Freddie Mercury: An intimate memoir by the man who knew him best
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This book is for my late mother, Olga, and my Father, Leslie, who always let me get on with my life and yet were always around if I needed them. I couldn’t properly grieve for my mother because her death coincided with my growing involvement with deeper care for Freddie and so in some ways this book is my acknowledgment to her.
Introduction
November 28, 1995, and October 10, 1997,
“I lived for art, I lived for love
Why does God repay me thus …?”
–Tosca. Act II. Puccini.
In the Sunday Times of September 24, 1995, a league table of artistic achievement, Masters of the Arts, was published. Included in this were two sections, favourite pop performer and greatest pop performer. Amongst the favourite group which included the likes of Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Elton John, the name Freddie Mercury ranked number ten. Amongst the greatest pop performers, which again included Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Elton John, Freddie’s name again appeared, ranked at number five, oddly enough above that of Elton John.
During his life, Freddie greatly admired both Elvis Presley and John Lennon, almost regarding them as heroes. He never dreamed that when he died, he would be included in the same league. And in October 1979, when I first had the offer of working with Queen, I never dreamed that I would be involved with a man whom I see as one of the greatest composers of the late twentieth century.
I was involved with Freddie on a day-to-day basis for twelve years, almost to the day, in a multitude of different roles which eventually all came together under the umbrella description of Personal Assistant. I was chief cook and bottle washer, waiter, butler, valet, secretary, amanuensis, cleaner, baby-sitter (the baby being him) and agony aunt. I shopped for him both at supermarkets and art markets, I travelled the world with him, I was with him at the highs and came through the lows with him. I saw the creative juices flow and I also saw the frustration when life wasn’t going well. I acted as his bodyguard when needed and in the end, of course, I was one of his nurses.
And I was indubitably one of his friends. I’m one of a handful of people who were lucky enough to have witnessed the creation of much of his work, from conception to performance. There is so much more to creating music than putting lyrics and notes down on paper. The feelings involved and the reason for them mean so much and Freddie had a bottomless well of feelings.
By undertaking this project, I find I have a responsibility to be as truthful as I can in portraying what Freddie went through both as an artist and as a man. I want to show that there was much more to Freddie than has been written about until now. I also want to dispel some of the grosser imaginings of both press and biographers alike, who, doubtless writing from the best of motives, didn’t know the man they were writing about. I realised very early on that the man about whom I am writing was one of the most complex creatures anyone could ever encounter. But, at the same time in writing about him, I also realised that he was in fact just a human being like the rest of us and I sincerely hope that in reading this, anyone will be able to find elements of themselves contained within this very special person. In my time, I have discovered we are all very special and complex people.
A large percentage of the population of the world have read all about Freddie’s comings and goings and doings of this and that but many people have come up and asked me: “What was Freddie really like?”
With this book, I hope I can answer some of their questions. I don’t believe that anyone person can know a hundred per cent about another person and so I would never lay claim to writing anything definitive. What follows is my telling of Freddie’s life. I want to show both the man and the genius and the results of the collaboration.
Peter Freestone
London 1995-1998
Preface
CAST LIST
I thought it might be helpful to the readers unfamiliar with the cast in this slice of life to have a list of those major players for easy reference as to their place in this tale.
A
HRH The Prince Andrew Great fan of ballet dancers.
Thor Arnold Nurse, friend and confidant.
James Arthurs Businessman and longtime friend in New York.
Debbie Ash Actress.
Jane Asher Actress and, later still, cake-maker.
Gordon Atkinson Freddie’s General Practitioner.
Mary Austin Former girlfriend. Lifelong Friend.
B
Roy and Barbara Thomas Baker Mr and Mrs Record Producer.
Tony Bastin Lover.
Jim and Claudia Beach Queen’s manager and his wife.
Stephanie Beacham Actress.
Martin Beisly Art expert at Christie’s auction house.
Rupert Bevan Picture frame gilder and furniture restorer.
Debbie Bishop Actress and singer.
David Bowie Composer, musician. Still a private company.
Bryn Bridenthal Friendly ally at Elektra Records, Los Angeles.
Dieter Briet Physiotherapist.
Briony Brind Prima ballerina.
John Brough Sound engineer and scapegoat.
Kim Brown Wife of Pete Brown, once Queen’s day-to-day manager.
Cake-maker.
Michael Brown Ballet wardrobe master for the Royal Ballet.
Jackie Brownell Sympathetic contact at Elektra Records, LA.
Bomi and Jer Bulsara His parents.
Joe Burt Guitarist and sometime boyfriend to Mary Austin.
C
Carlos Caballe Artist’s manager.
Montserrat Caballe La Superba. Opera diva and friend.
Montsy Caballe Niece and personal assistant to Montserrat.
Piers Cameron Father to Mary’s children. Interior Decorator.
Rupert Cavendish Furniture dealer.
Annie Challis Record company executive and friend.
David Chambers Tailor.
Charles the Canadian Lover.
John Christie Actor. Colleague of Dave Clark’s. Friend.
Dave Clark Sixties pop star, theatrical producer and friend.
Trevor Clarke Nightclub front man and friend.
Roger and Kashmira Cooke Sister and brother-in-law.
Carolyn Cowan Make-up artist extraordinaire.
D
Gordon Dalziel Chauffeur. Partner to Graham Hamilton.
Jo Dare Singer.
John Deacon Bass guitarist. One quarter of Queen.
> Derek Deane Principal dancer at the Royal Ballet.
Denny Hairdresser and friend.
Jim Devenney Sound engineer in charge of on-stage monitors.
Richard Dick Barman and lover.
Anita Dobson Actress and friend. Brian May’s partner.
Rudi Dolezal Video-producer and director and friend.
E
Wayne Eagling Principal dancer and friend.
Ken and Dolly East EMI Record Company Executive.
Eduardo the Venezualan Lover.
Gordon Elsbury Top of the Pops Television Director.
Kenny Everett DJ extraordinaire, comic genius and friend.
F
Joe Fanelli Chef, lover and friend. Latterly nurse.
Pam Ferris Actress.
Tony Fields American dancer and actor.
Michael Fish Shirt and tie designer. Nightclub front man.
Leslie Freestone My father. Funeral director.
G
Brian Gazzard Consultant physician.
David Geffen Record company executive.
Bob Geldof Singer, composer and event organiser.
Boy George Singer, composer, performer.
Terry, Sharon and Luke Giddings Security, driver and friend.
Julie Glover Jim Beach’s deputy at Queen Productions.
Harvey Goldsmith Concert and event promoter.
Bruce Gowers Video film director.
Richard Gray Art director.
H
Tony Hadley Singer, composer and esteemed peer.
Graham Hamilton Chauffeur and friend.
Gary Hampshire Chauffeur.
Sarah Harrison Fashion consultant and friend.
Stephen Hayter Nightclub proprietor.
Peter Hince (Ratty) Member of Queen road crew.
Jennifer Holliday Singer and actress.
George Hurrell Photographer.
Jim Hutton Barber and lover.
Sally Hyatt Administrative assistant at Queen Productions.
I
Michael Jackson Singer, composer and entertainer.
Elton John Singer, composer, performer and friend.
Peter Jones Chauffeur.
K
Petre van Katze One-time friend.
Trip Khalaf PA sound engineer.
Tony King Music business executive and friend.
Winnie Kirchberger Restaurateur and lover.
L
Debbie Leng Actress and Roger Taylor’s partner.
Carl Lewis American athlete.
John Libson Accountant.
Sir Joseph Lockwood Record Company Executive, mentor.
M
Rheinhold Mack, lngrid and John Frederick Record producer and friend.
David Mallet Video director.
Fred Mandel Keyboard player.
Diego Maradona Footballer.
Brian May Guitarist and one quarter of Queen.
Donald McKenzie Household friend.
Roxy Meade Press representative and friend.
Bhaskar Menon Record company executive.
Robin Moore-Ede Interior designer.
Mike and Linda Moran Composer, musician, recording producer and friend.
Peter Morgan Lover.
Diana Moseley Costume designer and friend.
Graham Moyle Case physician at Westminster hospital.
Russell Mulcahy Video director.
John Murphy American Airlines Cabin crew, friend.
Nina Myskow Columnist and friend.
N
Anna Nicholas Actress and friend.
Lee Nolan Waiter and friend.
Gary Numan Musician.
David Nutter Photographer and friend.
O
Terry O’Neill Photographer.
P
Elaine Page Singer and friend.
Rudi Patterson Artist and friend.
Christopher Payne Furniture expert at Sotheby’s.
Yasmin Pettigrew Actress and friend.
Mary Pike Cleaner.
Tony Pike Hotelier.
Paul Prenter Personal manager and one-time friend.
Peter Pugson Wine merchant. Friend of Jim Beach.
R
Kurt Raab (Rebecca) Performer.
Bill Reid Lover.
John Reid Manager and friend.
Tim Rice Lyricist and friend.
Cliff Richard Singer, peformer.
Dave Richards Recording engineer/producer
Howard Rose North American concert promoter.
Hannes Rossacher Video director.
S
Pino Sagliocco Spanish concert promoter.
Amin Salih Accountant.
Joe Scardilli American Airlines cabin crew, friend.
Jane Seymour Actress.
Wayne Sleep Principal dancer and one-time friend.
Lord Snowdon Photographer.
Gladys Spier Cleaner.
Billy Squier Singer, composer, musician and friend.
Rod Stewart Singer and peer.
Gerry and Sylvia Stickells Tour manager and friends.
Peter Straker Singer, actor and friend.
Phil Symes Press representative.
Barbara Szabo Office accountant.
T
Gail Taphouse Soloist at Royal Ballet.
Mr Tavener Builder.
Chris Taylor (Crystal) Member of Queen road crew.
Dominique Taylor Wife to Roger Taylor and friend.
Elizabeth Taylor Great movie star.
Gavin Taylor Video director.
Roger Taylor Drummer and one quarter of Queen.
Baroness Francesca von Thyssen Socialite and friend.
Douglas Trout Hairdresser and one-time friend.
V
Barbara Valentin Actress and friend.
Vince the Barman Barman and lover.
Paul Vincent Guitarist.
W
Clodagh Wallace Artists’ manager and friend.
Misa Watanabe Japanese music publishing executive, friend.
David Wigg Journalist and one-time friend.
Margie Winter Cleaner.
Stefan Wissnet Guitarist and recording engineer.
Carol Woods Actress and singer.
Y
Susannah York Actress.
Richard Young Photographer and friend.
Z
Brian Zellis (Jobby) Member of Queen road crew.
Chapter One
In the beginning, it was 1973.
The very first sighting I ever had of Freddie Mercury was in the Rainbow Room restaurant at the shop called Biba in the old Derry and Toms building on Kensington High Street in London. I remember his very being there was a performance.
The Rainbow Room was originally an art deco ballroom with a wonderful layered plaster ceiling, in which different lighting effects were used, often giving the colours of the spectrum, hence providing the name the Rainbow Room. Freddie was so struck by this ceiling that it influenced the designs of some of the ceilings in his future home. But that was still a long way away.
I’d gone to the Rainbow Room with my then girlfriend, Pamela Curtis. Pam and I had had a hard afternoon’s shopping around that wonderful store. Biba was the kind of emporium where you didn’t actually have to buy anything but still had to look in every nook and cranny because the stock and its positioning were all changed so often. The displays in every part of the shop were a wonder in themselves. Freddie was there taking afternoon tea with his then girlfriend Mary Austin, who was at this time working at Biba. He still stood out even though at that point I actually had very little knowledge of contemporary music. Queen were not very well-known in 1973 although Freddie, as one of the new rising stars of rock music was unmistakable.
Freddie’s charisma took over the space he occupied. The cream seats of the restaurant were shaped like big seashells and so Freddie, ensconced in his seat with his long black hair and dressed in the short fox fur jacket, really turned heads. Of course, we did not meet then and
I was not to meet Freddie properly for the first time until late in 1979. In the intervening years, he would become a household name, touring the far reaches of the world, and I would take up employment full-time in the Royal Ballet wardrobe department, with whom I toured more specific parts of the world: Canada, North America, Mexico and Greece, as well as working in the fabled Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.
Before I go into too much more detail about Freddie, I should fill in a few details about my own life which had brought me to this point. Although I had been born in Carshalton, Surrey, I only spent the first six years of my life in England. My elder brother Leslie and I spent the next five years in a boarding school in southern India at a place called Lushington Hall in Oootacamund, a town set amongst the tea plantations of the Nilgiri Hills. It was one of the often mentioned ‘hill-stations’ whence the Raj escaped during the summer heat on the plains and the last bastion of the only surviving independent native Indian people, the Todas. Incidentally, it was also in Oootacamund that snooker had been invented many, many years ago. Home was a hotel which was being run by my parents in Calcutta. I call it home although I only spent two months of the year there. Does this already sound familiar? There is an obvious and immediate analogy with Freddie’s life, although at least I had the luxury of being able to see my parents for three months of the year because they used to come down and spend the month of May with my brother and I during our Easter holidays.
When I was eleven, we returned to England for what was supposed to be a six month break but in those six months, my father was persuaded by his brother not to return to India. While I regretted this decision at the time and for many years, I suppose that should we have returned, this book would never have been written. I completed my education at Isaac Newton Secondary Modern school in North Kensington and, as most children did then, took up weekend employment first assisting the milkman on his rounds, advancing to working in the bargain basement at Whiteley’s in Queensway when what is currently a mall was still a department store and where I was the weekend supervisor.
While still a pupil, I progressed from Whiteley’s to Selfridges and it was there that I took up full employment after GCE while deciding what I was going to do with my life. Selfridges created a catering management scheme with me as the first recruit. This was real nine-to-five employment and I was very bored in the evenings after work until a friend of mine from Selfridges suggested that I join him in doing an occasional evening job at the Royal Opera House. On April 22, 1975, I started dressing the men’s opera chorus, a situation which brought about another coincidence: the performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, including the aria ‘D’Amor Sull’ Ali Rosee’, featured amongst its great singers Montserrat Caballe, who will figure so much in this story.