Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury
by Lesley-Ann Jones (2011)
If you plan to tell the world your legacy, that is if you had left one, it is always better to write your own autobiography rather than leaving it to people who claim to know you inside out. They can even tell the world how you think and what must have gone through your mind when you said or did some of the things in your life.
The biography was written by an award-winning journalist who had spent a lot of her professional time with the rich and famous. Of course, some would question her authority to write some intimate stuff about the man who had touched the heart of many, man and women.
The book runs swiftly through Farrokh Bulsara's early childhood in Zanzibar and Goa. It concentrates mainly on FB's adult life in the UK after obtaining his Diploma in Graphic Designing all the way through the trying times as a struggling musician to his superstardom and his fall.
We, the listeners, always assume that the Queen played one song which got the whole world mesmerised. The truth, is, however, far from that. The road to stardom involved many man hours manning a souvenir shop at Kensington Market and many failed attempts at creating bands - Smile and Ibex, Wreckage. It's a hard life, no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise. After many misses and near misses, fame and fortune came in abundance. With fame and fortune came ego, friction between friends, decadent lifestyle, up and down yo-yo of life, love, heartbreak, friends, foes and AIDS.
The trouble of biographies is that, like this one, the writer sometimes tries to analyse and psychoanalyse the person's behaviours and actions. Freddie Mercury's loneliness, being away from his family at such a tender age(since 9) is suggested as a possible reason for his close association with his longtime companion Mary Austin as a mother figure. The author also discusses the train of thought that must have gone through the mind of Freddie Mercury, his insecurities, his desire for the love of a different kind, his desire to come out of the closet, but at the same time not to let down his Zoroastrian parents, his disappointments in love etcetera. The author described him as a reserved man who treasured his privacy, felt courageous only in the company of friends, had been betrayed many a time and was not a confrontational person. In spite of shyness, probably because of his dental map-alignment, he metamorphosed on the stage in front of his sea of fans.
The lyrics of the songs, as die-hard Queen fan may realise are quite cerebral. It is not your bebop teenage bumble pop songs. Infusing opera sounds and loud radio-friendly songs tell about varied topics from God, life, love and politics. The author, like others before her, stress that the innuendos in the lyrics and the metaphors of Freddy publicising his inner turmoils. Bohemian Rhapsody is said to be the public declaration of 'out-of-closet'. Look at the lyrics here and judge yourself!
The mind sees what the mind wants to see and the mind hears what the mind wants to see.
I guess all the fan and fortune overcame all his deficiencies. He came out with a bang, all pomp and splendour.
He really enjoyed his life, lived 5 lifetimes in his single short lifespan. His penchant for the gaudy and opera together with his exposure to kinds of music from the African continent, Indian subcontinent and the European continent managed to bring out the best that of a rock artiste could offer to the rocking world. His operatic manner of approach to rock and roll took him to dizzying heights.
N.B. Freddie Mercury of Queen, the rock band, in the company of highly intelligent musicians - Brian May with Ph D in Astrophysics & Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University; Roger Taylor B Sc, the bored dental student who gave up Dentistry for a Biology degree and music; John Deacon, 1st Class Honours Degree in Electronics.
If you plan to tell the world your legacy, that is if you had left one, it is always better to write your own autobiography rather than leaving it to people who claim to know you inside out. They can even tell the world how you think and what must have gone through your mind when you said or did some of the things in your life.
The biography was written by an award-winning journalist who had spent a lot of her professional time with the rich and famous. Of course, some would question her authority to write some intimate stuff about the man who had touched the heart of many, man and women.
The book runs swiftly through Farrokh Bulsara's early childhood in Zanzibar and Goa. It concentrates mainly on FB's adult life in the UK after obtaining his Diploma in Graphic Designing all the way through the trying times as a struggling musician to his superstardom and his fall.
We, the listeners, always assume that the Queen played one song which got the whole world mesmerised. The truth, is, however, far from that. The road to stardom involved many man hours manning a souvenir shop at Kensington Market and many failed attempts at creating bands - Smile and Ibex, Wreckage. It's a hard life, no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise. After many misses and near misses, fame and fortune came in abundance. With fame and fortune came ego, friction between friends, decadent lifestyle, up and down yo-yo of life, love, heartbreak, friends, foes and AIDS. |
| 1946 - 1991 |
The lyrics of the songs, as die-hard Queen fan may realise are quite cerebral. It is not your bebop teenage bumble pop songs. Infusing opera sounds and loud radio-friendly songs tell about varied topics from God, life, love and politics. The author, like others before her, stress that the innuendos in the lyrics and the metaphors of Freddy publicising his inner turmoils. Bohemian Rhapsody is said to be the public declaration of 'out-of-closet'. Look at the lyrics here and judge yourself!The mind sees what the mind wants to see and the mind hears what the mind wants to see.
I guess all the fan and fortune overcame all his deficiencies. He came out with a bang, all pomp and splendour.
He really enjoyed his life, lived 5 lifetimes in his single short lifespan. His penchant for the gaudy and opera together with his exposure to kinds of music from the African continent, Indian subcontinent and the European continent managed to bring out the best that of a rock artiste could offer to the rocking world. His operatic manner of approach to rock and roll took him to dizzying heights.
N.B. Freddie Mercury of Queen, the rock band, in the company of highly intelligent musicians - Brian May with Ph D in Astrophysics & Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University; Roger Taylor B Sc, the bored dental student who gave up Dentistry for a Biology degree and music; John Deacon, 1st Class Honours Degree in Electronics.
Comments
Post a Comment