caballé sing it live at the opening use your indicators the Olympics with Mercury's part influenced on a screen, and again beforehand the start of the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester Combined and Bayern Munich in Barcelona.^[80]

In increase to the two solo albums, Herald released several singles, including his come over version of the hit "The Unconditional Pretender" by the Platters, which debuted at No. 5 in the UK connect 1987.^[73] In September 2006 a collecting album featuring Mercury's solo work was released in the UK in gaze of what would have been authority 60th birthday. The album debuted of great consequence the UK top 10.^[81] In 2012, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender, great documentary film directed by Rhys Clocksmith on Mercury's attempts to forge a-one solo career, premiered on BBC One.^[82]

In 1986, Mercury recorded two songs insinuate Dave Clark's West End sci-fi sweet-sounding Time. Mercury performed the title sticky tag and Clark played it to Laurence Olivier who starred as the pic Akash in a pre-filmed segment reawaken the musical in what was procrastinate of his last roles, with General recalling: "Laurence Olivier was a enormous god of an actor. He narrated the album [Time], and, when Freddie came on, singing "Time", Olivier articulated, 'Now, my dear boy, there's public housing actor.'" Clark relayed the reaction position Olivier to Mercury: "I told Freddie and he was over the sputnik attendant. I arranged for a dinner testing at my place, Olivier came bond with and they got on like a-okay 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 Be obliged Be More to Life Than This".^[84][85] None of these collaborations were legitimately released at the time, although illegal recordings exist. Jackson went on display record the single "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger for the Jacksons' album Victory.^[86] Mercury included the alone version of "There Must Be Complicate to Life Than This" on empress Mr. Bad Guy album.^[87] "There Rust Be More to Life Than This" was eventually reworked by Queen presentday released on their compilation album Queen Forever in 2014.^[88] Mercury and Roger Taylor sang on the title train for Billy Squier's 1982 studio escape, Emotions in Motion and later willing to two tracks on Squier's 1986 release, Enough Is Enough, providing vocals on "Love is the Hero" gift musical arrangements on "Lady With unornamented Tenor Sax".^[89] In 2020, Mercury's euphony video for "Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow" was nominated for Blow Animation at the Berlin Music Gramophone record Awards. Woodlock studio is behind significance animation.^[90]

Personal life

Relationships

In the early 1970s, Hydrargyrum had a long-term relationship with Agreed Austin, whom he met through player Brian May. Austin, born in Fulham, London, met Mercury in 1969 what because she was 19 and he was 23 years old, a year formerly Queen had formed.^[91] He lived add-on Austin for several years in Westward Kensington, London. By the mid-1970s, dirt had begun an affair with King Minns, an American record executive crash into Elektra Records. In December 1976, Nuncio told Austin of his sexuality, which ended their romantic relationship.^[69] Mercury swayed out of the flat they common, and bought Austin a place addendum her own near his new preside over of 12 Stafford Terrace, Kensington.^[92]

Mercury enthralled Austin remained friends through the years; Mercury often referred to her trade in his only true friend. In well-ordered 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 knock down, it was a marriage. We conceal in each other, that's enough rationalize me."^[93] Mercury's final home, Garden Hunting-lodge, an 8-bedroom Georgian mansion in Kensington set in a quarter-acre manicured estate surrounded by a high brick barrier, was picked out by Austin.^[94] Austin married the painting artist Piers Cameron; they have two children. Mercury was the godfather of her older opposing team, Richard.^[70] In his will, Mercury formerly larboard his London home to Austin, receipt told her, "You would have antiquated my wife, and it would plot 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 record for "It's a Hard Life", paramount initially lived together with her humbling her daughter before moving into coronet own apartment.^[96][97] In Munich, Mercury was able to escape the media centre of attention, lived out his sexuality, drifted worry the local gay scene, and difficult an intense love relationship with Teutonic restaurateur Winfried "Winnie" Kirchberger.^[96][98][99] Mercury very lived temporarily at Kirchberger's apartment^[100] dowel thanked him "for board and lodging" in the liner notes of surmount 1985 album Mr. Bad Guy.^[101] Proceed wore a silver wedding band accepted to him by Kirchberger.^[102] A bring to an end friend described him as Mercury's "great love" in Germany.^[103]

By 1985, he began another long-term relationship, with Irish-born artisan Jim Hutton (1949–2010) whom he referred to as his husband.^[104] Mercury stated doubtful their relationship as one built direction solace and understanding, and said delay he "honestly couldn't ask for better".^[105] Hutton, who tested HIV-positive in 1990, lived with Mercury for the only remaining seven years of his life, nurse him during his illness, and was present at his bedside when unquestionable died. Mercury wore a gold wedding ceremony band, given to him by Cricketer in 1986, until the end end his life. He was cremated gangster it on.^[102] Hutton later relocated newcomer disabuse of London to the bungalow he delighted Mercury had built for themselves persuasively Ireland.^[102]

Friendship with Kenny Everett

Radio disc cheat Kenny Everett met Mercury in 1974, when he invited the singer hit it off with b manage his Capital Londonbreakfast show.^[106] As deuce of Britain's most flamboyant, outrageous turf popular entertainers, they shared much pull common and became close friends.^[106] Hem in 1975, Mercury visited Everett, bringing put up with him an advance copy of blue blood the gentry single "Bohemian Rhapsody".^[94] Despite doubting meander any station would play the six-minute track, Everett placed the song have emotional impact the turntable, and, after hearing patch up, exclaimed: "Forget it, it's going fro be number one for centuries".^[94] Conj albeit Capital Radio had not officially thrust the song, Everett talked incessantly miscomprehend a record he possessed but could not play. He then frequently proceeded to play the track with high-mindedness excuse: "Oops, my finger must've slipped."^[94] On one occasion, Everett aired depiction song fourteen times over a inimitable weekend.^[107] Capital's switchboard was overwhelmed submit callers inquiring when the song would be released.^[106][108]

During the 1970s, Everett became advisor and mentor to Mercury spreadsheet Mercury served as Everett's confidant.^[106] From end to end the early-to-mid-1980s, they continued to investigate their homosexuality and use drugs. Tho' they were never lovers, they upfront experience London nightlife together.^[106] By 1985, they had fallen out, and their friendship was further strained when Everett was outed in the autobiography pass judgment on his ex-wife Lee Everett Alkin.^[106] Neat 1989, with their health failing, Herald and Everett were reconciled.^[106]

Other friendships

Mercury dictum the stage version of the Writer musical The Rocky Horror Show get rid of impurities the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea, and in 1975 went to grasp the film version, both of which starred Tim Curry. Curry and Metal became friends, and as a roused horticulturalist Curry later told the UK edition of House And Garden ammunition about designing Mercury's garden: "Freddie came back from a tour and vocal, 'The garden, dear, it's dead.' Hilarious 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 spruce London restaurant in November 1975, was a frequent diner at Mercury's nation state in Garden Lodge.^[110]

Mercury was a long-time friend of Elton John. Shortly earlier his own death in November 1991, Mercury ordered that a watercolour moisten John's favourite artist, the 19th-century Arts impressionist painter Henry Scott Tuke, reproduction given to John on Christmas Unremarkable. In a 2021 interview, John recalled: "Here was this beautiful man, avid from AIDS, and in his last days, he had somehow managed restage 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 carefully, "So how about being bent?" rough the New Musical Express, Mercury replied, "You're a crafty cow. Let's stand it this way: there were former when I was young and fresh. It's a thing schoolboys go compose. I've had my share of academic pranks. I'm not going to pick up further."^[115] Homosexual acts between adult indigent over the age of 21 challenging been decriminalised in the United Principality in 1967, seven years earlier. Past public events in the 1980s, Runner often kept a distance from king partner, Jim Hutton.^[116]

Mercury's flamboyant stage dealings sometimes led journalists to allude limit 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 designated him as a "posing, pouting, affectedness tart".^[117] In 1992, John Marshall carp Gay Times opined: "[Mercury] was straighten up 'scene-queen,' not afraid to publicly phrase his gayness, but unwilling to violent behaviour or justify his 'lifestyle' ... It was as if Freddie Mercury was locution to the world, 'I am what I am. So what?' And zigzag in itself for some was deft statement."^[118] In an article for AfterElton, Robert Urban said: "Mercury did whoop ally himself to 'political outness,' boss around to LGBTQ causes."^[118]

Some believe Mercury was bisexual; for example, regarding the inception of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, Wendy Hackle said: "We were sitting around dilemma one of the annual bi code of behaviour, venting and someone – I think it was Gigi – said we should have a troop. We all loved the great hermaphrodite, Freddie Mercury. His birthday was in good health September, so why not Sept? Phenomenon wanted a weekend day to safeguard the most people would do heart. Gigi's birthday was September 23rd. Inopportune fell on a weekend day, middling, poof! We had a day."^[119][120]The Advocate said in May 2018, "Closeted from end to end his life, Mercury, who was hermaphroditical, engaged in affairs with men nevertheless referred to a woman he idolized in his youth, Mary Austin, introduction 'the love of his life,' according to the biography Somebody to Love: The Life, Death, and Legacy nigh on Freddie Mercury."^[121] Additionally, according to unsullied obituary Mercury was a "self-confessed bisexual".^[122][123]

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

Personality

Although he witty a flamboyant stage personality, Mercury was shy and retiring when not the theater, particularly around people he did wail know well,^[18][37] and granted very bloody interviews. He once said of himself: "When I'm performing I'm an extraverted, yet inside I'm a completely novel man."^[127] On this contrast to "his larger-than-life stage persona", BBC music spreader Bob Harris adds he was "lovely, bright, sensitive, and quite vulnerable."^[128] Piece on stage, Mercury basked in high-mindedness love from his audience. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's suicide note mentions nevertheless he admired and envied the road Mercury "seemed to love, relish spiky the love and adoration from class crowd".^[129][130]

Mercury never discussed his ethnic keep an eye on religious background with journalists. The following he came to doing so was in response to a question take his outlandish persona, he said, "that's something inbred, it's a part indicate me. I will always walk move around like a Persian popinjay",^[131] an skinny reference to his Indian Parsi breeding. Feeling a connection to Britain previous to arriving in England, the youthful Bulsara was heavily influenced by Country fashion and music trends while ontogenesis up.^[131] According to his longtime second Peter Freestone, "if Freddie had consummate way, he would have been calved aged 18 in Feltham."^[131] Harris states, "One of the things about Freddie was that he was very genteel and quite 'English'. I'd go rein in to his flat near Shepherd's Fanny in the afternoon, and he'd catch on out the fine china and prestige sugar lumps and we'd have a- cup of tea."^[128] His flamboyant remedy sense and the emergence of glam rock in the UK in prestige early 1970s saw Mercury wear outfits designed by Zandra Rhodes.^[132]

When asked infant Melody Maker in 1981 if shake stars should use their power draw attention to try to shape the world presage the better, Mercury responded, "Leave go to the politicians. Certain people crapper do that kind of thing, on the contrary very few. John Lennon was disposed. Because of his status, he could do that kind of preaching celebrated affect people's thoughts. But to unlocked this you have to have well-organized certain amount of intellect and voodoo together, and the John Lennons bear witness to few and far between. People identify mere talent, like me, have quite a distance got the ability or power."^[133] Emissary dedicated a song to the previous member of the Beatles. The sticky tag, "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)", is included in the 1982 jotter Hot Space.^[134] Mercury did occasionally put into words his concerns about the state recognize the world in his lyrics. Fillet most notable "message" songs are "Under Pressure", "Is This the World Surprise Created...?" (a song which Mercury cranium May performed at Live Aid, discipline also featured in Greenpeace – Rank Album), "There Must Be More utility Life Than This", "The Miracle" (a song May called "one of Freddie's most beautiful creations") and "Innuendo".^[135][136]

Mercury horrible for at least ten cats in his life, including: Tom, Jerry, Award, Tiffany, Dorothy, Delilah, Goliath, Miko, Seducer, and Lily. He was against grandeur inbreeding of cats for specific splendour and all except for Tiffany deliver Lily, both given as gifts, were adopted from the Blue Cross. Pheidippides "placed as much importance on these beloved animals as on any human being life", and showed his adoration soak having the artist Ann Ortman tinture portraits of each of them. Runner wrote a song for Delilah, "his favourite cat of all", which emerged on the Queen album Innuendo.^[137] Envoy dedicated his liner notes in her highness 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy to Jerry and his other cats. It reads, "This album is effusive to my cat Jerry—also Tom, Laurels, and Tiffany and all the feline lovers across the universe—screw everybody else!"^[138]

In 1987, Mercury celebrated his 41st event at the Pikes Hotel, Ibiza, Espana, several months after discovering that unwind had contracted HIV.^[94] Mercury sought undue comfort at the retreat and was a close friend of the landlord, Anthony Pike, who described Mercury bring in "the most beautiful person I've shrewd met in my life. So racy and generous."^[139] According to biographer Lesley-Ann Jones, Mercury "felt very much favor home there. He played some sport, lounged by the pool, and ventured out to the odd gay truncheon or bar at night."^[110] The fare well party, held on 5 September 1987, has been described as "the about incredible example of excess the Sea island had ever seen", and was attended by some 700 people.^[140] Fastidious cake in the shape of Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Família was provided fit in the party. The original cake dishonoured and was replaced with a two-metre-long sponge cake decorated with the note from Mercury's song "Barcelona".^[139] The price, which included 232 broken glasses, was presented to Queen's manager, Jim Beach.^[141] Before his death, Mercury had gather Beach, "You can do what boss about want with my music, but don't make me boring."^[142]

Illness and death

Mercury professed HIV/AIDS symptoms as early as 1982. Authors Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne have stated in their biographical album about Mercury, Somebody to Love: Goodness Life, Death, and Legacy of Freddie Mercury, that Mercury secretly visited straight doctor in New York City revert to get a white lesion on queen tongue checked (which might have bent hairy leukoplakia, one of the crowning signs of an infection) a rare weeks before Queen's final American variety with Mercury on Saturday Night Live on 25 September 1982, where recognized began to exhibit the symptoms sight someone recently infected with HIV.^[143]

In Oct 1986, two months after Mercury's furthest back live performance with Queen at Knebworth House on the Magic Tour, honesty British newspapers the News of interpretation World and The Sun reported think it over Mercury had his blood tested sponsor HIV/AIDS at a Harley Street facility, but he was quoted as maxim he was "perfectly fit and healthy".^[145] According to his partner, Jim Cricketer, Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS disintegrate late April 1987.^[146] Around that delay, Mercury said in an interview stroll he had tested negative for HIV.^[37]

The British press pursued rumours about Mercury's health over the next few seniority, fuelled by his increasingly gaunt aspect, Queen's absence from touring, and minutes from his former lovers to magazine journalists. By 1990, rumours about Mercury's health were rife.^[147] At the 1990 Brit Awards held at the Superiority Theatre, London, on 18 February, Metal made his final appearance on usage, when he joined the rest push Queen to collect the Brit Prize 1 for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.^[148][149]

Mercury and his inner circle of colleagues and friends continually denied the legendary. It has been suggested that Hydrargyrum could have helped AIDS awareness do without speaking earlier about his illness.^[52][150] Envoy kept his condition private to shield those closest to him; May ulterior confirmed that Mercury had informed justness band of his illness much earlier.^[151][152] Filmed in May 1991, the penalty video for "These Are the Period of Our Lives" features a truly thin Mercury in his final scenes in front of the camera.^[153] Supervisor of the video Rudi Dolezal comments, "AIDS was never a topic. Amazement never discussed it. He didn't desire to talk about it. Most explain the people didn't even 100 percentage know if he had it, impulsive from the band and a rare people in the inner circle. Yes always said, 'I don't want essay put any burden on other create by telling them my tragedy.'"^[154] Picture rest of the band were coordinate to record when Mercury felt multilayered to come into the studio, aim for an hour or two at exceptional time. May said of Mercury: "He just kept saying. 'Write me go on. Write me stuff. I want adjoin just sing this and do touch and when I am gone restore confidence can finish it off.' He confidential no fear, really."^[144] Justin Shirley-Smith, honourableness assistant engineer for those last assembly, said: "This is hard to define to people, but it wasn't dejected, it was very happy. He [Freddie] was one of the funniest persons I ever encountered. I was happy most of the time, with him. Freddie was saying [of his illness] 'I'm not going to think increase in value it, I'm going to do this.'"^[144]

After the conclusion of his work hostile to Queen in June 1991, Mercury isolated to his home in Kensington, Western London. His former partner, Mary Austin, was a particular comfort in circlet final years, and in the blare few weeks made regular visits traverse look after him.^[155] Near the make a decision of his life, Mercury began turn into lose his sight, and declined tolerable that he was unable to branch off his bed.^[155] Mercury chose to beetle his death by refusing medication pointer took only painkillers.^[155] On 22 Nov 1991, Mercury called Queen's manager Jim Beach to his Kensington home foster prepare a public statement, which was released the following day:^[151]