Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury
Gifted with one of the most distinctive and powerful voices in all of rock music, Freddie Mercury was the lead singer of Queen and a driving force behind the band's musical and visual style. He composed many of Queen's signature songs including "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love", and "We Are the Champions".

Often described as "operatic", his compositions include strong elements of harmony, layered vocal arrangements, and complex melodies. Freddie Mercury delivered his music with a stunning voice - he had more power, range, and control than any of his contemporaries.

Believing strongly in the importance of style and fashion, his artistic direction shaped much of Queen's early image. He designed the initial Queen "Crest" logo - using the Zodiac signs for the four members of the band: The crest consisted of two lions (Leos for Roger and John Deacon), holding up a Q around a crown, a crab on top (Cancer for Brian May) , and two fairies (Virgo for himself). He applied this kind of creative sculpting to all aspects of his life.

As a live entertainer, Freddie Mercury was magnificent. He would feed from the crowd's energy, amplifying and projecting it back to them. His 1985 performance at the massive multi-band "Live Aid" concert at Wembley Stadium is a perfect example of his stage prowess. With a super-charged Freddie playing maestro to the audience, Queen drove the crowd of 72,000 into a frenzy with a tight set that stole the show.

Reputed to have led a flamboyent and hedonistic lifestyle, he was also known to be generous and kind to the same extreme. His passing in 1991 was a great loss to the world of music, and in the next year the "Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert" was held in his honor.


Freddie Mercury Main Page
Freddie Mercury Biography
Freddie Mercury Discography