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Freddie Mercury

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About Freddie Mercury

It's no stretch to name Freddie Mercury, the charismatic singer of the band Queen, the best rock ‘n' roll frontman of all time. He was flamboyant, creative and classy all at once. On stage, he could shift from the whimsical to the dramatic in the course of a single song. At the 1986 Live Aid concert he stole the show and the hearts of the 70,000 plus fans that packed Wembley. He delighted in leading the audience in a theatrical vocal ad lib prior to a command performance of the megahit "Under Pressure". A world away from the bright lights and sold-out tours, Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara to a banker and housewife on the island of Zanzibar. He spent his early years in India where he started taking piano lessons at age seven. Just a year later, he started going by the name Freddie, although he wouldn't add Mercury until years later. His three bandmates were talented musicians who could focus on their craft without worrying about putting on a show. Freddie was all the show the audience needed. Since 2011 they have been working on a deal for a Queen biopic. Sacha Baron Cohen is slated to play Freddie but filming is yet to begin. Freddie's showy performances belied his quiet nature off stage. He pushed the limits of the conservative 80's when bisexuality and homosexuality were still taboo. AIDS was just coming to the world's attention and in those early days, it was considered something of a "queer disease". Freddie Mercury died at age 45, just a day after his public announcement that he had AIDS. Any fan will tell you that it was way too early for him to go. But as he famously sang in Queen's most iconic song, he lives on as a champion in their hearts.