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(Only
those Queen pictures/articles are marked with my logo which I have personally
scanned from my own collection)
Promo for Queen’s 1st
album:
Some articles I purchased at E-bay (the first pic is also
on Queenzone in the archives):
An early photo:
Another advert for Queen’s 1st album:
A very early pic of Queen from a Netherlands article:
Another rare Netherlands Queen
article from 1978:
Circus article:
QUEEN’S
FREDDIE MERCURY:
The
Circus Magazine Tapes
by
Don Rush
Freddie Mercury
speaks about “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the state of Queen. This candid, is
reprinted from the March 17th, 1977 edition of Circus magazine.
“Back in the old days, we were often compared to Led Zeppelin. If
we did something with harmony, it was the Beach Boys. Something heavy
was Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant was always my favourite singer-and he’s
said nice things about me, you know. He actually said
he liked ‘Killer Queen’.
We were always a sitting target in the press because we became popular
so quickly. But, you know, we spent two years putting our act together. It
destroys the soul to hear that you’re all hype, that you have no talent, and
that your whole career has been contrived. I was never too keen on the British
music press. They’ve called us a supermarket hype, and they used to suggest
that we didn’t write our own songs. When the whole point of Queen was to be original.
I’m the first to accept fair criticism. But the dishonest reviews-where
people haven’t done their homework – I just tear them up. I do get annoyed when
up – and-coming journalists put themselves above the artist.
I don’t care what the journalists say; we achieved our own identity
after Queen II. As for the Beach Boys or Led Zeppelin
comparisons: it’s the combination of all those influences which means Queen.
We were disliked by the press in the early days because they couldn’t put their
finger on us, and that was the case with Zeppelin as well.
A lot of people slammed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’,
but who can you compare that to? Name one group that’s done an operatic single.
You know, we were adamant that ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ would be a hit in its
entirety. We fain’ been forced to make compromises, but cutting up a song will
never be one of them.
We’ve always put our necks on the line. We’re fussy
and finicky and have very high standards. If a song can’t be done properly,
we’d rather it isn’t done at all. We’re the fussiest band in the world, and we
put so much loving into every album. We’re a very expensive group; we break a
lot of rules. It’s unheard of to combine opera with a rock theme, my dear.
And, we have no such thing as a budget anymore. Our
manager freaks when we show him the bill. We’re lavish to the bone, but all our
money goes back into the product. We’ve gone overboard on every Queen
album. But that’s Queen. If people said, “The new album sounds just like
Night At The Opera,” I’d give up. Wouldn’t you?
After Sheer Heart Attack, we realized we’d
established ourselves. We felt that there were no barriers, no restrictions. A
Night At The Opera featured every sound from a tuba to a comb. Nothing is
out of bounds. Every molecule of Day At The Races – every iota – is us.
No session men. We don’t try to reproduce that onstage.
We’ve been snagged in the press for our flamboyant
stage show. We think a show should be a spectacle. A concert is not a live
rendition of our album. It’s a theatrical event.
In the early days, we just wore black onstage. Very
bold, my dear. Then we introduced white, for variety, and it simply grew and
grew. ‘Stone Cold Crazy’ was the first song Queen ever performed
onstage.
I have fun with my clothes onstage; it’s not a concert
you’re seeing, it’s a fashion show. I dress to kill, but tastefully. My nail
polish? I used to use Biba, now I use Miners. One coat goes on really smooth.
If we’re weird onstage, I don’t know what you’d call
the Tubes. We’re a bit flashy, but the music’s not one big noise. I think we’re
sophisticated. I like the cabaretish sort of thing. In fact, one of my early
inspirations came from Cabaret. I absolutely adore Liza Minnelli, she’s a total wow. The way she delivers her songs –
the sheer energy; the way the lights enhance every movement of the show. I
think you can see similarities in the excitement and energy of a Queen show.
It’s not glam rock, you see; we’re in the show business tradition.
The lavish presentation appeals to me, and I’ve got to
convince the others. You don’t know how I had to fight for ‘Big Spender’ on
the last tour .We row about everything, even about the air we breathe. We’re
the bitchiest band on earth, darling. We’re at each other’s throats. One night
Roger was in a foul mood and he threw his entire bloody drum set across the
stage. The thing only just missed me – I might have been killed. Yes, we’re all
very highly strung. Once, Roger squirted Brian in the face with hairspray in a
tiny, steaming dressing room. They nearly came to blows. We’ve all got massive
egos, my dear. The others don’t like my interviews. And frankly, I don’t care
much for theirs. I’m very emotional; I think I may go mad in several years’
time.
People think I’m an ogre, you know. On stage, I am a
devil. But I’m hardly a social reject. My parents were very strict, actually. I
was born in Zanzibar September 5, 1946. My father was a civil servant. I
learned to fend for myself in boarding school. All the bullying – I had the odd
schoolmaster chasing me. I was considered the arch poof.
I’ve had my share of schoolboy pranks. That’s as much
as I’ll divulge. I got my diploma from Ealing College of Art, in
graphics and illustration. You know, I designed the Queen crest. I
simply combined all the creatures that represent our star signs – and I don’t
even believe in astrology.
I think my melodies are superior to my lyrics. ‘Death
On Two Legs’ was the most vicious lyric I ever wrote. It’s so vindictive
that Brian felt bad singing it. I don’t like to explain what I was thinking
when I wrote a song. I think that’s awful, just awful. When I’m dead, I want to
be remembered as a musician of some worth and substance.
Years ago, I thought up the name Queen. It’s
just a name. But it’s regal, obviously, and sounds splendid. I like to be surrounded
by splendid things. I like to browse around art galleries, but I’m a
hard-working lad and I never have the time. I bought a house in London which
I’d only seen in photographs. I know that’s absurd, but I had no time to go
house-hunting. And I needed a place to move my furniture and clothes. I want to
lead the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter.
I’m not into business at all. I’m hopeless with money;
I simply spend what I’ve got. I guess I’ve always lived the glamorous life of a
star. It’s nothing new – I used to spend down to the last dime. Now I’ve got
money. I always knew I was a star. And now, the rest of the world seems to
agree with me.”
Freddie’s nephew (first pic)
and niece (second pic) – names sadly unknown to meL; the first pic is from the 90s
– date unknown (probably 1995) – the second one from 1991:
Gita R.
Choksi today:
Doesn’t look Wade Dominguez like Freddie in 1979?
Finally, this is my Queen booklet to the song “I’m
Going Slightly Mad”, made in 2004:
You’d like to see more?
Click http://www.fmspiritoffire.com/photos/photos.asp – an excellent and extensive gallery of Freddie and
Queen pictures
or
http://www.queenoz.com – rare Queen and Freddie pictures!
and naturally
http://www.queenzone.com – regularly updating