THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
New movie Bohemian Rhapsody celebrates Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury. MARION McMULLEN looks at the flamboyant life of a born entertainer
‘IWON’T be a rock star. I will be a legend,” Freddie Mercury once declared. He certainly achieved his goal as Queen produced hit after hit from A Kind Of Magic and We
Are The Champions to I Want To Break Free and the groundbreaking Bohemian Rhapsody.
The latter topped the UK charts for nine weeks when it was released in 1975 and DJ Kenny Everett made sure everyone knew about the single by playing it 14 times in just two days on his Capital Radio show.
The song is also the title of new movie Bohemian Rhapsody which sees Rami Malek take on the mantle of the performer who defied stereotypes.
The film charts the years leading up to Queen’s 1985 Live Aid concert appearance.
David Bowie, who also performed at the landmark music event, once said: “Of all the more theatrical performers, Freddie took it further than the rest. He took it over the edge and, of course, I always admire a man who wears tights.”
The son of Bomi and Jer Bulsara, Freddie was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar in 1946 and spent most of his early childhood in India.
He was just seven when he began learning to play the piano and quickly discovered a passion for music.
The family moved to Middlesex in 1964 and Freddie met Brian May and Roger Taylor when he was studying at Ealing College of Art. The two were in a band called Smile when Freddie joined them and they became known as Queen when bassist John Deacon came along to complete the line-up.
They signed their first record deal in 1973 and the rest, as they say, is history. The group’s music and Freddie’s larger-than-life stage presence quickly brought them to public attention and won many fans.
Fellow Queen bandmate Brian once described him as a “Lover of life. Singer of songs” but drummer Roger said: “No one really knew Freddie. He was shy, gentle and kind. He wasn’t the person he put over on stage.”
Freddie himself agreed, once explaining: “I’m so powerful on stage. I seem to have created a monster. When I’m performing I’m an extrovert yet inside I’m a completely different man.”
Freddie later embarked on a solo career that led to him singing Barcelona with Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballe in 1987.
The collaboration later featured at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics after the Queen frontman’s death.
Montserrat herself died earlier this month at the age of 85 and Brian paid tribute on Instagram writing: “RIP dear Montsy – inspiration to us all, but especially to Freddie.”
Freddie had been diagnosed with Aids when he joined his Queen bandmates for Live Aid and led the group to one of their greatest rock performances on July 13, 1985.
Wearing a white vest and white trousers, he fronted a 20-minute set that began with Bohemian Rhapsody and Radio Ga Ga and ended with We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions – with Hammer To Fall and Crazy Little Thing Called Love squeezed in the middle.
He told the Wembley crowd: “This next song is only dedicated to beautiful people here tonight. That means all of you. Thank you for coming along and making this a great occasion.”
Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl said in 2011: “Every band should study Queen at Live Aid. If you really feel like that barrier is gone, you become Freddie Mercury. I consider him the greatest frontman of all time.”
Freddie died at the age of 45 on November 24, 1991, just 24 hours after he publicly announced he had Aids.
Lady Ga Ga has said: “I adored Freddie Mercury and Queen had a hit with Radio Ga Ga. That’s why I love the name.
“Freddie was unique, one of the biggest personalities in pop music.
“He was not only a singer, but also a fantastic performer, a man of theatre and someone who constantly transformed himself. In short, a genius.”
Rami Malek has said he wants to do Freddie and Queen justice in the new movie which began attracting international attention as soon as it was announced.
He revealed on American talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this year that he was in full glam rock stage costume when he met Freddie’s younger sister Kashmira Cooke for the first time.
She took one look at him and just said: “That’s my Freddie.”
■ Bohemian Rhapsody is in cinemas from October 24.