![]() ![]() ![]() Mercury died of an Aids-related illness on Novemand in this case, the statement “he did not die in vain” is truly apt. “He said, ‘it is my duty to tell you this.’ And I said, ‘no, it is not a duty, but I am very thankful that you told me because it means I have your friendship, and this is most important as anything to me’.” Caballe and Mercury became very close friends during his last few years and he confided with her concerning his illness – as she explained. Grown men were seen in tears, throwing their expensive dinner jackets into the fountains as a mark of respect during the playing of Barcelona. His influence went far beyond the rock world and crossed the borders into opera and musical theatre, where he eventually worked with the Spanish operatic soprano, Montserrat Caballe, to create the Olympic theme song “Barcelona”.Ī true tribute to him after his death was made at the opening of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 as the Olympic flame was lit. If you look hard enough, you will see some artists donning his proverbial cap in the form of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Mika to name just a few. The impact of such bold experimentation has lived on through modern performance. He is still an ambassador for excellence in music and entertainment, but possibly more importantly as an influencer of change. It’s a tragedy that he did not live to witness and benefit from the current openness and understanding of today’s society. Audience members probably saw the real Mercury on stage, rather than the showman. ![]() Mercury’s onstage persona was probably a demonstration of a man trying to “break free” of his own human limitations. The fashion collections featured demonstrated designs resembling some of the legendary sparkles, shoulder pads and provocative costumes Mercury originally wore. Even as recently as summer 2019 Mercury’s music was used for the catwalk by both Balmain and Watanabe. Throughout his career, his “costumes” have influenced fashion. Jessica Bumpus from Vogue notes that “from fashion to film and even the John Lewis ad, Freddie Mercury’s high-glam, theatrical and barrier-breaking style is having a moment, at just the right moment”. Mercury experimented with costumes and looks even before Bohemian Rhapsody, often breaking rules in fashion at the height of the counterculture revolution. Ironically, the ban highlighted the song’s presence, which became a worldwide success, recently surpassing 500 million views on YouTube. It was considered to promote cross-dressing and transsexualism, demonstrating the manipulative and archaic attitude of an industry that should have supported freedom of expression. This was exemplified through the 1984 release of “I Want To Break Free”, with the band dressed in drag for the accompanying video. If anything, we have more in common with Liza Minnelli than Led Zeppelin…we’re more in the showbiz tradition than the rock’n’roll tradition”. Mercury claimed: “we’re not like anyone else. Mercury’s music never faltered during his career, and part of his continuing popularity can be accredited to the reinvention of his stage fashions to suit and illuminate the music. He also “loved the choreography, fluid sexuality and atmosphere of total excess” in Richard O'Brien’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I absolutely adore Liza Minnelli…the way she delivers her songs – the sheer energy”. He said: “one of my early inspirations came from Cabaret. Mercury liked “the cabaret-ish sort of thing”. Alongside his love for classical music and opera, he was also a lover of musical theatre, elements of which we can see in his own music and stage presence. As we mark 30 years since his death, we should celebrate the revolutionary lyrics, piano mastery and flamboyant show business style that he brought to rock music.īy the time Mercury was 18 years old he was demonstrating the idiosyncratic style that would later revolutionise the music industry. These different art forms constructed a full creative package and made Mercury an icon. There is no doubt that Freddie Mercury was a genius: it’s clear in his music, his theatrical performances, and his eccentrically stylised persona. ![]()
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