Thoughts on Thor Arnold and Lee Nolan's eleven year friendship with Freddie

Regarding The Prophet DZ, in respect for TSO I bow and step off the mat on this matter.

For gods sake someone be above all this and just stop commenting back. Everyone here is dangerously close to ruining this thread beyond salvaging.

I'm logging out for a break. I'll try to put some positivity in here and start my day off by saying I hope you all relax, breathe and have a good day. Lifes too short guys.

thundergod wrote:

OK Katydyd,
I hope people can understand this so I'll try not to go too far. When I was 6 years old I wound up in the playground behind a big tree
and I put my hand down a very cute kids pants. He was wearing his cub-scout uniform and I thought he was dreamy. From age 9 to
14, the little old lady who lived nextdoor started to rent out her upstairs rooms to college students. I would turn out all my lights, pull
up a chair and spent hours trying to catch this guy either coming out of the shower, having sex with a girl, or masturbating. Even if I
stayed awake until 4AM with school the next day, it was WORTH it. I got such a secret thrill out of this. I guess my point is that I always
knew I liked men but I had no idea what that made me. Finally I saw a David Susskind (popular in the late 60's) interview with a
"homosexual." I was relieved that I had a new understanding of who or what But my preferences at such an early age had no name for it.
I went the next day to the Hofstra University Library and spent the whole day looking up books on homosexual behavior well that was sort
of a relief for me but I also became very disturbed.that I was something that people hated and despised. I was miserable until age 17
when I left home on Graduation Day and met and fell in love with a very special person. That was great and I was finally content with
myself and happy.

This reminds me of something I read about Freddie.

Now, a lot of people dismiss it as a bad source because it's from a rather tabloidy sensationalist author David Bret (I agree, he's kinda SHIT). And also because the informant remained anonymous, (so 'hmmm') but: this guy claimed he was also gay at St Peter's and he and Freddie used to spy on the older boys getting in the bath! It was the only way they could 'get their kicks'.

There's a reason people are particularly keen to ignore this story and that's because there's a darker side to it. I'm going to write what it said anyway because it seems relevant. Okay basically one of the older boys was said to have bullied him into sex and Freddie was absolutely terrified of the consequences of being seen as gay. He didn't report this boy because the shame terrified him - but it wasn't the shame of being taken advantage of - it was the fact he had enjoyed it and he didn't want to admit his feelings.

In spite of the dubious source, I do believe it, because it just seems likely. Freddie also alluded to things happening in school in a 1974 interview. He also fell in love with another boy at school and there's a theory he was expelled for it. In any case, his parents knew he was gay.

So when he came to Britain, he dated girls for a while, because basically he was badly shamed for being a gay kid. That's why he didn't come out til he was thirty.

Thor & Lee, it's well documented Freddie's love of Japan and most things Japanese, do you recall whether this extended to any interest in martial arts?
We are lead to believe he was a competent boxer in his youth.

TSO you're a gem. Consider it squashed. You have yourself a good day too.

Sponge Caves wrote:

thundergod wrote:

OK Katydyd,
I hope people can understand this so I'll try not to go too far. When I was 6 years old I wound up in the playground behind a big tree
and I put my hand down a very cute kids pants. He was wearing his cub-scout uniform and I thought he was dreamy. From age 9 to
14, the little old lady who lived nextdoor started to rent out her upstairs rooms to college students. I would turn out all my lights, pull
up a chair and spent hours trying to catch this guy either coming out of the shower, having sex with a girl, or masturbating. Even if I
stayed awake until 4AM with school the next day, it was WORTH it. I got such a secret thrill out of this. I guess my point is that I always
knew I liked men but I had no idea what that made me. Finally I saw a David Susskind (popular in the late 60's) interview with a
"homosexual." I was relieved that I had a new understanding of who or what But my preferences at such an early age had no name for it.
I went the next day to the Hofstra University Library and spent the whole day looking up books on homosexual behavior well that was sort
of a relief for me but I also became very disturbed.that I was something that people hated and despised. I was miserable until age 17
when I left home on Graduation Day and met and fell in love with a very special person. That was great and I was finally content with
myself and happy.

This reminds me of something I read about Freddie.

Now, a lot of people dismiss it as a bad source because it's from a rather tabloidy sensationalist author David Bret (I agree, he's kinda SHIT). And also because the informant remained anonymous, (so 'hmmm') but: this guy claimed he was also gay at St Peter's and he and Freddie used to spy on the older boys getting in the bath! It was the only way they could 'get their kicks'.

There's a reason people are particularly keen to ignore this story and that's because there's a darker side to it. I'm going to write what it said anyway because it seems relevant. Okay basically one of the older boys was said to have bullied him into sex and Freddie was absolutely terrified of the consequences of being seen as gay. He didn't report this boy because the shame terrified him - but it wasn't the shame of being taken advantage of - it was the fact he had enjoyed it and he didn't want to admit his feelings.

In spite of the dubious source, I do believe it, because it just seems likely. Freddie also alluded to things happening in school in a 1974 interview. He also fell in love with another boy at school and there's a theory he was expelled for it. In any case, his parents knew he was gay.

So when he came to Britain, he dated girls for a while, because basically he was badly shamed for being a gay kid. That's why he didn't come out til he was thirty.

It fits with his type too. The boy "Robert" was said to be "overweight, unattractive and reprehensible" ... lol reminds me of a few of his other boyfriends!

Reading through this thread and also the one dedicated to Thor...i must say i enjoy the stories you (Lee and Thor) tell about yourselves more than the ones about Freddie (although Freddie is the main reason why we're here).

The more this thread progresses it's getting more uncomfortable and creepy. These so-called "fans" that come out of nowhere that are sudden experts in every little private detail of Freddie's life.

I like the stuff about being gay back in the day. What you guys went through. What it meant back then and what (gay/bi/trans) people had to deal with bears more of a social and historical significance than when and how he contracted the virus or he did or didn't pound the odd vadge here and there.

To better explain my post from yesterday.
When I said that it doesn't really matter,I said that doesn't really matter TO ME.In music or in any other sense.
If anyone thinks that Freddie was bisexual,I have nothing against that opinion.

I think he was gay, but I don't think that's the only or the most important thing which identified him as a person!

I think he knew exactly who was but he had no need to shout "I am gay!I am gay!"
Of course, he also thought about his career,public image, other members of the band, band management...
He wanted to protect his career,family and the people around him.
Today is a different time,but even today people hide that they are gay.

But I think no need to argue about such things and no need to insult each others.It doesn't make sense.

Trying to get back on track here......................I've heard and read books and interviews where people, particularly Peter F., say that Freddie was easily bored and never still. Thor and Lee, did you find that to be true? Did he ever just sit and chill?

thundergod wrote:

Oh no...I'm right there with you Katydyd...but I didn't try to edit, or erase...LOL

I apologize again. I left you out there hanging having posted a very personal and revealing response with no apparent reason for having brought it up. It was unintentional and I felt terrible. Hopefully I'll manage to figure out how to use this site at some point. I do need to thank Noorie for showing me how to find the little invisible buttons, but I need to get some boundaries before I post.

Further to what Katydyd5 says, did you ever find you could have long and in-depth one-to-one conversations with him (real life, not including on the phone)?? Or did he keep getting up and changing the subject? I remember some college friends saying he'd randomly just sing when they were trying to talk to them and it was annoying lol

Invisible Woman wrote:

To better explain my post from yesterday.
When I said that it doesn't really matter,I said that doesn't really matter TO ME.In music or in any other sense.
If anyone thinks that Freddie was bisexual,I have nothing against that opinion.

I think he was gay, but I don't think that's the only or the most important thing which identified him as a person!

I think he knew exactly who was but he had no need to shout "I am gay!I am gay!"
Of course, he also thought about his career,public image, other members of the band, band management...
He wanted to protect his career,family and the people around him.
Today is a different time,but even today people hide that they are gay.

But I think no need to argue about such things and no need to insult each others.It doesn't make sense.

Lets be honest Invisible Lady, he was mainly protecting his career and the band didn't want a major statement for commercial reasons.

But as I wrote earlier I don't see it as he didn't come out, he just never made a statement in the press and he hardly tried to hide it. Not many straight rock n rollers would have heard of Anvil or Mineshaft let alone worn the t-shirt.

Regarding Barbara valentin, I thought I read somewhere that Freddie bought her a flat in Munich and a year or so before he passed away he bought houses for those closest to him, namely Jim , joe and Peter and Trevor Clarke , there were other names mentioned but I’ve forgotten them or was this just one of the many stories made up by the press like the aids promo video he supposedly filmed

He got her one in 1985; they were going to be flatmates, but he never moved in cos he found out she was leaking lies about the nature of their friendship to the press.

But yeah I also heard he bought homes for a few people. Definitely the guys in the household, but I heard there were more. Nice dude.

Darren_1977 wrote:

Regarding Barbara valentin, I thought I read somewhere that Freddie bought her a flat in Munich and a year or so before he passed away he bought houses for those closest to him, namely Jim , joe and Peter and Trevor Clarke , there were other names mentioned but I’ve forgotten them or was this just one of the many stories made up by the press like the aids promo video he supposedly filmed

Aw...he bought a house for Trevor Clarke, he seemed like a really nice guy in the documentaries and Freddie was HIS mother too (as he'd lost his own, Freddie apparently offered to take on the role)