Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on Thursday September 5th 1946 on the small spice island of Zanzibar. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were both Parsee (Persian). His father, Bomi, was a civil servant, working as a High Court cashier for the British Government. Freddie's sister, Kashmira, was born in
In 1958, five friends at St Peter's - Freddie Bulsara, Derrick Branche, Bruce Murray, Farang Irani and Victory Rana - formed the school's rock'n roll band, the Hectics, where Freddie was the piano player. They would play at school parties, at annual fetes and school dances, but little else is known about them.
In 1962, Freddie finished school, returned to Zanzibar and spent his time with friends in and around the markets, parks and beaches. In 1964, many of the British and Indians, due to political unrest in Zanzibar, left their country, although not under forcible pressure, and among those driven out were the Bulsaras who migrated to England.
He studied hard, although he preferred the aesthetic side of school life to the more mundane academic side, and easily achieved his Art A level, leaving Isleworth in the spring of 1966. His grade A pass and his natural skill ensured that he was readily accepted by Ealing College of Art and, in September 1966, Freddie began a graphic illustrating course at that college.
After Jimi Hendrix exploded onto the scene in 1967, and Freddie became an ardent fan, he spent time sketching and drawing his hero; drawings he would frame and use to decorate the walls of his flat in Kensington, rented by his friend Chris Smith, where Freddie had moved from the family home in Feltham. At that time Kensington was an important place to be for the art crowd - it was the base of the famous Biba boutique and the home of Kensington Market, frequented by the then 'in' crowd.
Freddie left Ealing College in June 1969, with a diploma in graphic art and design, and a few commissions for adverts in local newspapers. He moved into Roger Taylor's flat, and that summer opened a stall with Roger at Kensington Market, initially selling artwork by himself and fellow Ealing students, and later Victorian or whatever clothes, new and secondhand, he could lay his hands on.
In the summer of 1969 Freddie was introduced to a Liverpool band called Ibex, who had come to London to try to make a name for themselves. Ibex were a three-piece, with guitarist Mike Bersin, John 'Tupp' Taylor on bass and Mick 'Miffer' Smith on drums. They also brought with them their apprentice manager, roadie and general dogsbody Ken Testi; part-time bass player Geoff Higgins used to travel down for occasional gigs. Geoff would play bass when Tupp, a great Jethro Tull fan, wanted to play flute.
Freddie first met Ibex on 13th August 1969. Such was his enthusiasm, that just ten days later, he'd learned the band's set, brought in a few new songs, and had traveled to Bolton, Lancashire, for a gig with them - his debut public performance. The first date was 23rd August, and the occasion was one of Bolton's regular afternoon 'Bluesology' sessions, held at the town's Octagon Theatre. On the 25th August, Ibex appeared in the first 'Bluesology pop-in', an open-air event on the bandstand in Bolton's Queen Park, and the proceedings were covered in Bolton's 'Evening News'. This even featured an uncredited photograph of Freddie.
Somewhere between 9th September and the end of October 1969 Ibex underwent a mini upheaval - at Freddie's instigation. "I recall him canvassing the idea of calling the band Wreckage, but nobody was very enthusiastic," reveals Mike Bersin. "Then he phoned me one night and said, 'The others don't mind. How do you feel?' I said, 'If they agree, then fine'. When I spoke to the others about it, Freddie had phoned them all up and had the same conversation."
The name-change went hand-in-hand with the departure of drummer Mike 'Miffer' Smith. He was replaced by Richard Thompson, the former drummer in Brian May's 1984. Despite flashes of true potential, the end of the 1960s also marked the end of Wreckage. Gigs were few and far between, and while John Taylor, Richard Thompson and Freddie remained in London, Mike Bersin was committed to his college course in Liverpool, as he promised to his parents. Inevitably, the band petered out.
In April 1970 Tim Staffell decided to leave Smile, and Freddie join them as lead singer. Freddie decided to change the name of the band to Queen, he also changed his last name to Mercury.
In 1970 Freddie met Mary Austin. They lived together for seven years and remained good friends until his death.
In 1971 John Deacon joined the band and Queen were complete. Freddie designed the band's logo using their birth signs: two fairies for him (Virgo), two lions for Roger and John (Leo) and a crab for Brian (Cancer). Freddie was the author of the first Queen song that entered the British charts , the first big hit and the most famous Queen song that was on the top of charts for 9 weeks . Freddie has always been considered the front-man of the band.
In 1975 Queen toured Japan. A crowd of screaming fans followed them everywhere. They were taken by surprise at the strength of their reception. Freddie fell in love with Japan and soon became a fanatical collector of Japanese art and antiquities.
On October 7th, 1979 Freddie performed with the Royal Ballet. He had never done any ballet before, but it was something he had always wanted to try. The songs he had chosen to perform to were . Songs were played by the orchestra with Freddie doing live vocals. Freddie's first dance was Bohemian Rhapsody, and he performed with skill in front of a packed house of enthusiastic balletomanes, who loved him, and he received a standing ovation for both his cameo performances.
In 1975 Queen toured Japan. A crowd of screaming fans followed them everywhere. They were taken by surprise at the strength of their reception. Freddie fell in love with Japan and soon became a fanatical collector of Japanese art and antiquities.
On October 7th, 1979 Freddie performed with the Royal Ballet. He had never done any ballet before, but it was something he had always wanted to try. The songs he had chosen to perform to were. Songs were played by the orchestra with Freddie doing live vocals. Freddie's first dance was Bohemian Rhapsody, and he performed with skill in front of a packed house of enthusiastic balletomanes, who loved him, and he received a standing ovation for both his cameo performances.
In 1980 Freddie changed his image. He cut his hair and grew a moustache. His fans began to send him gifts of nail polish and razor blades.
At the end of 1982 Queen all agreed they wanted to take break from each other. They announced they wouldn't be touring throughout 1983. Freddie had been thinking of making a solo album for some time, and at last he had time to do something about it. He booked studio time at Musicland in Munich and began work in early 1983. During that time he was introduced to Georgio Moroder, who was working on a re-release of the 1926 Fritz Lang silent science fiction film Metropolis. He wanted to put a contemporary musical score to the film. He asked Freddie to consider collaborating on a track for the film to which Freddie agreed. He had never before co-written with anyone outside Queen, and had not recorded anyone else's compositions, apart from. The result of this co-operation was the song .
In 1983 Freddie attended a performance of Verdi's Un Ballo In Maschera at the Royal Opera House sometime in May. It was the first time when he saw Spanish opera diva Montserrat Caballé, and the sheer power and beauty of her voice mesmerized him.
On September 10, 1984 Freddie's first solo single was released. It was the track he had co-written with Georgio Moroder for Metropolis, Love Kills.
The first single from his forthcoming solo album was. It was released on April 9, 1985. Three weeks later Freddie's first solo album was released on CBS Records.
July 13, 1985 was a special day for Queen and Freddie. It was the day of their memorable performance at Live Aid, a tremendous show at Wembley Stadium in front of 72,000 people. Live Aid was also broadcast to over one billion people worldwide. Queen secured their place in history, as every media person, journalist, fan and critic unanimously agreed: Queen stole the show.
The early part of 1987 was very quiet for Queen, so Freddie took the opportunity to go into Townhouse Studios to do some solo work. It resulted in a remake of the classic Platters' song . The single was released on February 23rd.
In March 1987 Freddie flew to
On October 8th, 1988 Freddie and Montserrat appeared at the huge open air
On November 24th, 1991 Freddie died peacefully at his home in London of AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia.
On April 20th,
Thank you Freddie.
