Remembering the man who wowed the world

ho wants to live forever indeed? A few of us would probably like to give it a go. After all, it’s horrible to think of all the things we might miss out on in the future, and it’s also rather difficult to imagine not being around. Freddie Mercury, who sang a moving song asking that very question, which appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Highlander, has managed to achieve a kind of immortality. Yes, he passed away in 1991, but his name and image lives on in the hearts of his fans, and he remains as popular as ever. Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in what is now Tanzania, the eldest of two children of a British Colonial Office worker and his wife. Music was important to him from an early age; he began piano lessons at seven and five years later formed his first band, The Hectics, with schoolfriends. When he was 17, Mercury and his family fled their homeland during an uprising, and moved to Middlesex. After studying art, he fronted various bands, but was regarded as shy and retiring. In 1970, he met drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May, who had both been playing in a group called Smile; with bass player Brian Deacon they formed Queen. The name was Mercury’s idea, although their management weren’t keen on it. "It's very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid,” he would later remark. “It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it." It certainly didn’t do them any harm. Queen went on to become one of the most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s, racking up hit after hit, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Don’t Stop Me Now, Somebody to Love and We Are the Champions – all of which were written by Mercury himself. He was at the forefront of it all, a flamboyant figure worshipped and adored by millions across the globe – that shy teenager who first arrived in England was seemingly long gone. When he died following a battle with Aids, it came as a shock, despite rumours about his failing health hitting the headlines for years. Now, 25 years on,

takes a look at the man behind the public persona – the great pretender who continues to bewitch and bedazzle.