Mojo - The Music Magazine

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• Still the best rock frontman ever!

  Posted by Bill at 4:42 PM GMT 24/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• I love Freddie Mercury. He had everything. Great songwriter, great music composer, great pianist, greatest frontman and finally the greatest voice ever who also had the ability to sing great in practically every genre. Which musician, past or present, can claim greatness in every category that I mentioned?

  Posted by Grace at 12:25 AM GMT 25/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• Grace: I totally and wholeheartedly agree with you - Freddie was an absolute musical genius. He was a complete original; a real one-off, and he had such unique talent. And that voice! Jesus Christ could that man sing! I still get shivers down my spine now everytime I hear The Show Must Go On. It seems that in the last decade Queen are finally starting to get the respect they deserve from alot of the music critics - about time. As Freddie himself often said: 'Talent will out!'.

  Freddie you are the best. We love ya!

  Posted by Paul Manning at 8:23 AM GMT 25/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Bill, yeah!!!! We love him!

  Posted by Tanya at 5:47 PM GMT 25/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• To Grace: Which musician can claim greatness in the categories you mentioned? Uh, well, a few come to mind. What about Paul McCartney for instance? A great (like in "all-time great") songwriter, multi-instrumentalist (an ace on the bass, piano, acoustic and electric, guitars- check out his finger picking-, drummer, and lots of other things), a fantastic singer (at least in his prime) who can tackle any genre, from operetta to heavy metal screamings, pop, rock, cabaret, etc..., a real music composer, a fantastic frontman, producer, arranger... Examples to back up these claims are easy to find if you're interested. And I could go on about Bowie, Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder... at least. I like Freddie a lot too. But there are other musicians who can claim greatness in the categories you mentioned. Just to stick to a few facts in the oh-so subjective world of music tastes.

  Posted by david huret at 3:28 PM GMT 26/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• Slightly overrated, tends to be adored by those middle aged fellas who still wear jeans and tour T-shirts or by frustrated chubby housewives who fantasize that they could have "turned" him. Sort of people who watch Top Gear and enjoy it.
  Shame he died without actually acknowledging he had AIDS while at the time there was so much prejudice going around about the disease. He could have done so much to dispel the myths that were flying around, alas it was all about the money.

  Posted by Cathy at 3:47 PM GMT 26/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy

  'Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.' ....Freddie Mercury

  Posted by Eliza at 12:49 AM GMT 27/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Eliza That was released when it was clear he was dying, the people behind Freddie knew if it was released that he had HIV, or AIDS that record sales would have nosed dived. The public back then were very prejudiced, they still are.
  If Freddie had came out with the news months, if not years before, he could have done a hell of a lot of good for people, millions of people, who had the same terrible disease.
  Alas as I said earlier, it was all about money, I'm not saying it was Freddie personally who was greedy but the people around him and the other members of the band who were terrified of having the brand tainted with what was thought of at the time as the Gay Plague.
  A real shame.

  Posted by Cathy at 3:42 AM GMT 27/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: david huret Paul McCartney is a good singer but IMO Freddie beats him as frontman and singer. Paul even called Freddie "King Mercury" when he was discussing Freddie's voice. I've loved Paul since I was a little girl back in 1964 but I have to give credit where credit is due and Freddie gets the credit.

  Posted by Grace at 3:57 AM GMT 27/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy You are totally wrong in your assumption. The band was not afraid for the fear of losing money. They were not afraid of being tainted as you claim. I remember when Rock Hudson announced that he had AIDS. The poor man was smothered to no end till the day he died. I felt so sorry for him. I don't blame Freddie at all for how he handled it. I would have done it the same way. What myths could have been dispelled? Not one. Nothing would have changed. Magic Johnson, an NBA legend and who is not gay, announced he was HIV positive two weeks before Freddie died. Magic had to have a press conference to make his HIV announcement. He had to retire immediately from basketball because B-ball is a contact sport. Freddie & Magic's HIV/AIDS charities have both raised huge amounts of money to fight this awful disease.

  Posted by Grace at 4:45 AM GMT 27/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy You are totally bloody wrong, how dare you say that Freddie was slightly overrated. he was the very best and listen you satirical little bitch have you ever heard of Live Aid? Queen stole the show, they also did not care about the money, record sales would not have nosed dived! Regardless about Freddie's condition, Jesus Bohemian Rhapsody made it to N'o 1 after his untimely death and Freddie did let the world, get a twatting life!

  Posted by C_3PO at 9:30 PM GMT 27/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: C_3PO Why the need to insult? Big man hiding behind little words. Go iron your stone washed jeans and choose a Status Quo t-shirt to tuck into them. Live Aid? Oh yeah that was when the millionaire rock stars got together to snort coke while Africa starved.

  Posted by Toby's Jugs at 4:57 AM GMT 28/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• Listen you horrible little worm, Live Aid was a fantastic event by Geldof and Ure, they saved thousands of lives, 20+ yrs on they still are, the amount of funding that they raised is a fact! Queen blew everyone away that day, as for mentioning Status Quo, another fact that they too also still rock and play to packed out crowds! A lot from 85 has bit the dust c'est la vie I think on that score! Go and find your brain cell, your head is about as full as a hermits address book!

  Posted by C_3PO at 8:30 PM GMT 29/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: C_3PO You painted a nice picture of yourself there with that post. If live aid was your life's highlight and Status Quo are heroes then we know all we need to know about you. What a cunt you are, do you still live with your mum?

  Posted by Prince Paul at 3:55 AM GMT 30/11/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Prince Paul
  Seems like you live with your mum? The only reason you exist on this planet is that they forgot to screw the abortion bucket lid down! Now go and take your face for a shite you sad twat! As for mentioning "cunts" the last you were up a woman you were a fetus! Go hump yourself! Te he

  Posted by Anonymous at 8:08 PM GMT 02/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Anonymous Racist Scum. I hope you die today. Badly. Painfully.

  Posted by Cursemaker at 3:15 AM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy

  My god you really are a stupid ignorant boot!!

  The poor man was suffering a slow and painful death and wanted to do this in private. Who are you to say that was the wrong thing to do!!

  Freddie Mercury will be remembered and idolised forever, despite the ramblings of people like yourself.

  Now go off to the Bella or Take a Break websites where you belong to spout your uneducated pointless pish!!

  Posted by kingdobster at 12:32 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• Such a shame that this feature has generated comments that have descended into personal attacks and speculation about a great musicians personal life. Can't everyone just comment about the music?
  I personally believe Freddie was a fantastic rock star - that's it really! Just my opinion of course....

  Posted by Tom Richardson at 12:38 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy
  It was not 'all about the money' for him. Anyone who followed Queen knew that their private life was just that... private. Who could blame him for keeping it hid. Who wants a flock of reporters and fans invading your home, family & friends everyday. And all the while you are confined to the protective surroundings while you are having to face your family & friends knowing you are dying and there is nothing that can change it. He was not about NOT TELLING, he was about protecting the people he loved that were in his life. As we all know, that people would have gone after everyone in his life just to 'get the story' on his situation. I praise him for keeping it secret to protect the people he loved and to die in a peaceful environment, not hounded by the media.

  Posted by R. Carter at 2:35 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Tom Richardson
  Thank you Tom. Very well said!

  Posted by R. Carter at 2:45 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• *Freddie Lives*, you're darn tootin' he does, forever and always in my heart and in my soul!! <3 :)

  Posted by Jane at 4:37 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• *Freddie Lives*, you're darn tootin' he does, forever and always in my heart and in my soul!! <3 :)

  Posted by Jane at 4:53 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• 
  Thanks so much for putting this together and posting it! This is great!! Love Queen.

  Perhaps I'm greatly mistaken, but I could swear that in that making of One Vision video, Mercury actually sings ""one turd, two tits, John Deacon". ...but maybe I'm just a pig who hears things....if it helps I'm a female and the proud owner of "two tits."

  Posted by Jo from Brooklyn, NY at 7:56 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• Wow, wonderful compilation! And to even include The Making of One Vision?! Nice! Dear Freddie lives indeed <3

  Posted by Emily at 9:10 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy
  *sigh* I don't know why I'm bothering, but I suppose I love Freddie too much to go without commenting on your ignorance. For what it's worth, you're simply wrong. First of all, I fell in love with Queen when I was fourteen. I'm now nineteen, and although a female, am NOT a chubby housewife. Dear god. Where the hell did you get that statistic from? I don't watch Top Gear and it doesn't even look remotely interesting to me (what does a tv show have to do with Freddie Mercury anyway?)

  Other people have addressed your "money" comment so I won't further waste my time, but I will add that Freddie already had the press HOUNDING him outside his window when he was sick inside his house. And what is selfish about not coming out that he had AIDS at 1) a time where it was known as the Gay Disease and 2) he wanted to protect the reputation of his family and friends?! Further, he died the day after he actually did make the statement that he had AIDS. Are you honestly trying to tell me he knew he would die right after he came out about it? The man was amazing, but that's a bit much. Anyway, now you’re basically saying he was too late coming out about it and it hasn’t done anything to promote HIV/AIDS awareness. What was the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert about then? What is the Mercury Trust Fund giving money to? And why is money such an issue anyway? He was a human being who had a right not to tell anyone he had AIDS. But he did, and although he himself didn’t throw money at it there was and still is a hell of a lot of awareness due to Freddie dying. If I’m making him into a martyr, then maybe he is. So I’m sorry, but how dare you?
  

  Posted by Emily at 9:33 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• No one...not past, present or future can ever come close to replicating any one facet of his talent, and no one can even enter the contest for the complete package. It just can't be done.

  Love you forever Freddie & enjoying your music always.

  Posted by jayw at 11:38 PM GMT 03/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• I don't care how good a frontman Freddie was, he still played Sun City. Which makes him a money - grabbing scumbag.

  Posted by innkeeper at 1:42 PM GMT 04/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• Well ...for a liftime fan it is very hard to read these kind of comments,but these are tha facts ...not everybody is,was a Queenfan and not veverybody loves,loved Mercury.But millions still are(of all age) fans of Queen and millions( of all age)still love Mercury allaround the globe,so if you ask me millions can't be wrong:)
  Have a nice evening and stop arguing and saying so many mean things of someone,to someone,you do not know,just because that person has a different opinion.

  Posted by M.Rising at 5:30 PM GMT 04/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• By the way... freddie actually sings "one turd, two tits, John Deacon" not "to fit John Deacon"!!

  Anyway...have loved Freddie all my life and always will.

  R.I.P

  "chicken feed babe!"

  Posted by Stephen S at 11:23 PM GMT 04/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• RE: Cathy

  As a 27 year old woman I have to strongly disagree with your comment that "tends to be adored by those middle aged fellas who still wear jeans and tour T-shirts". The amount of young people who are growing up as queen fans is staggering. I attent an annual Queen convention every year and the age range is 9 up untill 70 and all love and adore Queen and Freddie.

  As for your comments about Freddie not dispelling his AIDS status for money...I can't even begin to reply.

  Posted by Sam at 9:43 PM GMT 05/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• Well, I think he's was well within his rights to keep his illness to himself, the same as it's up to any individual who might be facing a terminal illness, or any illness.

  Re the statement made the day before his death, I don't think he knew about it, or at least it was a preprepared statement he had agreed to be released when it could no longer hurt him. From what I've read, he was barely functioning in the last day or two before he died.

  The other members of the band were asked by Freddie not to speak of his illness at all once he had told them. He just wanted to get on and make as much music as he could until he could make no more. I really do believe, from all that I've heard, that Freddie realised that he had put himself in the position where he could contract HIV, that no-one else was to blame, and that he wanted no sympathy etc. Many have said that he never complained, and just accepted that his fate was one he had made. That is highly commendable IMO. Yes, I'm sure his promiscous lifestyle might have put others at risk, but I'm sure many other people did the same at that time, and still do. I think I remember people saying that he calmed down a lot once the full situation became clear.

  There are many of great musicians and songwriters both dead and alive, and many could claim to be better, but to me there are a unique mix of qualities and talent that set Freddie out from the rest, but I am a fan. I do think Paul McCartney is an amazing artist, for all he has done, but my experience of his vocal ability would put him well below Freddie, but then I only heard Paul live about 5 years ago, so as someone else said, maybe not in his prime (although if Freddie had lived, I think he'd still be as strong, based on his performances on the last tracks he recorded when apparently he could barely stand to sing).

  I can understand the comment about Sun City, and yes, it would be a lot about money, I can't deny that, but I personally think that the cultural embargo or whatever of South Africa was not something that would help the end of apartheid. Economic/political embargo would be worthwhile, but stopping music and other culture from being experienced by "normal" South Africans could only have done good IMHO. I can only take the band on their word that they were told it would be a mixed audience, so if that is true, then they were probably naive to say the least as I think it was a token effort by the Sun City authorities to let some blacks in to "make it look good". In their defence, Brian May lobbied that the fine they had to pay should go to the South African black community, but the Musician's Uniion (or whoever fined them) didn't agree to that as far as I know. Also, I would think they left a lot of the detail to their manager, and while I won't say he would mislead them, perhaps he allowed some muddying of waters (but that is conjecture on my part)

  I also think it's interesting that no one has a go at Queen for playing in South American countries, many of which were police states and have as bad if not worse attrociities than SA. I would level the same argument about it being better that these places experience some external culture on that as well. Regimes aren't kept in place by the larger population, but by the elite who run the regime.

  So all in all, I recognise that Freddie Mercury was no saint, but I do think he was a unique and great talent, and the music and entertainment world lost something very special on 24th November, 1991

  Posted by Dan at 11:41 PM GMT 23/12/2010 Report Abuse

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• * the Sun City issue is always spun from the POV of "with us or against us" in maligning Queen. However they took the job precisely because it was a DESEGREGATED audience AND musicians they were playing to and meeting. They weren't just paid entertainment for the richest elites.
  * FM was very much a family man. The quotes from his family produced this scenario: 1) Even on deathbed, he was concerned about "The press didn't bother you too much?" when they visited the ailing man, 2) His lover Jim Hutton when revealed to the public later, quoted his own mother being hounded by press just because of their relationship. I.E. these people wanted to live their own lives without having the REPERCUSSIONS OF FAME spreading to their INNOCENT BYSTANDING FAMILY MEMBERS who have NOTHING to do with their lifestyle (which was highly COMPARTMENTALIZED into different social circles.) 3) FM himself didn't even dwell on suffering AIDS with his closest people: it's mentioned ONCE to his sister and they NEVER spoke about it. he INSISTED to brian may they kept writing for him & collaborating until it's not physically possible to do anymore.

  The guy had very little time left on earth, just wanted the experience to be as little bother as possible to his own family - people he cared more about than any duty/obligation to other people's political/financial agendas. AND he just wanted to keep living what's left FOR HIS MUSIC. how can any of this courage to stare at death in its eyes, for the fate he has consciously (if ill-formed) worked toward, while caring for his family and friends, only be SPUN INTO a tale of greed, narcissism etc -- all vapid projections of long-standing derision of their music and image as a band?

  The guy made his own mess so to speak, cleaned it up after himself, owed no apology and wanted no sympathy from the public (as opposed to many folks using their private lives to FURTHER their careers) - WTH, give the dead man a break will ya?

  Posted by passerby at 10:50 PM GMT 10/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• * the Sun City issue is always spun from the POV of "with us or against us" in maligning Queen. However they took the job precisely because it was a DESEGREGATED audience AND musicians they were playing to and meeting. They weren't just paid entertainment for the richest elites.
  * FM was very much a family man. The quotes from his family produced this scenario: 1) Even on deathbed, he was concerned about "The press didn't bother you too much?" when they visited the ailing man, 2) His lover Jim Hutton when revealed to the public later, quoted his own mother being hounded by press just because of their relationship. I.E. these people wanted to live their own lives without having the REPERCUSSIONS OF FAME spreading to their INNOCENT BYSTANDING FAMILY MEMBERS who have NOTHING to do with their lifestyle (which was highly COMPARTMENTALIZED into different social circles.) 3) FM himself didn't even dwell on suffering AIDS with his closest people: it's mentioned ONCE to his sister and they NEVER spoke about it. he INSISTED to brian may they kept writing for him & collaborating until it's not physically possible to do anymore.

  The guy had very little time left on earth, just wanted the experience to be as little bother as possible to his own family - people he cared more about than any duty/obligation to other people's political/financial agendas. AND he just wanted to keep living what's left FOR HIS MUSIC. how can any of this courage to stare at death in its eyes, for the fate he has consciously (if ill-formed) worked toward, while caring for his family and friends, only be SPUN INTO a tale of greed, narcissism etc -- all vapid projections of long-standing derision of their music and image as a band?

  The guy made his own mess so to speak, cleaned it up after himself, owed no apology and wanted no sympathy from the public (as opposed to many folks using their private lives to FURTHER their careers) - WTH, give the dead man a break will ya?

  Posted by passerby at 10:51 PM GMT 10/03/2011 Report Abuse

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• * the Sun City issue is always spun from the POV of "with us or against us" in maligning Queen. However they took the job precisely because it was a DESEGREGATED audience AND musicians they were playing to and meeting. They weren't just paid entertainment for the richest elites.
  * FM was very much a family man. The quotes from his family produced this scenario: 1) Even on deathbed, he was concerned about "The press didn't bother you too much?" when they visited the ailing man, 2) His lover Jim Hutton when revealed to the public later, quoted his own mother being hounded by press just because of their relationship. I.E. these people wanted to live their own lives without having the REPERCUSSIONS OF FAME spreading to their INNOCENT BYSTANDING FAMILY MEMBERS who have NOTHING to do with their lifestyle (which was highly COMPARTMENTALIZED into different social circles.) 3) FM himself didn't even dwell on suffering AIDS with his closest people: it's mentioned ONCE to his sister and they NEVER spoke about it. he INSISTED to brian may they kept writing for him & collaborating until it's not physically possible to do anymore.

  The guy had very little time left on earth, just wanted the experience to be as little bother as possible to his own family - people he cared more about than any duty/obligation to other people's political/financial agendas. AND he just wanted to keep living what's left FOR HIS MUSIC. how can any of this courage to stare at death in its eyes, for the fate he has consciously (if ill-formed) worked toward, while caring for his family and friends, only be SPUN INTO a tale of greed, narcissism etc -- all vapid projections of long-standing derision of their music and image as a band?

  The guy made his own mess so to speak, cleaned it up after himself, owed no apology and wanted no sympathy from the public (as opposed to many folks using their private lives to FURTHER their careers) - WTH, give the dead man a break will ya?

  Posted by passerby at 10:52 PM GMT 10/03/2011 Report Abuse

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