Clues of AIDS during The Magic Tour

I'm sure this has been discussed before as well, but what about the mark on his right arm?
http://queenlive.ca/queen/live%20pics/85-07-13_London_10.jpg

[QUOTE] [b]Nitroboy wrote:[/b]

I'm sure this has been discussed before as well, but what about the mark on his right arm?
http://queenlive.ca/queen/live%20pics/85-07-13_London_10.jpg[/QUOTE]

Could be KS or just a bruise.

I think that timeline is probably correct. Although I think he might have had KS already in Rio as he still had that same mark in Live Aid. So that would mean he was already in AIDS-stage earlier. It's not that mark in Nitroboy's picture.

Costa, why do you suggest 1979 to be the most probably year he was infected? I remember Mick Rock believing it was when he was partying in New York often - was that during 79? Also, do you believe it was Kenny Everett's Russian ex-lover that gave him it...or do you believe he was one of many?

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

Costa, why do you suggest 1979 to be the most probably year he was infected? I remember Mick Rock believing it was when he was partying in New York often - was that during 79? Also, do you believe it was Kenny Everett's Russian ex-lover that gave him it...or do you believe he was one of many?[/QUOTE]

It's impossible to say with accuracy when he was infected, but I suggest 1979 based on the average time it takes from HIV infection to development of AIDS - which is seven/eight years. This varies greatly from person to person - in some it takes only a few years, in others it may take over 15 or 20 years. So 1979 is an educated guess, but a guess nonetheless. A time window of 1978-1981 also isn't definite, but it's unlikely that he got infected after 1981.

I agree with Mick Rock that he was probably infected in New York, which along with San Francisco quickly became an HIV hotspot. I'm not sure when he bought his New York apartment - I think it was the early 80s, but he had certainly been visiting New York since the late 70s.

Regarding who infected him, I wouldn't speculate on that, simply because it would be impossible to ever find out. All we can say is that Nikolai Grishanovich is just one of countless possible candidates.

(Incidentally, attached is a photo of Nikolai and Pepe Flores with Kenny Everett)

Rock Hudson died from AIDS as well and I read he had been tested positive in June 1984. There probably were tests before 1985 but they weren't openly available for everyone.

I would like to speculate that on 4th October 1985 Freddie took a shit. I'm basing this on the fact that there is no mention anywhere on the internet that he included bran or prunes in his daily diet and therefore was probably not eating enough fibre to shit on a daily basis.

Therefore assuming he was only having a dump every other day, I have a 50% chance of being correct. Which is a fuck sight more realistic that 99% of the bullshit speculation contained in this thread to date.

Comments? No? OK end of discussion :)

Oh and just for the record, I think it was probably a man called Dave that infected him, based on the data that from the late 70s to early 80s, Dave was a common name, so I've still got more chance of being correct.

The power of statistics vs the power of wild pointless speculation!

Nice.

From what I've read, him catching it in the early 80's in New York sounded like the most likely scenario, to me anyway.

I mean as long as we're all speculating...

[QUOTE]

[b]Mark_Glasgow wrote: [/b] I would like to speculate that on 4th October 1985 Freddie took a shit. I'm basing this on the fact that there is no mention anywhere on the internet that he included bran or prunes in his daily diet and therefore was probably not eating enough fibre to shit on a daily basis.

Therefore assuming he was only having a dump every other day, I have a 50% chance of being correct. Which is a fuck sight more realistic that 99% of the bullshit speculation contained in this thread to date.

Comments? No? OK end of discussion :)

Oh and just for the record, I think it was probably a man called Dave that infected him, based on the data that from the late 70s to early 80s, Dave was a common name, so I've still got more chance of being correct.

The power of statistics vs the power of wild pointless speculation![/QUOTE]

Thanks for that accurate insight.

Freddie had entered the last stage of HIV disease in late 1986 : AIDS. My calculated guess is that he was probably first infected at some point between 1978 and 1981, most likely in the US, and from literally anyone followed by a latency period of anywhere between 7 and 9 years before entering the AIDS and final stage. From what we now know he certainly knew in late 1985 at the earliest that he was HIV positive but he had not yet developed AIDS at that time.

Not forgetting that he was reinfected numerous times after the initial infection until 1983 which further overloaded his immune system further with HIV virions and probably contributed to minor ailments in the mid 80's such as the oral Thrush and throat infection. Although his immune system was probably less than 100% effective and there was some damage by the 1984/5 , his CD4 cell count didn't drop significantly until late 86/ early 87. Until then he still had enough of these immune cells left to keep AIDS at bay.

Why do people still care about this? The man died 27 years ago. Let it go! Just enjoy his work, his music. I do wonder what music was still in him, and how his voice would have sounded like as he aged.

^^^ couldn't agree more

"My calculated guess"

Means fuck all. Go away.

I do not care about who, what, where, why, when Freddie was infected.

I am curious, however about how the "threat" of the HIV virus affected Freddie's decision making in 1985 (deciding to perform in Live Aid, the recording of the One Vision single, moving into Garden Lodge full time, etc).