Today marks 30 years since the death of Freddie Mercury, the leader of the rock band Queen, who triumphed on stages around the world during the 1970s and 1980s, Freddie Mercury. The most famous artists of the twentieth century.
Farrukh Bulsara (his real name) was born in 1946 on the island of Zanzibar, in present-day Tanzania, but spent most of his childhood in India, where his parents are from. His family had to flee Zanzibar in 1964 due to the African Revolution, during which thousands of Muslims and Indians were killed. This is how Mercury and his family arrived Refugees to the UK.
From a young age, Farroukh unleashed his artistic side. He studied art and graphic design in London, created his own clothing line and was part of various bands before founding Queen in 1970. It was at this time that he adopted the stage name Freddie Mercury.
Freddy brought that unrestrained and radiant personality to the band and became the spirit of the group. The goal was not only to have fun, but also to stir up and break social norms. In a video I want to break free (1984), one of their most famous hits, the group parodied characters from Coronation Street, one of the UK’s oldest and most conservative sitcoms.
Queen’s band consists of guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, bassist John Deacon, and Freddie Mercury himself, who also composed many of the group’s greatest songs. They gave absolutely amazing performances at their concerts, with lights, smoke bombs and a wardrobe that was not indifferent: it was the beginning of charming rock.
Queen was a rock band, but they dared to experiment with other styles such as pop, blues, heavy metal and even opera, of which Mercury was a big fan. At the end of his life he was able to fulfill one of his dreams and sing with Montserrat Caballe in the official song of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
Anti-discrimination symbol
During his most famous Queen’s years, Freddy led a wild lifestyle full of excesses. In 1974, he openly admitted his homosexuality, and in the 1980s he found out that he was a carrier of HIV, a virus that can cause in the more advanced stages of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
At that time, AIDS was an unknown disease, there were no prevention campaigns and society had Many prejudices. Freddy decided to keep his illness a secret for many years. Finally, on November 23, 1991, he released a statement in which he admitted that he had AIDS. He died a few hours later, at the age of 45.
His recognition helped increase the visibility of the disease and, at the same time, raise awareness about the need to invest in scientific research to find a cure. To date, there is no cure for AIDS, but thanks to medical advances, people with HIV can lead a normal life without contracting the disease.
basic themes
The work of Quinn and Freddie Mercury has been translated into fifteen studio albums and numerous live collections and albums. Here are some of his most notable songs that have become true hymns:
Bohemian Rhapsody (1975). With this song the Queen breaks the classical structure of the songs (verses and chorus). Create a work of approximately 6 minutes duration that includes an introduction Capellaand opera parts, solos, guitars, and more rock sections. The song was a commercial success and remained on the charts for several weeks. After the death of Freddie Mercury, he again reached the first place on the charts.
We are the champions (1977). It has become the perfect song to celebrate sporting success. In many concerts, the band sang the song after Wei We will defeat you (1977), Queen’s last success. This song has a very catchy rhythm characterized by clapping and kicking, which made the audience participate in concerts.
I want to break free (1984). The song contains one of the band’s most remembered and controversial videos. The group members appear disguised as housewives in a parody of a British series Coronation Street. The video has been received as a hymn to freedom by sexual minorities and youth in many countries. But the United States banned its publication, considering it provocative.
show must go on (1991). Many consider it a farewell song, as it was composed 6 weeks before the death of Freddie Mercury. The singer could not perform it on air because his health was already deteriorating.
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