Freddie Mercury - Teeth, Live Aid and Movies (2023)

Wer war Freddie Mercury?

Freddie Mercury was a singer, songwriter and musician whose music topped the British and American charts in the 1970s and 1980s. As the leader of Queen, Mercury was one of the most talented and innovative singers of the rock era. Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Tanzania, studied piano at a boarding school in India and later befriended various musicians at London's Ealing College of Art. Mercury died on November 24, 1991, aged 45, from AIDS-related bronchopneumonia.

Early life

Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946 in Zanzibar. Mercury's parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were Parsis, or followers of the Zoroastrian religion, whose ancestors came from Persia. After getting married, Bomi and Jer moved to Zanzibar, Tanzania, where Bomi worked as a clerk for the British government's High Court. The family lived a fairly comfortable life with a nanny and other domestic servants. Mercury's sister Kashmira was born in 1952.

At the age of 8, Mercury's parents sent him to a boarding school in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, where he studied piano and spent his free time with his aunt and grandparents. It wasn't long before the charismatic young man joined his first band, the Hectics. In 1963, Mercury returned to Zanzibar.

After a bloody revolution in the islands in 1964, the family fled to London. Mercury attended Ealing College of Art and befriended a number of musicians.

In 1969, Mercury joined a group called the Ibex as a vocalist. He played with a few other bands before joining his future friends Queen.

teeth and vocal range

Mercury was born with four extra teeth at the back of his mouth, giving him his now-famous jagged smile. In fact, his childhood nickname was Bucky.

Mercury never had his teeth fixed, fearing it would ruin his impressive four-octave vocal range.

queen

Mercury met his eventual bandmates, drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May, when he moved to London in the 1960s, and bassist John Deacon in 1971.queen, they played their first concert together in June.

READ MORE: Freddie Mercury was part of Brian May and Roger Taylor's entourage before founding Queen

In 1973, Queen released their first album titledqueen. They quickly followed up with their second album,Queen II, in 1974, which they recorded in just over a month. The album was the first taste of the group's signature harmonies and musical styles, including ballads, folk, blues, metal, pop and rock, and featured the single "Seven Seas of Rhye".

However, Queen's music only became popular with their third album,direct heart attackalso published in 1974.

With a sound that has been described as a fusion of hard rock and glam rock, Queen found even greater success with their fourth album the following year.A night at the opera(1975).

Queen's popularity continued to grow in the late 1970s and early 1980s.A day at the races(1976),world News(1978) jThe game(1980). Afterthe jobs(1984), the group's ability to sell albums began to decline, although Queen continued to draw large live crowds around the world.

In addition to his talents as a singer and songwriter, Mercury was a skilled showman. He knew how to entertain and connect with an audience. She liked to wear costumes, often made of skin-tight spandex, and parade around onstage to encourage fans to participate. Mercury is an artist by nature and was also actively involved in creating the artwork for many of the group's albums.

Mercury also lived a luxurious lifestyle. He loved champagne and enjoyed collecting art. He once spent over $400,000 on a hand-painted china set. Always ready for a party, Mercury threw himself into lavish celebrations; On a special birthday he took a group of friends to the island of Ibiza. The occasion was marked by fireworks and flamenco dancing.

In 1989, Mercury retired from public life. He did not promote Queen's upcoming album or tour.show off(1991), and rumors of possible health problems began to circulate.

Before his death, Mercury worked in the studio with Queen. This effort was launched in 1995made in heaven, the group's last album with all original members. Gone but clearly not forgotten, this collection of late Mercury performances topped the UK Singles Chart.

Mercury and Queen were recognized for their contributions to American music history when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Songs by Freddie Mercury and Queen

"Killer Queen"

Queen's third albumdirect heart attackfeatured her first hit "Killer Queen", a song about a high-class prostitute. The 1974 single reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and number 12 in the US. Unlike most of his other songs, Mercury wrote the lyrics before the music.

'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Mercury wrote the song "Bohemian Rhapsody", a seven-minute rock operetta for the 1975 album,A night at the opera. Mercury doubled down on his vocals and showcased his four-octave vocal range on this groundbreaking track. The song topped the charts in the UK and became a Top 10 hit in the US.

"We are the champions" and "Let's rock"

O hit de 1978 "We Are the Champions" do álbumworld News, became a Top 10 song in both the US and the UK. He was featured on a single with "We Will Rock You". Both songs took on a life of their own as popular anthems played at sporting events.

'Another bites the dust'

Always exploring new and different sounds, Queen experimented with the big musical trend of the time with "Another One Bites the Dust" from their 1980 album.The game.

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

Also in fromThe game, Mercury and the rest of the band showed their range as artists with the rockabilly-influenced 1980s hit "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", which Mercury wrote.

"Under Pressure" with David Bowie

In 1981, Queen collaborated withDavid Bowieto create"Negative pressure."A UK No. 1 hit, the song's distinctive bassline was later used by Vanilla Ice on her 1990 rap hit "Ice, Ice Baby".

READ MORE: Inside David Bowie and Queen's 'Tense' recording session for 'Under Pressure'

'Radio Ga Ga'

Although Queen's popularity began to wane in the mid-1980s, the group had a minor hit in 1984 with "Radio Ga Ga". pop musicianLady GagaHe was inspired by his stage name from the song.

single run

In addition to his work with Queen, Mercury released several solo albums, including 1985.mister bad boy. In 1988 he also worked with the opera singer Montserrat CaballéBarcelona.

Live help performance

One of Queen's most notable appearances was at the 1985 Live Aid benefit concert. Dressed simply in a tank top and jeans, Mercury led the crowd through some of the band's biggest hits with great energy and style. He got thousands of music fans singing "We Will Rock You" at Wembley Stadium in London.

For many who watched the event live or on TV, Queen gave one of the best performances at the one-day event organized by singer and activist Bob Geldof and songwriter Midge Ure to raise money for famine victims in Africa. Inspired by the event, the band composed the hit "One Vision".

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