Rare Freddie Dutch magazine interview 1985-translated

hobbit-in-Rhye wrote:

So glad that the boys realised there was a snake in the nest and decided to cast it out before too late. Now I know what One Vision is really about: neither Martin Luther King nor Bob Geldof, but about the band itself.

^ ding.

It was the happiest they'd been in years.

Mind you, they'd still lost America - but they had everyone else they'd worked on. And each other. Net gain.

Interesting reading. Thanks for sharing this translation.

Thank you Stelios.

Stelios wrote:


Were you a talented singer already then?
'I always liked to sing. At school I was in a choir. I didn't have a idea then I later would make my living with that.'

.

Thank you for the translation stelios. It was a great interview and this was a great question to ask Freddie.
At least, someone adressed Freddie as a talented singer when he was still alive. This warms my heart!

The other day i was thinking about these TV shows like Idols and similar where people use the word genius as it´s nothing special. "Oh. he´s a genius!" they say, even when in talent they are refering to someone who isn´t talented. And i started to question myself:
How many times did Freddie heard the words genius and best singer in the world when he was still alive? Did he ever heard his peers saying: "Freddie, what a beautiful voice you have".
And by the press? he only heard that he was shit.

Of course, now that he´s dead, he the best ever!

So, to have a reporter asking him if he was "a talented singer when he was young" means the world to me, and i believe that Freddie must have got real happy with the question. The reporter showed respect, and he got one of the best interviews i´ve read from Freddie. Very honest!

Something he couldn´t be in UK.

Great read, thanks again!

Yes, the Prenter thing I wrote it because Peter Freestone told me in a interview.
Specific words: " Paul Prenter was pushing Freddie to break away from Queen and the others in the band were worried that Paul would succeed in getting Freddie away. They were not worried for themselves, but for their great friend, Freddie, who they thought was being led to a world that he would be totally reliant on Paul. The meeting was set up in a neutral place that gave Freddie the breathing space that he did not have with Paul around, and he was able to see what was happening".
Said that, Freddie was adult to know what he was doing, not being so obvious to say Prenter was a mentalist...

Yes, the Prenter thing I wrote it because Peter Freestone told me in a interview.
Specific words: " Paul Prenter was pushing Freddie to break away from Queen and the others in the band were worried that Paul would succeed in getting Freddie away. They were not worried for themselves, but for their great friend, Freddie, who they thought was being led to a world that he would be totally reliant on Paul. The meeting was set up in a neutral place that gave Freddie the breathing space that he did not have with Paul around, and he was able to see what was happening".
Said that, Freddie was adult to know what he was doing, not being so obvious to say Prenter was a mentalist...

And in April / May 1987 Prenter sold him to the tabloid...

OK this is going to sound completely crazy, given what I told you about a family friend who did the blood test.....

but in an equally small-world style twist of fate, a girl I was at conservatoire with married Paul Prenter's nephew. Now, the guy is in his mid 30s, and because Paul Prenter lived in London, and died a long time ago, he only has his family's word on the subject of Paul. Neither of the people that told me this story, in other words, had ever met Paul.

Paul's family obviously knew that he worked for Freddie, but they did not meet Freddie, did not know Freddie, and had nothing to do with the business side of Paul's life.

What I've been told though is that the way Roger and Brian spoke about Paul, sadly fits in very well with the way Paul's family think about him. Apparently he was a born manipulator, and fell out with everyone. Actually he sounds like a classic narcissist. Paul Prenter used to try and claim his family fell out with him because he was gay, and his family maintain it was nothing to do with that (despite being devout Irish Catholics), and that basically he treated them all terribly, had everyone walking on eggshells, changeable personality.

I know you're going to think I'm a stalker or a liar, and without actually mentioning names or putting you directly in touch with people I can't prove the story, but it's not a story about Freddie, so much as a second hand story about Paul Prenter kind of disconnected with the Queen thing.

It sounds to me like Paul Prenter was a very sick man in need of psychiatric help, actually, and I always feel a little pang of compassion for that type of person. But much as I feel any kind of compassion it's not as large as the massive "DONT BE FRIENDS WITH THIS PERSON, DONT GO NEAR THIS PERSON" sign that flashes in neon lights in my brain whenever I meet someone like this. Unfortunately, working in music (albeit not the record or pop/rock industry), you meet massive egos in damaged people all the time, and they tend to latch on to more sensitive types who take them under their wing, and can manipulate from a more trusted position. In fact it's so common in the arts that it's practically the norm. Usually these people come across as bright, intelligent, charismatic, well-connected, super-confident and sometimes they end up being highly influential. Quite often they find themselves working for booking agents or artist managers, and furthermore they often end up forming their own company after they've pissed everyone off that they've worked for. Because they make the most noise, they can appear to be good people to know, but after meeting one or two, you can usually sniff one out at twenty paces.

The thing about artists is that they are often not all that confident. They are often shy, awkward, under-confident, and wear performance like a cloak of protection, and would happily live a reclusive life off-stage. A charismatic character like Paul Prenter can allow them to be in performance mode all the time, living out a different version of themselves that they start to believe is real, until it all collapses. I've seen it many times on a small scale. People like to be connected with musicians and actors, even if they're not that well known, because it gives them a certain kudos, if you like. It's all bullshit in reality, most of the time, but Paul Prenter meeting Freddie Mercury, and then finding out he was actually quite impressionable, must have felt like all his christmases had come at once.

Yeah, the slight pang of compassion I feel for manipulators who are clearly ill, like Paul Prenter (and others I have met), is heavily outweighed by the fact that they are total bastards.

Apocalipsis_Darko wrote:

Yes, the Prenter thing I wrote it because Peter Freestone told me in a interview.
Specific words: " Paul Prenter was pushing Freddie to break away from Queen and the others in the band were worried that Paul would succeed in getting Freddie away. They were not worried for themselves, but for their great friend, Freddie, who they thought was being led to a world that he would be totally reliant on Paul. The meeting was set up in a neutral place that gave Freddie the breathing space that he did not have with Paul around, and he was able to see what was happening".
Said that, Freddie was adult to know what he was doing, not being so obvious to say Prenter was a mentalist...

Thank you. That's the warmest thing I've read in years "They were not worried for themselves, but for their great friend, Freddie, who they thought was being led to a world that he would be totally reliant on Paul".

Freddie might be smart and all, but he was a vulnerable soul and a trusting person, and he needed someone to commit 100% to him, which the band couldn't afford, and which Prenter was more than ready to do. And he did.

miraclesteinway, thank you for another bit of inside information. I trust your story (until proven guilty, of course :D )

Nice to see some refreshing users and their posts on this site (I'm talking to you miraclesteinway).

miraclesteinway wrote:

OK this is going to sound completely crazy, given what I told you about a family friend who did the blood test.....

but in an equally small-world style twist of fate, a girl I was at conservatoire with married Paul Prenter's nephew. Now, the guy is in his mid 30s, and because Paul Prenter lived in London, and died a long time ago, he only has his family's word on the subject of Paul. Neither of the people that told me this story, in other words, had ever met Paul.

Paul's family obviously knew that he worked for Freddie, but they did not meet Freddie, did not know Freddie, and had nothing to do with the business side of Paul's life.

What I've been told though is that the way Roger and Brian spoke about Paul, sadly fits in very well with the way Paul's family think about him. Apparently he was a born manipulator, and fell out with everyone. Actually he sounds like a classic narcissist. Paul Prenter used to try and claim his family fell out with him because he was gay, and his family maintain it was nothing to do with that (despite being devout Irish Catholics), and that basically he treated them all terribly, had everyone walking on eggshells, changeable personality.

I know you're going to think I'm a stalker or a liar, and without actually mentioning names or putting you directly in touch with people I can't prove the story, but it's not a story about Freddie, so much as a second hand story about Paul Prenter kind of disconnected with the Queen thing.

It sounds to me like Paul Prenter was a very sick man in need of psychiatric help, actually, and I always feel a little pang of compassion for that type of person. But much as I feel any kind of compassion it's not as large as the massive "DONT BE FRIENDS WITH THIS PERSON, DONT GO NEAR THIS PERSON" sign that flashes in neon lights in my brain whenever I meet someone like this. Unfortunately, working in music (albeit not the record or pop/rock industry), you meet massive egos in damaged people all the time, and they tend to latch on to more sensitive types who take them under their wing, and can manipulate from a more trusted position. In fact it's so common in the arts that it's practically the norm. Usually these people come across as bright, intelligent, charismatic, well-connected, super-confident and sometimes they end up being highly influential. Quite often they find themselves working for booking agents or artist managers, and furthermore they often end up forming their own company after they've pissed everyone off that they've worked for. Because they make the most noise, they can appear to be good people to know, but after meeting one or two, you can usually sniff one out at twenty paces.

The thing about artists is that they are often not all that confident. They are often shy, awkward, under-confident, and wear performance like a cloak of protection, and would happily live a reclusive life off-stage. A charismatic character like Paul Prenter can allow them to be in performance mode all the time, living out a different version of themselves that they start to believe is real, until it all collapses. I've seen it many times on a small scale. People like to be connected with musicians and actors, even if they're not that well known, because it gives them a certain kudos, if you like. It's all bullshit in reality, most of the time, but Paul Prenter meeting Freddie Mercury, and then finding out he was actually quite impressionable, must have felt like all his christmases had come at once.

Yeah, the slight pang of compassion I feel for manipulators who are clearly ill, like Paul Prenter (and others I have met), is heavily outweighed by the fact that they are total bastards.

This is an interesting bit of insight - thanks for sharing it.

Recently (Novemeber 2014) a god-daughter of Paul Prenter's posted on this forum (here: http://www.queenzone.com/forums/498927/paul-prenter-freddies-betrayer-devils-spawn.aspx?page=3). She took umbrage to the way folks on QZ wrote about Paul. She said we didn't know him and had no right to speak badly of him. She must obviously not know much about him, it seems (she definitely never met him)

What i get from miraclesteinway's input is that Paul and Freddie may have shared some same traits but in totally different quilites.
Prenter was a pure narcissist.
Perhaps some borderline personality disorder issues as well (..."basically he treated them all terribly, had everyone walking on eggshells, changeable personality" ).
Often those two go hand in hand.

Freddie on the other hand had a well abjusted and functioning narcissism. The one that makes one shine,beeing motivated in personal growth ( even is a superficial way sometimes) but most importantly benefit his surroundings. Family, friends and all..

Apocalipsis_Darko wrote:

Yes, the Prenter thing I wrote it because Peter Freestone told me in a interview.
Specific words: " Paul Prenter was pushing Freddie to break away from Queen and the others in the band were worried that Paul would succeed in getting Freddie away. They were not worried for themselves, but for their great friend, Freddie, who they thought was being led to a world that he would be totally reliant on Paul. The meeting was set up in a neutral place that gave Freddie the breathing space that he did not have with Paul around, and he was able to see what was happening".

Wow. This is pretty monumental, especially for all those people who have somehow been defending Prenter to this point.

Note that I am not questioning Apocalipsis_Darko nor miraclesteinway's (or Peter Freestone's) motives, honesty and integrity, but when it comes to subjects like this, I kick into professional-historian-mode, and sadly have to point out that this is all hearsay. The quotes/paraphrasings provided are in the third-degree (quoting or paraphrasing the testimony of a person who was two steps removed from the subject) and made decades after the fact. Even if the people in question strive for complete honesty, you have to assume a considerable degree of compression and construction in their memories. It is very interesting, but it can never be more than circumstantial evidence that needs further data to be considered reliable. Again, nothing to the decrement of anyone who posted information on the subject, but you just have to be extremely careful with material like this.

miraclesteinway wrote:

OK this is going to sound completely crazy, given what I told you about a family friend who did the blood test.....

but in an equally small-world style twist of fate, a girl I was at conservatoire with married Paul Prenter's nephew. Now, the guy is in his mid 30s, and because Paul Prenter lived in London, and died a long time ago, he only has his family's word on the subject of Paul. Neither of the people that told me this story, in other words, had ever met Paul.

Paul's family obviously knew that he worked for Freddie, but they did not meet Freddie, did not know Freddie, and had nothing to do with the business side of Paul's life.

What I've been told though is that the way Roger and Brian spoke about Paul, sadly fits in very well with the way Paul's family think about him. Apparently he was a born manipulator, and fell out with everyone. Actually he sounds like a classic narcissist. Paul Prenter used to try and claim his family fell out with him because he was gay, and his family maintain it was nothing to do with that (despite being devout Irish Catholics), and that basically he treated them all terribly, had everyone walking on eggshells, changeable personality.

I know you're going to think I'm a stalker or a liar, and without actually mentioning names or putting you directly in touch with people I can't prove the story, but it's not a story about Freddie, so much as a second hand story about Paul Prenter kind of disconnected with the Queen thing.

It sounds to me like Paul Prenter was a very sick man in need of psychiatric help, actually, and I always feel a little pang of compassion for that type of person. But much as I feel any kind of compassion it's not as large as the massive "DONT BE FRIENDS WITH THIS PERSON, DONT GO NEAR THIS PERSON" sign that flashes in neon lights in my brain whenever I meet someone like this. Unfortunately, working in music (albeit not the record or pop/rock industry), you meet massive egos in damaged people all the time, and they tend to latch on to more sensitive types who take them under their wing, and can manipulate from a more trusted position. In fact it's so common in the arts that it's practically the norm. Usually these people come across as bright, intelligent, charismatic, well-connected, super-confident and sometimes they end up being highly influential. Quite often they find themselves working for booking agents or artist managers, and furthermore they often end up forming their own company after they've pissed everyone off that they've worked for. Because they make the most noise, they can appear to be good people to know, but after meeting one or two, you can usually sniff one out at twenty paces.

The thing about artists is that they are often not all that confident. They are often shy, awkward, under-confident, and wear performance like a cloak of protection, and would happily live a reclusive life off-stage. A charismatic character like Paul Prenter can allow them to be in performance mode all the time, living out a different version of themselves that they start to believe is real, until it all collapses. I've seen it many times on a small scale. People like to be connected with musicians and actors, even if they're not that well known, because it gives them a certain kudos, if you like. It's all bullshit in reality, most of the time, but Paul Prenter meeting Freddie Mercury, and then finding out he was actually quite impressionable, must have felt like all his christmases had come at once.

Yeah, the slight pang of compassion I feel for manipulators who are clearly ill, like Paul Prenter (and others I have met), is heavily outweighed by the fact that they are total bastards.

Excellent post. You're bang f&cking on.