Freddie and drugs on live performances.

This is only speculation of course and in no way try to diminish his showmanship.
We know Freddie used vodka and beer during the performances but what about drugs like cocaine,speed or ecstasy?

I remember Brian saying on the comentary on one of the live releases,that "Freddie is loaded here, i don't know with what..." or something similar.
On the other hand Pheobe has stated that when he used cocaine in the studio, and came sober the next day to listen the results he thought they were crap.But this has to do more with creativity than with performance.

I have seen on you-tube bands really high on coke, and you can tell, they are on their own world. With Freddie that was never the case because he always tried to connect.

However a mild use of some drug may just gave him the extra edge, and performances like "Live in Montreal" indicate that there may had been some kind of extra stimulant.

What do you think?

It has been said that Queen were never a big "druggie" band. And it's probably true.

We know Fred's drug of choice was coke. I'm sure he used it before a few shows, but it wasn't something which characterised his performance. He wasn't known for looking drugged during shows - he may have been during a few, but it wasn't the norm. My guess is he sometimes consumed some coke, just to get him going.

I'm not sure he drank much before a show - it would be counter-productive. Alcohol makes you exhausted after some time, especially if you stop drinking, like he'd have to do while singing. Sure he had his beer and a few shots, but nothing to get him drunk.

We all have our drugs of choice, don't we?

A little bit of alcohol (not wine!!! Too acidic!) can make singing easier because it's a muscle relaxant. A lot of alcohol makes it practically impossible for exactly the same reason. A small dose of cocaine will make a person more cocky and self-confident. I can imagine that Freddie, being a person with a complicated ego (shyness-extroversion being in conflict within his person) may have felt he needed a boost on days when he wasn't feeling as confident. He was enough of a pro not to overdo it when he still had to perform, I'd say. What happened when he WASN'T performing is an entirely different story.

It strikes me that Freddie's extremely sexual (and often course at that) remarks during the 1980s shows might be influenced by drink and coke to some degree, as both these substances tend to limit inhibition and cocaine is known to boost ones sex drive.

From what was said over the years, Freddie was on coke during Live Aid.

I've never heard rumours that even suggested he consumed drugs before going on stage. However we do have some audience recordings where he's had a bit too much alcohol before a show, resulting in some amusing moments.
As for the Rock Montreal comment, the band was quite angry with the film crew and general film production of those two shows.

There have been some shows where Freddie would have had some steroids injected into his neck, to deal with vocal issues (nodules can be a bitch!).

I think in Jim Hutton's book he referenced Freddie using coke before Live Aid and possibly a handful of other shows just prior to that.

Peter Freestone said that Freddie didn't take anything before live shows so he could "remain in control."

Now as for the after-show stuff, it's probably an entirely different story!

He was drunk on many of the shows but I'm not sure if he was on drugs on any of them. At least on any of the recordings I've heard

Freddie used cocaine at Wembley 86 exactly before ”Now I'm Here” was performed (which is exactly after the BM guitar solo)

Watch the performance and you will notice. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mEjNM2xYxA

Jim Hutton some years ago told me about it ...and no, cocaine didn't take over Freddie's life!

[QUOTE] [b]Gregsynth wrote:[/b]

Peter Freestone said that Freddie didn't take anything before live shows so he could "remain in control."

Now as for the after-show stuff, it's probably an entirely different story![/QUOTE]

Of course it's a different story.

[QUOTE] [b]TRS-Romania wrote:[/b]

Freddie used cocaine at Wembley 86 exactly before ”Now I'm Here” was performed (which is exactly after the BM guitar solo)

Watch the performance and you will notice. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mEjNM2xYxA

Jim Hutton some years ago told me about it ...and no, cocaine didn't take over Freddie's life![/QUOTE]

I think he did coke at Live Aid as well.

[QUOTE] [b]TRS-Romania wrote:[/b]

Freddie used cocaine at Wembley 86 exactly before ”Now I'm Here” was performed (which is exactly after the BM guitar solo)

Watch the performance and you will notice. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mEjNM2xYxA

Jim Hutton some years ago told me about it ...and no, cocaine didn't take over Freddie's life![/QUOTE]

It can be aswell for the 10 minutes of rest during the guitar solo.

It is a well known fact that a lot of singers use steroids ( not just for medical reasons) to have a more powerfull voice. Rod Sewart himself admitted the use of steroids to have a better voice occassionally. On that Coke thing we can`t be sure, if he used it before or during shows he would have chosen smaller amounts to stay foused. On the other hand Freddie had a lot of cocaine overdoses...knowing that...he won`t use coke during a show, the risk would be very high.

[QUOTE]

[b]TRS-Romania wrote: [/b] Freddie used cocaine at Wembley 86 exactly before ”Now I'm Here” was performed (which is exactly after the BM guitar solo)

Watch the performance and you will notice. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mEjNM2xYxA

Jim Hutton some years ago told me about it ...and no, cocaine didn't take over Freddie's life![/QUOTE]

Proof? Anything in the video that hints at him being under the influence of drugs???

[QUOTE] [b]pittrek wrote:[/b]

He was drunk on many of the shows but I'm not sure if he was on drugs on any of them. At least on any of the recordings I've heard[/QUOTE]

What avout Frankfurt 82 ? Think Freddie enjoyed some that night.