Hello again Thor, and Hello and welcome, Lee. I don't have any questions yet but I would just like to echo other's comments in saying it is fantastic to have the both of you here and I am very much looking forward to reading some more wonderful stories about the man who has brought us all together here, Mr Freddie Mercury!
Thread
Posts in chronological order
Hi Lee! After glancing through Peter Freestone's first book again recently, he says one of the things that was different about the New York Daughters (that Freddie wasn't used to) was having to wait on them as they had jobs and lives of their own. Freddie was accustomed to having people drop everything to hang out with him, and it turns out Freddie really liked that about you. He felt like just one of the guys, instead of "Freddie Mercury- superstar". Did you guys ever know that something as simple as a call saying "No Freddie, I can't get there until I'm off work." made him happy? You guys made him feel normal and accepted. I think that's great.
Also, were you both familiar with Bill Reid? Any thoughts you'd like to share on him? Peter made it pretty clear what kind of a guy he was, but I'm wondering if either of you have any stories about him or if Freddie mentioned anything to you guys.
Also, were you both familiar with Bill Reid? Any thoughts you'd like to share on him? Peter made it pretty clear what kind of a guy he was, but I'm wondering if either of you have any stories about him or if Freddie mentioned anything to you guys.
MiracleSteinway.
I was a voice major. Though classically trained, I didn’t have anything along the lines of a big voice. In grad school they let me pick a focus that included Operetetta and “meatier Broadway”. I eventually ended up pursuing a career in New York theatre, but that was short lived.
I was a voice major. Though classically trained, I didn’t have anything along the lines of a big voice. In grad school they let me pick a focus that included Operetetta and “meatier Broadway”. I eventually ended up pursuing a career in New York theatre, but that was short lived.
Thanks Lee:
So as a voice major, I can ask you, on this forum and in many other places online there has been much discussion about the changes in Freddie's voice over his 20 year recording career. Did Freddie ever talk about his voice changes or did he just get on with it? I know voices change over time, but people talk about for instance the difference in tone between A night at the opera and A kind of magic, and then Innuendo.
I've a friend who went to pursue a career in NY, he was in the Book of Mormon, I haven't seen him for a few years sadly but we're still in touch. Actually he worked with Brian May on something for some reason, but he doesn't actually know him beyond that project. I couldn't tell you what it was he did, it was about 7 or 8 years ago.
So as a voice major, I can ask you, on this forum and in many other places online there has been much discussion about the changes in Freddie's voice over his 20 year recording career. Did Freddie ever talk about his voice changes or did he just get on with it? I know voices change over time, but people talk about for instance the difference in tone between A night at the opera and A kind of magic, and then Innuendo.
I've a friend who went to pursue a career in NY, he was in the Book of Mormon, I haven't seen him for a few years sadly but we're still in touch. Actually he worked with Brian May on something for some reason, but he doesn't actually know him beyond that project. I couldn't tell you what it was he did, it was about 7 or 8 years ago.
I guess Lee is out for now, but I will let him answer the comments by miraclesteinway and Villiers.just above.
Also, I know this thread has just started but unfortunately I start jury duty tomorrow (Monday) morning. The first day
usually lasts about 8 hours and is a full day but if I do not get assigned to a case, this could be my first and last day
for two more years. Anyway, I'll keep you all informed at about 7pm PDT (California time).
Thanks, Thor
Also, I know this thread has just started but unfortunately I start jury duty tomorrow (Monday) morning. The first day
usually lasts about 8 hours and is a full day but if I do not get assigned to a case, this could be my first and last day
for two more years. Anyway, I'll keep you all informed at about 7pm PDT (California time).
Thanks, Thor
Merry Christmas!!! And Great Big Welcome to Lee and of course Thor!!
How exciting is this??????
The previous thread was Sooooo helpful in making Freddie out to be the true and authentic person I always felt he was......compared to the way many biographies n such made him out to be!!! The way YOU Thor described Fred's thoughts, actions and loyalties Jive SOOO much better with what my 'gut' was feeling......I look SOOO forward to what else this thread will reveal about the 'real Freddie!!
During this week interlude....i found 'Ask Phoebe' and That too is also very very enlightening!!!! THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS MAGICAL GIFT!!!
How exciting is this??????
The previous thread was Sooooo helpful in making Freddie out to be the true and authentic person I always felt he was......compared to the way many biographies n such made him out to be!!! The way YOU Thor described Fred's thoughts, actions and loyalties Jive SOOO much better with what my 'gut' was feeling......I look SOOO forward to what else this thread will reveal about the 'real Freddie!!
During this week interlude....i found 'Ask Phoebe' and That too is also very very enlightening!!!! THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS MAGICAL GIFT!!!
Thor, as an attorney, I thank you for your time and doing your civic obligation.
But as a normal person, I feel for you lol. Nobody likes having to do it. Let's hope you aren't stuck there for too long. Yikes :(
But as a normal person, I feel for you lol. Nobody likes having to do it. Let's hope you aren't stuck there for too long. Yikes :(
Thanks Villiers,
I don't mind doing it, but I hate the first day with all the hanging around. Thank God Lee lent me his "Freddie Mercury by Peter Freestone with
David Evans" book.which I intend to read more thoroughly than I did years ago.
I don't mind doing it, but I hate the first day with all the hanging around. Thank God Lee lent me his "Freddie Mercury by Peter Freestone with
David Evans" book.which I intend to read more thoroughly than I did years ago.
Lots of thoughts to care, so I apologize for the rambling.
JURY DUTY!!!!!! YUCK!!!!! For some reason I have been spared that treat. DON'T know how, but I've never had to go. I think they should have a different process by which they choose who is called, but that's just me.
Bill Reed.........hhhhhmmmm.........Villiers, Bill Reed has been accurately described on all accounts that I have seen. Let me say something about the New York Daughters. From Day 2, we were an immediate entity in Freddie's life. We....Thor, Joe, John, and myself, traveled in a pack great deal of the time. In fact some people referred to us as the Rack Pack, as in the Famous Las Vegas Rat Pack, that consisted of Dean Martin, Shirley McLaine, Sammy Davis, Jr., etc. When were showed up we didn't enter a room we sort of "arrived" someone once said. We had four distinctively different personalities. We didn't have to visit en masse to hang with Freddie. We all had to be at our jobs, but so often had the chance to arrange our schedule to have special play time with Freddie. Because of that, I'm not sure that Freddie's men took kindly to any attention he gave us, as it meant, as in this case Bill, less attention was sent in their direction. I got the same inference when we met Jim Hutton, thought he was much more the gentlemen, at all times. We DID have time with Bill in our company, though often their bickering caused him to be eliminated from our play time.........something he brought about himself. One of my FAVORITE Freddie quotes, of which we have have dozens, came when Freddie was REALLY angry with Bill about something or other. Bill and I were both originally from New Jersey, and once when Freddie was REALLY angry with Bill he blurted out........."I'M GOING TO BUY NEW JERSEY............AND BURN IT DOWN.............EXCEPT FOR KATHLEEN'S MOTHER!!!!!! We roared.
Blenkolove
I wanna check out the Ask Phoebe thread. We are still in touch via Facebook, and it's always a thrill to see his name cross my Facebook Page. It can't be said enough.....Phoebe was and is, Charming, kind, thoughtful, likable, lovable, giving of himself, and all around a wonderful man, There's no surprise that he shot of has his own fan base.
MiracleSteinway
In regards to Freddie's voice changing......hhhhhmmmmm......other than gaining strength and character as he got older, irregardless of any medical issues that have been intimated over the years, I can't really say I noticed any other change in his vocals. I don't want anyone to flat line here........but........though I MUST have heard Bohemian Rhapsody and other numbers I wasn't familiar wit Queen, and I had no idea who Freddie Mercury was when they said we were heading out to meet up with him. (I was locked in a practice room, or in a dance class for most of the 70's, and was pursuing my Broadway goals. ) I immediately realized I was making a new special buddy when we met for the first time, and we would soon connect on many levels,
Did I miss any subjects?........Fair warning..........Verbosity has never been a shortcoming of mine.......LOL
JURY DUTY!!!!!! YUCK!!!!! For some reason I have been spared that treat. DON'T know how, but I've never had to go. I think they should have a different process by which they choose who is called, but that's just me.
Bill Reed.........hhhhhmmmm.........Villiers, Bill Reed has been accurately described on all accounts that I have seen. Let me say something about the New York Daughters. From Day 2, we were an immediate entity in Freddie's life. We....Thor, Joe, John, and myself, traveled in a pack great deal of the time. In fact some people referred to us as the Rack Pack, as in the Famous Las Vegas Rat Pack, that consisted of Dean Martin, Shirley McLaine, Sammy Davis, Jr., etc. When were showed up we didn't enter a room we sort of "arrived" someone once said. We had four distinctively different personalities. We didn't have to visit en masse to hang with Freddie. We all had to be at our jobs, but so often had the chance to arrange our schedule to have special play time with Freddie. Because of that, I'm not sure that Freddie's men took kindly to any attention he gave us, as it meant, as in this case Bill, less attention was sent in their direction. I got the same inference when we met Jim Hutton, thought he was much more the gentlemen, at all times. We DID have time with Bill in our company, though often their bickering caused him to be eliminated from our play time.........something he brought about himself. One of my FAVORITE Freddie quotes, of which we have have dozens, came when Freddie was REALLY angry with Bill about something or other. Bill and I were both originally from New Jersey, and once when Freddie was REALLY angry with Bill he blurted out........."I'M GOING TO BUY NEW JERSEY............AND BURN IT DOWN.............EXCEPT FOR KATHLEEN'S MOTHER!!!!!! We roared.
Blenkolove
I wanna check out the Ask Phoebe thread. We are still in touch via Facebook, and it's always a thrill to see his name cross my Facebook Page. It can't be said enough.....Phoebe was and is, Charming, kind, thoughtful, likable, lovable, giving of himself, and all around a wonderful man, There's no surprise that he shot of has his own fan base.
MiracleSteinway
In regards to Freddie's voice changing......hhhhhmmmmm......other than gaining strength and character as he got older, irregardless of any medical issues that have been intimated over the years, I can't really say I noticed any other change in his vocals. I don't want anyone to flat line here........but........though I MUST have heard Bohemian Rhapsody and other numbers I wasn't familiar wit Queen, and I had no idea who Freddie Mercury was when they said we were heading out to meet up with him. (I was locked in a practice room, or in a dance class for most of the 70's, and was pursuing my Broadway goals. ) I immediately realized I was making a new special buddy when we met for the first time, and we would soon connect on many levels,
Did I miss any subjects?........Fair warning..........Verbosity has never been a shortcoming of mine.......LOL
I'm screaming - that's the third quote I've read where Freddie's threatened to buy a place/venue and destroy it hahaha! Love it! One is in Brian May's photo book where he threatened to buy a place because the bouncer turned him away for wearing the wrong clothes! Freddie wasn't even rich yet at that time!
I remember Phoebe's book had something like that about Bill getting jealous of his friends.
RE: Jim Hutton, Phoebe gave the impression he sometimes got irritated he didn't have enough one-to-one time with Freddie, cos he always had people over!
I remember Phoebe's book had something like that about Bill getting jealous of his friends.
RE: Jim Hutton, Phoebe gave the impression he sometimes got irritated he didn't have enough one-to-one time with Freddie, cos he always had people over!
Lee, thank you. I loved that bit about Freddie threatening to buy NJ and burn it down. That's my kind of petty LOL. Sounds like everyone agrees on Bill. I'm left wondering what Freddie liked so much about him. Jim seemed much more relaxed and non aggressive. Sounds like you guys had a blast together. I'm personally thankful that my hero found some genuine people like you guys that made him laugh and brought him joy. It can't be easy for a celebrity to real friends. You gave him that :) btw, I'm sending a private message your way, Lee
It is so great to have BOTH of you here! Thank you so much for doing this for all of us, I am looking forward to following this thread.
@Lee Kathleen Nolan
It could be worse, you could be terse.
It could be worse, you could be terse.
Freddie was quoted as saying he was going to be a Legend.........and in fact...Became a Legend!!! But one can't help but wonder if he had ANY IDEA JUST WHAT KIND OF LEGEND HE IS TODAY?????!!!!!!
My three and four year old grandaughters are his BIGGEST FANS!!!
His music....most of which is New to me (with the exception of Boz Scaggs and Billy Joel....i was a Greatest Hits and Now that's what I call music consumer) calms me, energizes me, gives me the strength to make it thru my worst day, rocks my world when I'm on my way to ANOTHER day at work.....He AND HIS VOICE JUST CAPTIVATES AND MESMERIZES ME!!!!
To know how HARD he fought to record EVERYTHING HE COULD......FOR US.....makes me quit whining about all the crap in my life, suck it up, and face the world with All I have....because Freddie's Strength and his music make it all bearable and beautiful!! To me......FREDDIE IS LOVE
My three and four year old grandaughters are his BIGGEST FANS!!!
His music....most of which is New to me (with the exception of Boz Scaggs and Billy Joel....i was a Greatest Hits and Now that's what I call music consumer) calms me, energizes me, gives me the strength to make it thru my worst day, rocks my world when I'm on my way to ANOTHER day at work.....He AND HIS VOICE JUST CAPTIVATES AND MESMERIZES ME!!!!
To know how HARD he fought to record EVERYTHING HE COULD......FOR US.....makes me quit whining about all the crap in my life, suck it up, and face the world with All I have....because Freddie's Strength and his music make it all bearable and beautiful!! To me......FREDDIE IS LOVE
Wow Blenkolove,
Well said! BRAVO.
Well said! BRAVO.