Ein Leben in eigenen Worten

Three academics and a frustrated art student who wanted to finally make money uncompromisingly pursued their way in the music business - that was Queen. Driven by the headstrong, ambitious, and straightforward Freddie Mercury, Queen achieved the highest accolades in the rock world. Freddie tells the story of this band, which was often on the verge of breaking up, but continued because its members loved to cross musical boundaries. He also shares his personal journey: how he realized his dream and reaped wealth and fame, how he confronted aging, transience, and ultimately death. Numerous photos, many of them previously unpublished, accompany his words. Elaborate, extroverted, extravagant, Freddie Mercury is undoubtedly one of the greatest self-promoters in rock history. The image of Mercury on stage with his fist raised high and his presence commanding attention has been etched in collective memory forever. He was a dazzling figure, the likes of which had never been seen before or since. On September 5, 2006, the British rock singer would have turned sixty, and on November 24, 2006, it marked the fifteenth anniversary of his death. On this occasion, the original English edition of his book was published. If Freddie Mercury were still alive, he would have actively participated in this book, which would have meant spending many days with endless interviews and a ghostwriter crafting an autobiography in his name. In all probability, Freddie Mercury would have neither the desire nor the patience for such a project and would have lost interest rather quickly. He hated being bored. This book is therefore remarkable in two respects: firstly, it does not simply contain the results of a few days of conversation with Freddie Mercury, but material from interviews and a variety of voices.