Freddie Mercury's HIV Diagnosis – Some Insight – 1985 to 1987

The Queenzone ghoul squad have really surpassed themselves on this thread.

I've lurked here for a while and I don't get the point of this thread. We all know Freddie died of an AIDS related illness, that was made clear in his press release (as we know, deliberately timed around of the time of his death). We also know Freddie was a very private person. We all went through the sadness of Freddie's passing which culminated in seeing RT and BM on TVam emploring us to turn away from the tabloid press that made Freddie's last years less nice than they could have been, because of the intrusion. And I also remember after Freddie died, because of his admission he died of an AIDS related illness (which he didn't have to do), people started talking honestly, openly (and willing to learn) about HIV, AIDS, safe sex, and sexuality. I'm so proud of Freddie for helping towards this. He has made such a sea change in our society which i freel proud of to this day. Surely we should be celebrating this, not the circumstances that led to his diagnosis and where anyone feels they "saw it first". Freddie gave us a gift and it is ours to pass it forward... in what ever way you feel comfortable with, right? Isn't that the best way of honouring his memory, rather than pondering over his private life. Isn't it...

[QUOTE] [b]musicland munich wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE]
http://pictures.queenzone.org//Freddie_Mercury/111742724384.jpg
[/QUOTE]

Is there an option for a higher resolution or a source like "The Sun" or something ?

Don`t get me wrong but it could be a hoax/fake whatever you want to call it.

I know pictures of that Japan trip, where he didn`t have that stain on his cheek.
[/QUOTE]


Jesus Christ. Do you really need pictures, sorry HIGH RESOLUTION pictures of visible symptons of a terminal condition?

[QUOTE] [b]bobbyo wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE] [b]musicland munich wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE]
http://pictures.queenzone.org//Freddie_Mercury/111742724384.jpg
[/QUOTE]

Is there an option for a higher resolution or a source like "The Sun" or something ?

Don`t get me wrong but it could be a hoax/fake whatever you want to call it.

I know pictures of that Japan trip, where he didn`t have that stain on his cheek.
[/QUOTE]


Jesus Christ. Do you really need pictures, sorry HIGH RESOLUTION pictures of visible symptons of a terminal condition? [/QUOTE]

Please read all of my lines ! I expect this one to be fake ! That is the reason why I ask him !

Cant believe people are still talking about this. You will never know the real facts so all this speculation and guess work is irrelevant and will never be proven. And to be honest who cares.

[QUOTE] [b]bootlegger wrote:[/b]

and he was a proffesional smoker?...i've met him a couple of times,..79,..82, 84, and several meetings during the 86 tour. ..didn't saw him smoking.he only took the sigarets a a sort of shyness. He never ever inhaled the smoke over his lungs. ..and btw...he was in tremendous condition the days we met in 86. I do have lots of pictures from our meetings..he don't have any marks or spots on his face or body..and he don't have any make up on the pics.. And about his bad voice during some occasions..remember the 79 tour??....i do have concerts in my collection were his voice is not in a ..very good shape...
maybe he was already infected by then!!...it's easy to see a wolf behind every tree.[/QUOTE]

Could you share some of those pictures with us. I would really like to see them if you don't mind........thanks.

@musicland:

Why should the picture be fake? The fact that the lesion cannot be seen on other pictures from that trip can be explained: lighting, angle-- or simply Make- Up

I totally agree.

I think there are some people that genuinely care and ask questions to try and process what happened to Freddie......but then others just want to chat about it because it serves their own ego to see such a talented person have problems.

The tabloids are similar, they forget that there is a human being behind the story. :-(

That was in reply to Bowky on the previous page - sorry my quote function doesn't seem to be working tonight.

until now...there is no source for this picture ...so

[QUOTE] [b]bootlegger wrote:[/b]

it's easy to see a wolf behind every tree.[/QUOTE]

Well said.

Maybe he had AIDS in 1976 because he had a few bad shows in Japan..

Seriously, we need to give this a rest. The truth is - we'll never know. The only person who knows when he was initially diagnosed is Freddie (well, and his doctors), and nobody knows when he was infected.

Has everything about Queen been discussed at such length that people have been reduced to having a morbid curiosity about such unprovable details like this?

In reply to SmokyQuartz and The Real Wizard and Mark_glasgow...

Compeley agree too. I know everyone takes things in different ways, but this morbid approach just seems so wrong. What difference would knowing/seeing in such detail help anyone, anyway? Surely it's better to honour the legacy Freddie left us, by doing something better whenever we can by standing up to bigotry, hatred, and lack of understanding; by being the calm, educated knowledgable, and open people we are. For me, that's a way we can honour Freddie's legacacy every way, every day. Even away from Queenzone. Pulling apart someone's private life ain't right, and not what anyone should have to go through... alive or dead. It's not fandom, and it's not polite to me.

I appreciate there has been a passage of time since Freddie died, and we're all looking for things to talk about and unify us, but what if we all put our energies into making things better and celebrating that, rather than raking over the past? Surely that would be a better legacy. And as Queen fans, shouldn't we should be the trailblasers for this? And in the inbetween... Well, we're all clever and interested people. I'm sure there is space here for a new take on the best song or gig, or if we want to get all headsy about it, lets look at the video's for example. I swear there is a thesis in "it's a hard life" video (one of my long time faves) as being the perfect allogary about being in difficult times/on the cusp of a relationship. I know its helped me through a few for a start lol. We could crowd write one for a start, easy peasy... And don't get me started on why we aren't croudsourcing the production of some of Fred's more magnificant (and generally wearable on a daily basis) stage costumes. We could restart a fashion trend...

Anyhoo, don't want to hijack, but let's think about this; not pull apart a person who didn't ask, or want for it.

[QUOTE] [b]bowky wrote:[/b]

Pulling apart someone's private life ain't right, and not what anyone should have to go through... alive or dead.
[/QUOTE]

Absolutely.

[QUOTE] [b]bowky wrote:[/b]

And I also remember after Freddie died, because of his admission he died of an AIDS related illness (which he didn't have to do), people started talking honestly, openly (and willing to learn) about HIV, AIDS, safe sex, and sexuality. I'm so proud of Freddie for helping towards this.[/QUOTE]

I strongly disagree with this. From what I've read, Freddie Mercury had unprotected sex with hundreds of men each year for several years running. This is exactly the kind of reckless behavior that caused tens of thousands of homosexuals to die of AIDS during those years. This despite his full knowledge, at least since 1982-1983, of the potential dangers of this high-risk behavior. When I watched a clip of his 39th birthday party in Munich in 1985, I felt like throwing up in disgust. How many people caught HIV that very night I wonder. That's blood on Freddie's hands. Yet, whenever the name Freddie Mercury is mentioned, it is with those hushed tones usually reserved for the most gallant heroes. Freddie was no hero. He was a selfish brute whose wanton behavior led to his own death and most likely the deaths of countless others.

With all of THAT said I'm not sure the general public knew much about HIV and AIDS until more like 1985 or even as late as 1987, right?