Barbara Valentin Interview 11/29/91 -Translation German TV

It was not my intention to judge Freddie's behaviour. Apparently, he did the HIV test in 1985 and then did not call his doctor to learn the results, and who could blame him. I have lost people to AIDS and I have seen the irrational behaviour people develop when they get the death sentence. It's not like cancer where you have a prognosis but there are always the ones who survive - with AIDS in the 1980s there was only one outcome.

What really gets on my nerves is that Freddie cult in parts of the Queen fan base. He was no angel and it is obvious that he did not trust Jim Hutton enough to warn him about the risk he was taking. There is a huge difference about the general risk a gay man was taking anyway and the very specific risk you take when you have unprotected sex with an infected partner. Mary Austin said in one interview that Freddie refused to talk about the test results for over a year and this is typical for the situation - trying to forget the inevitable as long as you have no symptoms. There is a lot of total denial. He must have been hysterical from fear that the issue leaked to the public and social death would follow the actual illness. We must remember that people like Freddie (from conservative families) did not talk to their own parents about AIDS because they were afraid of rejection. Not having told anybody Freddie must have been full of anxiety throughout the Magic tour knowing that the whole tour depended on his health and not knowing when "it" would start. I feel the deepest sympathy for this terrible situation but I cannot close my eyes to the fact that he could simply have stopped to have sex with unsupecting men.

I have never taken part in discussions about that issue and I think I return to that policy leaving the topic to the pink-heart-and-balloon-Freddie-is-my-hero group :-) (not referring to anybody in this thread!)

Can we get back to Barbara Valentin (RIP)? There must've been quite a lot special about her for Freddie to strike up such a strong friendship with her.

Thank you for the translation, Munich.

Sad facts aside, I'm glad to hear she describing Mercury as full of energy and full of life. Although we already know that. He's a human being with all of its imperfections and vulnerability, but dearing nonetheless.

Info taken from this site (link already posted few posts above):
http://www.carolinephillips.net/articles/archive/newspapers/evening-standard/did-i-infect-freddie-who-knows.html

""and how, as they lowered him back onto his bed, there was a deafening crack. ‘It sounded like one of his bones breaking ... he screamed out in pain and went into a convulsion. When he died, I went into my bedroom, phoned my mother and cracked up.""

Is this new/alternate info about Freddie's last moments ?

I thought that he had a peaceful death, a relieve from pain, and that he smiled....

[QUOTE] [b]MercurialFreddie wrote:[/b]

Info taken from this site (link already posted few posts above):
http://www.carolinephillips.net/articles/archive/newspapers/evening-standard/did-i-infect-freddie-who-knows.html

""and how, as they lowered him back onto his bed, there was a deafening crack. ‘It sounded like one of his bones breaking ... he screamed out in pain and went into a convulsion. When he died, I went into my bedroom, phoned my mother and cracked up.""

Is this new/alternate info about Freddie's last moments ?

I thought that he had a peaceful death, a relieve from pain, and that he smiled....[/QUOTE]

No it isn`t a new version of his last moments. Sounds like "Mercury & Me" ...Jim Hutton`s book.

[QUOTE] [b]Martin Packer wrote:[/b]

Can we get back to Barbara Valentin (RIP)? There must've been quite a lot special about her for Freddie to strike up such a strong friendship with her.[/QUOTE]

Barbara was a controversial character. The tabloits also nitpicking on her behaviour all the time.
And at some point she starts living by that. As an actress she played in a countless number of movies and some of them were really bad...I mean BAD !!!
The work with Fassbinder saved her career in my opinion.
The tabloits blamed her for drug problems many times. At least there was whispering about the things she did.
And Mack blamed her as Freddie`s Coke dealer in Munich.

So the Mr.Bad Guy liner note isn`t too far fetched

"Thank you for big tits and misconduct"

Outside of Germany and Austria, Barbara is mostly known for being linked with Freddie. She was what you'd call a fun girl - not the type you'd take home to meet your mum. Big personality, big tits (they got bigger in the 70s), not a huge amount of talent, and very average looks. She made up for her average looks with a rather colourful character.

She did some softcore shots which you can find online.

Curious question, to which there is no answer: I wonder, if he did get a positive before Live Aid, if it would have impacted the performance or in any way.

[quote]Furthermore - Jim's book contains a whole lot of revisionist history, so why take his 1987 claim seriously too?[/quote]

What stuff in the book is incorrect? I just read it and nothing obvious popped out to me

Thanks very much musicland munich. So can someone clarify what is the most trustworthy and most truthful info regarding Freddie's passing ?

Can we believe Jim's description ? There are many contradict statements about Freddie's passing and I don't know who I should believe...

[QUOTE] [b]Supersonic_Man89 wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE]Furthermore - Jim's book contains a whole lot of revisionist history, so why take his 1987 claim seriously too?[/QUOTE]

What stuff in the book is incorrect? I just read it and nothing obvious popped out to me[/QUOTE]

The biggest one is him claiming he was in the room when Mercury died. Dave Clark was the only person in the room. That has been pretty well documented.

Terrific ! Thank you very much Sir GH !!! You've lifted a weigh off my mind ! Does this mean we can reject the disturbing story about breaking bones and convulsions ?

^ Yes, Jim`s version might be a suggestion by the writer Tim Wapshott and the publishing company.