I was travelling back home in my car when I heard the announcement on the radio that Freddie had AIDS. I'd just seen Liverpool draw 0-0 with Wimbledon at Crystal Palaces ground. It was possibly the worst game of football I've ever seen. My wife was heavily pregnant with our first child and the decision to go to the game was taken late. We lived in Windsor at the time. We were both shocked, and both thought it odd that he had felt the need to speak out, it was all we talked about on the way home and into the night.
The next day Freddie died, but I like most of the country, didn't get the news till the Monday morning when breakfast radio was full of it. That night, after the news, they played TATDOOL first time anyone saw it. It was both beautiful and gruesome. I was so gobsmacked I forgot to record it.
When my wife and I look back on our lives or talk about the old days, we both think of that weekend as a moment our lives changed. Despite having got married, despite having a baby due in a couple of months, it's that weekend that we feel we grew up. Its difficult to explain why, but music had bonded us, our courting was very music based. Concerts, listening to records, endless discussions about why George was the best Beatle, how Magnum's age and looks had stopped them becoming as big as Whitesnake or Leppard, or how Fleetwood Mac without Lindsay Buckingham was a travesty. Lennon had been shot before we met, Freddies death was our first shared tragedy.
2 months later we were parents, 2 and a bit months after that we left our new born son with my sister in law for the first time and stood in the crowd at Wembley stadium watching the Tribute concert. We left halfway through Champions because we couldn't afford to be stuck in traffic when our son had never been left with anyone else before. Also my wife was in severe pain and dripping milk over anyone in range.
I realise I just wrote about me and not Fred. But in life he impacted me through my teens until I was almost 30. In death he helped me mature and become serious. There are few moments in life that you can pinpoint exactly what you were doing and where you were when you heard the news, but Freddies AIDS announcement and death are seared into my brain so deeply I can picture them both in great detail.
And Fred, you still impact me now. 3 countries and 2 more kids later.
SweetCaroline · Member since
My first real memory of Freddie and Queen was watching Live Aid all day with my children who were entering their teens at ages 14 and 12 and were getting into all of the great music from the UK. More than the legendary set they performed earlier in the day, i have an even better memory of Freddie and Brian’s poignant rendition of “Is This The World We Created.”
http://youtu.be/OM0g-7sZeSo
Star* · Member since
28 years to the very day the greatest rock male vocalist died and Queen as a band would never be dynamic ever again without him.
Music has got dire in that 28 year period just like Freddie predicted, but thank goodness we still have Freddie's brilliant back catalogue of work to listen to and admire
No one comes near to what Mercury achieved as a musician and never will, because Freddie had it all he was the best singer ever, brilliant songwriter, great pianist, and boy could he work an audience
into a frenzy, he is called the greatest showman ever for a reason !
Tonight at 18.55pm i will play one of Freddie's songs and remember and be proud that he was my hero my legend and that no one can ever take the crown from Freddie ever!
MercurialFreddie · Member since
May he rest in peace. I remember watching a TV report about his death which was filled with details how frail he was during the last days (it was shocking to hear that on a national polish television). I see that today Express is having a field day revelling in describing Freddie's deteriorating condition near the time of his death.... tabloids never let down, don't they ?
stevelondon20 · Member since
The press were scumbags and still to an extent can be.
Thistle · Member since
My heart still hurts.
Dougie 4 · Member since
Aaaw, hugs
Iron Butterfly · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]ggo1 wrote:[/b]
I was travelling back home in my car when I heard the announcement on the radio that Freddie had AIDS. I'd just seen Liverpool draw 0-0 with Wimbledon at Crystal Palaces ground. It was possibly the worst game of football I've ever seen. My wife was heavily pregnant with our first child and the decision to go to the game was taken late. We lived in Windsor at the time. We were both shocked, and both thought it odd that he had felt the need to speak out, it was all we talked about on the way home and into the night.
The next day Freddie died, but I like most of the country, didn't get the news till the Monday morning when breakfast radio was full of it. That night, after the news, they played TATDOOL first time anyone saw it. It was both beautiful and gruesome. I was so gobsmacked I forgot to record it.
When my wife and I look back on our lives or talk about the old days, we both think of that weekend as a moment our lives changed. Despite having got married, despite having a baby due in a couple of months, it's that weekend that we feel we grew up. Its difficult to explain why, but music had bonded us, our courting was very music based. Concerts, listening to records, endless discussions about why George was the best Beatle, how Magnum's age and looks had stopped them becoming as big as Whitesnake or Leppard, or how Fleetwood Mac without Lindsay Buckingham was a travesty. Lennon had been shot before we met, Freddies death was our first shared tragedy.
2 months later we were parents, 2 and a bit months after that we left our new born son with my sister in law for the first time and stood in the crowd at Wembley stadium watching the Tribute concert. We left halfway through Champions because we couldn't afford to be stuck in traffic when our son had never been left with anyone else before. Also my wife was in severe pain and dripping milk over anyone in range.
I realise I just wrote about me and not Fred. But in life he impacted me through my teens until I was almost 30. In death he helped me mature and become serious. There are few moments in life that you can pinpoint exactly what you were doing and where you were when you heard the news, but Freddies AIDS announcement and death are seared into my brain so deeply I can picture them both in great detail.
And Fred, you still impact me now. 3 countries and 2 more kids later.
[/QUOTE]
That is beautiful. My eyes tear up reading that.
runner_70 · Member since
There are days you will never forget - some great days and some bad. 9/11 and Freddie's death day will always belong to those days where I exactly remember where I was and what I did and what I felt. RIP Freddie (plus Eric Carr- another legend. I am a huge Kiss fan as well losing two members of my fave bands was very hard to take!)
Iron Butterfly · Member since
I can't say I was a Freddie or a Queen fan at the time, but I remember watching the news reports. I remember feeling shocked and saddened by his death. He was and still is admired and respected by so many.
I'm playing his music right now, and it's never been more emotional.
rockchic65 · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]runner_70 wrote:[/b]
There are days you will never forget - some great days and some bad. 9/11 and Freddie's death day will always belong to those days where I exactly remember where I was and what I did and what I felt. RIP Freddie (plus Eric Carr- another legend. I am a huge Kiss fan as well losing two members of my fave bands was very hard to take!)[/QUOTE]
Very true - I remember exactly where I was as well, even though it was obvious he was ill at the Brit awards I was still completely shocked when I heard he'd died, or maybe I just hadn't wanted to acknowledge how bad things were.
Nathan H · Member since
I wasn't born until nearly ten years later so I couldn't imagine what it must've felt like when he sadly died. I can only assume that his death would've affected the country like when Bowie died.
scottmax · Member since
I remember my brother taking the piss out of me the day Freddie made the announcement of his AIDS status.... He said he’d be dead by Christmas, I was obviously in denial.... I think my brother was more shocked than me the next day
SweetCaroline · Member since
“@DrBrianMay I’m always reluctant to post ANYTHING on this day of the year. But I was touched by all your lovely tributes, dear folks, on IG and Twitter - and this post from @stereojazz3D reminded me that I wrote this song… (more) Bri”
“@DrBrianMay I’m always reluctant to post ANYTHING on this day of the year. But I was touched by all your lovely tributes, dear folks, on IG and Twitter - and this post from @stereojazz3D reminded me that I wrote this song… (more) Bri”
