Anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s Death – November 24^th, 1991

Conversation Starters:

• Today marks the 21^st anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s death. In his memory, share with us your all-time favorite Queen song!
• Today in 1991, Rock and Roll lost one of the greatest front men in history. You are missed, Freddie Mercury!
• 21 years ago today, Freddie Mercury died tragically at the age of 45. In his honor, share your favorite Freddie moment!

Fast Facts:

• Birth name: Farrokh Balsara
• Born: 9/5/1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar to mother Jer and father Bomi
• Died: 11/24/1991 Due to AIDS related illness, in his home in Kensington, London
• Instruments: Vocals, Piano, Keyboard and Guitar
• Nicknames: “Freddie”
• In 1954 Farrokh was sent to  St. Peters School near Mumbai India, where classmates called him Freddie as a nickname; his family also adopted the name for him
• In 1958 Freddie formed a his first band called “The Hectics”
• When Freddie was 17, he and his family left Zanzibar and moved to Middlesex England
• Freddie attended Ealing College in 1966 and graduated with a diploma in graphic art and design in 1969
• Freddie became friends with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor who played in a band called “Smile”
• Freddie met aspiring rock band “Ibex” in 1969
• Ibex added Freddie along with them started playing around England, but “Ibex” broke up after a name change to “Wreckage”  at the end of the 1960’s
• Mercury then moved on to a band called “Sour Milk Sea” and began singing for the group in 1969, but after just 2 months together, they broke up
• In April of 1970 Tim Staffell had left “Smile” so Freddie joined with May and Taylor
• Freddie then changed the band’s name to “Queen” and also changed his last name to Mercury
• On June 27^th, 1970 Queen had their first concert in Cornwall, England
• In March of 1971 bassist John Deacon joined the band
• On June 29^th, 1973 Mercury Released a single called “I Can Hear Music” under the name Larry Lurex
• On July 13^th, 1973 “Queen” released their debut, self-titled album and the band embarked on their first US tour the following April
• Mercury received his first Ivor Novello award on May 22^nd, 1975 for the song “Killer Queen”
• On October 31^st, 1975 Freddie’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” gave Queen their first #1 single on the UK charts
• The album A Night at the Opera was released in November of 1975 and became Queen’s first #1 album on the UK charts
• Freddie received his second Ivor Novello award for song “Bohemian Rhapsody” in January of 1976
• In October of ‘77 Freddie and Queen filmed the music video for “We are the Champions”; the Queen fan club made up the audience
• Mercury and the Royal Ballet teamed up to perform “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” in October of 1979
• On February 23^rd, 1980 the song “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” went # 1 in the U.S.
• On September 25^th, 1982 Freddie and Queen perform on the show Saturday Night Live
• Freddie released his first single under his own name “Love Kills” on September 10^th, 1984
• Mercury’s first album “Mr. Bad Guy” was released on April 29^th, 1985
• Queen’s performance at  the concert fundraiser Live Aid in July of 1985 at Wembley Stadium is regarded as one of the greatest in rock history
• On September 5^th, 1985 Mercury took over a night club in Munich and decorated it to film the video for “Living On My Own”
• In May of 1986 Mercury collaborated with Dave Clark on two songs on his album Time
• Freddie played his last show with Queen on August 9^th, 1986 in Knebworth Park in Stevenge, in front of a crowd of over 100 thousand fans
• Mercury releases his version of the classic “The Great Pretender” on February 23^rd, 1987
• In October of 1987 Mercury released his first duet single with Montserrat Caballe called “Barcelona”
• April 14^th, 1988 was Mercury’s last live on stage performance; it was a fund raiser for AIDs in London’s West End
• Mercury and Caballe released their album Barcelona on October 10^th, 1988
• Freddie Mercury died tragically of died of bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS on 24 November 1991, only one day after publicly acknowledging he had the disease.
• In April of 1992 a Freddie Mercury tribute concert was held at Wembly Stadium
• On November 16^th, 1992 the album The Freddie Mercury Album was released
• A remix of “Living On My Own” was released on July 19^th, 1993 which posthumously gave Freddie his first #1 single on the UK charts
• In 2008, Rolling Stone rated Mercury #18 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time

Personal Life:

• Freddie’s Father worked as a high court cashier for the British Government
• Freddie also had a sister Kashmira who was born in 1952
• Mercury met Mary Austin in the early 1970’s the two lived together during the 1970’s and remained good friends till his death
• Freddie was known for his flamboyant personality that was always stretching the limits
• Mercury labeled himself as a bisexual

Discography: Solo/Duet

• Mr. Bad Guy – 1985
• Barcelona – 1988

Discography: (with Queen)

• Queen – 1973
• Sheer Heart Attack – 1974
• Queen II – 1974
• A Night at the Opera – 1975
• A Day at the Races – 1976
• News of the World – 1977
• Jazz  - 1978
• Live Killers - 1979
• The Game – 1980
• Hot Space – 1982
• The Works – 1984
• A Kind of Magic – 1986
• The Miracle – 1989
• At the Beeb – 1989
• Innuendo – 1991
• Made In Heaven – 1995

RIAA: (with Queen)

• February 23^rd, 2012: Platinum Collection Vol. 1-3 – 2x Platinum
• May 23^rd, 2006: Greatest Hits – 8x Platinum
• November 15^th, 2002: A Kind of Magic – Gold
• November 14^th, 2002: News of the World – 4x Platinum
• November 14^th, 2002: Live Killers – 2x Platinum
• November 14^th, 2002: Classic Queen – 3x Platinum
• November 14^th, 2002: The Game – 4x Platinum
• November 14^th, 2002: A Night at the Opera – Platinum
• November 14^th, 2002: A Day at the Races – Platinum
• March 26^th, 1996: Made in Heaven – Gold
• April 3^rd, 1991: Innuendo – Gold
• April 24^th, 1984: The Works – Gold
• July 12^th, 1982: Hot Space – Gold
• November 28^th, 1978: Jazz – Platinum
• November 18^th, 1975: Sheer Heart Attack – Gold

Videos

• Queen – Live Aid (Pt. 1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDckgX3oU_w
• Queen – The Show Must Go On: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ADh8Fs3YdU
• Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oozJH6jSr2U
• Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM
• Queen – Somebody to Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pMM4iwC-ag
• Freddie Mercury Vocal Improvisation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwDuipYrUqE

Links:

• Queen’s Official Website: http://www.queenonline.com/
• Freddie Mercury Official Website: http://www.freddiemercury.com/

Sources:

• http://www.allmusic.com/artist/freddie-mercury-mn0000130028
• http://www.freddiemercury.com/institutional
• http://www.discogs.com/artist/Freddie+Mercury
• http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database